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PCCS reports small fund balance gain, cites staffing and facility pressures
Summary
At a Pocatello District board work session, PCCS leaders reported a modest increase in the general fund balance, described new retention bonuses and a behavioral-support hire, and warned that a sinking gym corner will require repairs likely paid for by the district.
Alie Flores presented the Pocatello Community Charter School annual and financial update, telling trustees the general fund posted a year-over-year increase ("an increase of $172,700 from FY 23") and that higher money-market interest rates helped lift revenues.
Flores said the school used part of its resources to add a behavioral support specialist and to offer contracted staff a $2,000 retention bonus paid when staff re-signed their annual contracts. She described program changes for students — replacing an expensive Teton Science School trip with a district-run Southern Utah experience and adding a rock-climbing wall to the gym to better align field experiences with classroom curriculum.
On facilities, Flores described an engineer's findings that one corner of the gym is slowly sinking and that the district will need deep anchors under the slab. She said the problem appears tied to groundwater and is unlikely to be covered by insurance; her estimate to halt further sinking was "potentially south of $100,000 to fix." The engineer told trustees the corner can be stabilized but not lifted to its original elevation.
Flores also flagged continuing programmatic strains: special-education enrollments have risen, and attendance slipped to about 93% last year (below the district's 95% planning assumption), a decline she said administration is addressing through increased family communication and outreach.
The update included academic supports: cohort-level test-score improvement, ongoing work with math coach Cory Bennett, and a parent/teacher communications platform called "Rooms" intended to improve family engagement. Flores said enrollment sits slightly below typical full capacity for middle school (roughly 326–328 students) with a few open seats.
The board asked clarifying questions about the gym repair timeline and potential insurance recovery; administration said contractor warranty windows had passed and the repair cost will likely fall to the district. Trustees did not take formal action during the work session.
