School board OKs budget
July 21, 2010
By Laura Geggel
NEW — 6:17 p.m. July 21, 2010
The Snoqualmie Valley School Board unanimously passed the 2010-11 budget for the school district at its July 8 meeting.
Faced with about a $310,000 shortfall in its general budget, district officials chose to dip into their reserves rather than cut programs.
School board member Scott Hodgins said he was not completely comfortable dipping into the district’s reserves.
“I feel that we are dangerously low, given a look at the future,” Hodgins said. “The hard decisions that we could have had to make this year will be made in the years to come.”
The district lost about $1 million from the state in total, which affected all of its five budgets, not just its general fund. Included in the state cuts were fourth-grade teachers and the elimination of the remaining Learning Improvement Day, which is used for teacher training.
School board members Dan Popp and Craig Husa were not in attendance at the July 8 meeting, but they gave verbal approval of the budget at the previous school board meeting.
When putting together the budget, Business Director Ron Ellis said he and his staff used the district’s mission statement to guide their decisions, including maintaining a safe learning and working environment for students and staff, and preserving student learning and growth.
Ellis also noted that salaries for certificated and classified staff, as well as employee benefits, had increased. Last year, the district spent about $23.7 million on certificated salaries for teachers. This year, it is spending about $25.5 million, about 46 percent of the general fund budget.
The increase is part of the Snoqualmie Education Association’s three-year contract, in which money from the voter-approved technology levy will allow teachers a $1,650 pay raise if they attend technology classes and prove they have implemented the technology into their classroom lessons.
Laura Geggel: 392-6434, ext. 221, or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com.
Comments
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
