Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the State Of District topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Superintendent delivers State of the District: enrollment drop, preschool and attendance concerns highlighted
Summary
The superintendent presented a State of the District emphasizing a census-day enrollment decline (268 to 240), Literacy Month activities, 1:1 student devices and Raptor check-in rollout, preschool and Eagle's Nest enrollment and staffing shortages, and rising chronic absenteeism prompting a planned community survey.
Superintendent Shay delivered the district's State of the District presentation, covering enrollment trends, student programming, staffing and facilities. Shay told the board that cumulative enrollment had dropped from prior highs (census-day ADA cited at 240) and emphasized that staff levels had been maintained, noting the district is "overstaffed" relative to current enrollment and the budgetary implications of that gap.
Shay highlighted Literacy Month activities, in-house curricular events (ancient civilizations, American Revolution walks), the Scholastic Book Fair and a community pizza dinner. The superintendent described technology and safety improvements: a new Raptor visitor check-in system (one additional iPad planned to reduce backups), a refreshed website, and a replacement internet contractor (AMS) that stabilized connectivity after outages.
Preschool and out-of-school programs face specific challenges: low enrollment has left the preschool and Eagle's Nest programs operating at a loss and dependent on general-fund support; staff turnover and noncompetitive substitute wages (noted at about $18/hour) were cited as contributors. Shay outlined retention and recruitment actions (marketing, expanding age range, extending program hours to 4:30 p.m., and using early educator funds for training). The presentation closed with facilities needs that the bond is intended to address (painting, roofing, carpet, and heater replacements).
Representative quote from public comment earlier in the meeting: "I appreciate that this meeting is part of our democratic process," resident Peggy Carpenter said during public comment before the report.
Why it matters: Enrollment and attendance trends drive ADA funding and thus district revenue. Preschool and ELOP program health affect families and general-fund pressures; staffing and facilities are central to both instructional quality and long-term fiscal planning.
