PIKE-DELTA-YORK SCHOOL BOARD: Delta Schools Finances Solid, But Challenges Ahead

During a prior meeting, Superintendent Jon Burke floated a general plan which involved eliminating five teaching positions, three district aides and two bus drivers, increasing pay-to-participate sport rates from $50 to $100, limiting K-8 transportation to within two miles of the schools, only transporting Four County Career Center students from school to school, eliminating field trips and “alternative educational opportunities,” and eliminating some specialized educational programming and instructional supports.

Those cuts would reduce costs by approximately $676,750, with another roughly $659,000 in cuts still necessary to make up for the entire loss.

Despite the looming vote, other parts of the school’s finances are stable or improving, Hays said. He said revenues and cash balances have increased, partially due to collections this year being higher.

In particular, Hays noted improvements to the district’s “true days cash” – the amount of cash it would actually take to cover all costs and operations on a per-day basis. In fiscal year 2022 the district was down to just 13 days, with 28 days in 2023 and 77 days in 2024. The district is currently projected to have 110 days for fiscal year 2025. “Anything under 30 days is hair on fire,” Hays said.

He also brought up two options to save taxpayers money and raise some additional funds for the school. With the reduction of the federal funds rate by 50 basis points during the September meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, the district has the opportunity to refinance its bond issue.

Although no taxpayer would likely notice a difference in their individual tax bill, Hays said the action would likely save between $140,000 and $300,000 across the full tax base.

Additionally, Hays has been in touch with Milford-based Arcadia Towers about the opportunity to place a cell tower on district property, boosting signal across the area with no cost for installation and generating some monthly revenue for the school by allowing it to be placed on district property.

Board members asked Hays to have further conversation with representatives from Arcadia and bring back a more detailed proposal for consideration at the next meeting.

GOVERNOR’S MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The board voted to amend the high school’s 2024-2025 handbook, setting standards for how students are selected to receive the Ohio Department of Higher Education Governor’s Merit Scholarship. The renewable, $5,000-per-year scholarship is awarded to five students in the top 5 percent of the class ranked by highest GPA.

In order to effectively and fairly handle scenarios in which several students have the same GPA, ties will be broken based on who took the highest number of College Credit Plus or advanced classes.

classes include advanced biology, chemistry, physics, pre-calculus, calculus, statistics, and all four levels of honors English.

Students do not have to apply to be considered but must attend college in Ohio in order to receive the scholarship.

OTHER BUSINESS

Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted visited the school earlier in the week in connection with its winning a $2.5 million Ohio Career Technical Education Equipment Grant through the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce.

Through the grant, the school will obtain 16 hands-on career exploration modules for the middle school and a horticulture program with a new attached greenhouse facility as well as an industrial arts program at the high school.

The board approved a change to the capital asset threshold from $250 to $5,000, bringing it in line with federal regulations.

The board approved a slate of personnel changes presented by Burke, including Brenda Schaber as a district cook, certified salary increases for Mary Kathryn Currier-Ford and Tonya Buckenmeyer, the addition of winter cheer volunteer Sheri Harper, the resignation of bus driver Pamela Waugh, and the resignation of yearbook advisor Ludmilla Ford and a contract for her replacement, Mallorie Vent.

The board recognized September’s students of the month – fourth grader Jameson Nyquist, eighth grader Shelby Longnecker, and senior Kylee Vershum.

The board recognized freshman Emric Friess for artistic achievement in photography. The board recognized students who earned perfect scores in 2024 spring state testing, including Kenneth Woods IV (3rd grade math), Caden Bower (4th grade math), Jasper Myers (5th grade math), Brady Kyle (algebra 1), Natalie Friess (American government), Ethan Huffman (American government), and Drew Smith (American government).

The board approved a slate of non-athletic volunteers to read books to students at the elementary school, among other activities.

The board authorized the treasurer/CFO to participate in state contracts through Ohio’s Cooperative Purchasing Act and to join the Ohio Purchasing Council, which offer potentially better pricing on goods and services. Neither program requires participants to make purchases through them, only allowing participation in said purchases.

The board approved FFA chapter overnight trips to the Ag and Urban State CDE Contests in Ohio (location to be determined) from October 11-12 and to Indianapolis, Indiana, for the National FFA Convention from October 22-26.

The board voted to accept the donation of an equipment trailer for the football program from Richard Flores.

The public portion of the meeting ended with the board going into executive session to consider “the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of an employee or the investigation of charges or complaints against an employee, or official, licensee, or student,” and “to discuss confidential information related to an applicant for Economic Development Assistance, or negotiations with other political subdivisions respecting such requests for Economic Development Assistance.” No actions were taken as a result of the session.

The next regular meeting of the Pike-Delta-York Local School District Board of Education will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16 in the Delta High School auditorium.