R-H File photo
CAMDEN — Preble Shawnee Local Schools Superintendent Todd Bowling and Preble Shawnee Treasurer Jacque Bolton hosted their first community meeting Wednesday, Feb. 8, in the elementary school library.
During the meeting, Bolton explained her financial concerns for the district in the coming years. Bowling spoke briefly of potential methods to lessen the strain on the district’s accounts, and perhaps bolster revenue.
The meeting was open to the public, and among those attending were PS Board of Education President Jeff Wood, and board member Nick Duskey.
“Fifty percent of our revenues goes toward paying our teachers, classified people, maintenance, all of those positions. Providing all of their benefits is 24 percent, and it goes down from there. The services we have to pay for, any materials we buy for them, 2 percent of the capital would be any improvements and upkeep on the buildings we do, and then there is always that other 2 percent of whatever falls,” stated Bolton while showing a graph of the general fund operating expenditures.
Bowling noted, the majority of the school budget “pays adults to be in front of kids,” stating “the best seven hours” of a child’s day is with the school.
According to Bolton, the district is on track to begin operating in negative balances in fiscal year 2025, should revenues and expenditures undergo no change, at which point, the district’s cash balance will quickly be exhausted maintaining regular operations.
“The state is not keeping up with inflation, because we have to outsource occupational therapists, physical therapists for special education students, psychologists. While their salary is going up – and that’s part of the problem with keeping good teachers. If you want good teachers, you have to keep a salary that’s comparable. When you look at other districts, you have to keep in mind our teachers are living with inflation also,” said Bowling.
Bowling noted, the budget for staff has increased with inflation as part of the effort to retain a competitive wage for high quality teachers for Preble Shawnee’s students.
Bowling went on to address the missed opportunities for students regarding College Credit Plus (CCP) a program which allows grade school students to accumulate college credits for two and four year schools.
“That’s why we’re partnering with Sinclair and Wright State to get better opportunities for our kids.”
School districts who host CCP programs become eligible for state grants, which could assist with Preble Shawnee’s financial concerns, as well as offer more options for its student body.
“There is money out the wazoo for CCP,” Bowling remarked.
According to both Bowling and Bolton, Preble Shawnee looks to put a levy on the ballot as early as 2025 which would bolster district revenue. Other ideas presented during the meeting were contracting with a company called Arcadia Towers, which would pay Preble Shawnee monthly rent based on cell providers occupying space on the tower, as well as showing movies on school premises.
“When we come for a levy in 2025, maybe we can get to 2026, we’ll see — it’s going to be about what additional things we can offer our kids. Or we can stay like this — it’ll be a community decision. But do we want our kids to be the lowest in Preble County? To have the least opportunities, and the least access to an education? I know I don’t,” concluded Bowling.
Bowling expressed the aim of the community meeting was to be transparent on how the district spends money on behalf of the students. It is the first of numerous planned meetings hosted by the superintendent and school treasurer. Bowling expressed he was disappointed in the low attendance and hopes to see it increase in the future.
Reach Nathan Hoskins at 937-683-4057.
