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Hofmeister: ‘Cuts are not inevitable' with declining enrollment
by diane vance/gate city staff writer
WARSAW, Ill. - Making cuts in curriculum, staffing or anything in the school district budget because of declining enrollment is not inevitable, said Warsaw School Board member Jon Hofmeister Wednesday. His comment came near the end of a nearly two-hour PowerPoint presentation and discussion about deactivating Warsaw Junior High School and Nauvoo-Colusa High School.
A benefit of deactivation touted by a majority of board members is pooling students in the two districts, creating a seventh and eighth grade junior high of 116 students at Nauvoo-Colusa instead of 61 separately at Warsaw next school year.
Warsaw High School will have 174 students in grades 9-12 next year and Nauvoo-Colusa, 92. Combined at Warsaw, the high school would have 266 students in 2008-2009.
With more students, more options in curriculum can be offered, the high school's dual credit classes are more likely to meet the required 10 minimum students and staff cuts would not be looming.
“Those cuts are not inevitable,” said Hofmeister. “Every time I've seen kids in this district in need, the community has stepped forward and put up the money.”
If Warsaw parents really want to keep a full curriculum and not deactivate, Hofmeister says the community will find a way to fund the school at the level needed.
“We know it's not an easy decision for any board member,” said Warsaw board member Steve Lucie Wednesday.
The Warsaw and Nauvoo-Colusa school boards met jointly Wednesday, holding a community meeting to inform the public about the issues involved with deactivation.
“We know we're asking you to send our kids to a different district,” said Lucie to about 50 members in the audience. “We could support our school by raising taxes.”
The money
In an Illinois school deactivation, the sending district pays tuition per student to the gaining district. The two districts draw up a contract that specifies how the deactivation will work and what is the agreed-upon amount of tuition.
Warsaw and Nauvoo-Colusa have agreed to each pay tuition at 90 percent of the state foundation funding level ($5,700) or $5,130 per student. If deactivation is approved in both school districts on Feb. 5, Warsaw will send 61 students to Nauvoo-Colusa and $312,930 in tuition in 2008-2009. Nauvoo-Colusa would send 92 students and $471,960 in tuition next year to Warsaw.
The net difference is an increase of $159,030 to Warsaw's budget. Figuring in Warsaw's increased transportation costs that are reimbursed from the state at 80 percent - approximately $35,181 - Warsaw School District will gain $123,849 in next year's budget with deactivation.
“We'll be in good financial shape if we need to buy all new textbooks to align the junior high and high school curriculum,” said Warsaw Superintendent Kim Schilson. “With declining enrollments and retiring teachers, we'll reduce some expenses by hiring newer teachers. Property taxes in Warsaw will stay steady.”
Warsaw's junior high teachers and Nauvoo-Colusa High School teachers can move with their student population, if they are qualified to only teach at that level. Requests will be granted on a seniority basis.
“I don't see needing to get rid of any Warsaw teachers,” said Schilson.
Other districts
an option?
A Warsaw parent asked if they can choose to send their student to Hamilton instead of Nauvoo-Colusa with deactivation.
“Anyone can send their student anywhere right now,” said Lucie. “Parents can pay tuition to any district they want.
“With deactivation, Warsaw and Nauvoo-Colusa have an agreement. All tuition is paid by the sending districts and the two districts are going to pay to send students only to one another.”
Additional high school curriculum
“At this time, we are not looking at reductions in staff and Warsaw remains in control of its new facilities,” said Lucie. “We can keep and expand our high school curriculum with more students. We won't lose the dual-credit Carl Sandburg College classes. We won't lose our vo-tech and agricultural programs.”
Warsaw High School offers 15 CSC dual credit classes: English Composition I and II, speech, inter-personal communications, math education, statistics, college algebra, art appreciation, music appreciation, psychology, sociology, environmental science, government and politics, emergency medical technician (EMT) and medical terminology.
Warsaw's traditional high school classes are: English, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, science, anatomy, chemistry, biology, zoology, genetics, geography, government U.S. Civil War, American history, world history, band, chorus, art, painting, drawing, Spanish I and II, physical education, adaptive physical education and driver's ed.
And WHS's vocational classes are: Word Processing I and II, graphic arts, desktop publishing, computer science, advanced woods, home and auto repair, small engine repair, construction, industrial technology, metals and welding, drafting, agriculture, ag business, diversified agriculture, horticulture, landscaping, wildlife I and II, ag construction, ag mechanics, plant science, animal science, interior design, fashion merchandising, child development, careers, foods, adult living and consumer education.
Possible additions to the high school curriculum with additional students from Nauvoo-Colusa are: mig welding and tig welding and computer aided drafting (CAD) possibly as dual credit college classes, calculus, physics, recordkeeping, introduction to business, Spanish III and IV, yearbook, jazz band, advanced foods, sports history, leisure time reading, English literature, American literature and basic composition.
A benefit of deactivation touted by a majority of board members is pooling students in the two districts, creating a seventh and eighth grade junior high of 116 students at Nauvoo-Colusa instead of 61 separately at Warsaw next school year.
Warsaw High School will have 174 students in grades 9-12 next year and Nauvoo-Colusa, 92. Combined at Warsaw, the high school would have 266 students in 2008-2009.
With more students, more options in curriculum can be offered, the high school's dual credit classes are more likely to meet the required 10 minimum students and staff cuts would not be looming.
“Those cuts are not inevitable,” said Hofmeister. “Every time I've seen kids in this district in need, the community has stepped forward and put up the money.”
If Warsaw parents really want to keep a full curriculum and not deactivate, Hofmeister says the community will find a way to fund the school at the level needed.
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The Warsaw and Nauvoo-Colusa school boards met jointly Wednesday, holding a community meeting to inform the public about the issues involved with deactivation.
“We know we're asking you to send our kids to a different district,” said Lucie to about 50 members in the audience. “We could support our school by raising taxes.”
The money
In an Illinois school deactivation, the sending district pays tuition per student to the gaining district. The two districts draw up a contract that specifies how the deactivation will work and what is the agreed-upon amount of tuition.
Warsaw and Nauvoo-Colusa have agreed to each pay tuition at 90 percent of the state foundation funding level ($5,700) or $5,130 per student. If deactivation is approved in both school districts on Feb. 5, Warsaw will send 61 students to Nauvoo-Colusa and $312,930 in tuition in 2008-2009. Nauvoo-Colusa would send 92 students and $471,960 in tuition next year to Warsaw.
The net difference is an increase of $159,030 to Warsaw's budget. Figuring in Warsaw's increased transportation costs that are reimbursed from the state at 80 percent - approximately $35,181 - Warsaw School District will gain $123,849 in next year's budget with deactivation.
“We'll be in good financial shape if we need to buy all new textbooks to align the junior high and high school curriculum,” said Warsaw Superintendent Kim Schilson. “With declining enrollments and retiring teachers, we'll reduce some expenses by hiring newer teachers. Property taxes in Warsaw will stay steady.”
Warsaw's junior high teachers and Nauvoo-Colusa High School teachers can move with their student population, if they are qualified to only teach at that level. Requests will be granted on a seniority basis.
“I don't see needing to get rid of any Warsaw teachers,” said Schilson.
Other districts
an option?
A Warsaw parent asked if they can choose to send their student to Hamilton instead of Nauvoo-Colusa with deactivation.
“Anyone can send their student anywhere right now,” said Lucie. “Parents can pay tuition to any district they want.
“With deactivation, Warsaw and Nauvoo-Colusa have an agreement. All tuition is paid by the sending districts and the two districts are going to pay to send students only to one another.”
Additional high school curriculum
“At this time, we are not looking at reductions in staff and Warsaw remains in control of its new facilities,” said Lucie. “We can keep and expand our high school curriculum with more students. We won't lose the dual-credit Carl Sandburg College classes. We won't lose our vo-tech and agricultural programs.”
Warsaw High School offers 15 CSC dual credit classes: English Composition I and II, speech, inter-personal communications, math education, statistics, college algebra, art appreciation, music appreciation, psychology, sociology, environmental science, government and politics, emergency medical technician (EMT) and medical terminology.
Warsaw's traditional high school classes are: English, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, science, anatomy, chemistry, biology, zoology, genetics, geography, government U.S. Civil War, American history, world history, band, chorus, art, painting, drawing, Spanish I and II, physical education, adaptive physical education and driver's ed.
And WHS's vocational classes are: Word Processing I and II, graphic arts, desktop publishing, computer science, advanced woods, home and auto repair, small engine repair, construction, industrial technology, metals and welding, drafting, agriculture, ag business, diversified agriculture, horticulture, landscaping, wildlife I and II, ag construction, ag mechanics, plant science, animal science, interior design, fashion merchandising, child development, careers, foods, adult living and consumer education.
Possible additions to the high school curriculum with additional students from Nauvoo-Colusa are: mig welding and tig welding and computer aided drafting (CAD) possibly as dual credit college classes, calculus, physics, recordkeeping, introduction to business, Spanish III and IV, yearbook, jazz band, advanced foods, sports history, leisure time reading, English literature, American literature and basic composition.
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