Published: April 29, 2008 03:52 pm            

Wayne County Board approves staff allocation formulas for schools

Monticello — The Wayne County Board of Education has approved staff allocation

formulas for schools throughout the district for next year at essentially

the same level they are operating under right now. The board took action on

the recommendation by Superintendent John Dalton during a meeting held on

Monday, April 21.

Dalton noted that these recommendations include the changes that the

board made several months ago, as they were faced with mid-year budget cuts.

Dalton also recommended the board make some changes in Title II funding

that would allow the district to keep full-time kindergarten. Full-time

kindergarten is not funded, but for many years, Wayne County has opted to

pay for it.

Dalton explained that Title II monies have been used in first grade in

order to keep the number of students per classroom down. But even with the

funding, he noted that the number of students per class has not dropped to

the ideal of 16 or 17 per room.

He recommended the board shift this funding to kindergarten, so that

students can attend class all day long. Dalton said the class sizes for

kindergarten and first grade, which are both located at Walker Elementary,

would be about the same‹from 22 to 24 students per class.

Dalton said this change would translate into a $150,000 savings for the

district. The board approved the change.

Next year¹s financial situation is uncertain for the district, according

to information provided to the board by Dalton. He said that education did

not fare well in the new state budget, which was approved by the

legislature.

³Kentucky education took a hard hit in this last legislative session,

probably one of the hardest hits I have seen in my career,² stated Dalton.

He expressed disappointment in the legislature and in a budget that

adversely affects programs like Extended School Services and Safe Schools.

Dalton said there is no new facility money in this budget and that it does

not have any money appropriated to cover the one percent mandated raise.

Dalton said that at this point local districts are really uncertain

about the specifics of state funding for next year. He said superintendents

across the state are being urged to be conservative when budgeting. In

addition, he said superintendents have also been advised there could be

another round of funding cuts mid-year if the state¹s revenue projections do

not materialize.

³It¹s a very disheartening time right now in Kentucky education,² stated

Dalton. ³Our goal is not to go backwards here...No young people in the state

of Kentucky deserve to be victims of this funding.²

Also during the meeting, the board approved the school calendar for

2008-2009. The first day of school for students next year will be August 6.

The calendar is similar to the current one and includes the traditional fall

break and spring break.

The only real change in this calendar involves the Parent-Teacher

Conference days. Traditionally, these have been scheduled at the end of the

nine-week grading periods. But that has been changed next year for the

second and third terms. Instead, conference days for those terms will be

held at the mid-point of the nine-week grading period, which would allow

teachers and parents to address problems before the semester is complete.

The final day for classes in next year¹s calendar is May 19. During his

report to the board, Dalton pointed out that the Wayne County Baseball

Boosters recently donated a full lighting package for the new baseball

field. The lights are up and the wiring is being installed. Dalton expressed

his appreciation to the boosters for their generous donation.

Earlier in the meeting, the board recognized artwork by students in the

district, who were districtwide winners in the 2008 Kentucky School

Nutrition Association¹s Annual Art Contest.

This year¹s theme was ³Healthy Choices to Win² and the following

students¹ work was selected from a large pool of submissions.

Elementary winners included: Sara Dishman, a fifth grade student at

Turner Intermediate, first place; Joshua Cooper, a fifth grade student at

Turner Intermediate, second place; and Alexandra Preat, a third grade

student at Bell Elementary, third place.

Alyssa Magat, a seventh grader at Wayne County Middle School, won first

place in the middle-junior high category.

According to Food Service Director Karen Gibson, the local winning

students¹ art was sent on to the state competition earlier this month.

Also during the meeting, the board:

€ Approved the auditor¹s contract with Barry Dalton, CPA.

€ Approved a pay application in the amount of $215,431.34 for the Bell

Elementary renovation project.

€ Declared several vehicles, buses and other items are surplus property.

€ Approved a facility request of use of the Wayne County High School

auditorium for the Wayne County Junior Miss Scholarship Program on May 30.

Last week¹s meeting was held at the Wayne County Area Technology Center,

as the school board continues its series of sessions across the campus.

Following the meeting, board members toured classrooms at the Area

Technology Center.

Next month¹s meeting will be held at the Wayne County Middle School.

        

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