Hennessey Public Schools’ budget for 202324 is $2 million more than last year. That’s what President Luke Lough said last Monday night before board members approved the district’s yearly estimate of needs.

The move was made at the board of education’s regular September meeting.

The district has an $87.6 million assessed valuation this year, Superintendent Jason Sternberger told the board.

The district started with $6.551 million in general fund assets this year compared with $4.543 million June 30, 2022.

This year’s building fund start is $1.418 million compared with $651,886 in 2022.

The school sold $1.215 million in building bonds in May with a July start date at a 3.5925% interest rate.

The district’s estimated $2.4 million in gross production this year is about the same as last year and the 2022 nutrition fund balance was $94,415 compared to $182,985 in 2023.

General operations state aid is expected to be $2.29 million compared with $1.575 million last year; disadvantaged students income is estimated at $569,838 this year compared with $329,043 last year and other federal sources of revenue is $1.17 million compared with $1 million last year.

( Ed. note: See this year’s Estimate of Needs in this edition with other public notices.)

The board also voted to employ Stephen L. Smith Corp. as financial (bond) consultants for the district in 2023-24.

Transportation Addition Almost $1 million The board also approved a $977,000 bid from Firebrand Construction of Stillwater for the transportation building addition located on State Highway 51 east of the softball fields.

“That will leave us about $800,000 in the building fund,” said the superintendent.

Work will start in three or four months and they will have 210 days from the start date to complete the project, said Sternberger.

Lough, who was at the bid opening, said he recalled that Firebrand had a better completion date than other bidders.

There were five bidders on the project.

Oklahoma City-based Renaissance Architecture directors of educational development, Sammy Jackson and Mike Hyatt, attended the board meeting.

Library Media Policy

When asked if she’d had any problems, or was getting any feedback from students or parents, Library Director Jennifer Ullery responded, “No problem,” from the audience.

She added that she’d been there long enough to know the children and many of their parents.

There were times when she told a student “they weren’t ready for that book yet,” or she “needed to talk to their parents first.

Tribal Regalia Policy

The board approved the Oklahoma State School Board Association’s wording to add to the graduation policy to include tribal regalia.

The district has 6.5% Native American students, Sternberger said.

Superintendent’s Report Projects – Sternberger said they are almost finished with the LED lighting project and it has made a big improvement throughout the district.

Lough looked up at the lights and noted the old lighting is still up in their meeting room (Seminar Room in the auditorium building).

Sternberger laughed, then said, “I said we’re almost finished.”

He is also working with Tanner Beckner on his recommendations on a safety grant which includes more signage.

Beckner noted there are no directions to the school buildings, auditorium or Eagle Event Center, particularly those who come from the north, said the superintendent.

From the audience Jack Quirk said the town is working on a signage project and could include anything the school wants to add.

Old Bus Barn – Sternberger said last month board members need to be thinking up how to use the former bus barn located in the sports complex once the transportation addition is complete.

“Do you want to keep it, or tear it down?”

Clerk Dr. James M. Matousek said he thought whatever they decide, it needs to keep with the rest of the esthetics that has been recently created on the rest of the school property.

Amy Charmasson, board member, agreed that it needs to be cohesive with other recent updates.

Personnel

Resignations – The superintendent said he’d accepted resignations from these paraprofessionals at the Early Childhood Center: Maria Lara, Megan Wright and Vriana Villalobos, and from Olga Roldan, cook.

Hirings – Aryca Brandon and Leah Mowery were hired as paraprofessionals at the Early Childhood Center.

Extra Duty – Added to the extra-duty assignments were: Hugo Rodriguez, assistant junior high and high school football; Brian Richardson, safety coordinator; Lezlie Hardin and Linzie Jones, ELL site coordinators. Pay for those assignments was not included on the agenda, or motion to approve the jobs.

Present at the Meeting

All board members were present: Lough, Vice President Patrick Griffin, Matousek, David Tillman and Charmasson.

Also at the board table were Sternberger and Timberly Jech, office manager and minutes clerk.

Other staff at the meeting were principals: Ricardo Tarango, Barry Crosswhite, and Stacey Mack as well as Ullery.

Visitors in the audience were Raquel Medrano, other parents and children, and Jackson and Hyatt.