The Pilot News - Wa-Nee schools consider measures against trip costs

A committee consisting of school board members, representatives from the NorthWood High School athletic and music departments, transportation personnel and parents met earlier this summer to examine transportation expenses from the 2007-2008 school year and determine whether it would be necessary to apply such a fee.
They concluded that with rising gas prices and the state of Indiana no longer funding school transportation, it will be.
Last year’s transportation expenses for NorthWood High School were $19,730 for athletics, $9,903 for the band department and $695.16 for the choir department. Next year, the committee projected transportation expenses would be around $23,500 for high school athletics, $13,150 for high school band and $2,000 for the choir department.
Ailes reported that the choir department is not greatly in need at this point and will likely not need to charge a transportation fee.
According to Ailes, NorthWood High School Athletic Director Norm Sellers reported a budget of $0 or below, with summer and fall bills to pay. After summer travel expenses, the NorthWood High School band department is projected to have a balance of $468.73 to begin the school with.
Next, the board discussed what they felt would be an appropriate amount and what policy changes would need to be made. They created a chart using two examples, $10 and $20, to show how the fee would help cover the cost of transportation.
According to Ailes, under the proposed fees, free and reduced lunch students would not be required to pay the fee.
The proposal will return to the board as an action item at their next scheduled meeting Monday, July 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wa-Nee Administration Building. They will vote on it then.
As a way to keep the high cost of transportation at a minimum, Ailes also discussed walk zones, an area within a certain radius of the schools where students would walk, rather than ride the buses. These zones, she said, would not extend to areas where students would have to cross a major highway or railroad tracks. Nappanee Elementary School already has a walk zone.
A possible future walk zone is the NorthWood subdivision near Woodview Elementary School.
To cut down on the number of students walking alone, Ailes suggested a walking school bus, where a parent volunteer travels a route each morning and afternoon, walking a designated group of students to and from school.
Zentz discusses budget problems
Wa-Nee business manager Roger Zentz presented a comparison of the corporation’s 2007 and 2008 budgets. According to Zentz, when the budget was submitted to the appropriate state committee, they did not grant the corporation the full amount they had requested. For example, the corporation had asked for a budget of $19,576,870 and received $19,431,098, a difference of $145,772 less than they had hoped for.
The approved budget for the 2007-2008 school year was $19,481,192, making this year's even smaller.
Zentz believes much of this is due to a drop in enrollment rates for Wa-Nee during the 2007-2008 school year.
2008 school board officers elected
The board elected the following individuals to the following positions: Eric Brown, president; Cletis Miller, vice president; and Christina Eshelman, secretary. Roger Zentz will serve as treasurer and Don Lehman will be executive treasurer. All members of the board took the oath of office for the 2008-2009 school year.
The board also voted on a schedule of regular meetings, which will remain on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Wa-Nee administration building.