Northwest School District OKs 2011-12 Budget

With local tax revenue expected to remain flat, with student enrollment expected to decrease slightly and with state funding remaining unpredictable, the Northwest R-1 School District Board of Education approved a conservative budget for the 2011-12 school year.

The new budget calls for spending $71.1 million based on 65.8 million in revenues. The district will use  part of its $17.3 million in reserve funds to make up the difference.

Northwest Superintendent Paul Ziegler said a conservative approach to budgeting has been necessary partially because of the inability of the state to decide on a funding plan for Missouri's schools.

"The 2011-12 fiscal will be the sixth year with the new funding formula from the state of Missouri, which has not proved beneficial to the district," Ziegler said in his budget message. "The 2011 fiscal year will have increases for many districts, however Northwest R-1 will see a very sharp decline in revenues."

Ziegler also said the slow economy has been a factor in revenue projections as property assessments in Jefferson County are expected to be flat.

To offset the declining revenue projections, the Northwest district has saved $1.1 million in salaries by not filling every position that becomes vacant. The attrition, coupled with the lack of salary increases has kept the district from making any staff layoffs during recent years. Salary negotiations for teachers will be in June.

In other action at the meeting, the school board:

• Increased the price of student breakfasts and lunches by a nickel. Breakfast prices in K-4th grade will be $1.40; and 5th-12th grades $1.50. Lunch prices in K-4th grade will be $2.15; and $2.30 for 5th-12th grades. Assistant Superintendent Kevin Carl said the increase will help offset, in part, the cost of providing more fresh fruits and vegetabes and more whole grain breads in accordance with provisions of the federal Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010.
• Approved the addition of a full-time social worker for the district to provide counseling for at-risk students. The district's at-risk budget will pay for half of the social worker's salary with the state paying for the other half.
• Appointed school board member Nelson Weber as its delegate to the Missouri School Board s Association.
• Approved a $22,048 bid from Concrete Design Inc., of Maryland Heights, for a concrete slabs for a playground surfacing project at the new Early Childhood Center.
• Approved an $11,818 bid fron TNRK Striping and Painting, of Hillsboro, for painting work at Northwest Valley Middle School.