School board approves amended budget for Highland District 5
New funding for COVID expenses and summer construction have been added to the Highland District 5 budget, after the school board recently approved an amended budget.
The new budget for 2020-21 adds approximately $300,000 to the education fund, $135,000 to the transportation fund and $1.67 million for construction, according to Brian Arteberry, Highland’s chief business official.
Approximately two-thirds of the education fund increase will be offset by funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, Arteberry said. The ESSER fund comes from federal relief bills and passes grants through the states to local education agencies to help school districts with some of the expenses of coping with the pandemic.
The construction money came from refinancing existing bonds back in February. That refinancing allowed the district to save $32,000 in interest while funding new life safety projects.
Already underway are new parking lots at the high school, upgrades to lighting and other facilities, as well as upgrades to sanitary sewers, storm drains and more.
A year ago, Highland conducted a feasibility study on its school buildings that recommended a list of improvements ranging from expanding the primary school to adding a performing arts building at the high school. Highland Primary has kindergarteners split between two buildings, and Highland Middle is overcrowded: the library is often used as a classroom and there are limited STEM and special-needs classrooms with no vocational areas.
However, as of June 2020 the potential building project was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Superintendent Mike Sutton also told the school board at the May 24 meeting that the district “is committed” to building a house next year in the building trades program, and hopes to have recommendations for a location at the June meeting as they are narrowing down the number of lots.
“The program is full and we have kids on the waiting list,” Sutton said.