Whitko Budget At $18M

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.


PIERCETON - The Whitko School Board approved a $18,293,257 budget for 2008 Monday.

The budget is $292,170 more than the 2007 budget total. It includes a $12,251,580 general fund; $2,648,278 for debt services; a $2,055,151 capital projects fund; a transportation fund of $858,072; a bus replacement fund of $296,550; $88,357 for special education and preschool; and a $95,269 retirement and severance fund.

The school corporation will buy three full-sized buses and a minibus in the coming year.

Interim Superintendent Bruce Hippensteel reported that enrollment is down this year at Whitko Schools. Hippensteel said, based on numbers from the school corporation's official count day, Sept. 14, enrollment in the corporation is lower than last year's enrollment by 44 students. Most of the decrease was seen in kindergarten classes. Hippensteel said kindergarten enrollment is down by 27 students this year.

Whitko Middle School is the only school in the district with increased enrollment. Last year, 450 students enrolled at WMS, this year 465 students enrolled.

Hippensteel said the overall decrease could hurt the school corporation.

"It looks like that could hit us in the budget area," he told the board, "because students drive how much money you get from the state. How much it will hurt us, we don't know yet."

School board member Dave Tranter asked Hippensteel what could be the reasons for the decreased enrollment.

Hippensteel said last year was an unusually high enrollment for kindergarten, and this year the numbers fell closer to normal.

Hippensteel also reported the school corporation has officially posted an opening for a new superintendent.

"The interview process will begin in November," he said. "It will continue until we fill the position."

Board member Roger Boggs did not attend Monday's meeting.

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PIERCETON - The Whitko School Board approved a $18,293,257 budget for 2008 Monday.

The budget is $292,170 more than the 2007 budget total. It includes a $12,251,580 general fund; $2,648,278 for debt services; a $2,055,151 capital projects fund; a transportation fund of $858,072; a bus replacement fund of $296,550; $88,357 for special education and preschool; and a $95,269 retirement and severance fund.

The school corporation will buy three full-sized buses and a minibus in the coming year.

Interim Superintendent Bruce Hippensteel reported that enrollment is down this year at Whitko Schools. Hippensteel said, based on numbers from the school corporation's official count day, Sept. 14, enrollment in the corporation is lower than last year's enrollment by 44 students. Most of the decrease was seen in kindergarten classes. Hippensteel said kindergarten enrollment is down by 27 students this year.

Whitko Middle School is the only school in the district with increased enrollment. Last year, 450 students enrolled at WMS, this year 465 students enrolled.

Hippensteel said the overall decrease could hurt the school corporation.

"It looks like that could hit us in the budget area," he told the board, "because students drive how much money you get from the state. How much it will hurt us, we don't know yet."

School board member Dave Tranter asked Hippensteel what could be the reasons for the decreased enrollment.

Hippensteel said last year was an unusually high enrollment for kindergarten, and this year the numbers fell closer to normal.

Hippensteel also reported the school corporation has officially posted an opening for a new superintendent.

"The interview process will begin in November," he said. "It will continue until we fill the position."

Board member Roger Boggs did not attend Monday's meeting.

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