North Callaway schools sets budget for FY2013

The North Callaway R-I School Board approved a Fiscal Year 2013 Budget on June 21 that not only leaves the district with a positive balance, but also allows its teachers to see a little bit of financial benefit.

After a long executive session that extended the board's regular meeting later than usual, the board approved a balanced budget with a $25,804 surplus, that includes moving teachers one step up the salary schedule and giving non-certified staff a corresponding 1.19 percent raise.

"It's a balanced budget," said Superintendent Bryan Thomsen. "We wanted to be as conservative as we can but still do something to help our teachers."

The approved FY2013 budget includes projected revenues of $11,038 million and projected expenditures of $11,013 million.

Noting that they "tried to stay away from programming as much as possible," Thomsen said district administration and the board were able to create that budget primarily by moving some staff members around.

"We looked at enrollment to see if there were any places where we have two teachers that we could get by with one," Thomsen said, noting the most noticeable staffing changes will be at the high school. "The biggest thing was combining some staff positions and shuffling people around - that freed up some money."

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.