Although there is still a lot of planning and many decisions to be made, Kingfisher Superintendent Jason Sternberger wanted patrons to be clear about the start of the 2020-21 school year.

“The No. 1 thing coming out of this meeting is, unless we are told by someone else that we can’t, we are moving forward with starting school on Aug. 12,” Sternberger said during Tuesday night’s meeting of the board of education.

Sternberger said that desire is based on feedback he’s received from the community as well as recommendations from the Center for Disease Control.

“The CDC even said that we need to do everything possible to make sure we have kids in school,” Sternberger said, noting that although the organization, however, has offered no guidelines.

“We know that is absolutely the best possible way to learn.

“Virtual learning serves a purpose, but there is no substitute for in-person, face-to-face teaching and learning.”

Sternberger and board members discussed the issue for about 20 minutes during a meeting that lasted just under 80 minutes.

Questions on protocol for students who run a temperature to those who are diagnosed with COVID-19 to larger groups of students contracting the virus were asked.

Sternberger said the wide range of solutions will be discussed by himself, other school administrators and staff in the coming days and weeks.

Whatever the plan, Sternberger said the district will be prepared to act.

“Within this setting, we have to be prepared to go into a virtual day immediately,” Sternberger said.

When school does start, it will do so on solid financial footing.

The district closed its financial books for the fiscal year with an $8.2 million carryover in the general fund, more than $2 million more than last year.

“We’re in good shape with both our general fund and building fund heading into 2020-21,” Sternberger said.

The district had more than $15 million in revenue.

Of that, more than $5.2 million stemmed from gross production taxes and another $4.02 million from ad valorem taxes.

It spent $10.1 million on salaries and benefits and another $2.7 on other expenditures, which included several upgrades throughout the district.

Total expenditures were $12,864,134.47.

The building fund will have a carryover of about $825,000.

There was a $264,000 carryover from last year and about $707,000 in revenue this fiscal year.

Expenditures were about $147,000.

The board approved the renewal of the Qualified Zone Academy Bond lease-purchase agreement totaling $900,000 for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

The agreement began in 2015 and this is the sixth of 10 payments to be made on a project that included HVAC at Heritage School and new roof above the KHS cafeteria.

Board members also voted to renew annual contracts with Opaa! Food Management to provide food service. The district entered a five-year contract with the firm in 2018, but it must be renewed each year.

Under the newest contract, each lunch will cost the district $3.4127, a breakfast will cost $1.7064 and after-school snacks $1.1375.

The board renewed an agreement with Oklahoma Schools Risk Management Trust for insurance.

The coverage plan costs $242,028, but the district is receiving a $3,624 auto discount, reducing it to $238,404.

Two resignations were accepted, one from Gia Mason, who was a secretary at Heritage, and the other from Melissa Warren, a special education paraprofessional.