School Board Approves Funding for Textbooks, Technology, Equipment

Following weeks of discussion, the District 833 School Board unanimously approved of the final capital budget spending plan for 2011-12, which focuses on textbooks and technology.

The board outlined its plans for how to spend the nearly $7 million budget, which is separate from the general fund. 

The capital budget is essentially the management of funds that are reserved for the repair and betterment of school facilities, as well as new materials like textbooks, computers and other equipment. And coming in 2011-12, South Washington County Schools will welcome many new textbooks, technology resources, sports equipment and school repairs.

The $6.88 millon budget includes $1 million in state aid. Of this:

• $700,000 will go toward textbooks;
• $1.65 million will go toward computers and other technology;
• $1 million will go toward the repair of facilities;
• $77,000 will go toward the improvement of the school board room audio/visual capabilities;
• $60,000 will go to the Annex; and
• remaining funds will go toward various similar projects around the South Washington County School District.

The board also allocated an additional $800,000 from a 2006 bond referendum, which members intend to use for additional textbooks, wireless internet at the middle schools and locker rooms for varsity hockey at the . The plan notably excluded an indoor concession stand at .

Mike Vogel, assistant to the superintendent for operations, presented the budget plans. He stressed that per usual, there were many more requests than the budget could handle.

Board memebers said they struggled with how to equitably distribute capital funds to East Ridge High School, as it is newer and would hopefully require less funding for repairs. Ultimately, the board moved some funds to what is essentially a contingency account, from which funds could be distributed back to East Ridge is the need arises.

In the end, the board stressed that high-priority needs were funded first and that all vital needs were being met by current funding.