Budgets and summer school were among the topics of discussion at Warsaw Community Schools Board work session on Monday night.

Kevin Scott’s financial report for February 2014 showed revenues for all budgeted funds totaled $3,927,443.09 and expenditures for all budgeted funds totaled $4,236,591.24. Year-to-date, WCS revenues for all budgeted funds through February totaled $7,728,088.89 and expenditures for all funds totaled $8,173,364.32.

“The month of February is the lowest we’ve had since November,” said Scott. “We’re actually a little below our spending for last year, but the weather has certainly thrown a wrench in that.” Snow removal has cost WCS $245,282 this winter.

The board addressed several proposed purchases, including a new dishwashing machine, new stadium chairs and network switches for WCS schools. The dishwasher will replace a unit that was purchased in 1985 and should cost $35,000. The stadium chairs will replace chairs currently used in the girls’ locker room.

As for the network switches, “This disctrict had incredible foresight, and that foresight resulted in putting together a fiber optic network across the county,” said Brad Hagg, chief technology Officer for Warsaw Community Schools. “The internal network never got upgraded to that rate of speed.”

Hagg’s proposal is to spend $10,000 to $15,000 to upgrade each school’s internal network gear. With internet technologies and mobile devices becoming more and more a part of the classroom environment, these upgrades will help accommodate the technological needs of WCS students.

Scott also announced that school lunch prices would be going up. “That’s an issue that the USDA mandated in 2010,” said Scott. “They have to go up 10 cents every year.”

Scott reported the average cost per lunch the 2012-2013 school year was $2.94, up from $2.66 the previous school year. The maximum required increase for the 2014-2015 school year is .10 per lunch, or $2.50 weighted average, for WCS.

Current food prices have remained steady but labor has increased, said Scott. During the next school year, WCS is putting some tactics, like pre-portioned items and portion advisors, into place to reduce wasted food and keep costs low.

Kyle Carter came before the board to outline the summer school programs would be offering this summer. There will be a number of literacy programs for elementary age students. A kindergarten readiness and reading readiness programs will be offered to pre-school children.

At Edgewood, literacy programs that include some math are slated for grades four through seven. Edgewood will also have a summer STEM programs that will include some technical subjects too.

High school credit courses will also be offered this summer. Students can general credit courses during the summer to free up time to take more interesting opportunities through the regular school year. Drivers education will be offered for one session this summer.

“There are so many great opportunities out there,” said Carter. Scott noted that summer school has been in the black for the last few years and there are opportunities for corporate sponsorships.

The summer school programs will be seeking board approval at the next WCS board meeting. Enrollment begins on March 25, and Summer Session One begins on June 10.

Deb Blatz came before the board to address several out-of-state travel opportunities for WCS staff. “We have three groups who wish to ‘sharpen the saw,’ as they say,” she said.

Mindi Reinholdt and Laurel Whetstone are to attend a school-based conference in Pittsburgh for the American Association of Hearing and Speech. The trip is expected to cost $2,350 and will be funded by the IDEA Technical Assistance Grant.

A 12 member group requesting to go to the Smithsonian for training. expenses: flight, The training would cost $1,200 per person and is to be paid for with the Orthworx STEM grant.

At the conference, the group will participate in extensive STEM training and ultimately come up with a road map for STEM curriculum. The group will come back with a five-year STEM plan centered on hands-on learning.

Five Title I principals have requested to attend the Teaching with Poverty in Mind Conference in San Antonio, Texas. The conference will cover teaching techniques to positively impact impoverished students. The trip would cost $1,520.00 per person, and will be paid for of the Title I Travel line.

Finally, WCS Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz addressed staffing and class sizes for the upcoming school year. “For the most part, projections for next year are flat,” said Hintz. “Class sizes will stay the same for the most part.”

“We’re finding that kids in grades one, two, three – its an up-tick from what we have in other classes,” he said. The enrollment report will be presented at the next board meeting.

Hintz did note that he wanted to see an increase in art and music studies. He also is expecting a need for more mental health therapists in schools.