Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
SAN JON — San Jon Municipal Schools board members went over a wish list of items for its fiscal year 2023 budget, and several added one — new bleachers for the old gymnasium.
Jeremy Wade Allen, upon hearing the list from superintendent Janet Gladu during a budget work session Wednesday, advocated for the new bleachers in the old gym. The newer gymnasium is out of commission indefinitely while Gladu is trying to settle with its insurer over storm damage that occurred in the spring.
Fellow board member Brian Watson agreed with Allen’s idea, as did Cynthia Lee. They said not only were the bleachers in the old gym uncomfortable, but unsafe for the elderly. Because the newer gym is unusable for the time being, they advocated better bleachers in the old gym during the time it would be used more.
Gladu scheduled a public hearing earlier in the afternoon to discuss the budget, but no one from the community showed up. Instead, she quizzed staff and students what they wanted in fiscal year 2023.
On the wish list were:
• Redoing the student parking lot
• Shaded parking
• Meditation room
• Outdoor shade structures
• New track
• Soccer field
• More indoor plants
• Sprinkler system
• Automatic garage door for the wood shop
A few items struck board members as somewhat frivolous, but Lee was more inclined to take the request for a meditation room seriously.
“Mental health is huge,” she said. “We have to take care of it.”
The district’s business manager, Bryan Runyan of K12 Accounting of Albuquerque, said items such as the track or soccer field could be paid with capital outlay allocations from the state legislature.
Gladu said other items, such as parking lot improvements or outdoor shade structures, could be covered by the district’s so-called “big grant” if money is available.
Runyan presented an overview of the budget via teleconference during the work session. He went over legislative changes that include “significant increases” in mandatory pay for teachers and staff, plus salary minimums for educators.
Runyan said he and Gladu would propose a conservative budget during the board’s next meeting on May 24.
“I agree with Janet to go with a bottom approach” in budgeting, he said.
Runyan said legislative changes also set minimum salaries for principals. In some cases, those principals might be paid more than superintendents, though such a scenario won’t affect San Jon because it does not have a principal.
He said educator pay typically makes up 65% to 75% of a district’s budget.
“It adds up,” he said. “It’s by far the largest expenditure for a school district.”
Runyan said medical insurance will rise 3% to 6%, depending on the plan. The state also bolstered payments into the underfunded teacher retirement system.
Runyan said while San Jon’s enrollment is expected to fall somewhat, the state is transitioning to a funding system that depends less on student numbers and more on a teacher’s education level and experience. He anticipates the district will receive $195,000 more in that funding despite smaller enrollment.
In other business:
• Board members discussed Gladu’s student survey to determine interest in varying sports and classes.
For sports, San Jon middle-school students showed the most interest in volleyball, e-sports, girls wrestling, swimming, cheerleading, basketball and track.
High-school students showed the most interest in basketball, volleyball, e-sports and track.
For classes, all students showed the most interest in cooking, home economics, fine arts, computer coding and creative writing.
• Board members approved routine adjustments for the fiscal year 2022 budget.