DANVILLE — The major changes Danville schools will see in the coming years regarding finances are state funding on the revenue side and purchase services on the expenditure side, according to the five-year forecast discussed at Monday night’s school board meeting.
Overall, revenues are projected to grow faster than expenditures on an annual average basis, according to the forecast.
Danville Local Schools: Five Year Forecast Financial Report
During the past five years, total expenditures increased 5.16% annually. Total expenditures are projected to increase 1.10% annually through fiscal year 2026.
Restricted revenues are expected to jump.
While in the past the district’s restricted state aid changed annually on average by $851, it is projected to change annually on average by $58,849. Danville’s success and wellness funding will be considered restricted starting in the 2022 fiscal year, as opposed to being in the general fund.
Restricted aid is the portion of state per pupil funding that must be classified as restricted use.
Regarding unrestricted grants-in-aid (funds received through the State Foundation program), Ohio’s adoption of the Fair School Funding Plan will alter school funding streams, specifically reducing funded enrollment but potentially reducing tuition cost, treasurer Tonya Mickley said.
Base cost is calculated for two years using a statewide average from historical actual data, which for Danville is $5,185,473 in the 2022 fiscal year according to the five-year forecast. The state’s share of the base cost is $3,461,571, meaning $6,159 per pupil.
In other business, four residents spoke during public participation, mainly voicing concerns about insufficient communication between administrators and teachers to parents and guardians. Along similar lines, participants said they were concerned with coaches communicating with students in ways that are supportive and foster growth.
Participants also mentioned a lack of understanding of standards-based education, which superintendent Jason Snively and other administrators said they will plan to address by having future informational meetings and/or one-on-one conversations. Standards-based education was adopted in Danville several years ago.
Overall, board member Paul Stover said the district is going through a restructuring.
Specifically, the district is restructuring so educators are not juggling multiple roles and so there is accountability at every job level, Stover said. He specifically pointed to athletic director Robert Miller, for example, who now oversees all coaches and athletics operations.
Snively said the recent hirings of several first-year educators and educators new to Danville have added to the larger restructuring.
“(Our staff) need to know we’re here to support you and we’re going to help you get better, because that’s the kind of support we all need,” Sinvely said. “Because if we don’t, ladies and gentlemen I’m here to tell you, we’re not going to have a single coach or a single teacher in this district in a couple years.”
Danville has begun offering professional development training every Friday. Junior high/high school principal Will Humphrey is regularly in classrooms to assist new and inexperienced teachers.
“This is something that we historically have never done,” Humphrey said.
Also, the board accepted a resignation and subsequently hire dto fill the vacancy. Fifth grade teacher Beth Wilson resigned, effective Oct. 22, and Christan Sears was hired, effective Nov. 30. Sears was already part of the district as a reading specialist, paid through Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief grant funds.
The board also approved 4.75 days of leave without pay for Tara Bond.
Superintendent of Knox ESC Timm Mackley was given permission by the board to approve substitute teachers for the current school year, and the board approved Heather Geiser as an adult transportation volunteer for orientation and mobility lessons.
The board approved an institution notice for a liquor permit for Bottleneck located at 506 S Market Street, previously the Bender Pub and Grille. The Ohio Division of Liquor Control is required to notify schools within 500 feet of the proposed liquor permit business location.
The board also revised a policy, 5722, which involves school-sponsored publications.
“We will allow student work and student presentation to be on school publications, but it has to be pre-approved,” Snively said. “We’re not just going up to open up our accounts … it is going to be monitored and it is not going to be put out there unless it is approved first by the district.”
