More students in most Vandalia schools

Reports from building principals at Tuesday’s meeting of the Vandalia Board of Education indicate that student registration numbers are up this year at most schools in the district.
Leading the increases are the high school (493 students) and the Okaw Area Vocational Center (279 students), both up by about 50 students. Jefferson Primary School (299 students) is up by about 15 students, thanks to one of the largest kindergarten classes in recent years, with 125 students.
The junior high is about even with last year (480 students), and the elementary school (318 students) is down by about 16 students.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Superintendent Rich Well reported that, as of the end of July, the district had a total operating balance of $3,755,069. In the four operating accounts over which the district has spending control, the balance is $3,364,164.
“Fortunately, we do have some fund balances to carry over,” Well said. He noted that the next money coming into the district’s coffers will be the first installment of property tax revenues from the county. Those funds should arrive in late August or early September, he said.
Well also confirmed that the state will pay the district at the same rate as last year – general state aid at 89 percent of the original amount and transportation at 67 percent of the original amount.
Also on the financial front, Well said that auditors conducting the district’s annual audit completed most of their work in two days, and will come back for a partial day to finish up.
“It’s a great compliment to our staff,” Well said. “We had everything in order and had information at our fingertips to answer the auditors’ questions.” The audit report will be presented to the board in October or November, he said.
In his report to the board, Well said that several maintenance projects were completed over the summer, including replacing floor tile in the junior high multipurpose room, replacing worn carpet with tile in the high school band room, and replacing and painting about three-fourths of the wood kickplates on the football bleachers.
Other changes made during the summer include:
• All computers in the district were updated and scanned to make sure they were in working order.
• Title I funds were used to buy technology equipment – 42 new desktop computers, 26 new laptop computers and two Smartboards.
One personnel issue that has district administrators scrambling is the resignation of Todd Ehlers, who taught agriculture at the high school and power mechanics at the Okaw Area Vocational Center. Ehlers notified the district just last Thursday that he had accepted a teaching position in the Red Bud school district.
“We’re just using substitutes to cover the position while we look for a replacement,” Well said. “We’re working hard, but haven’t had much luck yet.”
Beginning with the new school year, Facebook pages are being created for each school in the district. Those pages, Well said, will “promote the great things we are doing in the district and are one more way to open communication from the school to parents.”
At the end of the 50-minute meeting, the board took the following action:
• Approved the Okaw Area Vocational Center budget. That budget shows revenues of $1,187,916 from participating districts, expenses of $1,169,090, leaving a surplus of $18,826.
• Approved the district’s property and casualty insurance, an $11,000 (4.54 percent) increase over last year.
• Approved Shelby Cearlock as a volunteer coach for VCHS volleyball.
• Approved the retirement of Mary Beth Hudson (a TLC aide at VCHS, effective immediately).
• Approved the resignation of Ehlers.
• Approved the employment of Amy Mayhous as a TLC aide at VCHS.
• Set the district’s annual budget hearing for 5 p.m. on Sept. 17. The regular board meeting will follow.