The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Immunizations

Dayton School District Superintendent Doug Johnson said the state legislature has changed the laws used to guide school districts regarding immunization policies and infectious diseases because of its concerns about the return of measles. The exemptions for the measles/mumps/rubella vaccine, which were granted for personal and philosophical reasons, are no longer. Exemptions are still possible based on religious reasons, Johnson said. School employees and children enrolled in school who have not received the MMR, and cannot provide proof of immunity, will be prevented from being at school during a measles outbreak, he said.

Social media policy

While there is some policy language regarding employee use of social media, both inside and outside of school, there is a need for the policy to be discussed with the teachers’ union to ensure protection of employees, from social media issues. Johnson said a meeting with the union will be held in Oct. and the District could take action later this fall.

Facilities improvement

Johnson has submitted an urgent repair grant to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for the purpose of replacing the roof/awning that covers a portion of the elementary asphalt playground.

If the grant is denied the Board of Directors may need to discuss how to fund the repair in order to provide a safe playing surface for students, free of leaking water and icy spots during bad weather. He said since the multi-purpose room is also the cafeteria there is no other protected play area during the lunch recess for elementary students than that portion of the elementary asphalt playground.

Enrollment and Attendance

Student enrollment, overall, is above the budgeted figure used by the state to determine revenue, and it is slightly above the ending number for the 2018-19 school year. Johnson said the District hopes to the current enrollment number of 388, can be maintained, or increased.

Budget status

Business Manager Paula Moisio said with the changes that were made last spring regarding spending, the District finished the 2018-19 fiscal year with a higher fund balance than anticipated. The higher fund balance will help the District continue to provide educational services for all students, Johnson said.

DW Combine finances

Johnson said Moisio attended a DW Athletic Combine meeting and reported that total expenditures for each school district was lower than when each district ran individual athletic programs.

Enrichment levy

Johnson said the Board of Directors is considering a series of three levy requests, in Feb. He said the tax rate and collection totals will be equal to, or less, than the collections approved by voters in 2016.

The Board is considering running a four-year Enrichment levy to pay for items outside of basic education using calculations made by the state. This would include staffing beyond state allocation, food services, supplies and curriculum, as well as student activities. The state has produced a formula intended to limit the inequitable tax collection across the state for education, Johnson said.

Based on an enrollment of 400 students, the amount collected and the rate per $1,000 of assessed value would vary each year. He said if the requested amount is more than the actual prior year enrollment, the county auditor will “roll back” the collection amount, which would reduce the taxes to reflect only the amount necessary for the number of students enrolled.

Johnson said estimates are still being made based on enrollment, but the numbers will range somewhere between $1.25/1,000, to about $1.40/1,000. The exact numbers will not be known until the enrollment is calculated, along with the county’s annual assessed property value.

The Board is discussing a replacement Capital Project levy for technology, as well. The state has increased the type of expenditures which can be made using this levy, to include annual software licensing fees, spam filters, safety filters, and technology maintenance and repairs.

The District currently uses the general fund for these expenditures. Approval of the Capital Project levy will allow the District to support work stations for students and the staff by maintaining the appropriate infrastructure and keeping them up-to-date.

The District is also considering a Capital levy to update the electrical system in the elementary school so that an air conditioning and ventilation system can be installed.