RE-2 School Board Favors Proposition 103

The November ballot question, which if passed will raise $2.9 Billion over five years, was discussed and supported by members of the Lamar RE-2 School Board during their Monday meeting, October 10.  Local taxes will not be altered if the measure passes, and will sunset after five years.  Proposition 103 funds will be applied to public school financing in Colorado. 

School finances were also addressed in two other areas, taxes from the Urban Renewal District and state funding based on student enrollment.  Superintendent Tecklenburg said the board reviewed the discussions between the Lamar Redevelopment Authority and the district, to backfill the district with potential loss of revenues, should the state fall behind in its financial obligation.  October marks the period of official student enrollment in Colorado.  The state contributes funding to districts, based on the number of students enrolled.  Superintendent Tecklenburg said based on current enrollment, FTE, Full Time Equivalent students enrolled are 1,490.5 for the 2011-2012 year.  That translates to $6,452.90 per student.  Tecklenburg said enrollment figures have fluctuated over the past few years with 1,502 students for 2007, 1,515 for 2008, 1,547 for 2009 and 1,491 for last year.  He mentioned that the count is based on a state mandated formula that counts pre-school and kindergarten students as less than one whole student, which accounts for the 0.5 number this year.  

The recent Parkview Elementary bomb threat was reviewed by the Superintendent for the board, so as to provide every member with the same information.  He reiterated the statement from Police Chief McCrea, that there was no way to determine how old the message on the playground table may have been, but safety precautions had to be taken.  Tecklenburg said the situation was handled in a very professional manner.  Bids for two old school busses had been published and both were sold to local interests.  The potential sale of the unused modular building that sits north of Lincoln School will be discussed at the next board meeting.  The board decided in favor of holding an additional work session the Monday before the regular board meetings, which are the second Monday of each month.  As those will be work sessions only, there would be no action taken by the board. 

In other action, travel study requests were approved for various school functions for FBLA, Gifted & Talented and FFA students; policy revisions were approved on first reading for Compulsory Attendance Ages, staff Personal Leave and Support Staff Recruiting and Hiring.  The board also approved the hiring of Jason Tice for Extra Duty for Head Boys Basketball, LHS; Steve Knobbe for Extra Duty for Assistant LHS Boys Basketball; Kelsey Herrera for Extra Duty for LHS 9^th Grade Girls Basketball.

By Russ Baldwin