D135 Projecting Enrollment to Drop by 59 Students and More (Live Blog Transcript)
Paul Howell announced his retirement, and a new director of curriculum was approved by the Orland School District 135 board Monday night. Read our live blog transcript of both the committee of the whole and regular meetings.
Update
Orland School District 135 may be looking at fewer enrolled students during the 2013-2014 school year, if current staff projections hold true.
During Monday night’s committee of the whole meeting, board members heard the first enrollment projection for the next school year, which has 59 less students than current enrollment.
Several variables, however, can change the number before August, said D135 Human Resources Director Julie Oberwise. Kindergarten enrollment will not be clear until far closer to August, and certain segments of students are recorded differently, such as honors students in the junior highs.
But if the numbers hold, the district might have to lose four full-time teachers and one half-time kindergarten teacher to accommodate the enrollment drop, Oberwise said.
“In the past, we have riffed teachers, and brought them back through attrition,” Oberwise said. “I’m hoping we can do that again.”
During the regular meeting, Paul Howell announced he would be retiring from D135 in June. In his 34-year career, Howell has worked as a school psychologist, a science teacher, assistant principal, principal and superintendent. In 2012, he returned to his role before superintendent as director of curriculum.
In his place, Lynn Zeder will assume the director of curriculum role. She currently serves as the assistant curriculum director.
Century Assistant Principal Brian Horn will be taking the helm as principal of the school, with current principal Cindy Finley retiring in June.
Dan Doogan was appointed director of technology for the district as well Monday night.
Original Post
Orland School District 135 board of education members will hear the latest enrollment report and projections during Monday night’s committee of the whole meeting.
Past enrollment projections showed a drop that started in 2005 and has continued since.
A preliminary staffing update is also scheduled for the policy and personnel-focused meeting.
During the regular meeting to follow, appointments will be up for a board vote for administrative positions, including one director role. One administrative staff employee is expected to resign as well.
Who will be appointed to what position, and who is resigning, was not specified. D135 Communications Coordinator Tracy Marc said the district will not announce the people and positions involved before the meeting, in case of any unplanned changes leading up to Monday night.
Look at the attached meeting agendas for what else will be discussed.
Orland Park Patch’s live blog through Cover It Live will provide minute-by-minute updates from the meeting on this page starting at 6:30 p.m. Look in the Cover It Live window above, and you’ll see an area where you can join in and offer your comments and questions. The same rules apply as on finished articles on the site.
Leading up to the meeting, let me know if there's anything you particularly want to know about in the comments.
Correction: Dan Doogan, D135's new director of technology, was incorrectly listed in the update. Patch regrets the error.
Looking for more school news?
- St. Mike's Students Spend Special Week of Studies With Fellow Catholic Schools (Gallery)
- Cunningham Remains on D135 Ballot (Live Blog Transcript)
- Stutz Voted in as D135's Next Superintendent and More (Live Blog Transcript)
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There are plenty of ways to keep up on local news:
Bob
1:37 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Let's do a little math here. The 2010 report cards show that enrollment was 5437, last years report card shows 5213, and next year they're anticipating another loss of 59 students. That's a total loss of 283 students. At the current operating expense of $13,587 per student about 20% is "fixed cost" which doesn't vary with enrollment, and the remainder is a variable cost which should be saved when the enrollment drops. That means that expenses should be dropping by about $3,100,000 per year. Adjusting for inflation, the savings should be about $2.7 million per year. Real estate tax revenues are up by about 7% over that time, or about $4,279,000. If properly managed this should have resulted in enough of a surplus to freeze and eliminate fees. Debt service costs have also decreased by about $4 million per year over that period.
Gee, I wonder why there hasn't been a complete elimination of fees and tax reduction?LOL
Final note. While enrollment has been dropping, expenditures have been INCREASING from $74.4 million to $75 million.
This took about five minutes to look up. What a shame the "journalists" covering this didn't bother to put the effects of this into context.
I wonder if the candidates will be allowed to be asked about this in the forum, or whether the league of women voters will bury this question?
Thunderstorm
11:01 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013
If you are so knowledgeable in these matters, why don't YOU run for the school board in District 135? Oh wait, I know why, YOU DON'T LIVE IN DISTRICT 135! Go back to District 118 and District 230 and bother them. Leave us alone!
Bob
8:45 am on Sunday, February 24, 2013
Thunder, why do facts trouble you so? As you said, i can't run for the Board or even vote for them. All I can do is present facts and ideas for consderation of those who care enough to get involved. When someone presenting facts and ideas "bothers" you, it's pretty clear that facts don't fit your agenda. One of us is trying to make the voters in 135 well informed, the other (you) apparently believes that keeping them ill-informed is in your personal best interest.
From what part of the 135 money trough are you feeding, TS?
frank
9:07 am on Sunday, February 17, 2013
Very good Bob.
If only other people would read and understand what is out there.
We are in a fiscal sinkhole.
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