Allendale Public Schools

Staffing level takes brunt of Allendale school spending cuts

Knowing how much money is coming from the state this year for school funding is "a refreshing change," according to Allendale Public Schools Superintendent Dan Jonker. But that knowledge, he said, does little to soften the blow to the budget.

The Board of Education adopted a budget Monday that includes no funding to replace three retiring administrators. The high school athletic director responsibilities will fall to the principal. The responsibilities of the director of teaching and learning will be absorbed by the Oakwood Intermediate principal. Jill Wilson and one assistant will lead the two elementary schools to replace the second principal who is retiring.

The district also will share the duties of food service director with Spring Lake.

"We cut the equivalent of about 12 full-time teaching staff, a total of 17 people partially or fully laid off," said Jonker. Nine aides and secretaries, and the counseling assistant also were laid off. Unionized employees are still negotiating with the district for new contracts. The teachers contract expires June 30.

While the board expected a $1.76 million deficit, based on projected expenses, smaller increases in the rate of teacher health care premiums gave some relief. Jonker said the district hopes to put $175,000 into the fund equity this year. Jonker said the district could not use the fund equity for regular expenses because the balance is too low. Funds must be kept in reserve in case of unexpected cash needs, he said.

"What we really had to do, since 85 cents of every dollar is staffing, is we had to cut across the board," Jonker said. "Now we need to look at what we're doing, and what we can abandon. You can't have less and less people and keep doing what those full-time people used to do."

Jonker said the district always gets a few more students each year, which will increase revenues from the per-pupil foundation grant. Some costs also are still unknown. The budget will be reviewed closer to August when enrollment numbers are more secure, and some staff could be called back.

Voting Under the Influence: Public education still matters

It is hip, using the word of the day, to "dis" public education if one considers himself a Republican.  The South Carolina GOP now has a purity test on the subject.  If one is not for tuition tax credits for private schools, then one is not a real Republican.  So be it.  This comes for the party that has as it champion a Governor who would rather cater to Wal Mart than work to give people jobs in South Carolina.  Governor Haley made clear she would not support jobs in SC through Amazon but she would let the bill to locate them here go unsigned. Haley is no Carroll Campbell.    Fair enough.  No wonder she stands where she does on public education.    Make no mistake, public education needs real reform.  Politicians need to roll up their sleeves and get to work to make the public schools better.  After all, the better educated our workforce is the more high paying jobs we can bring in and that adds to the tax base and so forth. Further, educating the least among us gives them a chance at the American economy and keeps them off welfare and out of prisons, things we taxpayers pay for.  But, try telling that to Governor Haley and her minions.   They have a narrow focus.  They want to give tax breaks to the the well to do and to those who try to be well to do to send their kids to private schools.  It is appealing for those folks. Who does not want a tax break on their kids tuition that enables one to have the nice car or the big boat to show off?  If Haley and her minions sold that as their purpose, fair enough.  But, they do not.  They tell us the tuition tax credits for private schools gives poor kids a chance.  It is a flat lie.  Think on it.  Suppose some single mom in Allendale county has two kids.  She wants the best for her kids, as we all do.  She gets on a bus and rides to Hilton Head Island to clean hotel rooms.  She makes, at the best, thirty grand a year.  Her kids go to Allendale public schools.  She learns of a private school nearby, which, frankly there is not one that would take her kids.  Say the tuition for each kid in five grand, and that is being conservative and low in the estimate.

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