St. Cloud school district could use 1-time funds to cover $800,000 gap
By Dave Aeikens • daeikens@stcloudtimes.com • February 18, 2010
Comments(70)RecommendPrint this page E-mail this article Share
Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine Buzz up!
Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A St. Cloud school district is considering the use of one-time dollars to balance its 2010-2011 budget and pay for employee contract settlements.
The money would come from the district’s capital fund, which pays for building improvements, and a portion of a property tax increase board members approved in December that helps pay for health insurance costs of former employees. The moves would cover an anticipated $800,000 shortfall. About $500,000 would come from the capital fund and $300,000 from the tax increase.
The estimated $800,000 shortfall is based on contract settlements that increase costs about 3 percent for 2009-2011. That deficit would grow if settlements were higher than the 3 percent, director of business services Kevin Januszewski said.
Eight of the nine contracts are unsettled; the district is still negotiating with the teachers, its largest employee group. The school board’s most recent offer puts the district right at the 3 percent goal. If the school board raises its offer in an effort to settle, the shortfall would grow, Januszewski said.
School board members are expected to consider the budget recommendation Thursday. The 2010-2011 budget does not have to be approved until June 30, but staff needs to know how the board wants to deal with the expected shortfall before completing the budget.
Administrators considered layoffs, savings in health insurance and the elimination of a work day before settling on the use of the reserve and tax dollars, Superintendent Steve Jordahl said.
“We have said from the very beginning we would not cut staff. That is not an option for us. We said we wanted to protect, in this economy, our staff members,” Jordahl said,
The use of the one-time dollars pushes the budget shortfall to 2011-2012 because the capital dollars will not be available next year. The Legislature has frozen state aid for two years and delayed aid payments, forcing schools to borrow. It has allowed district through this year to transfer reserve dollars from capital accounts to bolster budgets.
The district is collecting more than $900,000 in taxes this year for other post employment benefits, or OPEB, and could have some of that money remaining for the 2011-2012 budget. Another concern is that the state is expecting a shortfall of its own and could decide to reduce the amount of money it gives to schools. That would create budget shortfalls for all school districts.
St. Cloud already has raised taxes and made reductions to balance an anticipated $2.6 million shortfall for 2010-2011. Those decisions were made in 2009 to give the district time to plan any changes. The Area Learning Center at Wilson is being moved to McKinley Education Center in Waite Park next school year. The move is expected to save $350,000.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
St. Cloud schools look to improve adequate yearly progress
St. Cloud schools look to improve adequate yearly progress
By Dave Aeikens • daeikens@stcloudtimes.com • February 18, 2010
Comments(37)RecommendPrint this page E-mail this article Share
Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine Buzz up!
Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A Next Page1| 2Previous PageStudents in St. Cloud schools are showing small gains in reading and math but are falling below district goals after one year of the equity plan, a district report shows.
Overall, students improved in eight of nine categories in reading and math. The students fell short of goals that would allow the district and schools to make adequate yearly progress, a measurement under No Child Left behind, in six of nine categories in reading and seven of nine categories in math.
The report measures student progress in categories that include all students, American Indians, Asians, Hispanic, blacks, white, limited English speaking students, low income and special education.
School board members conducted a forum Wednesday for people to discuss the equity plan that drew mostly staff members and some from the community.
“I think it shows we are moving in the right direction,” said Les Green, a school board member who is chairman of the equity and integration committee. “Anyone can argue about speed, and I would like to have more speed.”
St. Cloud school district is in its second year of receiving state dollars to provide programs for equity and integration. The district receives about $1.1 million a year and has a four-year plan for progress and improvement. About 25 percent of St. Cloud school district students are minorities.
The district receives money because it borders Holdingford, a district with almost no students of color.
Only limited-English-speaking students did not improve in reading and only American Indian students did not show improvement in math. The categories that showed improvement grew of between 1 and 3 percentage points.
White students are passing the reading tests at 80 percent and black students at almost 40 percent. Closing that gap has been a goal for the school district. The district goal is to get black students to 74 percent.
White students are passing math at a 74 percent rate and black students at a 35 percent rate. The goal is to get black students passing math at a 67 percent rate.
“What the goal ought to be, there ought to be no difference in the success and failure based on race,” Green said.
Green said the district needs to study the black children who are succeeding and share strategies with those who are not.
Julia Espe, the district’s director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, said she is pleased with the work that is being done.
“We have a long ways to go. We have work to do. We want that (achievement) gap to be smaller,” Espe said. “We have our work cut out for us.”
The report also shows other potential inequities in staffing and in student discipline.
The district teachers are 98 percent white and the support staff is 96 percent white.
Black students, who make up about 14 percent of the student body, account for 51 percent of the out-of-school suspensions.
Whites, who are 75 percent of the students, account for 40 percent of the suspensions.
The Advanced Placement honor level courses have 13 percent students of color. About 87 percent of white students are taking AP courses. Students of color make up about 15 percent of the students who take part in extracurricular activities, according to the report.
By Dave Aeikens • daeikens@stcloudtimes.com • February 18, 2010
Comments(37)RecommendPrint this page E-mail this article Share
Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine Buzz up!
Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A Next Page1| 2Previous PageStudents in St. Cloud schools are showing small gains in reading and math but are falling below district goals after one year of the equity plan, a district report shows.
Overall, students improved in eight of nine categories in reading and math. The students fell short of goals that would allow the district and schools to make adequate yearly progress, a measurement under No Child Left behind, in six of nine categories in reading and seven of nine categories in math.
The report measures student progress in categories that include all students, American Indians, Asians, Hispanic, blacks, white, limited English speaking students, low income and special education.
School board members conducted a forum Wednesday for people to discuss the equity plan that drew mostly staff members and some from the community.
“I think it shows we are moving in the right direction,” said Les Green, a school board member who is chairman of the equity and integration committee. “Anyone can argue about speed, and I would like to have more speed.”
St. Cloud school district is in its second year of receiving state dollars to provide programs for equity and integration. The district receives about $1.1 million a year and has a four-year plan for progress and improvement. About 25 percent of St. Cloud school district students are minorities.
The district receives money because it borders Holdingford, a district with almost no students of color.
Only limited-English-speaking students did not improve in reading and only American Indian students did not show improvement in math. The categories that showed improvement grew of between 1 and 3 percentage points.
White students are passing the reading tests at 80 percent and black students at almost 40 percent. Closing that gap has been a goal for the school district. The district goal is to get black students to 74 percent.
White students are passing math at a 74 percent rate and black students at a 35 percent rate. The goal is to get black students passing math at a 67 percent rate.
“What the goal ought to be, there ought to be no difference in the success and failure based on race,” Green said.
Green said the district needs to study the black children who are succeeding and share strategies with those who are not.
Julia Espe, the district’s director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, said she is pleased with the work that is being done.
“We have a long ways to go. We have work to do. We want that (achievement) gap to be smaller,” Espe said. “We have our work cut out for us.”
The report also shows other potential inequities in staffing and in student discipline.
The district teachers are 98 percent white and the support staff is 96 percent white.
Black students, who make up about 14 percent of the student body, account for 51 percent of the out-of-school suspensions.
Whites, who are 75 percent of the students, account for 40 percent of the suspensions.
The Advanced Placement honor level courses have 13 percent students of color. About 87 percent of white students are taking AP courses. Students of color make up about 15 percent of the students who take part in extracurricular activities, according to the report.
State court reprimands St. Cloud lawyer, former mayor
State court reprimands St. Cloud lawyer, former mayor
By Dave Aeikens • daeikens@stcloudtimes.com • February 18, 2010
Comments(37)Recommend(1)Print this page E-mail this article Share
Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine
Buzz up!Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A Lawyer and former St. Cloud Mayor John Ellenbecker on Thursday received a public reprimand and was placed on two years probation by the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Ellenbecker, who has practiced law since 1981, will be required to have another lawyer monitor his work practices while he is on probation, the Court said. Public reprimands with probation are handed out to about 50 lawyers a year among the more than 15,000 who practice in Minnesota, said Martin Cole, director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility. The Office of Laywers Professional Responsibility filed the request for discipline with the court.
Ellenbecker was disciplined because he failed to return the property of at least three clients and then failed to cooperate with the investigation, Cole said.
“We negotiated a resolution,” Ellenbecker said. “They recognized, and I recognized, that my primary failing was not dealing with the complaint to the board of professional responsibility in a timely manner.”
The petition from the state Supreme Court was signed by Associate Justice Alan Page. If Ellenbecker does not meet the conditions of the probation, he can be suspended or have his license revoked, Cole said.
The office can recommend and the court can order discipline for a lawyer using four options: a reprimand, a reprimand with probation, suspension and disbarment.
“A public reprimand is a significant discipline,” Cole said. “Even to be publicly reprimanded is a serious step for a lawyer and not something anyone takes lightly, I am quite certain.”
The order requires Ellenbecker to:
* Cooperate with the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility.
* Abide by Minnesota rules of professional conduct.
* Be supervised by a licensed lawyer that Cole appoints.
* Meet with the monitor one day a quarter and provide a monthly inventory of all active case files.
* Initiate and maintain office procedures that ensure prompt correspondence to clients, courts and other parties.
* Have an assessment from a licensed psychologist or other mental health professional for issues related to depression.
* Pay $900 in costs and $50 in disbursements.
Ellenbecker served as mayor from 2001-2005 and served on the St. Cloud City Council from 1989 to 2001.
By Dave Aeikens • daeikens@stcloudtimes.com • February 18, 2010
Comments(37)Recommend(1)Print this page E-mail this article Share
Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine
Buzz up!Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A Lawyer and former St. Cloud Mayor John Ellenbecker on Thursday received a public reprimand and was placed on two years probation by the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Ellenbecker, who has practiced law since 1981, will be required to have another lawyer monitor his work practices while he is on probation, the Court said. Public reprimands with probation are handed out to about 50 lawyers a year among the more than 15,000 who practice in Minnesota, said Martin Cole, director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility. The Office of Laywers Professional Responsibility filed the request for discipline with the court.
Ellenbecker was disciplined because he failed to return the property of at least three clients and then failed to cooperate with the investigation, Cole said.
“We negotiated a resolution,” Ellenbecker said. “They recognized, and I recognized, that my primary failing was not dealing with the complaint to the board of professional responsibility in a timely manner.”
The petition from the state Supreme Court was signed by Associate Justice Alan Page. If Ellenbecker does not meet the conditions of the probation, he can be suspended or have his license revoked, Cole said.
The office can recommend and the court can order discipline for a lawyer using four options: a reprimand, a reprimand with probation, suspension and disbarment.
“A public reprimand is a significant discipline,” Cole said. “Even to be publicly reprimanded is a serious step for a lawyer and not something anyone takes lightly, I am quite certain.”
The order requires Ellenbecker to:
* Cooperate with the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility.
* Abide by Minnesota rules of professional conduct.
* Be supervised by a licensed lawyer that Cole appoints.
* Meet with the monitor one day a quarter and provide a monthly inventory of all active case files.
* Initiate and maintain office procedures that ensure prompt correspondence to clients, courts and other parties.
* Have an assessment from a licensed psychologist or other mental health professional for issues related to depression.
* Pay $900 in costs and $50 in disbursements.
Ellenbecker served as mayor from 2001-2005 and served on the St. Cloud City Council from 1989 to 2001.
Stearns County launches new site
Stearns County launches new site
By Kirsti Marohn • kmarohn@stcloudtimes.com • February 17, 2010
Comments(28)Recommend(1)Print this page E-mail this article Share
Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine Buzz up!
Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A Stearns County is launching a redesigned Web site today that encourages residents to stay up to date and share information through social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
The new site was designed to look more modern and make it easier for users to find the information they are seeking, said George McClure, the county's information services director.
It's also intended to encourage citizen participation, he said. The site features a "Community" page, where users can follow county news on Facebook and Twitter. They can share their own photos of county scenery or events using the photo-sharing site Flickr, or post YouTube videos.
At Tuesday's county board meeting, McClure noted that a growing number of people — particularly younger residents — are relying on such online tools.
"There's just millions and millions of folks that prefer to get their information in this style versus going to a Web site and reading a news release," he said.
The site can be viewed in English, Spanish or Somali. Users can view a calendar of upcoming events and take a poll on a county-related topic. They also can rate the value of the Web site's content, as well as post comments on blogs written by county staff.
"The Web site's a lot more interactive, and it's one more way you maybe stay in touch with local government," McClure said.
Stearns County's Web site has received national recognition and has seen increased use. About 34,000 different people visited the site in January, McClure said.
About 3,000 people pay their taxes annually online, and 99 percent of applications for county jobs are completed online. The county's list of jail inmates attracts more than 20,000 visitors each month.
Redesigning the Web site took nearly two years, including focus group meetings and searching for a vendor, McClure said.
Michigan-based Artemis Solutions Group redesigned the site for a cost of about $95,000. The firm will host the site for an annual cost of $3,300.
By Kirsti Marohn • kmarohn@stcloudtimes.com • February 17, 2010
Comments(28)Recommend(1)Print this page E-mail this article Share
Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine Buzz up!
Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A Stearns County is launching a redesigned Web site today that encourages residents to stay up to date and share information through social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
The new site was designed to look more modern and make it easier for users to find the information they are seeking, said George McClure, the county's information services director.
It's also intended to encourage citizen participation, he said. The site features a "Community" page, where users can follow county news on Facebook and Twitter. They can share their own photos of county scenery or events using the photo-sharing site Flickr, or post YouTube videos.
At Tuesday's county board meeting, McClure noted that a growing number of people — particularly younger residents — are relying on such online tools.
"There's just millions and millions of folks that prefer to get their information in this style versus going to a Web site and reading a news release," he said.
The site can be viewed in English, Spanish or Somali. Users can view a calendar of upcoming events and take a poll on a county-related topic. They also can rate the value of the Web site's content, as well as post comments on blogs written by county staff.
"The Web site's a lot more interactive, and it's one more way you maybe stay in touch with local government," McClure said.
Stearns County's Web site has received national recognition and has seen increased use. About 34,000 different people visited the site in January, McClure said.
About 3,000 people pay their taxes annually online, and 99 percent of applications for county jobs are completed online. The county's list of jail inmates attracts more than 20,000 visitors each month.
Redesigning the Web site took nearly two years, including focus group meetings and searching for a vendor, McClure said.
Michigan-based Artemis Solutions Group redesigned the site for a cost of about $95,000. The firm will host the site for an annual cost of $3,300.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
