Greencastle-Antrim board accepts clean audit, approves emergency-management software and facility-use update

Greencastle-Antrim School District interim school board members on Jan. 9, 2025 accepted the district’s 2023–24 audited financial statements, approved a contract to buy an emergency-management system, and approved a revision to the district’s facility-use form, among other routine personnel and budget items.

The audit presentation came from Kevin Stauffer of Smith Elliott Kearns Company, who told the board the firm issued an unmodified opinion on the district’s financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2024. "We feel that in our opinion the financial statements are materially correct and can be relied upon," Stauffer said. He reported the general fund posted an increase in fund balance of just over $1,400,000, total general-fund revenues of about $54,600,000 (including roughly $2,100,000 federal), and a year-end general-fund balance near $17,700,000. Stauffer also said the single-audit review of the child nutrition cluster produced no findings.

The board voted to accept the audit as presented.

Safety and emergency management were prominent topics. The board approved a contract with Raptor Technologies LLC to provide an emergency-management and rostering system that integrates with the district’s PowerSchool student information system. District presenter Dr. Hanks described classroom accounting and parent-notification features and gave the first-year cost: "This is $14,000. That includes the fees for start up and rostering. It will connect with our PowerSchool, to do all of that stuff. So it's higher. This first time around, it'll be 8,000 each year after that," Dr. Hanks said. The board was briefed that remaining funds from two PCCD grants will cover the first 18 months, and the service will be added to future budgets thereafter. The motion to approve the Raptor contract passed on a voice vote.

On facility use, the board approved a revised facility-use agreement form aligned with board policy 707. Board members said the change clarifies nonprofit community-member status and adds a line saying the district "will not engage in long term rental contracts for category C and D," preserving access for school programs and short-term community uses.

The board also reviewed and discussed recent grant awards. Dr. Hanks told members the district received a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) federal grant totaling $184,000 over three years aimed at environmental education and Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE). The district also received a PCCD school-safety and mental-health grant to support counseling services and campus security improvements. Dr. Hanks said recommended safety work identified in a state police evaluation includes installation of bollards at sensitive entry points and application of safety film on main-office windows; she said the safety film is intended to delay forced entry "up to 2 to 3 minutes," giving first responders time to arrive. The board was told the grant funding will cover those measures pending quotes and contractor scheduling.

Routine fiscal and personnel business moved forward as well. The board approved minutes of the Dec. 5, 2024 meeting, the treasurer’s report (month ending Nov. 30, 2024), payment of invoices (general fund bills totaling about $4,500,000 and student-activity bills of about $4,000 as presented), and acceptance of personnel items a–d. After the audit, the board voted to increase the district’s committed portion of fund balance to 110,050,698 for future capital projects, a change administrators said reflects surplus from the fiscal year and helps the district meet fund-balance percentage requirements when preparing the budget.

Nut graf: Board members framed the night’s actions as both fiscal oversight and steps to improve school safety and community access: the unmodified audit opinion signals no material findings for 2023–24; the new emergency-management software and planned safety upgrades are intended to speed accounting for students during drills or evacuations and to notify families; and the facility-use form revision aims to preserve access for school programs while limiting long-term third-party rentals.

Votes at a glance

- Acceptance of the 2023–24 audited financial statements (motion to accept audit as presented): Passed (voice vote; unanimous).

- Approval of revised facility-use agreement form aligned to policy 707 (motion to approve form as presented): Passed (voice vote; unanimous).

- Approval of MOU for Act 93 tuition-reimbursement agreement (motion to accept MOU): Passed (voice vote; unanimous).

- Approval of contract with Raptor Technologies LLC for emergency-management system (motion to approve contract): Passed (voice vote; unanimous). Board was told the first-year cost is $14,000, with an annual renewal of $8,000 thereafter.

- Approval of minutes of Dec. 5, 2024 meeting (motion to approve minutes): Passed (voice vote; unanimous).

- Approval of treasurer’s report for month ending Nov. 30, 2024 (motion to approve treasurer’s report): Passed (voice vote; unanimous).

- Approval of invoices/bills as presented (general fund ≈ $4,500,000; student activity ≈ $4,000) (motion to approve payment): Passed (voice vote; unanimous).

- Acceptance/approval of personnel items a–d (motion to approve personnel items): Passed (roll call; 9–0). The roll call for personnel items recorded all nine board members voting yes.

- Increase committed fund balance to 110,050,698 for future capital projects (motion to increase committed fund balance): Passed (voice vote; unanimous).

Discussion, directions and next steps

- Administration said remaining PCCD grant funds will cover the Raptor implementation for the next 18 months; ongoing costs will be budgeted going forward.

- For NOAA- and PCCD-funded safety projects, staff said they will solicit quotes and schedule contractors for bollards and safety-film installation; those procurement steps and timelines were not specified.

- Administrators asked parents to update emergency-contact information to maximize the effectiveness of the new rostering/notification system.

Ending: The board noted an upcoming board retreat Jan. 30 at 5:30 p.m. and a district office open house Jan. 23 from 4–6 p.m.