03-07-2007NORTH MANCHESTER - Although some minor changes need to be made, Manchester Community Schools Business Manager Steve Shumaker is pretty pleased with the 2007 budget.
Shumaker recently received word that the capital projects and transportation operating funds need to be reduced in the proposed 2007 budget.
“But that’s good news,” Shumaker told the school board Tuesday night, “because it means the budget is approved.”
The capital projects fund needs to be reduced by $94,000, while the transportation operating fund needs to be reduced by $32,000.
Other than those two changes, the rest of the MCS’s 2007 budget categories were approved.
“I’m pretty pleased with the budget,” Shumaker said.
After Shumaker explained the changes he needed to make to the capital projects fund and the transportation operating fund, the board approved a budget reduction resolution with a 5-0 vote.
In other business, the board:
• Heard a presentation from Manchester Junior-Senior High School principals Nancy Alspaugh and Randy Self about ISTEP+ results. The board learned that in the 2005-06 school year, 99 percent of students who graduated also passed the graduation qualifying exam.
Alspaugh and Self also said 27 students dropped out of Manchester High School in the 2005-06 year. Self explained that several options had been presented to some of those students, but nothing changed the dropouts’ minds.
“It is a figure we need to keep an eye on,” said Alspaugh.
• Approved an overnight field trip request for Sue Gnagy to take 20 students to compete in the state Science Olympiad Tournament at the Purdue Calumet Campus in Hammond March 30-31.
• Accepted two donations from the Gamma Phi chapter/Psi Iota Xi Sorority: one for $100 for the MJSHS drama and musical departments and $100 for the MJSHS bands.
• Approved a Sunday activity request from Marilyn Mason for Sunday rehearsals and performance for production of “Les Miserables” Sunday and March 18 and 25.
• Approved Sarah Purdy as a volunteer assistant track coach at MJSHS.
• Accepted the resignation of Carolyn Renz, fifth-grade teacher at Laketon Elementary School, effective at the end of the 2006-07 school year. Renz has been a teacher with MCS for 25 years.
Manchester School Board members are Sally Krouse, president; Jan Fahs, Steve Lambert, Todd Speicher, Kent Terrill, Steve Flack and Brian Schilling. Schilling and Flack were absent from Tuesday’s meeting. Superintendent is Dr. Diana Showalter.