Buffalo Island Central School Board held its annual public meeting Monday evening to report on the District’s past year and plans for new school year.
Deanna Clifton and Beth Pitts presented the current financial report and proposed budget. They did a revenue comparison for the last two years and items in the budget for 2023-2024. The new budget showed increases in state general and local funding, state special funding, federal funding, and CCFP funding. Pre-K ABC and local funding is expected to remain the same, with a decrease in Cares Act/ESSER funding. Total revenue expectations were listed at $9,540,831.
Increases in insurance rates were discussed. The 2023-2024 budget was approved as presented.
“This year will be a challenging year, trying to make the budgets work,” said Superintendent Gaylon Taylor. “Our budget is up slightly but there will be no extra spending. We may have some special needs to address in the MAC (Mustang Athletic Complex) gymnasium. We are thankful to not have previous bus payments in the budget this year, only one for our new bus.”
High school principal Mark Hurst reported an increase in enrollment, from 313 last year to 323 for the 2023-2024 year. Two new teachers include Sawyer Hendrix, 10th and 11th grade English, and Sara Sills, junior high EAST program.
“Math seems to be our struggling point,” Hurst said. “We want to give students every opportunity to improve all through the year and see a need for an in-house boot camp a month before the actual ACT test is taken on March 26. All 11th grade students are required to take it. There will be many first-time takers, and we want to get them well acquainted with taking the test.
“We see improvements in every area for our 7th graders. Our 8th graders have been fairly consistent and our 9th grade students show improvements in science and reading. Math has had issues. We have adapted our curriculum, and our math team meets weekly. We have concerns about fast-tracking our 7th graders and plan to monitor and adjust our testing assessments regularly. We will be making changes to our algebra guidelines. We plan to give our students what they need. Matthew Sills has been very helpful in this area.”
Elementary principal Kima Stewart presented her 2023-2024 state of the school report. She reviewed federal programs and budgets, GT services, health and wellness report and a special faculty shout out.
“We were so pleased to receive a $1,000 grant for the food pantry through ASU Athletics Extra Yard for Teacher Grant and coach Brad Bobo,” Stewart said. “Elementary counselor Beth Qualls was named the Student of the Semester for the A-State School Counseling Program.”
Stewart announced that students were going to the Quiz Bowl this year. Also, the elementary has an excellent tutorial and enrichment music program. The school used the Solution Tree program and was used as a model school application. Lumos Learning has given the school a free complimentary program this year as a pilot program.
“The elementary has been very successful this past year,” Stewart said. ”We have 390 students in pre-K-6, with 350 K-6. We have unique challenges but are ready to meet them.”
“We have had some loss of learning with young students but have plans in place to meet that need,” Stewart said. “We tested in the 80 percentile this year, with third graders, and were in the top five scores in state. We tested second in public school ranking 3rd grade with math. Our math team meets weekly. Every minute in class is intentional, with every student’s needs taken into consideration.”
Stewart expressed concerns for funding of the Migrant Center Summer School Program this year, and it is much needed.
At the close of the public meeting, the board went into regular session.
A brief executive session was held to discuss hiring and resignation, but no action was taken after the board reconvened.
The board approved the pre-K to enroll in CACEP (Child and Adult Care Food Program). The program provides snacks in the afternoon for pre-K.
Substitute bus drivers pay was raised to match that of full-time bus drivers and will be $55.92 per day.
The next regular school board meeting will be 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct 24.