STURGIS, S.D. – Staffing for next year and the possible elimination of the gifted and talented program were hot topics at Monday night’s Meade 46-1 School Board meeting.
Superintendent Jeff Simmons says ten F.T.E.’s, or full time equivalents were under discussion last night.
“We started out with 10 F.T.E, or ten positions to bring back. We had a hiring freeze for this year and we received 90 students in enrollment and kind of healed up our budget a little bit; but we have some budgetary issues that we have to look at in the future and I have to say that the school board came at this issue conservatively and my recommendation was ten and they brought back seven. We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board as an administrative group and try to figure out how we are going to make adjustments in the classroom.”
He says in the future, they’re concerned about open enrollment, especially at Stagebarn, and there has been a lot of discussion about that as well. He says it’s a budgetary issue the district needs to watch closely.
“We have some dollars that are sitting in the fund that we should be using for building expansion and we have to be thoughtful about that. That’s what the school board was considering in that we have to start stockpiling some cash so we can build on down there and take care of the growth in the valley.”
Budgetary constraints may also lead to the demise of the RIF, or Gifted and Talented Program.
Simmons says he realizes it’s a popular program and many concerned parents were at last night’s meeting.
“You know, it’s a program we’re looking at perhaps eliminating to spread those dollars out. Similar situation at the high school this year where we temporarily put the woods program so we can get our budget under control.”
The board is expected to make a decision on the RIF program in April.
