Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Discovery Charter School budget looking good for next year; school starts August 19

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By JEFF SCHULTZ

The Discovery Charter School Board met yesterday after student registration to look at preliminary budget figures for the 2016 fiscal year.

Discovery’s per pupil funding from the state is $5,338 per student. The state’s foundation amount for public school funding is $4,984 for FY 2016.

Board President Laurie Metz said according to the preliminary figures, the budget is “in good shape.” That’s without the reportedly $500 that each charter school is supposed to get per student from the state to help pay for facilities and transportation.

“We still haven’t received any information regarding (that),” Metz said.

The other board members were optimistic too, even though the year end financials from this last month were running in red. “It really isn’t an issue. Our cash flow is good,” Metz told the Tribune.

American Quality Schools staff accountant Tiffani Cooper, who is stepping in for Josh Samuelson, said the numbers are likely to fluctuate between now and November when the final budget is due.

Metz said she doesn’t know how Discovery compares to the Duneland School Corporation in the state’s funding formula for 2016. The DSC board is expected to see its projected budget figures at its next meeting on Monday, Aug. 13.

In other matters, the board’s effort on refinancing the school building continues to move forward but there is still much to do. It is also changing contractors for new construction and obtaining estimates.

Once the financing is in place, the first project will be to complete the new cafeteria which will be on the northwest side of the school close to where the existing cafeteria is. Other additions being eyed are more classrooms and a stand-alone gymnasium.

Metz said none of the new construction will be on the five acres Discovery recently acquired that will give it access to U.S. 20. All will be close to the main school campus.

Dates to remember

Martinez said that students will return for the first day of classes on Wednesday, Aug. 19. Teachers will go back to work on Aug. 12 to prepare for the new year.

Students and parents can meet their teachers on Monday, Aug. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Discovery.

Wednesday and Thursday of this week were registration days for Discovery. Martinez said. Enrollment for the 2015-16 is 520 students, an increase of 10 students from last year.

Discovery Principal Ernesto Martinez said new flooring for the cafeteria has been laid in time for the upcoming school year.

There will be one staff change, Martinez mentioned. Kindergarten teacher Kellie Niepokoj is leaving Discovery and in her place the school has hired Elise Gustafson who was a kindergarten helper last year. Martinez said Gustafson is a December 2014 graduate of Purdue North Central and lives in Chesterton.

Help wanted

One position Discovery hopes to fill and is currently taking applications for is a part-time special education instructional assistant, Martinez said. More information on how to apply can be found on the school’s website, disccharterschool.weebly.com.

Discovery is also in need of cafeteria workers. Qualifying applicants will be hired through Discovery’s contracted provider Food Service Professionals (FSP), which lists job openings on its website, www.fspro.com

 

Posted 7/23/2015

 
 
 
 

 

 

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