BCSS discusses proactive budget cuts
Pictured left to right, Superintendent John Strycker, Tomesha Hamilton (Butler County Secondary Teacher of the Year), Marian Kilpatrick, Shari Powell, Mary Cathryn Gunter (Butler County Elementary Teacher of the Year), Samantha Green, Stephanie Pierce, Rachel Blackburn and Angie McCaster.
The Butler County Board of Education held their regular Board meeting for April Thursday night in the Central Office Board Room. Highlighting the meeting was a discussion about the district’s finances and budget.
“Due to our significant school system debt ($10,950 per student) and the fact that we are one of the state’s lowest in local funding support (133 out of 137 state rank), we need to take a proactive look at our system’s finances and budget,” said Superintendent John Strycker while introducing his budget presentation.
“Regardless of our Ad Valorem revenue proposal, we need to make sure we take care of our house first in terms of district expenses and efficiency,” he continued.
The first consideration for the school system is to take a proactive approach to finances and consider the systems student-centered goals and priorities. With this approach, district leadership will immediately consider current spending and expenses. Therefore, they are developing a three to five year reduction plan which will include district operations and practices. Administrative costs, energy savings and auxiliary programs are a few of many areas that will be considered for reduction.
“While we are already frugal and our budget is lean, all areas of our budget will be considered for reductions,” added Strycker.
Strycker informed the Board that the school system has already identified a possible reduction in administrative costs of about $125,000 a year by working both harder and smarter. The budget discussion with the Board will continue over the next several months.
The Board also received an update from the Curriculum Director, Lisa Adair, regarding curriculum and instruction, financial update from CSFO, Brandi Mosely, and a technology & facilities update from Technology Director, Matthew Shell.
Board action items for the month included the Financial Report, Personnel Report, lease renewal for the City of McKenzie to use the baseball field and CNP summer feeding program. Other action items were the approval of the communications platform contract, school calendar for 2018-19 & 2019-20 and a salary schedule revision.
Recognition for the month of April was the Teacher of the Year program for each county school including overall county award winners.
Building-Level winners: Tomesha Hamilton, Greenville High School; Shari Powell, Greenville Middle School; Samantha Green, Greenville Middle School; Marian Kilpatrick, Greenville Elementary School; Mary Cathryn Gunter, McKenzie School Elementary, Rachel Blackburn, McKenzie School Secondary; Stephanie Pierce – W. O. Parmer Elementary School; Rhonda Moorer, Georgiana School Elementary and Angie McCaster, Georgiana School Secondary.
County-Level winners:
Elementary – Mary Cathryn Gunter, McKenzie School
Secondary – Tomesha Hamilton, Greenville High School
