Superintendent Chad Conaway ended his first week at Lennox School District with a board of education meeting on Monday night.
“I’m like a sponge right now, trying to soak information in,” he told the board.
The first order of business at the meeting was a review of the 2016-17 budget. Business Manager Angela Arlt used a power point presentation to go over the highlights.
Arlt explained that with the state’s new funding formula, the goal of the legislature was to raise teachers’ salaries. They also want the student/teacher ratio to be 15 to 1. Arlt said the district was in compliance with the state’s requirements of the funds.
Certified staff received an increase of $4800; classified staff received a 3% increase.
She informed the board that they could see increases in the special education budget in the upcoming year.
The entire budget presentation can be found on the school’s website (www.lennox.k12.sd.us) under the school board, budgets/audit; or follow this link:
http://www.lennox.k12.sd.us/School%20Board/Budget/Proposed%20Budget%202016-17.pdf
Following the budget hearing, the superintendent gave his report. He told the board about HB 1214, a legislative bill that deals with conflict of interest.
HB 1214 prohibits school board members and other district employees from receiving money from or through the state or from having an interest in a contract or receiving a direct benefit from the contract unless that contract or benefit is disclosed to and approved by the board. Other government subdivision and state level elected members are included in the bill’s provisions, as well.
“Most of the bill is just common sense,” said Conaway.
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