Dan Chappell of Cabool, Missouri has been hired as the new Superintendent of Schools for Thayer R-2. Mr. Chappell is currently the superintendent of Dora R-3 school District where he has served that community for the last 2 years. Prior to that position Mr. Chappell served the Cabool school district as an agriculture teacher and High School Principal. Mr. Chappell began his teaching career at the Lake Area Vocational Center in Camdenton, Missouri.
Mr. Chappell received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1981 at the University of Missouri, Columbia where he was a research assistant. In 1991 he earned a Masters of Education from the University of Missouri at Columbia and in 2008 he earned his Specialist Degree in Education Administration from Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri.
The Thayer Board of Education had some outstanding candidates for the superintendent position and was pleased to find someone that has a strong understanding of public education in rural Missouri and the challenges rural schools face.
Mr. Chappell will begin his service with Thayer Schools on July 1. He will replace Superintendent Rod Priest who will be taking the position of Associate Superintendent of Business and Finance at his alma mater, Poplar Bluff R-1.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
April Board Summary
The Thayer Board of Education met in regular session on Thursday night, April 8th. Board members present were Mr. Franz, Mr. Ward, Ms. Carhart, Mrs. Tucker, Mr. Fink, Mr. Underwood, and Mr. Croney.
The board election results were approved as certified by the Clerk of Oregon County. The results were; Wendy Carhart: 282, Jed Underwood: 295, Bob Eckman: 210, Write-In Votes: 3. The board reorganized with Randy Ward being elected as Board President, Bill Franz as Vice-President, Carrie Tucker as Secretary, and Wendy Carhart as Treasurer.
The Board held a hearing on the calendar for the 2010–2011 school year and approved the calendar submitted by the Teacher’s Calendar Committee. The first day of school will be August 18th, 2010 and school will end, pending weather, on May 20th. State law now requires school districts to hold a hearing on the school calendar if the school year is going to start prior to 10 days before Labor Day.
Mr. Arnold the high school Industrial Technology instructor shared with the board a reflection of his 29 years at Thayer High School and thanked the school and community for their support for him during this time as his approaches retirement.
Mr. Priest gave the board a report on the finances of the district. He reported that revenues have dropped back to below pre-tax collection levels. Revenue - Expenditures for the month are in the red ($198,039.35). “The majority of that deficit is due to the payment of our bond in the amount of $239,001.25. Our revenues for the year are above last year’s levels by 162,511.88 but, our expenditures are also above last year’s levels by 170,409.41. Due to the current economic climate you can anticipate a withholding of state funding for this school year, currently we are looking at a reduction of around $60,000 from the foundation formula and Prop C funding may still be reduced due to declining sales tax revenues but should not be more than 20,000.” Mr. Priest also cautioned the board that the legislature is currently looking at balancing the state’s budget and that Career Ladder, Summer School, and Transportation revenues may be cut before this fiscal year ends.
To further clarify the districts resources, Mr. Priest explained, “For the year we currently have collected $638,806.06 more in revenues than expenditures this compares to last year’s $647,703 and the year before at $650,206, so history tells us we are on close to being on track with last year if revenues continue to come in. We ended last year to the good by $265,436 that we used to build the fund balance and transfer to capital expenditures for future building projects, bus purchases, and unforeseen emergencies. Taking out the revenue that we currently know will be short we should still end in the black as long as we continue to control expenditures. Again; let me remind the board that salaries make up the largest portion of the budget and each month we pay out an average of 1/12th of the total salaries when in reality we incur 1/9th of the liabilities and pay the remainder in a lump sum at the end of the year.”
Mr. Priest also explained that at the local level tax revenues, current and delinquent, are only ($1,490) short and that it looked like the district will make budget projections. Mr. Priest added, “The budget was based on a collection rate of 88% of assessed valuation, so will are still way below what we had assessed to support the school district.”
The board approved participating in career ladder for the 2010/2011 school year pending funding. Mrs. Lowery and Ms. Dunlap asked the board to consider keeping some form of career ladder at the local level if the state cuts support for the program. The committee understands that participation is contingent on state funding. The original career ladder program was 85% state 15% local match. Over time the district match has increased to 40% for new participants. The cost to the district next year will be approximately $82,100 with another $28,140 for retirement. The total cost to the district will be around $110,240 compared to $99,767 this year. Career Ladder is still not approved for this current year and chances are that it will not be funded next year.
The board voted to approve having summer school this year pending funding. The dates will be from June 1, 2010 thru June 28, 2010. This program is being looked at in Jefferson City to not be funded in the next fiscal year. Summer school is always paid in arrears. The cost for summer school this year will be paid by the state in the next school year. This will cost the district approximately $80,000 out of next year’s budget.
In other business the board voted to keep three staff members on federal funds for class size reduction as long as the district meets MSIP standards without those additional positions. They also approved a policy change relating to graduation exercises to permit a student to participate in the exercise, not receive a diploma, without completing all requirements if the administration feels the student can complete those requirements during summer school.
Mr. Terry Tillman from the school transportation department recently went through the Missouri Highway Patrol school bus inspection program and reported a 100% pass report. Mrs. Teresa Poulette requested and the board voted to adopt ISTE, National Educational Technology Standards, as part of the districts technology plan.
The next regular meeting will be held on May 13th, 2010 at 7:00pm in the high school library.
The board election results were approved as certified by the Clerk of Oregon County. The results were; Wendy Carhart: 282, Jed Underwood: 295, Bob Eckman: 210, Write-In Votes: 3. The board reorganized with Randy Ward being elected as Board President, Bill Franz as Vice-President, Carrie Tucker as Secretary, and Wendy Carhart as Treasurer.
The Board held a hearing on the calendar for the 2010–2011 school year and approved the calendar submitted by the Teacher’s Calendar Committee. The first day of school will be August 18th, 2010 and school will end, pending weather, on May 20th. State law now requires school districts to hold a hearing on the school calendar if the school year is going to start prior to 10 days before Labor Day.
Mr. Arnold the high school Industrial Technology instructor shared with the board a reflection of his 29 years at Thayer High School and thanked the school and community for their support for him during this time as his approaches retirement.
Mr. Priest gave the board a report on the finances of the district. He reported that revenues have dropped back to below pre-tax collection levels. Revenue - Expenditures for the month are in the red ($198,039.35). “The majority of that deficit is due to the payment of our bond in the amount of $239,001.25. Our revenues for the year are above last year’s levels by 162,511.88 but, our expenditures are also above last year’s levels by 170,409.41. Due to the current economic climate you can anticipate a withholding of state funding for this school year, currently we are looking at a reduction of around $60,000 from the foundation formula and Prop C funding may still be reduced due to declining sales tax revenues but should not be more than 20,000.” Mr. Priest also cautioned the board that the legislature is currently looking at balancing the state’s budget and that Career Ladder, Summer School, and Transportation revenues may be cut before this fiscal year ends.
To further clarify the districts resources, Mr. Priest explained, “For the year we currently have collected $638,806.06 more in revenues than expenditures this compares to last year’s $647,703 and the year before at $650,206, so history tells us we are on close to being on track with last year if revenues continue to come in. We ended last year to the good by $265,436 that we used to build the fund balance and transfer to capital expenditures for future building projects, bus purchases, and unforeseen emergencies. Taking out the revenue that we currently know will be short we should still end in the black as long as we continue to control expenditures. Again; let me remind the board that salaries make up the largest portion of the budget and each month we pay out an average of 1/12th of the total salaries when in reality we incur 1/9th of the liabilities and pay the remainder in a lump sum at the end of the year.”
Mr. Priest also explained that at the local level tax revenues, current and delinquent, are only ($1,490) short and that it looked like the district will make budget projections. Mr. Priest added, “The budget was based on a collection rate of 88% of assessed valuation, so will are still way below what we had assessed to support the school district.”
The board approved participating in career ladder for the 2010/2011 school year pending funding. Mrs. Lowery and Ms. Dunlap asked the board to consider keeping some form of career ladder at the local level if the state cuts support for the program. The committee understands that participation is contingent on state funding. The original career ladder program was 85% state 15% local match. Over time the district match has increased to 40% for new participants. The cost to the district next year will be approximately $82,100 with another $28,140 for retirement. The total cost to the district will be around $110,240 compared to $99,767 this year. Career Ladder is still not approved for this current year and chances are that it will not be funded next year.
The board voted to approve having summer school this year pending funding. The dates will be from June 1, 2010 thru June 28, 2010. This program is being looked at in Jefferson City to not be funded in the next fiscal year. Summer school is always paid in arrears. The cost for summer school this year will be paid by the state in the next school year. This will cost the district approximately $80,000 out of next year’s budget.
In other business the board voted to keep three staff members on federal funds for class size reduction as long as the district meets MSIP standards without those additional positions. They also approved a policy change relating to graduation exercises to permit a student to participate in the exercise, not receive a diploma, without completing all requirements if the administration feels the student can complete those requirements during summer school.
Mr. Terry Tillman from the school transportation department recently went through the Missouri Highway Patrol school bus inspection program and reported a 100% pass report. Mrs. Teresa Poulette requested and the board voted to adopt ISTE, National Educational Technology Standards, as part of the districts technology plan.
The next regular meeting will be held on May 13th, 2010 at 7:00pm in the high school library.
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