MENDOTA – Mendota High School’s ability to budget got high praise from the State of Illinois for fiscal year 18. An audit report presented by Russ Rumbold of Gorenz & Associates at the Oct. 15 board of education meeting showed the district earning a Financial Profile Score of 4.0, the highest score possible. Rumbold said the score rose from 3.55 in FY17 and keeps MHS at the Financial Recognition level.

During the report, Rumbold also commended the board for staying within plus or minus 10 percent of what was budgeted compared to actual expenses. “Everybody could do that it they amended their budget,” he commented. “You didn’t amend your budget and stayed with that amount, so I would say that’s a pretty good job.”

Total fund equity (all funds) increased to $39,914,730. Net equity (less fixed assets) in the operating funds went up by $327,649 in 2018 to $6,951,770. Unencumbered equity in the operating funds (less unpaid teachers’ contracts and funds reserved for special purposes) is $5,286,579, an increase of $321,779 from 2017.

Rumbold noted that District 280 receives most of its funding from local sources including real estate taxes (46 percent) and other local revenue (23 percent). General State Aid contributes 20 percent, other state sources 5 percent and the federal government 6 percent.

A drop in salaries and benefits of about $157,000 was seen in FY18 compared to the previous year.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

Superintendent Jeff Prusator had a bit of positive news regarding funding from the state. “We received our last two payments from FY18 for transportation for regular and special ed,” he told the board. “That is good news because most of that funding will now be generated through the evidence based funding.”

In other business, the board approved a motion to let bids for tennis court repairs. Prusator said after the Building Committee discussed the repairs in September, he got some advice and then worked on the bid specs. “There aren’t a whole lot of companies that do this,” he explained. “We would like to get a bid approved hopefully at the December meeting so we can get penciled in to have the work done next summer.”

The board also approved the non-certified seniority list and the winter athletic budgets ($2,956), let bids for snow removal, and heard the first reading of the updated Board Policy.

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Principal Denise Aughenbaugh discussed several upcoming events including Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences, which are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 24 and 25. The conferences will again be an open house concept running from 4 to 7 p.m. on both days so parents can attend whenever it is convenient for them.

Parents are asked to use the high school’s main entrance doors and pick up their student’s progress reports in front of the media center. They can then meet with teachers, who will be located in the cafeteria and the gym. Parents are encouraged to bring their student with them to conferences.

In addition, Aughenbaugh said they are bringing in several outside organizations to provide additional service to students and parents. The schedule will include:

Wednesday, Oct. 24

* Community Health Partnership of Illinois - outreach table and representative

* FAFSA (financial aid form for college) - completion support in the Media Center (in English)

Thursday, Oct. 25

*FAFSA Completion Assistance - in Media Center (English and Spanish)

*Illinois Student Assistance Commission Corp - representative in Media Center

*Northern Illinois University - free application event & information

*Area Career Center - representatives

*IVCC Dual Credit and Career/Tech Opportunities - information

*IVCC admissions - general information

*IVCC Hispanic Leadership Team

*United States Marine Corp - recruiter

*Illinois Army National Guard - recruiter

*MHS Booster Club

*Post Prom

Also on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., a meeting of the Bilingual Parent Advisory Council (BPAC) will be held in the Media Center. IVCC representatives and the IVCC Student Hispanic Leadership Team will provide a brief presentation (in Spanish) on college and career opportunities. Refreshments will be provided.

Upcoming Events

Oct. 26 - No school

Oct. 31 - Early dismissal at 11:31 a.m. - some teachers will receive instruction on CPR and the Special Education Department will meet with the LEASE Cooperative on IEP changes.

Nov. 1 - Fall Concert at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium.

Nov. 7 - Student Council Blood Drive during the day; MHS Booster Club meets at 7 p.m.

Nov. 14 - “Hidden in Plain Sight” drug awareness program at 6 p.m. in the auditorium, open to the public. This program is presented by CPASA (Community Partners Against Substance Abuse) of Bureau and Putnam counties. Aughenbaugh said they will bring a mock bedroom to the high school, which attendees walk through prior to the presentation. They presentation will explain how to look for hidden drugs and alcohol and signs of depression in a student’s bedroom. Attendees will then go through the bedroom a second time and try to recognize the things that were hidden.

“This is the second time they have been at MHS,” Aughenbaugh noted. “It was really well received the first time, so we encourage everyone to come out whether or not you have students in high school. It’s good information.”

In addition, that evening MHS will host a representative from Luke Tomshaw’s Perfectly Flawed organization. Aughenbaugh explained that the goal of the Perfectly Flawed Foundation is to help break the cycle of addiction by getting youth active in the community and giving them something else to do instead of walking down the wrong path. For more information, visit https://www.perfectlyflawed.org.

In closing, Aughenbaugh said winter sports practices are scheduled to begin soon: Boys Bowling Oct. 22, Girls Basketball Oct. 29, Boys Basketball and Wrestling Nov. 5 and Girls Bowling Nov. 12.

PERSONNEL

Following closed session, the board accepted the resignation of Scott Vickery as bowling coach and hired Tim Dessing to fill that position.

They also hired Katie Fox as freshman girls basketball coach and approved Matt Hanaman as a volunteer wrestling coach.

The next regular board of education meeting will be held at the high school on Monday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m.