When the Watonga School Board met July 14 in regular session, there was a lot more on the agenda than just setting policy for the absence of cellular devices.
The board also heard that the just ended fiscal year had a revenue to the schools of more than $10.6 million and expenditures of about $13.6 million. The revenues did not include insurance payments of some $7 million. The district anticipates a carryover of $9.6 million, indicating it is on solid financial footing.
A few of this fiscal year’s expected purchase include new furniture for the kindergarten through second grade classrooms at the elementary school, continuing the furniture replacement that began last year.
Also ongoing at the elementary school is the replacement mulch at the playground. That project, said Superintendent Kyle Hilterbran, is in conjunction with Big Five Headstart and will replace the existing wood mulch with rubber mulch.
Another purchase is for 150 Chromebooks and five smartboards at an estimated cost $75,000. “We expect to spend about $150,000 every other year on those Chromebooks,” Hilterbran said. By replacing a designated number every year or so, student technology stays updated.
A very visible update is the track resurfacing, which is almost complete and should be done and dried before school begins August 14.
Hilterbran described the work on the end zone facility as down to the punch list and said the wrestling room looks ‘beautiful’. He noted that with the completion of those items, the projects undertaken with the most recent bond issue of $19 million would be done.
Outside of bond financed items, the board agreed to purchase of an activity bus at a cost of $83,700 and two Suburbans, one at $61,420 and the other at $64,303. One is equipped with four wheel drive.
The board also approved several teaching and support positions. Jennifer Base was approved to teach middle school language arts, while Lindsey Bertch will teach English I and II.
Dusti Broderick will teach middle school English and Cooper Cox will teach Oklahoma history.
Nickolas Fowler will teach algebra II and intermediate math. Brandi Nyberg will instruct in anatomy while Toni Ray will teach middle school and high school art.
Adan Rendon will teach physical science and Melissa Roberts will teach English III, English IV and AP English.
Steven Lake will teach aviation and broadcasting.
Some of these positions are adjunct and/or extra duty for the instructors, but still required board approval.
The board also approved a $1,000 stipend for all support and certified employees, to be paid on the first day of classes.