|
Peotone school board hears good news about budget  Share
According to Peotone School District Business Manager Heather Rose, the district ended the 2008/2009 fiscal year with $471,000 more in revenue than expenses. She told the school board Monday that the extra funds were especially notable, since the state failed to pay $1.2 million in promised funding during the school year. ''I want to thank the administration and staff for working hard to spend money wisely,'' she said. Rose's comments were part of a discussion, highlighting portions of a recent audit performed by Gassensmith & Associates of Joliet. She said it had been an ''unprecedented year,'' with the state falling three to six months behind in payments to the district. The district eventually received the $1.2 million owed by the state but the funds were received late and could not be counted as part of last year's budget.
She said the beginning fund balance is important, since it indicates the cash on hand and reduces cash flow problems and commended the administration and staff for closely monitoring expenses. ''We will continue to work hard to control our expenses,'' she told the board. Paul Preuss, curriculum director for grades 6-12, presented information about a proposed English I honors class for freshman. The high school has a Pre-Advance Placement (AP) English II class, an AP English III and an AP English IV. The course would be a prerequisite for the sophomore Pre-AP English II. Students would be selected based on test scores and recommendations from eighth grade teachers. He said students will be required to read and write extensively in a variety of genres, including novels, short stories, drama, essays and myths. He said the workload will require students to work at an accelerated pace and the summer reading will be more advanced than the regular English I course. Preuss said the honors class, along with the existing Pre-AP class taken as a sophomore, will help better prepare students for the AP classes taken during the junior and senior years. Students taking the AP classes receive dual credit, for high school and for college. Preuss estimated the cost for new novels and supplemental materials at approximately $2,500. The board will vote on the matter at its November board meeting. The trustees approved a library per capita grant completed by K-5 Curriculum Director Kathy Davis and Rose that will provide approximately $1,500 to the district. Rose said the state bases the grant on student enrollment. She said the district will use the funds to help implement the new catalog system for the six libraries in the district. The board recognized Emilie Janes as the October Board of Education Academic Student of the Month. Daughter of Howard and Patricia Janes of Peotone, Emilie is a junior at Peotone High School with a grade point average of 4.929 and ranks fourth in her class of 164 based on grade point average. At the high school, Emilie is a member of the school band and drama team. Outside of school, she is president of her 4H club and a member of an equestrian drill team. After graduation, she plans to attend Olivet Nazarene University to study microbiology. The board also recognized September students of the month at the junior high. One student is chosen at each grade level based on demonstrating outstanding behavior, good work ethic and going ''above and beyond the call of duty.'' The September students of the month were: Emily Clarke, sixth grade; Erica Freudinger, seventh grade and Nicholas Lorenz, eighth grade. Lynn Dill is a reporter for Russell Publications.
|
This Week's Front Page »
Related Stories »
|
