Superintendent cites enrollment dip, names interim and outlines staffing changes

The superintendent reported a decline in student enrollment and outlined personnel changes the district will use to address an anticipated shortfall.

"You'll notice that our May enrollment has dropped to 11 58. That has caused some concern both in this year and in next," the superintendent (S5) told the board, adding that the rolling-year average was roughly 1,179 — about 21 students below the 1,200 figure budgeted for the year. She said the district plans to request an adjustment at the state to set an enrollment baseline lower for next year to provide a cushion.

The superintendent said the shortfall translates to an estimated $179,000 reduction in potential revenue for next year and that the district will use attrition and targeted staffing changes to cover most of it. She announced she will retire and said, "I have named Jeff Billy as the interim superintendent moving forward until the board makes a decision on what you would like to do is a long term solution." The superintendent also reported the food service director retired; she said hires and reassignments have been made and that contract renegotiations (speech services) produced a roughly $15,000 savings.

Board members did not record public comment on the budget during the open comment period. The district did not provide in the transcript a full schedule for implementation of the personnel changes or the effective date of the superintendent's retirement; those items were described in the superintendent's remarks but no firm board action on succession was noted in the provided excerpt.