Community Update
September 8, 2016
Dear Community Members:
It has been a tough week with the heat and humidity. I had the chance to visit the elementary classrooms, and there was no doubt that it was tough yesterday afternoon. The teachers made sure to keep their kids hydrated, and there were the popsicles! Hopefully, we are turning the corner after today, but please make sure to send kids in with a bottle, and they can keep filling them throughout the day. If you do not have one, they had cups in the buildings as well.
I have a number of items for you today.
"OUT OF DARKNESS" WALK
On October 1st, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is holding their annual "Out of Darkness" walk in International Park. Eastwood parent, Michelle Carr, is organizing a team to raise awareness and support for this organization. Suicide sadly impacted this family last year, and she has asked that we help get the word out. Over the years we have had groups including our football team participate in this walk.
Registration for the event begins at 9:30. The walk starts at 11:30. They have set a fundraising goal of $150 and am already well on the way. Please consider supporting their efforts to help prevent suicide.
Here is a link:
http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=4049
FINANCIAL REPORT – AUGUST
With the arrival of our new treasurer, Brad McCracken, we have made several adjustments in the way revenues and expenses are recorded. In the past we would often place a net number in our expenses and revenues rather than placing a full revenue amount in as well as the full expense. An excellent example of this is Open Enrollment. If we have 106 students coming to Eastwood on Open Enrollment and 26 leaving, we are now placing the full revenue amount in of 106 students x $6000 = $636,000 in the appropriate revenue line as well as the expense of 26x$6000 = $156,000. The net to the district of $480,000 would be placed in the revenue line with $0 in the expenses. The result in the balance sheet is the same, but by adding each line to the balance sheet it throws off comparison data pretty dramatically. Both ways have been acceptable to the auditors, so there are no concerns that the numbers have not been accurate.
Now that we are now into a new fiscal year, we are seeing more of an apples to apples comparison which offers taxpayers a realistic view of what is happening.
We have a chart for you showing our comparison between FY 2016 (last year) and FY 2017 (current year) on revenues and expenses. Please see below.
REVENUE
On the revenue side, we are basically flat from last year to this on the revenue side. The Property Tax Allocation amount which is $291,356 over last year is simply a timing issue on when we received the money.
EXPENSES
Our two biggest lines in the budget are salaries and benefits represented in Personnel Services and Retirement/Insurance. Those numbers are higher than last year, but the total year, they are projected to be flat or down slightly over last year.
The numbers in red in the Advances/Transfers line represent three main items. We are now transferring nearly $1.3 million in General Fund dollars into a bond retirement fund to make the next set of payments on the bonds to build the new school. In addition, this year we are also transferring $900,000 in the LFI fund for the building project. These dollars fund parts of the building that are enhanced beyond the budget and scope provided by the state for the building project. We have funded extra space and enhancements and are planning some additional items depending on how the project unfolds. Finally, we have money in this transfer that covers our HB 264 Project which provided for upgrades in lighting and new HS boilers that were installed around 2010.
Other than the large transfers, we would be very close to what we spent last year at this time.
PICS FROM STEVE GROSS
If you follow me on Twitter, @els_eagles, you saw a picture I took last Saturday morning of a hot air balloon flying over campus on what was a beautiful Saturday morning. That balloon was piloted by Steve Gross, and he took some very cool pictures of the K-5 Building. Enjoy!
DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
On September 12th, a representative from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), will be presenting assemblies to our students during the school day on the topic of Digital Citizenship. Digital Citizenship is the norms of appropriate, responsible technology use.
In addition to these assemblies for our students, a Parent presentation will also occur on September 12th at 7:00 PM in the Eastwood High School auditorium. This presentation, open to parents and students in grades 5-12 will be informative on many levels. The world of technology changes at a nearly geometric rate, and as parents we are at an enormous disadvantage when it comes to monitoring and supporting our students.
As a point of reference, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing over 3,500 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecuting agencies. These agencies are continually engaged in proactive and reactive investigations and prosecutions of persons involved in child abuse and exploitation involving the internet.
We look forward to seeing you on September 12th @ 7:00 PM.
ATTENTION SENIORS AND SENIOR PARENTS
As you may remember from last spring, a letter was sent home about the new vaccine requirements for seniors for the 2016-17 school year. All seniors must receive a meningococcal vaccine, prior to the start of their senior year. Summer has now ended, and school has begun! You have until Thursday, September 8th, to receive your Meningitis vaccine and turn in your paperwork to the HS office, if you have done it already.
You may contact Dannelle Sutton (District Nurse) via email (dsutton@eastwoodschools.org) with any questions.
FFA CHICKEN BBQ
This year's FFA Chicken Barbecue is scheduled for Friday, October 7th from 4:30 - 7:00 pm in the Middle School Cafeteria.
If you are interested in purchasing a ticket, please see an FFA member or contact Jerry Swartz at jswartz@eastwoodschools.org. Adult tickets are $9 each and include 1/2 chicken, a baked potato, applesauce, a roll, and drink. Children/Senior Citizens meals are $6 and include 1/4 chicken, 1/2 baked potato, applesauce, a roll, and drink. Desserts are also available at the door for $1 per serving. They will be selling presale tickets through Wednesday, September 28th. We will have a limited amount of walk up sales on the 7th, so if you would like to be guaranteed a meal, please purchase a ticket before the week of the barbecue.
AFTER PROM
The After Prom Committee is raffling off a $500.00 Frobose Gift Certificate. The tickets are $10.00 each. Tickets are available to be purchased at the home football games, in the high school office or by contacting
Valerie Sponaugle at thespons@roadrunner.com. The drawing will be held on October 21, 2016.
The next After Prom Committee Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 7:00 pm at the High School in the library. All Junior and Senior Parents are invited to attend.