NORTH MANCHESTER - "We need to work together to do the best we can with what little we have," said Manchester Community Schools Business Manager Steve Shumaker.
With the state government cutting education dollars to overcome shortfalls in the budget, some schools, like Manchester, are feeling the pinch.Tuesday night at the Manchester Community Schools Board of Trustees regular meeting, Shumaker said the school's basic grant from the state was projected to be $9.7 million in 2010, but the school will receive only about $9.3 million. That is a 4.5 percent reduction from what was expected.
"We are going to be down to absolute base operations," Shumaker said.
Shumaker said the schools are trying to find ways to shave costs wherever they can. The thermostats in all school buildings have been turned down a few degrees, and teachers and staff are being asked to turn off all computers and printers at the end of the school day to save energy and reduce costs.
By turning the thermostats down one degree, the schools can save up to 3 percent in costs.
"That's a pretty good impact," Shumaker said.
In other business, the school board:
n Heard about project-based learning at the high school and junior high.
Art teacher Lynn Watson spoke about her class and showed the board some of the projects her students have created. One project mimicked "Cow Parade", and students were challenged to create cow art using plastic two-liter bottles found at Manchester Intermediate School. Another project had students create three-dimensional King Tut-like "death masks" out of discarded cardboard.
"Even though we are working with less (funding), I think the students are getting more rom the entire project," Watson said.
Zinsmeister's junior class was challenged to design a final project showing their passions and interests. Projects ranged from a metal sculpture to a DVD titled "Passion" about the school's athletes.
n Approved a motion to accept the policies for a new physical education course waiver and proficiency credit. Athletes may choose to use the waiver to earn class credit for sports participation. The student also must complete assignments and the coursework must still meet all state standards to receive credit.
n Approved a motion to sign a memorandum of understanding for Race To The Top, a federal program with a lot of funding behind it.
The memo only promises that the school corporation will agree to learn more about the program. If Indiana is chosen for the Race To The Top Program, the schools will then be asked to participate and agree to the rules and curriculum changes that are expected. However, the school corporation will not be forced to participate because they signed the memo.
Race To The Top could bring between $250 and $400 million into the state's education system.
