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Columbus School District board approves preliminary 2026–27 budget and new textbooks
Summary
In a routine June 22 meeting the Columbus School District board approved the 2026–27 preliminary budget, accepted an OE12 facilities compliance rating, and approved new textbook resources; the board also acknowledged donations totaling $2,274 for June and set its annual meeting for Aug. 31, 2026.
The Columbus School District board voted unanimously by voice vote on June 22 to approve several administrative items, including the district’s 2026–27 preliminary budget and new textbook resources, during a meeting held at Columbus Elementary School.
The meeting opened at 7:00 p.m., when the chair read the district mission: “The mission of the Columbus School District is to ensure each student is prepared for future success,” and confirmed a quorum. The board amended the agenda to correct the date on agenda item F2 to the 2026–27 school year and approved that amendment by voice vote.
Martha Rule, a board member, reported on the regional CISA 5 annual convention, saying the cooperative “has 35 member school districts” and held sessions on school business operations, protecting digital environments, and youth apprenticeship programs—topics she said are relevant to district planning.
The board acknowledged community donations received in June, listing contributions to the district’s Angel Funds from Patricia Madden Ripp ($400), Katherine Bender ($85), Kelly Dean ($25) and Larson House ($264), and a $1,500 donation from the American Red Cross to the National Honor Society for a blood drive; June donations totaled $2,274 and year-to-date donations were stated as $130,991.49.
On formal business, the board approved the superintendent’s consent agenda (which included a proposed annual meeting date of Aug. 31, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at Columbus Elementary School) by voice vote. The board then accepted the administration’s recommendation that the OE12 facility monitoring report be rated “in compliance.”
In headlining action, the board approved the 2026–27 preliminary budget as presented. Karen Smith made the motion to approve the preliminary budget, and Cory Olsson Rappy seconded; the transcript records a voice vote with the motion carried but does not record individual roll-call tallies.
The board also approved proposed new textbook resources, as presented at a prior workshop, and approved the board consent agenda that included the donations acknowledged and minutes from May 11, May 22, and June 8.
Board members discussed calendar items and outreach: they scheduled a board self-assessment retreat tied to the July 13 workshop and agreed to staff a Columbus School District presence at National Night Out on Aug. 4, 2026, with members volunteering to help with setup and supplies.
With no further business the board moved to adjourn and ended the meeting at approximately 7:10 p.m.
Votes at a glance: the transcript records voice votes and motions carried for the agenda amendment to correct the F2 date (mover: John Pearson; second: Martha Rule), superintendent’s consent agenda (mover: Martha Rule; second: Karen Smith), OE12 facility monitoring acceptance (mover: John Pearson; second: Mike O’Brien), approval of the 2026–27 preliminary budget (mover: Karen Smith; second: Cory Olsson Rappy), approval of new textbook resources (mover: Cory Olsson Rappy; second: Karen Smith), board consent agenda approval (mover: Karen Smith; second: John Pearson), and adjournment (mover: John Pearson; second: Karen Smith). The transcript records voice votes only; no roll-call tallies were provided.
