On Monday, March 11th, the Deubrook Area School District School Board and Administrative Team held the second State of the District meeting in order to update our staff, parents, community members, and local businesses on school funding developments. Time was provided for questions from the audience. If you have any questions regarding the information on the slides provided here or any other information, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached through phone (605-629-1100) or by email ([email protected]). If you would prefer to meet in person, please simply call the Junior High / Senior High and I would be happy to meet with you at your convenience. Thank you for your support of our district, our staff, and our students! We look forward to a bright future of academic excellence and fiscal stability.
On Monday, September 10th, the Deubrook Area School District School Board and Administrative Team held the First Annual State of the District Meeting. Staff members, parents, and community members in attendance were provided information explaining the effects of the Blue Ribbon Task Force changes to the school funding formula. In addition, explanations were provided for each individual school fund regarding revenue sources and allowable expenditures.
School District Funds Explanation: September 18, 2018
On Monday, September 10th, parents, community members and staff attended the First Annual State of the District Meeting prior to the regularly scheduled board meeting. Those in attendance received information about the revenue sources and expenditures for the district budgets. The slides from this meeting can be found at: https://deubrookareasuperintendent.weebly.com/state-of-the-district.html.
Over the next few weeks, I will share information from the meeting and will provide answers to questions asked at the meeting and sent to me since. If you have questions you would like to have answered… please forward them to [email protected] or call 605-629-1101.
Here is a short summary of the first main points from the presentation:
We had a great turnout… and I believe we accomplished our goal which was to begin a dialog informing our parents, community members, and staff about how our budgets work. This is just the start; however, there will be many more opportunities for us to share information, answer questions, and dispel inaccurate information.
You made index cards available for questions. Where there pertinent questions posed and were you able to answer them to your satisfaction?
There were great questions asked… and I’m hoping to receive even more from our staff, parents, and community members. I hope I was able to properly answer at least a few of those questions on Monday night; however, I will provide answers to all questions both in the Tri City Star and will also have them on my website (found at: https://deubrookareasuperintendent.weebly.com/state-of-the-district.html).
To what degree were you able to do in depth on budget, capital outlay, general fund, wind tower funds, teacher salaries, etc.?
I feel that the information we were able to share was a good start at explaining a very complex situation and becoming more transparent. That being said, that night was only our first effort… we will be sharing a great deal more via additional presentations, articles in the paper, information posted to my website, and district mailings. We want to make sure that our parents, staff, and community members have all of their questions answered.
Is this a format you would like to continue or revise?
We will definitely continue to hold information sessions for our stakeholders. We will also use a variety of other methods to deliver information, request feedback and questions, and assure complete transparency. For example, very soon the two principals and I will be offering an opportunity in each community to visit over coffee. This will be yet another time for our community members to share with us their concerns and questions and for us to provide answers.
What would you like to add?
Again, our goals are simple… we want to be transparent and answer everyone’s questions. As we move through the school year, we will continue to provide information in a variety of ways; however, we want to make sure that our stakeholders are communicating with us as well. Please send your questions to [email protected] or call the school at 605-629-1101. We look forward to hearing from you!
On Monday, September 10th, parents, community members and staff attended the First Annual State of the District Meeting prior to the regularly scheduled board meeting. Those in attendance received information about the revenue sources and expenditures for the district budgets. The slides from this meeting can be found at: https://deubrookareasuperintendent.weebly.com/state-of-the-district.html.
Over the next few weeks, I will share information from the meeting and will provide answers to questions asked at the meeting and sent to me since. If you have questions you would like to have answered… please forward them to [email protected] or call 605-629-1101.
Here is a short summary of the first main points from the presentation:
- There are six different funds for our school district… each one has a separate revenue source and a separate set of allowable expenditures. These funds are as follows:
- General Fund:
- Revenue Source: both local taxes and state aid – wind tax revenue is put in this fund
- Expenditures: approximately 75% of this fund is expended for salaries and benefits (now including retirement as well) of district employees (teachers, administrators, associates, etc.), the other 25% is spent on purchased services (repairs, lawyers, etc.) or classroom consumables (i.e. pencils, paper)
- Capital Outlay:
- Revenue Source: local taxes
- Expenditures: textbooks, technology (software and hardware), HVAC systems (i.e. chillers, vents, controls), vehicles, furniture (i.e. desks, bookshelves) and other equipment (i.e. floor scrubbers, ice machines, athletic uniforms), etc.
- Special Education:
- Revenue Source: local taxes via a special levy
- Expenditures: special education services (i.e. testing, outside agencies providing educational services), consumables, resources and equipment for special education programs
- Pension Fund:
- Revenue Source: this levy was discontinued so we no longer receive money in this fund
- Expenditures: We have almost depleted this fund. It used to be used for paying the retirement costs of staff members. Those costs are now paid out of General Fund.
- School Food Service:
- Revenue Source: student breakfast and lunch payments fund this… The General Fund supplements this fund as it is not self-sustaining.
- Expenditures: salary of food service workers, food, food service equipment (i.e. freezers, ovens, etc.)
- Drivers Education / Preschool:
- Revenue Source: drivers education fees and preschool fees… The General Fund supplements this fund as it is not self-sustaining.
- Expenditures salaries of drivers education instructor and preschool instructor, consumable supplies for both programs, equipment needed for both programs
- General Fund:
We had a great turnout… and I believe we accomplished our goal which was to begin a dialog informing our parents, community members, and staff about how our budgets work. This is just the start; however, there will be many more opportunities for us to share information, answer questions, and dispel inaccurate information.
You made index cards available for questions. Where there pertinent questions posed and were you able to answer them to your satisfaction?
There were great questions asked… and I’m hoping to receive even more from our staff, parents, and community members. I hope I was able to properly answer at least a few of those questions on Monday night; however, I will provide answers to all questions both in the Tri City Star and will also have them on my website (found at: https://deubrookareasuperintendent.weebly.com/state-of-the-district.html).
To what degree were you able to do in depth on budget, capital outlay, general fund, wind tower funds, teacher salaries, etc.?
I feel that the information we were able to share was a good start at explaining a very complex situation and becoming more transparent. That being said, that night was only our first effort… we will be sharing a great deal more via additional presentations, articles in the paper, information posted to my website, and district mailings. We want to make sure that our parents, staff, and community members have all of their questions answered.
Is this a format you would like to continue or revise?
We will definitely continue to hold information sessions for our stakeholders. We will also use a variety of other methods to deliver information, request feedback and questions, and assure complete transparency. For example, very soon the two principals and I will be offering an opportunity in each community to visit over coffee. This will be yet another time for our community members to share with us their concerns and questions and for us to provide answers.
What would you like to add?
Again, our goals are simple… we want to be transparent and answer everyone’s questions. As we move through the school year, we will continue to provide information in a variety of ways; however, we want to make sure that our stakeholders are communicating with us as well. Please send your questions to [email protected] or call the school at 605-629-1101. We look forward to hearing from you!
General Fund Explanation September 25, 2018
This week, I would like to go more in depth on the General Fund. This is the fund that is experiencing the most changes following the Blue Ribbon Task Force work in 2016 and is the fund that will force our district to make the most changes in the coming years.
The General Fund revenue sources include local taxes, our opt-out funds, Title funds (I will explain these in a few weeks), and “State Aid” as defined by “Local Need.” Local Need is determined based on the number of students who are attending in our district on the last Friday in September. Although there is a specific formula used to determine our exact State Aid received, I can safely estimate this amount at approximately $5,000.00 per student in grades K-12. The General State Aid Calculator FY2019 can be found at: https://doe.sd.gov/ofm/schoolbudget.aspx (the 10th document in the list).
Prior to the Blue Ribbon Task Force mandated changes in State Aid, there were several sources of revenue for districts. These sources of revenue did not change the State Aid but were rather sources of revenue in addition to our State Aid (amount per student received from the state). Those revenue sources were utility taxes, revenue in lieu of taxes, county apportionment, wind farm taxes, and bank franchise taxes. Starting in FY18-19, the “equalization” of these revenues has caused a large decrease in the Deubrook Area School District’s General Fund… a decrease of approximately $610,000.00. Wind farm tax is largest portion of our district’s “equalized” funds… approximately $420,000.00. The decrease in these “equalized” funds will be spread over the next five fiscal years (at 20% per year).
Unfortunately there was one more change in state education funding which has negatively affected the district. In previous years, a separate levy funded the Pension Fund. This is no longer a supported fund and so the approximately $120,000.00 per year for retirement which used to be paid out of the Pension Fund is now being paid out of the General Fund as well. Combining the loss of the “equalized” forms of revenue (listed above) with the loss of the Pension Fund revenue translates into a loss of approximately $730,000.00 for our district’s General Fund.
To summarize, our decrease in General Fund revenue will translate to the following:
The district can spend General Fund dollars on salaries, benefits, and retirement costs… this makes up approximately 74% of our General Fund expenditures. We can also purchase consumable items such as paper and office supplies which make up a very small percentage. We can pay bussing costs, legal fees and other purchased services such as repairs and maintenance. Finally, we do use General Fund dollars to supplement other funds as well such as our Food Service, Preschool, and Drivers Education.
Because we know the amount of our General Fund decrease, we must respond by decreasing our General Fund expenditures as well. The changes made from the FY17-18 General Fund budget to the FY18-19 General Fund budget showed a decrease of approximately $182,000.00. This was made possible by the cutting of several staff positions (custodian, 3 classroom aid positions, librarian position), eliminating a portion of staff overtime, and cutting a tuition cost (purchased service) paid to the Brookings District for upper level students to attend CTE classes.
In short, the decrease of approximately $182,000.00 in our General Fund expenditures were made because we must balance our budget, and we were expecting approximately $175,000.00 less in General Fund revenue. As I stated above, we will be continuing to make cuts in the General Fund expenditures based on the knowledge that we will receive approximately $140,000.00 less in revenue each year for the next four years.
To this point, my message has painted a fairly bleak financial picture… and I will continue to work with legislators to attempt to regain at least a portion of our wind tax revenue in an effort to recoup at least a portion of the revenue lost. That being said, I must end with assuring our community members, our parents, and our students that we still have a wonderful school district, hard-working teachers, quality programs, and high expectations. The 2018-2019 school year will be a time of strategic planning and growth… while we are “doing things better” and making fiscal decisions to work within a more limited budget, we will be “doing better things.” We will continue to be a district with high achieving students, innovative programs, and a variety of opportunities for students to excel!
In later weeks, I will not only be sharing additional information on other budgets (starting with the Capital Outlay budget next week) and answering questions that you have provided me, I will also be sharing with you specific information about these students, programs and opportunities. It is important for us to realize that although our revenue is decreasing, we are growing. Student success is our #1 goal… and every decision we make will ensure our students leave us prepared for a successful future.
This week, I would like to go more in depth on the General Fund. This is the fund that is experiencing the most changes following the Blue Ribbon Task Force work in 2016 and is the fund that will force our district to make the most changes in the coming years.
The General Fund revenue sources include local taxes, our opt-out funds, Title funds (I will explain these in a few weeks), and “State Aid” as defined by “Local Need.” Local Need is determined based on the number of students who are attending in our district on the last Friday in September. Although there is a specific formula used to determine our exact State Aid received, I can safely estimate this amount at approximately $5,000.00 per student in grades K-12. The General State Aid Calculator FY2019 can be found at: https://doe.sd.gov/ofm/schoolbudget.aspx (the 10th document in the list).
Prior to the Blue Ribbon Task Force mandated changes in State Aid, there were several sources of revenue for districts. These sources of revenue did not change the State Aid but were rather sources of revenue in addition to our State Aid (amount per student received from the state). Those revenue sources were utility taxes, revenue in lieu of taxes, county apportionment, wind farm taxes, and bank franchise taxes. Starting in FY18-19, the “equalization” of these revenues has caused a large decrease in the Deubrook Area School District’s General Fund… a decrease of approximately $610,000.00. Wind farm tax is largest portion of our district’s “equalized” funds… approximately $420,000.00. The decrease in these “equalized” funds will be spread over the next five fiscal years (at 20% per year).
Unfortunately there was one more change in state education funding which has negatively affected the district. In previous years, a separate levy funded the Pension Fund. This is no longer a supported fund and so the approximately $120,000.00 per year for retirement which used to be paid out of the Pension Fund is now being paid out of the General Fund as well. Combining the loss of the “equalized” forms of revenue (listed above) with the loss of the Pension Fund revenue translates into a loss of approximately $730,000.00 for our district’s General Fund.
To summarize, our decrease in General Fund revenue will translate to the following:
- 18/19 = $52,000.00 (“equalized” funds) + $123,000.00 (pension fund) = approx. $175,000.00
- 19/20 = $140,000.00 (“equalized” funds)
- 20/21 = $140,000.00 (“equalized” funds)
- 21/22 = $140,000.00 (“equalized” funds)
- 22/23 = $140,000.00 (“equalized” funds)
The district can spend General Fund dollars on salaries, benefits, and retirement costs… this makes up approximately 74% of our General Fund expenditures. We can also purchase consumable items such as paper and office supplies which make up a very small percentage. We can pay bussing costs, legal fees and other purchased services such as repairs and maintenance. Finally, we do use General Fund dollars to supplement other funds as well such as our Food Service, Preschool, and Drivers Education.
Because we know the amount of our General Fund decrease, we must respond by decreasing our General Fund expenditures as well. The changes made from the FY17-18 General Fund budget to the FY18-19 General Fund budget showed a decrease of approximately $182,000.00. This was made possible by the cutting of several staff positions (custodian, 3 classroom aid positions, librarian position), eliminating a portion of staff overtime, and cutting a tuition cost (purchased service) paid to the Brookings District for upper level students to attend CTE classes.
In short, the decrease of approximately $182,000.00 in our General Fund expenditures were made because we must balance our budget, and we were expecting approximately $175,000.00 less in General Fund revenue. As I stated above, we will be continuing to make cuts in the General Fund expenditures based on the knowledge that we will receive approximately $140,000.00 less in revenue each year for the next four years.
To this point, my message has painted a fairly bleak financial picture… and I will continue to work with legislators to attempt to regain at least a portion of our wind tax revenue in an effort to recoup at least a portion of the revenue lost. That being said, I must end with assuring our community members, our parents, and our students that we still have a wonderful school district, hard-working teachers, quality programs, and high expectations. The 2018-2019 school year will be a time of strategic planning and growth… while we are “doing things better” and making fiscal decisions to work within a more limited budget, we will be “doing better things.” We will continue to be a district with high achieving students, innovative programs, and a variety of opportunities for students to excel!
In later weeks, I will not only be sharing additional information on other budgets (starting with the Capital Outlay budget next week) and answering questions that you have provided me, I will also be sharing with you specific information about these students, programs and opportunities. It is important for us to realize that although our revenue is decreasing, we are growing. Student success is our #1 goal… and every decision we make will ensure our students leave us prepared for a successful future.
Capital Outlay Fund Explanation October 2, 2018
The Capital Outlay budget is funded through local property taxes. The revenue flowing into this budget is able to be spent on capital improvements for the district. For example, we may spend Capital Outlay (CO) dollars on a building project such as the recent HVAC project in Toronto in which we replaced all pneumatic sensors with digital controls. We also purchase all technology hardware and software with CO funds in addition to other items such as textbooks, library books, classroom furniture (i.e. desks), cleaning equipment (i.e. floor scrubber), and school vehicles. One recent change to the CO allowable expenditures came in 2015, again with the Blue Ribbon Task Force Legislation (HB1182, SB131, SB133). The district is now able to transfer up to 45% of the CO property tax revenue into the General Fund. This flexibility is appreciated, and definitely helps our district to offset those cuts I wrote about last week; however, we must be careful not to deplete this important fund and be shortsighted in putting off needed repairs to our buildings and in the purchase of new equipment.
Because of our ability to transfer CO dollars into the General Fund and because of the increase in CO expenditures, the CO budget (from FY17-18 to FY18-19) was decreased in the same way the General Fund was decreased. We are anticipating that most of these cuts (approximately $150,000.00) will be only one year cuts; however, based on the additional CO projects that are required, we remain dedicated to developing budgets that spend each dollar in the most fiscally responsible manner possible and this will mean carefully examining each potential expenditure prior to inclusion in any future budget.
There were just a couple of questions I received during the State of the District Information Night that pertain directly to the Capital Outlay fund so it is perhaps easiest to answer those here. Starting next week, I will do my best to answer the rest of the questions I received. As I said previously, I am still hoping to receive more questions from parents and community members… please call the school (605-629-1100) or email them to me ([email protected]). I look forward to hearing from you!
Question: “To whom was the HVAC bill paid?”
Answer: I believe this question is referring to the HVAC renovation completed in Toronto this last summer/fall. The contract for the HVAC upgrade (digital controls, kitchen ventilation, etc.) was paid to G & R Controls. The district entered into a contract with G & R Controls in December 2017.
Question: “Are there other large big budget Capital Outlay expenditures like the HVAC in the foreseeable future?”
Answer: The Design Build contract the district entered into with G & R does include several other phases. The most pressing phase calls for replacement of a boiler in Toronto. The two fuel oil boilers have outlived their life-expectancy, and we do believe that the replacement of at least one will become necessary in the near future. Some other Capital Outlay expenditures will most likely include additional HVAC and lighting in an effort to be more energy efficient and replace old equipment.
Question: “For whom was the car purchased? Why was it purchased? Where did that money come from? Who is driving it? Did the board approve it?”
Answer: In spring of 2018, the district purchased a four-door Chevy Malibu for approximately $15,000.00. The FY17-18 Capital Outlay budget (approved in August 2017 with a 7-0 vote of the school board) contained $30,000.00 for purchase of a vehicle. Prior to purchase of this car, the district did own several other larger vehicles (multi-person vans and Suburbans). When traveling with many people (i.e. transporting a small group of students to an event), it makes good fiscal sense to take a vehicle of that type rather than a school bus when possible. That being said, there are many situations where fewer than four individuals (many times even one or two) find themselves traveling to a meeting, training, or event and the recently purchased car generally gets 27-36 miles per gallon which is a great deal more cost effective than the vans or Suburbans. All staff members are able to use this vehicle, and it has been used by administrators, teachers, club advisors and coaches on a regular basis. We are pleased to report that this has saved the district hundreds of dollars already in fuel costs.
The Capital Outlay budget is funded through local property taxes. The revenue flowing into this budget is able to be spent on capital improvements for the district. For example, we may spend Capital Outlay (CO) dollars on a building project such as the recent HVAC project in Toronto in which we replaced all pneumatic sensors with digital controls. We also purchase all technology hardware and software with CO funds in addition to other items such as textbooks, library books, classroom furniture (i.e. desks), cleaning equipment (i.e. floor scrubber), and school vehicles. One recent change to the CO allowable expenditures came in 2015, again with the Blue Ribbon Task Force Legislation (HB1182, SB131, SB133). The district is now able to transfer up to 45% of the CO property tax revenue into the General Fund. This flexibility is appreciated, and definitely helps our district to offset those cuts I wrote about last week; however, we must be careful not to deplete this important fund and be shortsighted in putting off needed repairs to our buildings and in the purchase of new equipment.
Because of our ability to transfer CO dollars into the General Fund and because of the increase in CO expenditures, the CO budget (from FY17-18 to FY18-19) was decreased in the same way the General Fund was decreased. We are anticipating that most of these cuts (approximately $150,000.00) will be only one year cuts; however, based on the additional CO projects that are required, we remain dedicated to developing budgets that spend each dollar in the most fiscally responsible manner possible and this will mean carefully examining each potential expenditure prior to inclusion in any future budget.
There were just a couple of questions I received during the State of the District Information Night that pertain directly to the Capital Outlay fund so it is perhaps easiest to answer those here. Starting next week, I will do my best to answer the rest of the questions I received. As I said previously, I am still hoping to receive more questions from parents and community members… please call the school (605-629-1100) or email them to me ([email protected]). I look forward to hearing from you!
Question: “To whom was the HVAC bill paid?”
Answer: I believe this question is referring to the HVAC renovation completed in Toronto this last summer/fall. The contract for the HVAC upgrade (digital controls, kitchen ventilation, etc.) was paid to G & R Controls. The district entered into a contract with G & R Controls in December 2017.
Question: “Are there other large big budget Capital Outlay expenditures like the HVAC in the foreseeable future?”
Answer: The Design Build contract the district entered into with G & R does include several other phases. The most pressing phase calls for replacement of a boiler in Toronto. The two fuel oil boilers have outlived their life-expectancy, and we do believe that the replacement of at least one will become necessary in the near future. Some other Capital Outlay expenditures will most likely include additional HVAC and lighting in an effort to be more energy efficient and replace old equipment.
Question: “For whom was the car purchased? Why was it purchased? Where did that money come from? Who is driving it? Did the board approve it?”
Answer: In spring of 2018, the district purchased a four-door Chevy Malibu for approximately $15,000.00. The FY17-18 Capital Outlay budget (approved in August 2017 with a 7-0 vote of the school board) contained $30,000.00 for purchase of a vehicle. Prior to purchase of this car, the district did own several other larger vehicles (multi-person vans and Suburbans). When traveling with many people (i.e. transporting a small group of students to an event), it makes good fiscal sense to take a vehicle of that type rather than a school bus when possible. That being said, there are many situations where fewer than four individuals (many times even one or two) find themselves traveling to a meeting, training, or event and the recently purchased car generally gets 27-36 miles per gallon which is a great deal more cost effective than the vans or Suburbans. All staff members are able to use this vehicle, and it has been used by administrators, teachers, club advisors and coaches on a regular basis. We are pleased to report that this has saved the district hundreds of dollars already in fuel costs.
Strategic Planning Efforts October 9, 2018
Just for one week, I would like to take a bit of a break from our budget discussion. As I said a couple of weeks ago, the Deubrook Area School District is a wonderful school district with hard-working teachers, quality programs, and high expectations. We are a district with high achieving students, innovative programs, and a variety of opportunities for students to excel… but we do recognize that no matter how good we are, we can always get better! This is why the entire staff has been spending time in strategic planning for the future. The 2018-2019 school year will be a time of strategic planning and growth… while we are “doing things better” and making fiscal decisions to work within a more limited budget, we will be “doing better things” and finding ways to improve our efforts in three main ways… student achievement, professional development, and community outreach.
As you well know, the school district has specific days built into our schedule for professional development. We have spent at least three of those days so far working on creating a strategic plan for growth. Administrators, teachers, and support staff members have spent time examining survey data compiled from the staff, student, and parent surveys completed last spring. We have also spent a considerable amount of time examining student achievement data from multiple sources… classroom achievement, Smarter Balanced Assessments (completed last spring) and NWEA MAP Assessments (completed last spring and the fall).
After examining a variety of forms of data and discussing our current status and our hopes for the future… we have brainstormed an initial list of strategic targets. These targets are what we would like to “do differently,” what we would like to “be,” and what we would like to “have.” All of these strategic targets fall into those three main categories… student achievement, professional development, and community outreach… and we are excited to firm up our strategic plan with specific strategies, timelines, and resources.
Very soon, you will have another opportunity to share your thoughts and opinions with us… and we will use this data in the development of our goals and targets. New perception surveys will be shared this month, and we invite you to take some time to complete them. In addition, I would like to remind you that the administrative team will be at the Toronto Café on October 17th (7:00-9:00 am) and at the Palace Café in White on October 22nd (5:00-6:30 am / 8:30-10:00 am). We are looking forward to meeting and talking with everyone who is able to join us. This will be another opportunity for us to share information and for you to ask questions and share your thoughts. I will record the questions so we are able to share them in the TriCity Star following those meetings… and I will record your thoughts so we will be able to share that data with our staff as we continue our strategic planning efforts. We hope to see you then!
Just for one week, I would like to take a bit of a break from our budget discussion. As I said a couple of weeks ago, the Deubrook Area School District is a wonderful school district with hard-working teachers, quality programs, and high expectations. We are a district with high achieving students, innovative programs, and a variety of opportunities for students to excel… but we do recognize that no matter how good we are, we can always get better! This is why the entire staff has been spending time in strategic planning for the future. The 2018-2019 school year will be a time of strategic planning and growth… while we are “doing things better” and making fiscal decisions to work within a more limited budget, we will be “doing better things” and finding ways to improve our efforts in three main ways… student achievement, professional development, and community outreach.
As you well know, the school district has specific days built into our schedule for professional development. We have spent at least three of those days so far working on creating a strategic plan for growth. Administrators, teachers, and support staff members have spent time examining survey data compiled from the staff, student, and parent surveys completed last spring. We have also spent a considerable amount of time examining student achievement data from multiple sources… classroom achievement, Smarter Balanced Assessments (completed last spring) and NWEA MAP Assessments (completed last spring and the fall).
After examining a variety of forms of data and discussing our current status and our hopes for the future… we have brainstormed an initial list of strategic targets. These targets are what we would like to “do differently,” what we would like to “be,” and what we would like to “have.” All of these strategic targets fall into those three main categories… student achievement, professional development, and community outreach… and we are excited to firm up our strategic plan with specific strategies, timelines, and resources.
Very soon, you will have another opportunity to share your thoughts and opinions with us… and we will use this data in the development of our goals and targets. New perception surveys will be shared this month, and we invite you to take some time to complete them. In addition, I would like to remind you that the administrative team will be at the Toronto Café on October 17th (7:00-9:00 am) and at the Palace Café in White on October 22nd (5:00-6:30 am / 8:30-10:00 am). We are looking forward to meeting and talking with everyone who is able to join us. This will be another opportunity for us to share information and for you to ask questions and share your thoughts. I will record the questions so we are able to share them in the TriCity Star following those meetings… and I will record your thoughts so we will be able to share that data with our staff as we continue our strategic planning efforts. We hope to see you then!
Some Questions from Patrons October 23, 2018
Question One: As an uninformed parent… can some history be provided regarding the Blue Ribbon Task Force (reason why) and the rationale behind the new equalized local effort.
Adequate school funding has been an issue in South Dakota for many years. Because of the drastically decreasing teacher candidate pool and the fact that South Dakota teacher salaries are much lower than teacher salaries in nearly every other state, Governor Daugaard organized the Blue Ribbon Task Force to answer the central question… “What possibilities are there to meaningfully fund education for our kids and our communities?” Initial members were appointed in March 2015 to represent the legislative and executive branches. These members were appointed to conduct stakeholder meetings and gather public input. In June 2015, Governor Daugaard appointed additional members to represent stakeholder groups such as school board members, teachers, parents, and administrators. The full task force met throughout the summer and made recommendations in the fall. The legislation based on Blue Ribbon Task Force recommendations was passed in spring 2016.
The legislation included House Bill 1182, Senate Bill 131 and Senate Bill 133. House Bill 1182 included a half cent increase in the sales tax. Senate Bill 131 established the new funding formula for K-12 public schools based on a student-to-teacher ratio, set a statewide average teacher salary goal of $48,500.00, adjusted the provisions in the Capital Outlay fund, set caps on general fund reserves, and instituted the equalization principles for the six “Other Funds.” Those funds included wind revenue (see full list below). The general consensus from the Task Force was that “Other Funds” are funding sources that, because they were not counted in the formula, established in inequity in school funding across the state. The intent was to “bring equity” to school funding through equalizing these funding sources.
Question Two: Explain the rationale to change the pension fund. Is this a significant issue for us?
The change in the pension fund also took place at the same time that the “Other Funds” were equalized and as a result of the BRTF recommendations. For part of this answer, I will refer to the “Summary of School Funding Changes” published by the State.
In the past, school districts could assess up to 0.3 mills for a pension levy. The new law merges the pension levy into the general education levy. For the coming year, each general ed levy was increased 0.233, which raises the same $19.2 million that the pension levy raised in FY15. Because each class of property paid the same pension mill levy rate, the shift to the general education levy was even across the classes. Statewide, this is revenue neutral to taxpayers. Merging the pension levy with the general education levy also allows the $19.2 million collected to be counted toward total need in the funding formula. The new formula also includes a benefits rate for schools that will cover these pension related benefits costs. Currently, districts also maintain a separate pension fund. Districts will be allowed to maintain this separate fund for five years, but then will be required to merge it into the district general fund in FY21. This gives the districts time to spend down these funds without initially counting against reserve fund caps.
This was a significant issue for us as it further depletes our General Fund (by requiring the district to pay all retirement benefits from the General Fund). This is the same fund that decreases because of the loss of the wind revenue, and it is the same fund the district uses to pay all teacher salaries and benefits. The decrease for the 2018-2019 school year for wind revenue was approximately $52,000 and the decrease for the pension fund was approximately $123,000.
A great deal more information from the Blue Ribbon Task Force can be found at: http://blueribbon.sd.gov/default.aspx.
The entire “Summary of New Funding Laws” can be found at: http://blueribbon.sd.gov/docs/Memo%20on%20Final%20Formula.pdf
Question Three: Is there any end to the cuts in future years?
Combining the loss of the “Equalized Other Forms” of revenue (listed below) with the loss of the Pension Fund revenue translates into a loss of approximately $730,000.00 for our district’s General Fund.
To summarize, our decrease in General Fund revenue will translate to the following:
The “Equalized Other Forms” of revenue sources are utility taxes, revenue in lieu of taxes, county apportionment, wind farm taxes, and bank franchise taxes. Starting in FY18-19, the “equalization” of these revenues has caused a significant decrease in the Deubrook Area School District’s General Fund. Wind farm tax is largest portion of our district’s “equalized” funds.
In addition to the decreases in the General Fund, the Capital Outlay Fund will feel a negative effect from another change brought forth by Senate Bill 131. This bill also imposed a maximum collection at $2800 per student. This maximum collection limitation will come into effect during the 2021-2022 school year. Prior to this limitation, the district was allowed to cap at 3% or inflation, whichever was less… plus new construction.
As we move through this school year, I will continue answering questions that you have provided me… and continue to share the great things that are happening within the district! It is important for us to realize that although our revenue is decreasing, we are growing. Student success is our #1 goal… and every decision we make will ensure our students leave us prepared for a successful future. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.
Question One: As an uninformed parent… can some history be provided regarding the Blue Ribbon Task Force (reason why) and the rationale behind the new equalized local effort.
Adequate school funding has been an issue in South Dakota for many years. Because of the drastically decreasing teacher candidate pool and the fact that South Dakota teacher salaries are much lower than teacher salaries in nearly every other state, Governor Daugaard organized the Blue Ribbon Task Force to answer the central question… “What possibilities are there to meaningfully fund education for our kids and our communities?” Initial members were appointed in March 2015 to represent the legislative and executive branches. These members were appointed to conduct stakeholder meetings and gather public input. In June 2015, Governor Daugaard appointed additional members to represent stakeholder groups such as school board members, teachers, parents, and administrators. The full task force met throughout the summer and made recommendations in the fall. The legislation based on Blue Ribbon Task Force recommendations was passed in spring 2016.
The legislation included House Bill 1182, Senate Bill 131 and Senate Bill 133. House Bill 1182 included a half cent increase in the sales tax. Senate Bill 131 established the new funding formula for K-12 public schools based on a student-to-teacher ratio, set a statewide average teacher salary goal of $48,500.00, adjusted the provisions in the Capital Outlay fund, set caps on general fund reserves, and instituted the equalization principles for the six “Other Funds.” Those funds included wind revenue (see full list below). The general consensus from the Task Force was that “Other Funds” are funding sources that, because they were not counted in the formula, established in inequity in school funding across the state. The intent was to “bring equity” to school funding through equalizing these funding sources.
Question Two: Explain the rationale to change the pension fund. Is this a significant issue for us?
The change in the pension fund also took place at the same time that the “Other Funds” were equalized and as a result of the BRTF recommendations. For part of this answer, I will refer to the “Summary of School Funding Changes” published by the State.
In the past, school districts could assess up to 0.3 mills for a pension levy. The new law merges the pension levy into the general education levy. For the coming year, each general ed levy was increased 0.233, which raises the same $19.2 million that the pension levy raised in FY15. Because each class of property paid the same pension mill levy rate, the shift to the general education levy was even across the classes. Statewide, this is revenue neutral to taxpayers. Merging the pension levy with the general education levy also allows the $19.2 million collected to be counted toward total need in the funding formula. The new formula also includes a benefits rate for schools that will cover these pension related benefits costs. Currently, districts also maintain a separate pension fund. Districts will be allowed to maintain this separate fund for five years, but then will be required to merge it into the district general fund in FY21. This gives the districts time to spend down these funds without initially counting against reserve fund caps.
This was a significant issue for us as it further depletes our General Fund (by requiring the district to pay all retirement benefits from the General Fund). This is the same fund that decreases because of the loss of the wind revenue, and it is the same fund the district uses to pay all teacher salaries and benefits. The decrease for the 2018-2019 school year for wind revenue was approximately $52,000 and the decrease for the pension fund was approximately $123,000.
A great deal more information from the Blue Ribbon Task Force can be found at: http://blueribbon.sd.gov/default.aspx.
The entire “Summary of New Funding Laws” can be found at: http://blueribbon.sd.gov/docs/Memo%20on%20Final%20Formula.pdf
Question Three: Is there any end to the cuts in future years?
Combining the loss of the “Equalized Other Forms” of revenue (listed below) with the loss of the Pension Fund revenue translates into a loss of approximately $730,000.00 for our district’s General Fund.
To summarize, our decrease in General Fund revenue will translate to the following:
- 2018-2019 = $175,000.00 ($52,000.00 (“equalized” funds) + $123,000.00 (pension fund))
- 2019-2020 = $140,000.00 (“equalized” funds)
- 2020-2021 = $140,000.00 (“equalized” funds)
- 2021-2022 = $140,000.00 (“equalized” funds)
- 2022-2023 = $140,000.00 (“equalized” funds)
The “Equalized Other Forms” of revenue sources are utility taxes, revenue in lieu of taxes, county apportionment, wind farm taxes, and bank franchise taxes. Starting in FY18-19, the “equalization” of these revenues has caused a significant decrease in the Deubrook Area School District’s General Fund. Wind farm tax is largest portion of our district’s “equalized” funds.
In addition to the decreases in the General Fund, the Capital Outlay Fund will feel a negative effect from another change brought forth by Senate Bill 131. This bill also imposed a maximum collection at $2800 per student. This maximum collection limitation will come into effect during the 2021-2022 school year. Prior to this limitation, the district was allowed to cap at 3% or inflation, whichever was less… plus new construction.
As we move through this school year, I will continue answering questions that you have provided me… and continue to share the great things that are happening within the district! It is important for us to realize that although our revenue is decreasing, we are growing. Student success is our #1 goal… and every decision we make will ensure our students leave us prepared for a successful future. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.
Some Questions from Patrons October 30, 2018
Question #1: What are the next steps to budgeting in future years?
The district is actually working on the 2019-2020 budget as we speak. The administrators and department heads begin discussing the budget needs for the next fiscal year around November and December. We also closely monitor the legislative session because it plays so important a role in our revenue. It is important that we project our expenditure needs correctly so we do not budget an excessive amount for any one particular area and so we don’t shortchange a needed area. For example, our district is constantly updating our curriculum resources in order to ensure our students exit our district as career and college ready adults ready to become successful and responsible in their jobs and in their communities. Those resources are expensive… whether we are talking about textbooks, technology, or professional development for teachers, it is important that we plan carefully and accurately budget to cover our need and yet not overestimate the costs. We want our budget to be as close to the actual revenue and expenditures as possible.
In May of 2019, the school board will receive our initial 2019-2020 budget projections. The community has access to these as well. I highly recommend that community members ask questions about these budgets (i.e. General Fund, Capital Outlay, Special Education, Preschool/Drivers Education, and School Food Service. Although we do not know exactly what cuts will be made in our budgets at this time, we are aware that cuts must be made. The revenue projection for the General Fund will be $140,000.00 less than the revenue for the current school year. Although cuts are difficult to make, please be assured that the district will be conscious of maintaining an educational system well-equipped to prepare students for their future.
In October of 2019, the school board will approve the final budgets for the 2019-2020 school year. Again, the community has access to these budgets through publishing in the TriCity Star. If anyone would like to review these budgets in greater depth, please simply contact either Kristi Andrews or Kimberly Kludt. We would be happy to share them with you and answer any questions you may have.
Question #2: What can be done to bring in more students?
This is an important question because there are really only two ways to increase the District’s General Fund. The first is to increase our student enrollment, and the second is for the state to increase the amount allocated for education… and this is usually a per-student amount. As the District’s Superintendent, I spend a great deal of time working with legislators because I feel strongly that if they are aware of the needs of our school district and the wonderful education and opportunities we provide students, they are more likely to allocate adequate resources during the legislative session. Superintendents in District 4 and across the state have begun conversations with candidates, and these conversations will continue following the election. I would also request that you as parents and community members also communicate with your legislators and share with them the unique challenges we are facing and explain how the current funding structure is inadequate. We will be holding a legislator social prior to the school board meeting on December 10th (at 6:00 pm). This would be a great time to come and meet with our District 4 legislators and provide them the information they need to work for us in Pierre during the 2019 Legislative Session.
Now to the real focus of the question, how can we bring in more students to our district? Although we don’t really have any particular way to independently increase our student enrollment, we do know that the parents who have enrolled their children in the recent past have shared with us some of the reasons they used to make the decision to bring their children to our district. They have shared the reputation our district has of offering a great education. They have shared how the variety of opportunities for students to follow their passions and excel in a variety of pursuits have given them the added incentive to enroll their children with us. Parents have also shared the wonderful stories they have heard of teachers who really truly care about the children in their classrooms… who care for these children in addition to educating them. Every staff member at Deubrook Area School District is focused on our number one priority - our students. We grow because we are striving to provide a quality education in addition to a variety of opportunities for students to participate in athletics, fine arts, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. Clearly these students are finding success in the activities and you read about those successes in the TriCity Star, on our District website, and on our Facebook pages! We are excited about what our students are exposed to, are participating in, and are excelling in. We are proud of the reputation our District has and we are working every day to be worthy of that reputation.
Question #1: What are the next steps to budgeting in future years?
The district is actually working on the 2019-2020 budget as we speak. The administrators and department heads begin discussing the budget needs for the next fiscal year around November and December. We also closely monitor the legislative session because it plays so important a role in our revenue. It is important that we project our expenditure needs correctly so we do not budget an excessive amount for any one particular area and so we don’t shortchange a needed area. For example, our district is constantly updating our curriculum resources in order to ensure our students exit our district as career and college ready adults ready to become successful and responsible in their jobs and in their communities. Those resources are expensive… whether we are talking about textbooks, technology, or professional development for teachers, it is important that we plan carefully and accurately budget to cover our need and yet not overestimate the costs. We want our budget to be as close to the actual revenue and expenditures as possible.
In May of 2019, the school board will receive our initial 2019-2020 budget projections. The community has access to these as well. I highly recommend that community members ask questions about these budgets (i.e. General Fund, Capital Outlay, Special Education, Preschool/Drivers Education, and School Food Service. Although we do not know exactly what cuts will be made in our budgets at this time, we are aware that cuts must be made. The revenue projection for the General Fund will be $140,000.00 less than the revenue for the current school year. Although cuts are difficult to make, please be assured that the district will be conscious of maintaining an educational system well-equipped to prepare students for their future.
In October of 2019, the school board will approve the final budgets for the 2019-2020 school year. Again, the community has access to these budgets through publishing in the TriCity Star. If anyone would like to review these budgets in greater depth, please simply contact either Kristi Andrews or Kimberly Kludt. We would be happy to share them with you and answer any questions you may have.
Question #2: What can be done to bring in more students?
This is an important question because there are really only two ways to increase the District’s General Fund. The first is to increase our student enrollment, and the second is for the state to increase the amount allocated for education… and this is usually a per-student amount. As the District’s Superintendent, I spend a great deal of time working with legislators because I feel strongly that if they are aware of the needs of our school district and the wonderful education and opportunities we provide students, they are more likely to allocate adequate resources during the legislative session. Superintendents in District 4 and across the state have begun conversations with candidates, and these conversations will continue following the election. I would also request that you as parents and community members also communicate with your legislators and share with them the unique challenges we are facing and explain how the current funding structure is inadequate. We will be holding a legislator social prior to the school board meeting on December 10th (at 6:00 pm). This would be a great time to come and meet with our District 4 legislators and provide them the information they need to work for us in Pierre during the 2019 Legislative Session.
Now to the real focus of the question, how can we bring in more students to our district? Although we don’t really have any particular way to independently increase our student enrollment, we do know that the parents who have enrolled their children in the recent past have shared with us some of the reasons they used to make the decision to bring their children to our district. They have shared the reputation our district has of offering a great education. They have shared how the variety of opportunities for students to follow their passions and excel in a variety of pursuits have given them the added incentive to enroll their children with us. Parents have also shared the wonderful stories they have heard of teachers who really truly care about the children in their classrooms… who care for these children in addition to educating them. Every staff member at Deubrook Area School District is focused on our number one priority - our students. We grow because we are striving to provide a quality education in addition to a variety of opportunities for students to participate in athletics, fine arts, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. Clearly these students are finding success in the activities and you read about those successes in the TriCity Star, on our District website, and on our Facebook pages! We are excited about what our students are exposed to, are participating in, and are excelling in. We are proud of the reputation our District has and we are working every day to be worthy of that reputation.
More Questions from our Patrons:
Question #1: The 2018-2019 General Fund budget expenditures were approximately $180,000.00 less than the 2017-2018 expenditures. One cut made was for a classroom aide. Now the school district is offering a classroom aide job (to work at the Red Willow Colony School). Why is there a position being offered now when there was a cut made?
The reason that a position is now being advertised is because the district received an increase in Title I funding for the 2018-2019 school year and this Title funding will be used for the salary and benefits of this new classroom aide.
Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended (ESEA) provides financial assistance to schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards. Title funding is a very particular funding source and there are several limitations on how school districts can spend the revenue. For example, our district would not be able to use this new finding to pay the salary and benefits of a classroom aide previously on staff. That would be considered “supplanting” services rather than “supplementing” services by hiring a new classroom aide. Districts who are found to be “supplanting” services will have all funding revoked.
Question #2: What is the financial impact of the Hutterite Colony Schools to the District?
The District receives funding from the state for each student enrolled at the colony schools. There are currently 38 students being educated at the two colony schools (Norfeld and Red Willow). The total per-student allocation generated by these students is enough to fund the three staff members who teach at the two colony schools.
Question #3: What, if anything, can we do to regain our wind tower revenue?
At this time, the only recourse we as a district have in regaining any wind tower revenue is to discuss the matter with our current legislators. I, as the District Superintendent, and many of the board members have been doing this at a variety of scheduled events and spontaneous opportunities… and we will continue doing this. We will also ask you to communicate your thoughts to the current legislators as well. This can be done via phone or email (for a listing of contact information please go to: http://sdlegislature.gov/ and click on “Legislators” and then “Find My Legislators” – please note, to date the site is not updated with current election results). In addition, your School Board Members will be hosting District 4 and District 7 Legislators at the 2nd Annual “Snack and Social” prior to the December School Board Meeting on December 10th at 6:00pm (with the School Board Meeting to follow at 7:00pm). We are hoping to have all of our District 4 and District 7 Legislators present and have an opportunity to discuss a variety of educationally relevant topics, especially the loss of the wind tower revenue. I invite each one of you to put that date on your calendar now and make every effort to join us! This meeting is open to the public and is a wonderful way to both get to know your legislators and to share with them your concerns for adequate school funding. We hope to see you there!
District 4 Legislators: Representative John Mills, Representative Dr. Fred Deutsch, & Senator John Wiik
District 7 Legislators: Representative Tim Reed, Representative Doug Post, & Senator VJ Smith
Question #1: The 2018-2019 General Fund budget expenditures were approximately $180,000.00 less than the 2017-2018 expenditures. One cut made was for a classroom aide. Now the school district is offering a classroom aide job (to work at the Red Willow Colony School). Why is there a position being offered now when there was a cut made?
The reason that a position is now being advertised is because the district received an increase in Title I funding for the 2018-2019 school year and this Title funding will be used for the salary and benefits of this new classroom aide.
Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended (ESEA) provides financial assistance to schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards. Title funding is a very particular funding source and there are several limitations on how school districts can spend the revenue. For example, our district would not be able to use this new finding to pay the salary and benefits of a classroom aide previously on staff. That would be considered “supplanting” services rather than “supplementing” services by hiring a new classroom aide. Districts who are found to be “supplanting” services will have all funding revoked.
Question #2: What is the financial impact of the Hutterite Colony Schools to the District?
The District receives funding from the state for each student enrolled at the colony schools. There are currently 38 students being educated at the two colony schools (Norfeld and Red Willow). The total per-student allocation generated by these students is enough to fund the three staff members who teach at the two colony schools.
Question #3: What, if anything, can we do to regain our wind tower revenue?
At this time, the only recourse we as a district have in regaining any wind tower revenue is to discuss the matter with our current legislators. I, as the District Superintendent, and many of the board members have been doing this at a variety of scheduled events and spontaneous opportunities… and we will continue doing this. We will also ask you to communicate your thoughts to the current legislators as well. This can be done via phone or email (for a listing of contact information please go to: http://sdlegislature.gov/ and click on “Legislators” and then “Find My Legislators” – please note, to date the site is not updated with current election results). In addition, your School Board Members will be hosting District 4 and District 7 Legislators at the 2nd Annual “Snack and Social” prior to the December School Board Meeting on December 10th at 6:00pm (with the School Board Meeting to follow at 7:00pm). We are hoping to have all of our District 4 and District 7 Legislators present and have an opportunity to discuss a variety of educationally relevant topics, especially the loss of the wind tower revenue. I invite each one of you to put that date on your calendar now and make every effort to join us! This meeting is open to the public and is a wonderful way to both get to know your legislators and to share with them your concerns for adequate school funding. We hope to see you there!
District 4 Legislators: Representative John Mills, Representative Dr. Fred Deutsch, & Senator John Wiik
District 7 Legislators: Representative Tim Reed, Representative Doug Post, & Senator VJ Smith
Some exciting news to share:
On August 2, 2017, Governor Daugaard kicked off the Workforce Development and Career Pathways Symposium in Sioux Falls. Business leaders, educators, and legislators came together to discuss ways to address workforce needs, not only in South Dakota, but in the entire country. Mr. Paul Nepodal and I attended this symposium and learned a great deal… and immediately began planning for how Workforce Development would play out for the students, the businesses, and the communities we serve here at Deubrook Area School District. Since that first introduction to this need in Sioux Falls, school district employees and local business leaders have worked diligently to develop a program that fits both our rural reality and our students’ needs. We have organized advisory groups, developed new classes, conducted informational meetings, pursued funding for purchases to give our students real-world experiences, and continued to conduct research and develop new resources, contacts and partnerships.
In the next few weeks, you will have the chance to hear from school district employees as they share with you specific details about some of the “on the ground” work being done to prepare our students to be successful in their chosen field of employment, positively impact our workforce needs, and strive to become a model of rural workforce development for other districts. It is our hope that we can not only make a positive difference in the lives our own Deubrook Area School District students, we can impact other students in the many rural districts across the state.
To prepare you to read about some of the specific work being done by administrators, teachers, and students… I will start by sharing with you the vision, mission and goals developed by these professionals and allow that to define the scope of the Workforce Development Initiative for Deubrook Area School District. What will follow each week will further define the specifics of this work. As always, I would invite you to contact me if you have questions. I would also invite you to contact me if you feel as though you would like to pursue a special partnership with us and help us to accomplish the goals we have set. This is an exciting time for our students and our staff and we look forward to sharing it with you, partnering with you, and dedicating ourselves to the worthy pursuit.
Vision: Building (the foundation)… Diving In (to find the best fit)… Applying (skills in the real-world)
Mission: We strive to help all students prepare for career success through…
Goals: We will provide students the opportunity to
On August 2, 2017, Governor Daugaard kicked off the Workforce Development and Career Pathways Symposium in Sioux Falls. Business leaders, educators, and legislators came together to discuss ways to address workforce needs, not only in South Dakota, but in the entire country. Mr. Paul Nepodal and I attended this symposium and learned a great deal… and immediately began planning for how Workforce Development would play out for the students, the businesses, and the communities we serve here at Deubrook Area School District. Since that first introduction to this need in Sioux Falls, school district employees and local business leaders have worked diligently to develop a program that fits both our rural reality and our students’ needs. We have organized advisory groups, developed new classes, conducted informational meetings, pursued funding for purchases to give our students real-world experiences, and continued to conduct research and develop new resources, contacts and partnerships.
In the next few weeks, you will have the chance to hear from school district employees as they share with you specific details about some of the “on the ground” work being done to prepare our students to be successful in their chosen field of employment, positively impact our workforce needs, and strive to become a model of rural workforce development for other districts. It is our hope that we can not only make a positive difference in the lives our own Deubrook Area School District students, we can impact other students in the many rural districts across the state.
To prepare you to read about some of the specific work being done by administrators, teachers, and students… I will start by sharing with you the vision, mission and goals developed by these professionals and allow that to define the scope of the Workforce Development Initiative for Deubrook Area School District. What will follow each week will further define the specifics of this work. As always, I would invite you to contact me if you have questions. I would also invite you to contact me if you feel as though you would like to pursue a special partnership with us and help us to accomplish the goals we have set. This is an exciting time for our students and our staff and we look forward to sharing it with you, partnering with you, and dedicating ourselves to the worthy pursuit.
Vision: Building (the foundation)… Diving In (to find the best fit)… Applying (skills in the real-world)
Mission: We strive to help all students prepare for career success through…
- providing information and career guidance so students see the unlimited career opportunities which lie before them.
- providing training on real-world relevant technology, equipment and tools so students are able to practice and perfect the skills needed for career success.
- providing opportunities to experience a specific career of interest through job shadowing, internships and apprenticeships.
- fostering business partnerships in our community so we are able to provide the finest opportunities for our students and to build an unmatched Rural Workforce Development Program.
- promoting all forms of post-secondary education and training as a means of students achieving their own personal career goals.
Goals: We will provide students the opportunity to
- experience working with real-world technology, equipment and tools.
- understand the unique benefits and needs of their own rural community and workforce.
- engage in the global market as responsible citizens, workers and leaders.
- develop and hone employability skills through career-based learning.
- gain real-world personal experience in desired careers .
- unleash their own unique talents, pursue their passions, and impact their world.
And now some news from Reuben TenBrink, CTE Instructor at Deubrook High School:
There has been a shift in industrial jobs. You only have to look at the popularity and enrollment at technical collages in the area to see the demand for future employees to have hands on experience. At Deubrook, we have acknowledged this request and have expanded the available CTE programs that are offered to students. The newest program that started this year is the agriculture power systems and small engine course. This course has been designed to offer students a variety of experiences in dealing with agriculture supplied energy and small engine repair by utilizing classroom and shop instruction, while taking field trips to different business to offer real life applications. To keep students up to date with what the agriculture and recreational vehicle industry are bringing to the public, we have enlisted local companies and individuals from the community to be a part of an advisory board for this course. These people have firsthand knowledge with how industry is evolving and what new employees need to know when coming into this field of work. We are grateful for their advice and involvement in shaping this course.
We started off the year focusing on agriculture. Knowing how important GPS systems are to agriculture today, we studied the background to GPS systems and how they work. Students were able to use a drone, along with what they learned about GPS, to map out the White football field and apply GPS coordinates to all major structures in the pictures taken by the drone.
Another agriculture topic that we covered was the production of ethanol. Deubrook was fortunate enough to get an ethanol production simulation board from another school. Students were guided through the history of ethanol production along with being able to make their own test batch of ethanol.
After ethanol production, we switched gears and moved on to small engines and the vehicles that are powered by small engines. The first system covered was heating and air-conditioning, which can now be found in some recreational vehicles such as side-by-sides. This was enforced when the class took a trip to Roelofen Implement and where shown Can-Am side-by-sides with the heating and A/C options right from factory.
In the upcoming units of small engines, studying what is current, as well as what has been used in the past, is going to be an important balance. New technologies are being implemented by manufactures, but there is still plenty of the “old technology” being used in small engines and recreational vehicles. To improve our understanding of engine construction, we had a great opportunity to acquire 10 Briggs & Straton engines along with tools and detailed walk through instructions for disassembly, inspection, and reassembly. This will be a great visual for students to see the internal workings of an engine and be exposed to some of the specialty tools that go along with engine repair.
Once students are familiar with how an engine works, their problem solving skill with be put to the test. Very rarely do mechanics get to work on an engines that the problem is obvious. Diagnostics is an important skill to develop. Students at this point will be working on their own projects from start to finish. They will be responsible for writing up a service ticket, performing the proper diagnostics, and making the correct repair. Having this be as much as a real life scenario as possible will expose students to the demands of working in a repair shop and if this type of profession is for them.
We have been very fortunate at Deubrook to have this new CTE course added. We have had great involvement from students and the community. When students have completed the course they will have an appreciation and the understanding they need to go forward with continuing their studies in the small engine field.
There has been a shift in industrial jobs. You only have to look at the popularity and enrollment at technical collages in the area to see the demand for future employees to have hands on experience. At Deubrook, we have acknowledged this request and have expanded the available CTE programs that are offered to students. The newest program that started this year is the agriculture power systems and small engine course. This course has been designed to offer students a variety of experiences in dealing with agriculture supplied energy and small engine repair by utilizing classroom and shop instruction, while taking field trips to different business to offer real life applications. To keep students up to date with what the agriculture and recreational vehicle industry are bringing to the public, we have enlisted local companies and individuals from the community to be a part of an advisory board for this course. These people have firsthand knowledge with how industry is evolving and what new employees need to know when coming into this field of work. We are grateful for their advice and involvement in shaping this course.
We started off the year focusing on agriculture. Knowing how important GPS systems are to agriculture today, we studied the background to GPS systems and how they work. Students were able to use a drone, along with what they learned about GPS, to map out the White football field and apply GPS coordinates to all major structures in the pictures taken by the drone.
Another agriculture topic that we covered was the production of ethanol. Deubrook was fortunate enough to get an ethanol production simulation board from another school. Students were guided through the history of ethanol production along with being able to make their own test batch of ethanol.
After ethanol production, we switched gears and moved on to small engines and the vehicles that are powered by small engines. The first system covered was heating and air-conditioning, which can now be found in some recreational vehicles such as side-by-sides. This was enforced when the class took a trip to Roelofen Implement and where shown Can-Am side-by-sides with the heating and A/C options right from factory.
In the upcoming units of small engines, studying what is current, as well as what has been used in the past, is going to be an important balance. New technologies are being implemented by manufactures, but there is still plenty of the “old technology” being used in small engines and recreational vehicles. To improve our understanding of engine construction, we had a great opportunity to acquire 10 Briggs & Straton engines along with tools and detailed walk through instructions for disassembly, inspection, and reassembly. This will be a great visual for students to see the internal workings of an engine and be exposed to some of the specialty tools that go along with engine repair.
Once students are familiar with how an engine works, their problem solving skill with be put to the test. Very rarely do mechanics get to work on an engines that the problem is obvious. Diagnostics is an important skill to develop. Students at this point will be working on their own projects from start to finish. They will be responsible for writing up a service ticket, performing the proper diagnostics, and making the correct repair. Having this be as much as a real life scenario as possible will expose students to the demands of working in a repair shop and if this type of profession is for them.
We have been very fortunate at Deubrook to have this new CTE course added. We have had great involvement from students and the community. When students have completed the course they will have an appreciation and the understanding they need to go forward with continuing their studies in the small engine field.