Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the District Finance Report topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Superintendent reports: enrollment stable, operating budget on track, nutrition services trending toward break-even
Summary
At the March 20 meeting the superintendent reported minimal enrollment shifts, a projected unreserved fund balance of about $1.1 million by year end, and food-service operations showing higher per-meal costs early in the fiscal year with a typical spring revenue turn-around; CTE and JROTC tuition reimbursements are expected to increase revenue.
District administrators presented regular monthly reports at the March 20 meeting covering enrollment, the operating budget and school nutrition.
Enrollment: Superintendent Maura Palmer reported small month-to-month changes: one fewer elementary student overall, five fewer at Woodbury (7th–8th graders), and one fewer at the high school compared with the previous month. Hague School’s integrated preschool (Seed program) increased by seven students. The district’s official Oct. 1 enrollment continues to be used as the state reporting point.
Operating budget: Business staff reviewed the operating budget through Feb. 28 (eight months into the fiscal year). The report is organized by object code; custodial salary lines have remaining balances while the custodial substitute line is negative, explained as a partial offset. Several tuition and out-of-district placement lines reflect expected costs; administrators said they anticipate approximately $250,000 in additional revenue this fiscal year, driven in part by tuition receivable from sending districts for CTE and JROTC participation. Staff reported an estimated unreserved fund balance in line with prior estimates (about $1.1 million) to offset next year’s tax rate.
School nutrition: The nutrition-services director presented a year-over-year operating summary. The food-service program has higher reported per-meal costs in the summer months because of seasonal expenditures but typically turns toward break-even in spring as reimbursements and participation accrue. Administrators said the district expects additional federal/state reimbursements and invoiced tuition payments from sending districts to appear in March and at semester billing points.
Board members asked questions about kindergarten enrollment trends, school-by-school capacity, and specific maintenance and repair cost drivers; staff addressed lead-remediation reimbursement and an unplanned boiler repair. The reports were informational; no board action was taken.
