The 2008 to-do list is long for board members and administrators in Lawrence public schools.
It includes:
¢ Working to improve high school outdoor athletic facilities and elementary schools.
¢ Negotiating a contract for 2008-2009 with teachers.
¢ Crunching numbers and prioritizing for next year's budget.
¢ Deciding the future of the district's mental health services.
¢ Trying to recruit new staff because 40 percent of the district's classroom teachers are older than 50.
¢ And continuing to adjust to a new set of district administrators who took office last summer after several longtime administrators retired.
These challenges, and others, such as helping teachers improve student proficiency rates on assessment tests, mean administrators and board members have plenty on their plates.
"I would probably anticipate this next year is going to be as busy a year as we've had," said Bruce Passman, deputy superintendent.
A major discussion for board members will center on a $16.5 million backlog of projects at elementary schools, and construction of outdoor practice and competition fields at both high schools.
"We're looking at ways to maximize the scope of our resources. We want to get as much as we can get for as little money as possible," Superintendent Randy Weseman said.
Board member Scott Morgan said it's possible the board would discuss a bond issue this year.
"We're going to decide what we can and can't do at this point and have a plan so we can try to get those things up to speed," Morgan said.
Linda Robinson, the board's president, said she thought it was too soon to talk again about a bond issue.
To improve facilities, administrators are looking at what money was left from the $54 million 2005 bond issue; about $2 million to $3 million in the district's capital outlay budget; and a tool known as performance contracting, a way to pay for projects by using energy-efficient and environmentally friendly materials.
"I think we can get a lot done with those three pieces of financing," Robinson said.
Board members also will also discuss whether they want to ask voters to approve a slight increase in the local option budget, which is funded by property taxes. An increase could help to fund teachers' salaries and the district's mental health services, Robinson said.
Unlike the city and county, most school funding flows from the state. Under the third year of the Legislature's school funding plan, Weseman expects the district to receive a little more than $1 million in unrestricted funds. The district also has a $6.5 million list of budget requests, such as staffing requests and new band uniforms.
School districts can tap into local property taxes up to 31 percent of what they receive in state aid. The Lawrence district currently gets 30 percent, and voters would need to approve the increase to 31 percent. Weseman said such an increase would mean about an additional $750,000 for the district.
Comments
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Valkyrie_of_Reason (Kathy Getto) says…
As enrollement continues flat or slightly declining, and with many retirements in the future, the district has the opportunity to shrink their staff, realign their gradeschools through building closure, and move the Freshman into the highschools where they belong.
Kookamooka (MJ Browne) says…
In order to attract new teachers the school district needs to do a better job of marketing itself at the career fairs. No crusher handshakes please! The recruiters need to look the young hopefuls in the eyes, not over their heads. The folders need to have pertinent information inside of them not just a xeroxed copy of the district mission statement and information about the mentorship program. Attitude is everything. The recruiters for usd497 didn't impress. Good Luck attracting teachers to the district.
salad (anonymous) says…
Valkyrie, agreed! But just wait and see how the admin. reacts to shrinking enrollment: opportunity for more growth! We need more money!
They only see things moving one direction: bigger.
As for staff shortage? In Lawrence? that's BS!!! There's an un-ending supply of people perfectly willing to work for less just to stay in Lawrence, or for something to do while their spouse is getting a degree at KU.
FastEddie (anonymous) says…
If there is an unending supply of teachers willing to work in Lawrence, why did they hire non-certified teachers this year? I know of at least two such teachers at only one of the high schools. They came in with no teaching experience (not even student teaching).
Topeka already recruits teachers from the Philipines because they can't find enough in the US. You had better used to paying more or you will be getting a lot less.
labman (anonymous) says…
Maybe they should crunch the numbers on their ELL program requirements. This year two buildings are starting ELL programs requiring all classroom teachers be certified. Before they start begging for money, Mr. Passman should rethink his ELL program. Not to mention I hear it violates their Master Agreement and teachers may file a grievance.
KS (anonymous) says…
Ya sort of have to wonder just who writes these articles. Was it the LJW or a representative of the school board? It is obvious to me that someone has their priorities out of order. I note that the first thing the board is worried about on the list is "Working to improve high school outdoor athletic facilities". Athletic facilities should be much further down on the list, certainly after teacher compensation. The primary mission here is to educate the student with the 3 "R's" and not buld a low level farm sports program. If there is money available, fine, but it should not be first on the list. And no, I am not a teacher.
labman (anonymous) says…
"As for staff shortage? In Lawrence? that's BS!!! There's an un-ending supply of people perfectly willing to work for less just to stay in Lawrence, or for something to do while their spouse is getting a degree at KU."
Langston Hughes doesn't have a fifth grade teacher hired for this year. The class has a long term substitute. Where are all the people perfectly willing to work just to stay in Lawrence? If you are out there....you are needed at Langston Hughes!!
Kookamooka (MJ Browne) says…
I'm willing to bet the fact that Langston Hughes doesn't have a fifth grade teacher is because the people in H.R. aren't working hard enough to recruit one.
No one ever points to the department whose job it is to hire new teachers as the problem. USD497 has a problem there. They need to have good sales people at the recruitment fairs and even if the salary isn't as good as some of the other districts, they need to be selling the intangible benefits of working here.
The school board needs to evaluate the H.R. department and soon! Lawrence can't wait for another round of great hopefuls to come and get snatched up by other districts!