LPOSD planning supplemental levy

SANDPOINT - Lake Pend Oreille School District patrons can expect a two-year supplemental levy on the ballot this coming spring.

With the existing $9 million levy set to expire on June 30, 2009, district officials are reviewing LPOSD curriculum, technology, facilities and general fund needs for the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years.

The district anticipates a $1,167,810 shortfall for FY 2010 and a $1,468,310 shortfall the following year related to increased expenses, the loss of several federal and state grants and the end of three-year Coldwater Creek upper quartile program donation, said LPOSD business manager Lisa Hals at Tuesday's trustee meeting.

Three district employees also made pitches for additional funding above that shortfall, including curriculum director Judy Hull, who is seeking $588,331 for consumable supplies, new science books and curriculum support.

The current levy did not sufficiently cover the cost of consumable supplies such as math, reading and handwriting workbooks, she said.

She projects LPOSD will need $279,986 for K-6 consumable, $76,480 for 7-12 consumables, $18,140 for new science curriculum and $8,995 for Aimsweb, a state computer program that is used to test children's reading skills.

Concerned about voters' willingness to support a levy given the current economic climate, trustee Joan Fish asked whether the curriculum budget is as lean as it can be.

"I just think we're going to have a real difficult time passing the levy," Fish said.

Hull described herself as "very frugal," adding that she cannot imagine what she could cut from the consumables budget given that the items used support student learning.

Two years ago, all but two of 100 students in an intensive Sandpoint Middle School reading program passed the ISAT test after being two to three years behind their peers, she said.

Workbooks played a large part in that success, she said.

There also is no way of predicting how much the cost of consumable items will increase, Hull said, adding that she contacted several supplies and none would make a prediction.

Maintenance director Sid Rayfield expects the district will need $748,905 for utilities, while Doug Olin said it will need an additional $1,632,571 for technology licensing fees, refreshing and replacing its computers, many of which are five to seven years old, and for staffing.

The district also should consider funding some maintenance-related technology issues, a data management system for its CORE curriculum to track student progress, plus a GIS mapping system to determine student attendance boundaries, plus efficient bus routes.

Sandpoint Middle School principal Kim Keaton said he would prefer that the district purchase software that tracks student progress from year to year rather than the GIS system.