April 14, 2021 at 6:00 PM - Independent School District 507 Regular School Board Meeting

Celebration/Congratulations:

Climb to Feed - Feeding Our Communities Partners - Staff members were not physically able to take part this year because of COVID but were still able to raise $1,298 to help with the Backpack Food Program.

I want to say thank you to ProGrowth Bank. They gave each staff member $25 to be used in any business in Nicollet.  They recognize that this year has been difficult, but the staff has adjusted and innovated while continuing to teach and care for our students. They appreciate and are grateful to have us in the Nicollet community. 

Raider Pride/Assembly:

The Vikings and Viktor’s Quest to S.T.O.P. Bullying virtual program for Elementary (K-6) will take place the morning of May 7. We had this program on campus a few years ago.

MCA Testing Update:

We are off to a good start in terms of the MCAs. 

Registration Update:

We continue to register all students. Middle school registration will take place in May. Registering middle school students does not take long.

Tornado Safety Awareness:

The Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 12-16. We typically would have a drill on Thursday, April 15 (@1:45 p.m.). We will end up having each classroom go over where each area would be if we were to have severe weather. With COVID we don’t want all of the students intermixing in the shelter areas.

Graduation/Senior Awards Night:

The graduation committee met earlier this month. Senior Awards Night is Wed., May 26 in the theater. Graduation will take place outside. Planning for both events will continue to take place.

Kindergarten Round-Up:

Kindergarten Round-Up is Monday, May 10 for parents only. We anticipate more than 30 Kindergarten students next year. Students will be able to meet their teachers and see their classrooms during parent-teacher conferences next Fall before school starts.

1. General Fund: Enrollment decreased from 390 to 366 resulting in a revenue decrease.  Federal and state COVID-19 relief funds offset some of the revenue loss.  The FY 21 ending unassigned fund balance of $638,841 falls short of the district’s policy of 2 months operating expense ($711,512.)
2. Food Service: expenses for food purchasing decreased due to distance learning.  The federal summer food program revenue compensated for loss of food sales to families.
3. The General Community Service Fund revenues decreased because programming did not occur during the pandemic and preschool tuition was lost due to closures.
4. The fitness center lost revenue due to COVID-19 related closures.  The expense budget decreased because of equipment that was not purchased.
5. Closing the Day Care for COVID-19 resulted in tuition loss of $130,000.  Grants were received in the amount of $79,000.  Expenses decreased by $17,000 mostly due to food being provided by the federal summer food program.  The fund balance is projected to decrease by $26,137.  (However, $25,500 in grants are pending.)
6. The Latchkey program salary expenses decreased due to COVID-19 related closures.  Revenue increased because of grants that were received.

1. Food service food expenses increase from prior year assuming there will be no distance learning.  Inflationary salary increases are included.  Revenue will likely be higher after lunch prices are increased this summer.
2. The General Community Service Fund is projected to continue regular programming.
3. The Fitness Center expense includes the purchase of new equipment.
4. The Daycare program expenses include purchasing food again.  The revenue assumes the program will operate without closures.
5. The Latchkey program revenue does not assume receiving additional grants.

1. The General Fund: Enrollment should increase to 375.  The projected negative variance is due to anticipated inflationary increases for salaries and benefits.
2. The FY 22 ending unassigned fund balance of $402,670 falls short of the district’s policy of 2 months operating expense ($823,528.)
3. The FY 22 unassigned general fund balance is projected to deficit spend by $236,171.

                 

1. 4. The operating referendum approved in 2016 will expire after FY 22.  The referendum amount is $818 per adjusted pupil unit and generates $330,000.
   5. After the general fund budget is approved in the May, the school board should examine referendum options for the November 2, 2021 election.