Small Town News

No worries yet on Cheneys lower numbers

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Cheney school board assesses why enrollment is dropping, studies finances during latest meeting

Enrollment went down almost 30 students in the Cheney School District in December, but Financial Director Brian Aiken said it's too soon to worry.

Enrollment has been slightly under budget all school year, but the total headcount dipped 29.6 full-time students below budgeted numbers this month, Aiken reported at the Dec. 16 meeting of the school board.

Aiken pointed out that although state funding is largely dependant on enrollment, the district is still pretty safe and they have until the end of the school year to meet the budgeted number of students.

"We monitor the enrollment and we also monitor everybody's budget every month," he said. "So we don't wait until we get to the end of the year, there are steps we can take and have been taking to minimize the result of that coming in under budget."

Aiken also broke down the districts finances, including the percentage of the total budget that has been spent so far --it's a bit over but on track --and the uses and remaining funds of the capital and technology levy that was replaced in March.

As of Dec. 8 the district spent $2.3 million of the budgeted $7.2 million in levy funds. Aiken broke down the spending to show the specific purchases, the largest being classroom instruction equipment, new software costs, a roofing project and high school parking lot resurfacing.

The district is on track to use the funds for another three to four years, Aiken said, "which was our original plan."

Also at the meeting, board members Marcie Estrellado and Suzanne Dolle were sworn in after voters approved them in the November election. Estrellado was elected in 2003 and represents the southwest Cheney area, while Dolle was appointed in May, replacing 14-year board member Sue Lienhard to represent Four Lakes and part of the Airway Heights area. Larry Haskell was elected by the board to take over as president and Rick Mount was voted vice president.

Cheney Middle School art teacher Sherry Syrie, along with two of her students and their parents, spoke to the board about the art portfolio conference held in November.

"I would have to say it was a student-led conference, but hopefully after hearing these guys speak you'll find that it was much more than that to them and to their families," Syrie said.

The conferences were an opportunity for parents to see their child's work, as well as the process the student went through to finish the project.

"I really enjoyed these because it was kind of a chance to be with my mom one-on-one," eighth grader Alieah Kisling said. "I have a lot of younger siblings so that doesn't happen very often."

Syrie pointed out that parents filled out a sheet as their children took them through the steps of their project, and the goal was not to get a good grade, but to receive recognition of the work that went into their project. She said the students put pressure on themselves to have things to show at the conference.

"It's very much student-directed pressure, which I didn't expect," she said.

Also at the meeting, Shannon Lawson, director of the Home Works! program, reported that the number of students receiving home-based instruction increased dramatically so far this school year. She said there are currently 71 students enrolled in Home Works! and 64 home schooling families, up from 42 the last two school years.

Lawson said most of the new families are also new to the district, and cited overall enrollment growth as well as more accurate tracking as factors in the increase.

"It's a complicated way of documenting a very great process that families may choose to meet the individual needs of any child," she said, adding that there are several options for families who choose to home school.

Becky Thomas can be reached at becky@cheneyfreepress.com.



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© 2010 Cheney Free Press Cheney, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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