USD 257 Board of Education members put the brakes Monday on looking into new schools or renovations.
Gov. Sam Brownback’s announced cuts of $45 million for public schools and higher education by March 7 have left school officials unsure they can make do, much less hope for a future that would include updated or new schools.
“It’s difficult to make a strategic plan for the district when we don’t know what our budget will look like,” Superintendent of Schools Jack Koehn said.
USD 257 had hoped to work with Greenbush Education Service Center to form a community committee that would look at Iola’s facilities.
Brownback has the singular authority to make the cuts mid-year because the state is projected to end the fiscal year in the red.
USD 257 is already looking where it can cut costs, Koehn said. However, necessary purchases continue to arise. Maintenance costs and required replacements will become costly. “We have to buy six buses in the next five years,” Koehn said. “This whole scenario makes us paralyzed.”
State law requires a district’s buses be no older than 25 years.
Sean Linn, assistant technology director and crisis management director, presented the district’s crisis management plan. Linn has worked with emergency responders at city and county levels to create a safe and efficient plan for the district during times of crisis. If a crisis were to erupt in one of the buildings, like a fire or an active shooter, administrators, faculty and staff will know what actions to take because they will have a plan.
Linn showed the binder he’s created for staff.
“The binder gives administrators the district layout, its needs and district numbers,” Linn said.
Linn updated each USD 257 building layout for the plan. Police officers will carry a 3×5 card of the layout with them so they are familiar with each building if a situation were to appear.
Linn said six of 11 administrators have completed FEMA training. The binder has each type of crisis and what actions staff and students need to take. He said this plan will need to be updated routinely through the year.
Larry Wilson and Misty Powelson were hired as half-time track coaches. Chris Weide and Amy Welch were hired as full-time track coaches.
257 scraps school plans
