The Mid-Prairie Board of Education handled business briskly on Monday, Jan. 9 before heading into closed session to evaluate the qualifications of several architectural firms for their next round of facilities projects.  

The board’s first action was to set a Public Hearing for the Flexibility Transfer of HSAP Funds for January 23 at 7:15 p.m.  The district intends to transfer $252,034.80 from the Home School Assistance Program to the General Fund; this amount was left unspent from the prior year.  

“We’re not transferring as much as we probably could have,” Business Manager Jeff Swartzentruber remarked.  “We’re trying to leave [Program Director Rachel Kerns] with about $100,000 to $125,000 of funds to be used to help with growth in the program and give her some flexibility.”

“I would just add that our homeschool families aren’t asking for things that they aren’t getting either, so it doesn’t come at the expense to our staff,” Kerns said.  “I believe our program is provided for very well.”

The board also set dollar amounts for early resignation incentives for the 2022-2023 school year.  When employees provide early notice of their intent to leave at the end of the school year, it allows the district extra time to plan for upcoming vacancies, identify transfer opportunities, and develop recruiting and hiring plans.

The board agreed to leave incentive amounts the same as the previous year: a $2000 incentive will be offered for providing resignation notice by the third Friday in February, and a $1000 incentive will be offered for providing notice by the third Friday in March.

A second reading of Board Policy 507.9, Cardiac Emergency Response Plan/Automatic External Defibrillator passed without discussion.  

Finally, the board approved a request for Modified Supplemental Aid for the 2023-2024 Dropout Prevention Program of $253,630.00 to implement the At-Risk and Dropout Prevention program plans in a unanimous roll call vote.

“It is amazing what this money goes towards,” said board Vice President Gabrielle Frederick.  “A lot of stuff.  The counselors we use, the behavioral interventionists.  When you think about it, it’s like, okay, so this is just for kids who we think are going to drop out?  Well, not necessarily.”

Alternative Learning Center Principal Amy Shalla explained that at-risk students may have circumstances that make them more likely to drop out of school, but “this money is to fund those things so that it doesn’t happen.”

Swartzentruber clarified that the school district provides an additional $84,543 from the general fund for the program in addition to the $253,630.00 in categorical funds received from the state.