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School Board
Meeting Tuesday, December 16, 2008 R-2 Deficit Shrinks Slightly Chillicothe R-2 School District administrators are predicting a $609,762 budget deficit at the end of the 2008-09 school year. But, according to Dr. Linda Gray Smith, there is some good news to be found in that grim projection. “That is actually an improvement,” she said today (Wednesday), explaining that in September she had predicted a $651,000 deficit by June 30, 2009. Chillicothe R-2 school board members received an update on the district’s budget Tuesday night at district headquarters during the regular December meeting, which started at 6:30 p.m. Smith said the deficit budget prediction is actually a mix of good and bad news. However, that news is countered with a few slight increases in revenue. Specifically, Smith highlighted the following additional funds:
Smith also noted that she has decreased some expenditures by a total of $20,954 by simply tidying up the budget. For the complete article, see the CT newspaper... Chillicothe Board Considers Changes to School Calendar In an effort to enhance learning district-wide and save money at the same time, the Chillicothe R-2 School District is considering going to a four-day school week next year if the state legislature grants approval. Chillicothe R-2 board members received an update on possible calendars for the next school year (2009-10) Tuesday evening during the regular December meeting held at district headquarters. Assistant Superintendent Wade Schroeder presented a few calendar options to the board, including one which calls for a four-day school week, with classes held Tuesday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. (This school calendar would depend on approval from the Missouri State Legislature, which currently stipulates school districts must hold school 174 days in order to earn state aid). Schroeder explained that the four-day school week would greatly increase the flexibility in instructional time across the district. “The big thing that we’ve seen from other schools nationwide that have gone to a four-day school week is that the number of times teachers are out of the classroom because of things like sickness and doctor’s appointments, is greatly reduced,” he said. That means, Schroeder said, less substitute teacher time and more time with the district’s best teachers in the classroom teaching their students. Having a four-day school week would also likely mean higher attendance rates, Schroeder said, noting that other school districts operating with such a calendar have seen a hike in their attendance rates. He said that his research also suggests students like the four-day week because it allows for more time to participate in extracurricular activities. Parents, Schroeder said, also have expressed that the four-day week allows for more family time. “Some parents I’ve talked to like that the four-day week would mean more time for families to take long weekends and spend time together,” the assistant superintendent explained. The number of “early outs” would decrease with this new calendar, Schroeder said. And, he noted, that the longer school day would dramatically reduce the amount of time school children would need to spend at day care four days a week, possibly reducing families’ weekly day care bill. The district would save a sizable sum, if the state legislature and R-2 board approves such a calendar. Schroeder said that just in transportation alone, the district would see a savings of $70,000 immediately. That figure, he said, does not include additional savings in food service and utilities. For the complete article, see the CT newspaper... |
