Please take part in the budget and board vote on May 16

On April 10, the Board of Education adopted the proposed school budget for 2017-18. The $22,657,493 spending plan is just .29% above the 2016-17 budget, and contains a tax levy reduction of .5%. The plan is specifically designed to continue to restore program opportunities for our students that will prepare them for college and/or a career, while supporting academic and social/emotional needs. It adds program while maintaining financial stability for our district.

The proposed budget includes STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) initiatives that are essential next steps in our evolving academic direction. The budget includes funding for a summer STEAM camp for 60 students in grades 2-7. The camp will engage students in fun, hands-on science activities, and will also help them maintain their reading and writing skills, all of which are aligned with our daily curriculum throughout the year. In order to advance our Agricultural Science initiative at the Secondary School, we have included funds to hire an Agricultural Science teacher. As an extra-curricular support for these academic efforts, we will add science-based clubs in the elementary school and revive the FFA chapter at BKW Secondary School. We will also continue to provide necessary support programs to ensure student success on all exams.

Throughout this year our students have achieved success in the classroom, on the athletic field, on the stage, and in the community. Their hopes and dreams are growing each day. We believe we have a responsibility to prepare our students for their future, not our past, and next year’s budget takes a significant step in that direction.

With your support our district will continue to turn a dynamic academic vision into reality, and do so in the most fiscally responsible manner.

The budget vote and Board elections will be held on Tuesday, May 16, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., in the Secondary School Auditorium. We look forward to seeing you there.