Dr. Brandon Penrod presented a preliminary 2024 budget to the Wawasee school board. More information will be presented during the regular September school board meeting. Pictured, from left are Steve Baut, Neil Likens and Penrod. Photo by Marissa Sweatland.

By Marissa Sweatland
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — The Wawasee Community Schools board was met with a full agenda during their regular August meeting which was held last night, Tuesday, Aug. 8.

Dr. Brandon Penrod took the board through a preliminary 2024 budget workshop. Since school has not started, neither a net assessed value nor an average daily membership has not been set. There is a student ADM count set for Monday, Oct. 2.

A notice of public hearing will be entered in Gateway by Saturday, Sept. 2.

A notice of public hearing for budget, bus replacement plan and capital assets plan will be posted on Wawasee Community School Corporation website by Saturday, Sept. 2.

A public hearing for the 2024 budget will be held Tuesday, Sept. 12.

The post capital assets plan and bus replacement plan will be available on the WCSC website on Wednesday, Sept. 13.

In October, the board will decide if they will adopt the budget, capital assets plan, bus replacement plan and three other unannounced resolutions. The board approved Penrod’s request to advertise the public hearings.

As of now, the 2024 budget will look similar to 2023 budget. Budget negotiations start in September.

The Education Fund’s budget for 2024 is $22,290,748. This is a 3% increase in budget over 2023. Up to $750,000 will be transferred from this budget to the Operation Fund The education fund is not supported by property taxes. Revenue is based upon student enrollment, special education, CTE, foster students, SNAP, TANF and Honors Diploma numbers.

The proposed 2024 Operations Fund budget is $10,551,638.

The total tax rate in 2023 was 0.5399 and is expected to stay the same in 2024.

The 2024 debt service budget is $12,207,600.

“This does include our estimated debt payment. So if the bond we just had a hearing for is, in fact, sold, this includes an estimated payment to get our budget up to $12,207,600. Which will generate a levy high enough to generate a rate that will keep our total rate at 0.5399,” Penrod explained to the board.

Penrod then asked the board to adopt the project resolution.

“The project resolution is related to the prior hearing that we had before this meeting. So this is the one that the resolution is going to establish the estimated cost of the project, the estimated tax impact and the timing of the impact,” he explained.

Penrod explained the financial impact of the projects. He explained the par amount of the project is $77.150 million, project cost of $75 million, the net tax impact is zero and the timing of impact is 2024. The board approved.

He then presented a preliminary determination resolution for the board’s consideration.

“This resolution sets forth the maximums for the following: the maximum term of the lease or bond issue, the maximum debt service levy and the maximum debt service rate. Other information, including estimated principle amount, estimated interest rates, total interest costs, total current debt service levy and rates and estimated increase are the same.” Penrod explained. The board approved the resolution.

Dr. Steven Troyer addressed the board, asking for an approval of the teacher appreciation grant policy. In this policy, any classroom teacher that is rated “effective” or “highly effective” will receive a cash stipend. This policy has been the same for the last three years.

“You only get it if you are effective or highly effective. Do we have anyone not getting it?” asked Mike Wilson.

“We do,” Troyer responded.

Additionally, the board approved NEOLA and approved the waiver days that were presented in the regular July school board meeting. The waiver days are Monday, Sept. 18; Monday, Nov. 6; and Friday, March 8. Waiver days are not e-learning days, but are no school days for students. These waiver days will be used to help teachers build skills and find resources to increase student achievement.

During Dr. Shelly Wilfong’s learning report, she informed the board of a professional learning community seminar that was simulcasted at Wawasee High School. Normally the corporation can only afford to send 10-15 educators to the event in Lincolnshire, Ill. However, by doing it this way, over 100 area educators were able to attend. The educators participated in keynotes and breakout sessions.

During Troyer’s superintendent’s report, he informed the board about the Esser budget updates.

Esser One is fully encumbered and was liquidated by Dec. 15, 2022. The amount awarded and expended was $380,014.64. Some of the grant expenditures included salaries and benefits, classified staff stipends and maintenance.

Esser Two is still going, but it is scheduled to be completed end of August 2023 with everything liquidated by the end of the year. The amount awarded is $1,312,848.13 and as of tonight’s meeting, $1,241,889.28 has been expended. Some of the grant expenditures include salaries and benefits, instructional supplies and tech supplies.

Esser Three ends August 2024. The amount awarded was $2,948,545.00 and so far $785,658.57 has been expended. Some of the current expenditures include salaries and benefits, administrative coaching and contracted special education testing support.

Wawasee School Corporation bus inspection took place on Tuesday, July 18 and Wednesday, July 19. All 58 buses passed inspection.

Multiple donations were addressed by Troyer. The K21 Foundation donated $6,000 to North Webster Elementary School for disc golf course improvements. The Shoop Sports and Youth Foundation awarded a $27,500 grant to the Wawasee High School band for instruments. The Wawasee Super Mileage Team received a $10,000 grant from the Shoop Sports and Youth Foundation to help with their vehicle and upcoming competitions.

Additionally, Wawasee FFA received a $75 donation from TNT Performance Machine Shop and a $300 donation from Kosciusko County 4-H DCFS committee. Both of these donations will be used in the upcoming school year. Doug and Jeannine Schrock have donated $10,000 to the Angel Fund, which is used for student breakfast and lunch and accounts in the negative or have fallen behind.

The next regular school board meeting will be held 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, in the Warrior Room of Wawasee High School, 1 Warrior Path Building 1, Syracuse.