Letter from the Superintendent/Principal

 November 8, 2018

 

Dear Parents:

 

Unfortunately, our referendum did not pass. We will be discussing the results of the election at the school board meeting on November 13th.  One item discussed will be having a special election this spring or waiting until November 2019. What does the failure of the referendum mean for the district? Our school will not be closing. However, significant cuts will need to be made. Maybe we didn’t talk enough about the numbers and budgets when sharing why the referendum was necessary. In June, the board approved a budget with a $270,000 deficit. This deficit was including the cuts to teachers, custodians, and paras. We were able to cover the deficit through our fund balance.  However, we will not be able to sustain such a deficit in the future. Deficit spending to that degree will cause us to be in Statutory Operating Debt. This means we would not have enough cash flow to cover our monthly expenses.

 

We will be asking for parents and community support in planning how to move forward with our next election. From the voting results, many of our residents are in favor of the referendum. We need to figure out a way to reach more residents. Please watch for information regarding our next election. We have not given up and will continue working toward getting a referendum passed. Our students deserve it and so does the community. Together, we will continue making Floodwood School an amazing place for students!

 

Conference notices were mailed home this week for all students PK-12. If you didn’t get a notice, please contact the office. Deb has a schedule and can let you know the day and time of your child’s conference. We are hoping to get a majority of our families coming to conferences. This is a chance to ask questions of the teachers and celebrate the great things your child is learning. Students’ MCA scores will be handed out at the conference.

 

Each week, a student in the high school and elementary is chosen to be a Star Student. They are recognized in the slide show on the TV in the hallway. The staff thought that recognizing the efforts and talents of our students was an excellent way to promote Polar Pride.

 

The Scholastic Book Fair will be here during conferences next week. There is No School on Friday, November 16th.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Dr. Rae Villebrun

Superintendent/Principal