Tecumseh School Board adds funds back to budget

By DEB WUETHRICH

Members of the Tecumseh School Board took action Monday evening during a special meeting to restore some of the cuts that had been made in anticipation of having to shave nearly $2 million from next year’s budget. After the state act was finalized and signed by the governor, the district then projected an overall improvement in revenues of $489,877, according to a report issued July 19 by Chief Financial Officer Bill Wright.

Voting unanimously, the board members restored or added the following:

• Position of Tecumseh High School Principal restored for up to $138,970, which would include salary and all benefits.
• Position of Pupil Accounting professional at a maximum anticipated cost of $67,262 to cover salary and benefits.
• Position of Elementary Principal, restored, with “true cost” to the district to be approximately $59,536, due to the district’s ability to reassign Robyn Francis back to the post and hire a new teacher for the grade Francis was going to teach.
• Add $35,000 back into the athletic budget, where that amount had been cut.
• Reinstate library assistants at an estimated cost of $77,000, while also authorizing Supt. Mike McAran to explore the option of filling the positions through an alternative contractor such as PESG.

More than once, Tecumseh School Board President Dr. Edward Tritt, along with McAran, voiced caution that the district should proceed carefully, since it is an election year and state officials have been known to make cuts affecting the schools’ mid-year budgets. The funding surplus came from an $11 per student increase in the Student Foundation Allowance, and elimination of a projected cut of $118 per pupil, along with restoration of Section 29 funds.

Board members took some time to discuss the items before voting on them. Board member Robert Kelley said that he was concerned about the district’s having to ask the athletic department to raise the $35,000 that was previously cut through fundraising when the concession building, also dependent on community fundraising, sits uncompleted.
“I’m just concerned that we will be overwhelming people with fundraising for athletics,” Kelley said.

There also was some discussion regarding whether or not the district could put forth some funding to help the athletic department with its transportation issues for next year. Athletic Director Griff Mills said in order to provide transportation for events at the desired level, the cost would be approximately $75,000 to $80,000 of the athletic budget, and he estimated that $52,000 could be available for that purpose.

Board members preferred to wait on taking any action regarding whether to add funds back for transportation until a report from the school’s attorney could be finalized. McAran said the attorney working on the matter is close to providing the information, so the board decided to visit the issue at its next meeting.

The board also discussed details surrounding the School Revolving Loan fund that was approved last week. Districts must provide a maximum figure to the state in advance stating how much they might borrow in the fall when districts must start the school year without receiving a state payment until October. Delinquent taxes are also a factor in the shortfall. Declining taxable values on properties also affect school districts.

McAran and Technology Director Todd Thieken also made a presentation showing Tecumseh’s ACT scores, with Tecumseh leading the public schools in the county for 2010 with an average of 21.8. The maximum score that can be achieved on the college entrance exam is 36. The average score of THS was 20.6, with the state average being 19.3.
Thieken also pointed out that Tecumseh ranked in the top five on MME scores this year as well.

“For the top four years in a row, Tecumseh has scored the top scores in the county,” said Thieken.

In Social Studies, Tecumseh ranked third of public schools in the county with 89.3 percent; Math, second, with 63.8 percent; Reading, third with 73.2 percent; Science, fifth with 69.5 percent; and Writing, second with 54.3 percent.

“It’s interesting that this has happened for four years in a row and why hasn’t that been out there?” questioned Tritt. “That’s what we should put on our postcards and advertising.”
McAran commended the past and present school board for making “good decisions for kids,” and said that with all the cuts that have had to be made, educational program cuts have not been among them.

“We’ve added a Young Five program, and kept the reading teachers intact at the elementary, and things like that. I think all these things contribute to the ACT scores,” McAran said.

He pointed out that he’d recently been involved in a tour that included families coming to the area for jobs in areas contiguous to Tecumseh. “They were looking at Tecumseh, and they were impressed that we hadn’t cut our arts or sports programs. We apparently now have some things that will draw people to this area,” he said.