May 2023 Board of Education Regular Meeting

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

Treasurer Schumacher reported as follows:

The fiscal department has been extremely busy this past month.  All of the CTSO’s have been travelling, equipment is being ordered, and preparations for year-end are started.  We will be discussing the revised five-year forecast in a few minutes.

We just moved $800,000 from Civista to Star Ohio and $2.2M from PNC to Star Ohio, so we are on the last step to closing Civista and PNC.  PNC will be closed by the end of this month.  I am still working on Adult Ed’s Pell Grant deposits into Civista.  This is federal monies, so I imagine it might take a little time.  So far, I have not been successful. I hope to have that account closed by fiscal year-end.

Star Ohio is still the top billing for interest rates at 5.2%.  I have spoken with the Park National finance group and have instructed them that when anything comes due to check with me as to where to place the proceeds from the sale.  It looks as though we will be reinvesting in short term CD’s as some of them are giving 4+%.  I will speak with them when any of our monies come due.

We received another grant.  It is the ARP Homeless Targeted Support Grant for $16,500.  The grant has a lot of restrictions.  They mostly want you to refer the child to other agencies that can help them first.  I f there is no help anywhere then, we can use the monies to help.  On the webinar, one of the participants spoke about a “Ready Room”.  This would be available to all of the students.  To restrict it to a “homeless” child would single them out if they were to use the room.  The room we are looking at using is a former “Step Program” room that already has a bathroom.  We have spoken to Mr. Grimwood and he is going to figure out how to put a shower and washer and drier in the room.  Mrs. Sprang will also be moving the sharing closet to the same area.  The students will have everything I one room to meet their needs.

Our General Fund is looking good.  We were almost spot on the Real Estate Tax revenues and a little short on the PUPP tax (we never know what Rover Pipeline is going to do). We are almost spot on with State Foundation Revenues and expenses look like we might have them a little high for the year, so we should end up a little bit better than we had anticipated.  We have made adjustments in the five-year forecast.

The only journal entry we have this month is the entry to to correct benefits originally charged to the ECE Grant back to the General Fund.

The first slide shows the Revenues, Expenditures and cash balance presented by the five year forecast.  As usual expenditures overtake revenues and cash balances decline over the forecast years.

The overview of revenues shows that we are substantially on target with original estimates at this point in the year. Total General Fund revenues (line 1.07) are estimated to be $687 thousand or 3.2% higher than the November forecasted amount of $21.4 million. This indicates the November forecast was 96.8% accurate. Line 1.01 and 1.02 - Property tax revenues represent our second largest source of revenues at 35.4% and are estimated to be $7.8 million, which is $20 thousand higher for FY23 than the original November estimate. Our estimates are 99.7% accurate for FY23 and should mean future projections are on target as well. Line 1.035 and 1.04 - State Aid continues the implementation of the Fair School Funding Plan (FSFP), which has caused significant changes to the way our state revenues are calculated. We are estimating our state aid to be $13.2 million, which is $262 thousand higher than the original estimate for FY23. We are pleased that we were able to be 98% accurate for FY23. They say we are currently on the cap and are expected to remain as a cap district for FY24 through FY27. The term “cap” is being used because we are receiving as much monies as the current phase-in will allow.  I have had a hard time getting the “cap” through my head as it means something different than it used to.   Line 1.06 - Other revenues are $403 thousand over original estimates, primarily due to the district’s ability to leverage our cash balance to receive increased interest revenue, which is a result of high interest rates from the Federal Reserve’s strategy to combat record inflation. All areas of revenue are tracking as anticipated for FY23 based on our best information at this time.

I just spoke with a Treasurer who has a lot riding on the rover Pipeline that it is her understanding Rover and the Tax Commissioner are in ongoing negotiations and that it will probably be late fall before we hear any results.  Then, of course there all kinds of other steps including going through the County Auditors for approvals.  Nexxus was decided about a year ago and they are still working through all kinds of problems.

Expenditures FY23 - Total General Fund expenditures (line 4.5) are estimated to be $19.8 million for FY23, which is $263 thousand lower than the original estimate of $20 million in the November forecast, which is roughly 98.6% on target with original estimates. The expenditure line most significantly under the original projection is Personnel Services (line 3.010). All other areas of expenses are expected to remain on target with original projections for the year.  We have adjusted that line item on the forecast.

With revenues increasing from estimates and expenditures decreasing, our ending unreserved cash balance June 30, 2023, is anticipated to be roughly $20.4 million. The ending unreserved cash balance on Line 15.010 of the forecast is anticipated to be a positive accumulative balance through 2027 if assumptions we have made for property tax collections, state aid in future state budgets, and expenditure assumptions remain close to our estimates.

Forecast Risks and Uncertainty: A five-year financial forecast has risks and uncertainty not only due to economic uncertainties noted above but also due to state legislative changes that will occur in the spring of 2023 and 2025 due to deliberation of the two (2) state biennium budgets for FY24-25 and FY26-27, both of which affect this five-year forecast. We have estimated revenues and expenses based on the best data available and the laws in effect at this time.

None.

None.

Mr Grady reported that the biennial budget has passed the House and is now in Senate Committee.  He reported that the budget bill from the House contains a change from  400% to 450% poverty level for qualifications to receive ed choice vouchers.  That means 80% of Ohio students could qualify for vouchers.  Senator Matt Dolan is looking into the effects of the voucher plan and looking at a tiered income level with tiered voucher amounts.

Superintendent Nickoli reported as follows:

It’s so good to report that we continue to be “back to normal.”  This is a very busy time of the year with all the end-of-year responsibilities including partner school award assemblies and graduations.  The Pioneer Awards Assembly was held on April 27 and was a tremendous success. Our students were awarded well-over $2 million in scholarships this year!  It is so rewarding to see our students recognized for their excellent work!! 

Additionally, our year-end administrator work session is scheduled for June 2, 2023 at Buckeye Central High School.   At that time, we will review our current school year progress, review our Strategic Plan initiatives, share relevant data and begin to plan for the 2023-2024 school year.  Additionally, we will be scheduling our Board Goal Setting Meeting for August where we will update you on our Strategic Planning initiatives and set our goals for the coming school year.  You will receive an invitation including the time, date, and location of the meeting and an Agenda of the activities for the day later in the Summer.

I am recommending that you adopt an In-School Detention Job Description.  This is a position that we previously had but abolished several years ago.  We staffed it with teachers as a duty but given our ever-growing enrollment we now need our teachers to be available to provide instruction.  This will be an Educational Aide position which will be included as a Classified Staff member.

I am recommending that you adopt Juneteenth, which is now a Federal Holiday, as a paid holiday for all eleven and twelve-month employees.  This will take effect next month and will affect our maintenance and custodial staffs, our Distribution Center Staff as well as some of our secretaries and our administrators.

I am also recommending that you approve an agreement with NEONET to serve as our Information Technology Center.  NCOCC, our previous ITC is merging with NEONET so we need a new agreement to continue that affiliation.

Additionally, I am recommending that you approve an agreement the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to allow our Adult Education Department to provide Adult Diploma Services with the facilities in Mansfield and Grafton.

May 18 – Preschool Graduation

May 19 – Student Appreciation Day

May 25 – Last Day for Students

May 25 – Adult Education Graduation

May 26 – End-of-Year Breakfast / Teacher Work Day

May 30 – June 2 – Staff Committee Work Days

June 2 – Administrative End-of-Year Meeting

Week of June 5 – Summer Hours Begin (Continues for 8 weeks

With great regret, I am recommending that you accept the resignation of Linda Schumacher, our long-time and highly respected treasurer.  Linda and I have worked very closely for the past 9 years and I will miss the expertise and professionalism she provides on a daily basis.  We wish her all-the-best in her retirement.

I am excited to recommend the employment of several individuals.

Leanne Bauerdick as a Math Instructor.  Leanne retired from Pioneer a couple of years ago after long and successful career.  Unfortunately, our recent search did not turn up any candidates with the necessary credentials to teach our CCP classes so we reached out to Leanne who graciously agreed to return to Pioneer.  We are very fortunate to have such a highly effective instructor for our students.

Caitlin Roub as a Lead Teacher in our Infant-Toddler Room.  Caitlin comes to us from the Plymouth-Shiloh Local Schools where she currently serves as an Educational Aide.  Her experience, references and professional interview made her stand out among a very strong group of candidates.  We are very fortunate to have her work with our youngest students in the Preschool and to mentor our high school ECE students.

All other personnel items are common for this time year.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

Entered into Executive Session at 7:44 pm.

Returned to Regular Session at 8:32 pm