During a special Wawasee school board meeting Tuesday evening, Jim Evans, director of finances for the Wawasee School Corporation, reminded the board of the five funds making up the budget. The special meeting was in part a budget work session and the board gave approval to advertise the 2015 budget, which is required by law.

Evans briefly touched on the five funds — general, debt service, capital projects, transportation operating and bus replacement. He said this year’s budget is much the same as in the past because the budget process is essentially the same. “There is a not a lot of new money available this year,” he added.

He reminded the board the general fund is no longer supported with any revenue from property taxes. Revenue for the general fund is provided by the state and is still based on the funding formula created by the Indiana General Assembly. All five of the funds are capped by the state, it was noted.

This year’s budget will be advertised at $47,911,069, but Evans cautioned it is only a estimate and the state typically provides a different amount. Another budget work session is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, in the Warrior Room of Wawasee High School. The budget will then be considered for adoption during the regular monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, also in the Warrior Room.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, the board approved a contract and licensing agreement to use Transfinder, school bus routing software. Bob Lahrman, transportation director for Wawasee schools, said the software will help build bus routes and devices will be given to drivers as an aid. For an example, drivers can be notified when changes are made in stopping to pick up students.

The software also ties in to the school corporation’s student management system, will upgrade the fleet maintenance program and makes it easier to track field trip information online.

In other business, with the start of the 2014-15 school year slightly less than two weeks away, the board approved several personnel recommendations. Among those is the hiring of Elizabeth Long as a business teacher at the high school to replace Cory Schutz, who left to take a position in another school district. Jeremy VanLue has been hired to fill the newly created position of radio/TV instructor/audio visual specialist/computer technician at the high school. He will be an instructor for radio classes and also run the auditorium and work with computers.

Leslie Jackson is transferring from her position as secretary at Wawasee Middle School to athletic secretary at the high school. And Tara Manning will replace Jackson at WMS.

The board also approved a project work order for the amount of $5,000 to allow air conditioning work to continue in the main gym at WHS. And a consulting contract was renewed with Phil Metcalf, who oversees the accreditation process for Wawasee schools and leads the assessment, curriculum and teaching committee.