Closure of GHV Middle School at Ventura finalized

by Rebecca Peter

The Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Board of Education began the difficult task of making $850,000 in budget cuts for fiscal year 2020-21 at its regular meeting on Feb. 10.

At a Feb. 4 community meeting, Superintendent Tyler Williams discussed the need for reductions in personnel, transportation, and facilities in order to increase the district’s spending authority to about $1 million.

Since consolidation with Ventura in 2015-16, the district’s spending authority has dropped from $2.7 million to $424,000 for 2019-20. No school district is allowed to operate with a negative spending authority balance.

Staff, parents, and community members were also present at the Feb. 10 board meeting.

“The use of facilities next year will have to be decided tonight— whether the fifth through eighth-grade students currently at the middle school in Ventura get moved to Garner to house a PK-8 facility,” Williams said. “That would mean the current middle school building at Ventura would still be utilized in ways I spoke about last week.”

At the Feb. 4 community meeting, the superintendent suggested that junior high athletic events and some high school practices could continue at Ventura.

“Then you never know what could come up that could possibly house some activity or services to kids in North Iowa,” he said.

Enrollment at GHV for 2019-20 is 945 students.  Five-year enrollment projections show a slight increase to 956 by 2023-24.

“Obviously, this is wonderful news,” Williams said. “Then you get into the shuffle of kids coming and going all summer. This is what happened last summer when I wasn’t expecting a loss of enrollment at all, and we loose 53.”

“It’s a guessing game,” he continued. “You can run projections, but I can’t determine whether a person’s going to sell their house and move, or get a new job.”

The superintendent estimated the district could save a minimum of $50,000 from reducing the number of shuttles by bus between Garner and Ventura.  Savings in energy costs are estimated at another $50,000 a year.

“We’ve continued to watch the budget and our unspent balances every year,” said Board President Steve Watson.  “Every year we’ve succeeded with early retirement offerings and packages and by trying to get some things coming in the right direction, and it all helped.  But as we continue to loose students, it comes to a point where we have to look at things. We wore that out with early retirements.”

“It feels like it’s snowballing in a way,” added board member Pam Roberts. “That tells me we have to cut our spending.”

“In reality, we’ve been kicking the can down the street the

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last multiple years,” Williams remarked.  “We’ve seen the [spending] authority continue to drop.  Those days are gone.  If we don’t make drastic choices, we will be operating illegally.  This is student driven profession. We need kids. So the good news is our projections … are showing a small growth.”

Another factor is the K-12 education funding package from the State being debated by the Legislature. Governor Kim Reynolds is recommending a 2.5 percent increase in state supplemental aid.

“That completely drives everything a school does with their budget,” he said.

Williams believes moving grades five to eight to the elementary building at Garner, is the “prudent” thing to do to get the district’s financials back on track.

“We have to take one step at a time,” said Steve Watson. “We’re looking at the facilities. What is the right thing to do? Let’s hope we grow.”

Board members and those present at the meeting agreed both communities have to figure out as a team how to advertise what the GHV district has to offer.

After more discussion, board members unanimously voted to move the middle school students to the elementary building beginning with the 2020-21 school year.

Personnel

The discussion next turned to personnel.

“It’s challenging and emotional for everyone in this room,” Williams acknowledged. “I appreciate everyone coming out to support your colleagues and your school.”

He said those impacted by the reductions are “wonderful people and fantastic teachers.” Those positions will be filled from within.

The superintendent recommended the reduction of 13 full-time certified positions. This will be accomplished with the retirements of two teachers and seven resignations (one resignation to be acted on in March).

The four remaining certified staff members affected by the reductions have been notified, he said.

He estimated the cost savings to the district is about $805,000.  He didn’t foresee any educational programs being reduced.

The board voted unanimously to reduce 13 certified positions.

The early retirements of Michele Penning (fifth and sixth grade science teacher) and Janet Schmitz (fourth grade teacher) were approved.

Resignations were accepted from Lora Tabbert (alternative high school teacher), Jack Johnson (high school business), Kaitlyn Aberson (high school language arts), Melodee Birke (elementary special education), Lisa Paloma (TK teacher) and Kira Hendrikson (middle school special ed).

The board also approved the following:

•Kristi Carew was named Employee of the Month

•Family & Medical Leave request to Renee Weisenstein

•Assistant coach positions to Cory Boeckman (assistant baseball) and Dakota Burress (assistant boys soccer).

The board will take up the matter of reductions of non-certified support staff in March.

Contract negotiations with the teacher and support staff unions also have yet to take place.

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