Bonners Ferry Local Guide including all of Boundary County Idaho

School district - M&O; numbers

Saturday, March 17, 2007; BFH

After the School District 101 Board of Trustees settled on a figure of $885,845 for the two-year Supplemental Maintenance and Operation levy to be put before voters Mar. 27, district administrators crunched the numbers and last week and came up with what the levy will support if it is passed. Conversely, the list also represents what won't be funded if voters turn the SM&O; levy down. In developing the list, Superintendent Dr. Don Bartling worked under two directives from the board; don't use SM&O; funds to keep open the outlying schools, do use them to put more teachers in the classroom. Thus, if the levy fails, the outlying schools will remain open, but at the expense of athletic programs, teachers, textbooks, technology and more. In 2005, Boundary County taxpayers and residents approved a two year, $799,700 levy that expires in a few months. Under the levy election coming up, that amount will be used to maintain extracurricular activities, pay for personnel and buy textbooks, bulk supplies and travel and one new school bus. The additional $86,145 approved by the board will pay for increases in utility costs, ink and toner cartridges and continuation of the school district website, replacement personnel at the high school and junior high and costs to accommodate mandated testing, and to pay for necessary instructional materials. To maintain extracurricular activities at their current level, to include continuing to fund athletic directors to set up the schedules and work the events, pay for coaches and umpires, to retain benefits packages for those who qualify, to provide for meals, lodging, chaperones and other costs and to pay for transportation, supplies and equipment, $258,727 has been earmarked from SM&O; funding. An additional $269,047 was earmarked to return teachers to the classroom in the gifted and talented and drama programs, technology programs and in the fifth grade. That money will also keep principals at Mt. Hall and Evergreen Elementary Schools, add a half time position to assist the high school principal and add a full-time fifth grade teacher and two additional full time classified positions to assist with the burgeoning class load at Valley View Elementary. Also included is $108,000 to update textbooks, $103,926 for bulk supplies and consumables, and $60,000 to replace one school bus. Of the additional funds, $30,000 will be allotted to provide for anticipated increases in utility and maintenance costs and $5,000 will retain the district website, which had been funded by grants, and $3,000 will keep the district supplied with toner and ink. The high school athletics program will gain a part time physical education instructor for $5,145; the junior high will gain much-needed secretarial and custodial help for a total of $28,000, and $15,000 will be allocated to abide federal and state requirements for testing expenses and materials. Superintendent Dr. Don Bartling admits that the hardest part of his job; ensuring that Boundary County kids going through the local public school system are able to leave high school ready to compete in a highly competitive marketplace at the height of their ability with students from around the world, is the necessity of asking for and passing supplemental maintenance and operations levies from the local taxpayer to provide for many of the basics other funding sources don't provide. - Full Story