An uptick in facilities projects has lended to a larger estimate of needs for Kingfisher Public Schools.

The board of education last Tuesday approved the document that listed an estimate of just over $23 million for the 2023-24 fiscal year.

It was prepared by Britton, Kuykendall & Miller CPAs, the Weatherford firm that also performs the district’s financial audit each year.

The estimate of needs is part of the budget-creating process that each school district is required to approve. It shows an itemized estimate of proposed expenditures and revenues for the year.

This year’s general fund total of $23,408,607.34 is about $3 million more than a year ago.

A chunk of that difference is due to the renovation project at Gilmour Elementary School.

The school is currently in the first of multiple phases of what will be a $6.5 million project. It was approved last year and will be paid for largely from the general fund over the course of multiple fiscal years.

Among the estimated revenues for the year is about $4.72 million in gross production taxes.

The district received more than $7.7 million through that avenue last fiscal year.

“Gross production collections are down right now,” said Superintendent David Glover.

The district received $456,900.98 in gross production revenues in July and $330,211.80 in August.

“There are projections that those collections will come back up,” Glover said. “Regardless, we’re still going to be able to continue to do what we’re doing with our projects.”

The district is also completing a new locker room facility for the soccer teams and junior high football teams and the addition to the ag barn is nearly finished.

The estimate of needs included just under $1.2 million for the building fund, nearly $500,000 for the co-op fund and just over $466,000 for the child nutrition fund.

The district listed more than $10 million in the general fund at the end of last fiscal year (June 30, 2023). That’s about $600,000 less than a year ago.

There was also $1.6 million in the building fund, down about $300,000.

Glover noted this is the first year schools will again start being penalized for having “too large” a carryover.

Kingfisher’s has been more than $10 million each of the last few years, but Glover estimates the cutoff this year will be about $5 million to $6 million.

“That’s another reason we went ahead with our big remodeling project at Gilmour last year,” he said.

Board members also approved the district’s alternative education plan, which is an annual requirement.

The plan was prepared by Libby Wood, the district’s alternative educa- tion director.

After a 30-minute executive session, the board approved the hiring of Connor Brooks to serve as a credit recovery teacher at the high school. He’ll also assist with the boys basketball program.

Approved as adjunct teachers were: Keaton Callins, U.S. history; Ausha Baker, elementary education; Adam Click, assistant boys soccer coach; Santi Mejia, ESL; Melody Wilfong, high school art; Leslie Click, high school English; and Dr. A.J. Johnson, photography.

Also approved for hiring were Mandy Johnson, KJH paraprofessional; Anna Meraz, Heritage paraprofessional; Hope Stafford, KUE paraprofessional; Sheryl Best, KUE paraprofessional II; Kori Mink, KJH paraprofessional; and Clairanda Porter, Gilmour teacher’s aide.

Fundraiser requests for the KUE STEM program, the Class of 2024 and the videography program were also given unanimous approval.