Reduction of nearly $200 per student likely
School district officials in Rogers City are bracing themselves for a possible budget cut of $196 per student from the December payment of the per-pupil state foundation grant of $6,700. A letter has been sent to all the superintendents in Michigan from state budget director Mary A. Lannoye stating that ?school aid revenues are insufficient to fully fund existing appropriations.?
Rogers City superintendent Ed Schultz presented the letter at the board of education meeting Monday evening.
There could be negotiations with state lawmakers and the governor to reduce the figure, but if the reduction in state aid stands, Schultz said they are looking at a loss of about $135,000 on top of the already $85,000 the district was in the red following last month?s budget amendment.
CURRENT ESTIMATES after the October revenue consensus conference indicate that state school aid revenues will be short by a total of $349.6 million, Lannoye states.
Locally, planning and finance chairman Mike Marx asked that his committee meet after December 1 so they can have a better idea what the final numbers will be.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm has been conducting meetings across the state to receive citizen input ?as we work to resolve Michigan?s budget crisis,? Lannoye states.
Board member Jo Bush-Glenn wondered if Rogers City board members should share some of their thoughts with Granholm?s staff.
?It says here in this letter that the governor and the state budget director would appreciate hearing our ideas ?in placing the state school aid budget on sound fiscal footing,? ? said Glenn, although no motions were made to send a response.
?THE GOVERNOR IS going around the state, like when the doctor?s getting ready to give you a shot,? said board member Dana LaBar.
LaBar believes a way to ease the financial pinch would be to attract more students.
?(The) reality is, what we need to do, if we want to increase our revenues, is to bring more students into Rogers City schools,? said LaBar. ?If someone has an idea of how we can do that, boy, are my ears open.
?We are providing small classes for a variety of good programs. We are providing excellent teachers. How do we attract more students into the schools? I guess that?s our mission.?
IN OTHER matters to come before the board:
? Principal Jim Connell said the National Honor Society sponsored an American Red Cross blood drive November 3. The goal was 60 units of blood, which was surpassed when 71 units were collected. That included 25 first-time donors.
?The National Honor Society and the Red Cross were very well pleased,? Connell said.
? The resignation of football coach Bob Brietzke was accepted. Brietzke served as the head varsity coach for 22 years and will be retiring as a teacher at the end of the school year.
Pat Lamb, who serves as the athletic director and wrestling coach, resigned as the cross country coach after one season.
He took over the program prior to the beginning of the season, after the appointed coach determined he could not accept the post because it conflicted with his work schedule. Lamb will continue in his other capacities at the high school.
After two years, Chad Coolman is stepping down as volunteer golf coach. Coolman cited the need for a more knowledgable person with time available to properly teach golf skills.
Nicole Ruhanen was appointed as the new varsity cheerleading coach to replace Missy Wozniak. Brian Chabot, the athletic trainer, was approved as a volunteer basketball coach.
The rest of the winter coaching positions remain unchanged from last year.
? A letter from Tom Watkins, Jr., Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction, was received, officially con
? The cooperative education program between the St. John Lutheran School Board of Education and Rogers City schools has been finalized.
Schultz and St. John?s principal Ken Schroeder signed the agreement October 16.
? November 3, the Rogers City School started a satellite lunch program at St. Ignatius School.
Chief financial officer Don Schaedig commended the district kitchen staff for the extra work they are doing to make it successful.
St. Ignatius has 100 students enrolled and last week there were 99 students partcipating on pizza day.
Schaedig is hoping for a participation rate above 80 percent.