Bennett School District board approves preliminary budget and package of motions; adds sixth-graders to middle school sports

The Bennett School District No. 29J Board of Education approved its 2026–27 preliminary budget and a group of routine motions at a regular meeting on May 13, 2026.

The board voted unanimously (4–0, with President Alyssa Pae absent) to approve a blanket consent agenda covering April meeting minutes, listed expenditures, multiple new hires and resignations, extra-duty assignments, and contract renewals for the 2026–27 school year. The board then approved the district’s preliminary budget for 2026–27.

According to the finance report presented at the meeting, the budget is calculated on a total funded count of 1,799 and uses a state projection of about $23.8 million before grant and local revenues. Projected revenues before an $8.4 million Sky Ranch transfer were presented as approximately $25.6 million. Salaries and benefits account for roughly 72% of projected expenditures. The district noted it is fully locally funded and has lost approximately $1 million in categorical funding used previously for reimbursements.

Other motions approved by the board (each passed 4–0, one absence) included:

• Approval of the senior graduation list.

• Approval of the ESEA General Assurances Form.

• Approval of the Early Literacy Assessment Tool Project Assurance.

• Adoption of Policy EEAA, “Transportation Eligibility.”

• Addition of sixth-grade student athletes to middle school sports participation.

• Approval of a Request for Qualifications (added to the agenda before the vote).

Each motion was moved and seconded on the record; roll-call acknowledgments listed Nancy Barden, Darvin Harrell, Hazel Statkiewicz and Brennan Westendorf as voting aye and Alyssa Pae as absent.

The meeting’s finance presentation noted several budget pressures, including a pending 10% increase in health insurance renewals and higher operating costs such as utilities and transportation. The board did not amend the preliminary budget at the meeting; it adopted the preliminary budget as presented. The finance summary also described planned transfers to capital reserves and ongoing work to clean up the student activity fund so that fundraising and fees are accounted for in the general fund.

The board also approved allowing sixth graders to participate in middle school sports beginning next school year, a change the motion framed as an addition to existing middle school athletics policy. The vote record shows the policy change carried with the same 4–0 tally.

The board scheduled its next regular meeting for June 17, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. and adjourned at 7:28 p.m.

Meeting materials referenced at the hearing provided itemized expense lists, lists of hires/resignations/extra-duty assignments and the full preliminary budget; those materials were recorded as part of the blanket consent packet presented to the board.