National Test is a Flawed Measure of Iowa Students

I find this article interesting.  It has some little publicized facts about the development of the NAEP assessments that are used to judge schools across the nation.

Des Moines Register Article

Iowa, Did you know?

July 25, 2011 G-R Happenings

 

G-R Happenings

Start of the 11-12 School Year:

Families will be receiving registration packets in the mail the week of July 25.  If you don’t receive a packet, or have any questions, please call the district office at 319-345-2712.

Third grade orientation will be on August 15 at 6:00 p.m. in Reinbeck Elementary.  We are running it separate from Open House in the hopes of reducing conflicts for families. 

Open house for all buildings will be August 16 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

• Orientation for fifth graders will be at 6:00 p.m. at the middle school that evening. 
• Freshman orientation at the high school that evening will be from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• The 1:1 Initiative kickoff at 7:00 p.m. in the high school gym.

The first day back to school will be August 17^th.  I’m excited for the start of the new school year.

Budget:

A few critical budget numbers:

Unspent Balance:              FY 11:  $1,112,061                                    FY 12:  $866,276 (estimated)

Tax Rate:                          FY 11: 13.59115                                    FY 12: 12.14356

Enrollment:                        FY 11:  668.7                                                FY 12:  647.7 (estimated)

The Board has worked diligently to increase the district’s unspent balance (extra spending authority) over the past three years.  We’re pleased to say that it has grown to an estimated $1,112,061 on June 30, 2011.  We anticipate cutting into it during FY 12.  We will need to seek out spending cuts and revenue sources moving forward in order to maintain the unspent balance in the future.

The tax rate will be going down significantly in FY 12.  This is due to several factors.  First of all our property valuations have increased, thereby reducing the rate needed to generate the required dollars for the school budget.  Also, the district had increased its cash reserve levy for FY 11 in order to compensate for the across the board cut we endured, as well as the under funding built into the FY 11 budget.  We are now able to lower the cash reserve levy in FY 12, reducing the property tax rate.  The district has also lessened the rate for Drop Out Prevention Modified Allowable Growth.  This also lowers the property tax rate.

Enrollment is the single biggest factor in school budgets.  G-R has been dealing with a declining enrollment for a number of years and will continue to do so for at least two more years.  We will have graduating classes in the mid sixties in 2011 and 2012.  At the same time we are bringing in kindergarten classes of around forty students.  Each student generates about $6,000 in funding for the district.   So, if our enrollment is down 25 students, our revenue will be down about $150,000.

The district has addressed this problem through staff reductions and by controlling expenses.  We have also worked to maximize our supplemental weighting.  G-R receives supplemental weighting for sharing a transportation director with Grundy Center and for the dual-enrollment courses offered to high school students.  This year G-R was credited with approximately 30 students due to supplemental weighting.

Summer Projects:

It’s busy as usual around the buildings this summer.  The custodial is completing the usual cleaning, painting, waxing, etc. that happens each summer in preparation for the new school year.

There are some additional projects going on in our buildings too. 

• A new boiler system is being installed at the Gladbrook Campus. 
• New wiring for the computer network is being installed at the Gladbrook Campus. 
• New carpeting was installed in the third and fourth grade classrooms at Reinbeck Elementary. 
• New fluorescent lighting is being installed in the Reinbeck Elementary gym/lunch room. 
• Sidewalks are being replaced at the Gladbrook Campus and the High School.
• New computers for High School students, K-8 teaching staff, Middle School mobile labs, and elementary mobile lab are being imaged and set up.

If you have questions about the information presented here, please contact me.  Office phone:  319-345-2712, email: tkuehl@g-r.k12.ia.us

Educationally yours,

Tim Kuehl, Superintendent