Updated March 17, 2010
Berne-Knox-Westerlo School District will be hosting two community budget forums on Thursday, March 10 and Tuesday, March 22, 2011. The forums will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. each night, with sign in starting at 6 p.m. in the secondary school auditorium. RSVP for the forums
Questions for the March 10 forum
Question 1: What do you value most about education at Berne-Knox-Westerlo? Are there any educational needs that you feel are not being met? In what educational areas does BKW excel?
Question 2: The introductory presentation showed the various possible tax levy increases and the dollar amounts that would have to be cut from the proposed budget to reach those percentages. In addition, the board has given general guidance for a budget with a 4-5 percent tax levy increase. Given the state’s current fiscal crisis and the likelihood that state aid for schools will be reduced for 2011-12, how important is it to you that the district maintains as many of current programs and staff as possible, even if it means an increase in the school tax rate closer to 5 percent? Or is it more important to keep the proposed tax levy closer to 4 percent, even if it means a greater cut in programs and staff?
Question 3: Attached are the items -- presented in alphabetical order -- that district leaders are currently considering eliminating from the 2011-12 school budget. No final decision has been made. What are your feelings regarding these areas of potential program and position cuts? Are there any other areas that you feel the district needs to examine?
Additional Information See alphabetized list
In your packet is an alphabetized list of potential cuts. Listed beside each item is the amount of money it would potentially save the district, as well as an explanation of the impact of eliminating each item.
The Board of Education has given administrators the general guideline to build a budget that falls within the 4 to 5 percent tax levy range. The purpose of this Budget Forum is to provide Board members with additional information that will assist them in their decisions regarding the final budget.
They have asked that we work within our groups to develop two lists. The first list would be those items that should ultimately be cut from the budget to reach the target goal of a tax levy increase between 4 and 5 percent. The second list would consist of those items that your group thinks should definitely not be cut. You will then be asked to vote on your lists.
When we return to the
auditorium, each facilitator will report out. In the event that a
group could not come to an agreement, the facilitator will report
that.
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