The Christian County School Board discussed a proposed draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year and approved construction changes for the consolidated Christian County High School at their Thursday meeting.
Before the board got to business, Christian County Judge Executive Jerry Gilliam read a proclamation designating January as School Board Recognition Month.
Continuing with recognitions, four teachers have become National Board Certified. Jessica Dixon and Kristin Haley from Sinking Fork Elementary School, Megan Wise from South Christian Elementary School and Special Education Consultant Paula Snorton were recognized for their certifications.
Board Chair, Tom Bell and Vice Chair, Lindsey Clark were reelected by the board to continue serving in their respective roles for the next year.
The board was then presented with a draft budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Superintendent Chris Bentzel described the prior budget as aggressive but says the proposed budget is conservative. He says they don’t plan to propose many employee salary changes but will give stipends.
District Finance Director Jessica Darnell says their SEEK funding is set to possibly increase by around $1.6 million from last year’s $35.7 million.
The funding the school system receives may also be impacted by a SEEK funding shortfall. Darnell says the state government overestimated how much SEEK funding they had for the upcoming fiscal year. Along with state funding, $7.6 million left by the current budget will also go toward the upcoming budget.
A tentative budget will be presented to the board in May.
Turning toward the consolidated high school, Kevin Hitchell from Alliance Corporation says construction is progressing smoothly despite the cold temperatures.
The board approved four construction change orders resulting in the school’s price tag increasing by nearly $92,000. The changes include electrical revisions, switch gear equipment changes, the addition of flooring in elevators, spandrel glass revisions and the installation of walls under stairwells and in restrooms.