During the school board July meeting, the Kosciusko school board discussed budgeting, approved hiring and resignations, and heard public comments.
Budget
The budget for the upcoming school year shows $32,479,473.64 in total revenue from local, state, 16th section, and federal sources. Last year, the district brought in $21,478,222.06 of total revenue. Revenue from local sources increased by $43,175.52 and revenue from state sources increased by $325,484. Sixteenth section revenue remained stable at $90,429.
The most significant increase, however, came from federal sources, primarily due to COVID-19 assistance through ESSER funding. Federal COVID-19 monies increased total revenue by $11,001,251.58. ESSER-II and ESSER-III provided $3.2 million and $7.3 million, respectively.
Total expenditures also increased from last year’s $21,307,955.43 to $33,718,601.89. The expenditures are set to pay salaries, benefits, professionals, property services, purchased services, supplies, property, and other miscellaneous items.
While the budget was discussed at the meeting, it is still pending board approval.
During a special called meeting at noon on July 29, the board will vote on the budget and COVID-19 guidelines for the upcoming school year.
Hiring and resignations
Resignations were approved for Morgan Mahan, Josh Bingham, Jennifer Crosby, and Tara Howard for the 2021-22 school year along with former junior high and high school football coach Caleb Sanders.
Jerry Prince and Ctarchema Wilkes were hired as assistant teachers. Niece Cain was hired as a KLE secretary, and DeAnna Dunn and Josetta Grant were also approved as assistant teachers at KLE.
Cole McBride was approved as a teacher and baseball coach at KHS. Anna McBride, Thomas Fuller, and Tabitha Gilmore were also approved as teachers. Letitia Hill’s hire was approved as a KJH teacher.
Sara Beth Kelly was approved as dyslexia specialist, Nicole Witzel as Federal Programs secretary, and Katie Cauthen and Glenn Stevens as bus drivers.
Other approvals include Kyseun Jackson as assistant KJH football coach, Eddie Duncan as KHS assistant girls’ soccer coach, Austin Parker as assistant KJH football coach, and Allison Johnson as assistant KHS softball coach.
Public comments
Johnny Bryant requested a transferable easement across 16th section land owned by the district in order to access hunting land. The board heard Bryant’s request, but tabled the decision until the next board meeting in order to look into the situation further.
Eric Frazier expressed displeasure about the KHS band practicing in the high school’s parking lot. Frazier touted many of the band’s accomplishments, including two state championships, and said that band members have been enduring intense conditions in the summer heat.
Superintendent Billy Ellzey said the new planned athletic upgrades would be beneficial to the band, specifically by turfing the football field, giving them new practice areas.
“A big part of upgrading these athletic facilities is to accommodate our band. Part of it is to accommodate some storage areas for them at the athletic complex, so it's easier for them to practice,” Ellzey told The Star-Herald. “These things have been in process, but they just don't happen quite as fast as we want them to because we go through the process of doing it correctly with school laws.”
