Meeker’s School Board this week approved the Estimate of Needs and Financial statement for 2021-2022.
School Supt. Jeff Pruitt explained to the board the 2021-2022 Estimate of Needs total $8,132,750. “The auditor prepares the Estimate of Needs for us based on the previous year’s numbers. We are very dependent on state aid,” he noted.
Pruitt advised board members that enrollment is up about 37 kids from last year.
“That’s a rough ball park,” he said, noting, “that’s about a six percent increase in students from a year ago. We’re trying to meet the needs of our kids,” he told them.
Board member Bret Wood asked Pruitt what he thought the increase in students might be attributed to, and Pruitt said it could be students who left the Epic Charter system and for other reasons.
“We know our kids, we know our parents and that’s the advantage of schools in rural areas,” he stressed.
The increase in numbers was reflected in the reports from the principals.
High School Principal Brad Buxton reported total enrollment numbers of 210 students. Middle School Principal Rodney Treat said there are about 140 in grades 6-8 and Elementary Principal Candice Gatz said Elementary enrollment is about 341 students.
Ginger Pritchard, principal of the Meeker Education Center and Alternative Education, said, “overall, we have 69 students K-12 that are taking advantage of the virtual and blended learning opportunities.”
She advised board members there are students in 299 sections in the combined Middle School and High School virtual classes.
The board also approved purchasing three buses for the district and will utilize funds from the bond issue approved earlier this year to pay for them.
Pruitt said each bus from Ross Transportation costs $61,450 for a total of $184,350 for the three. He told the board, “Finding buses is very challenging. We have three buses that really need attention, but it was a challenge to find them,” he reiterated.
He said some companies wouldn’t even bid on them because they didn’t have enough.
Following a brief executive session, the board voted to offer contracts to Debbie Flowers, elementary teacher, Patti Gatlin, part-time payroll clerk/insurance coordinator, Megan Jones, elementary teacher, Lana Myers, elementary school aide and Brady Dukes, Adjunct teacher for ICAP/Career-High School Grades 9-12 and Middle School Grades 6-8.
In other business, the board: Approved the operation of the Cross Country/Track booster club in an individual activity account for the 2021-2022 school year.
Approved 2021-2022 Activity Funds including fundraisers and expenditures for the period Sep. 14, 2021 to Sep. 30, 2022.
Approved of the FFA to attend the National Convention in Indianapolis, Ind.