Work on the Fairbanks Life Skills Lab is progressing and the facility is expected to be ready for the opening of school, district officials said at Monday night’s board of education meeting. The lab is going into the middle school at a cost of about $145,000.
(Photo submitted)
––––
While it is still July, officials at Fairbanks are preparing for the opening of school.
“Our leadership team has been planning for the start of the school year,” Superintendent Adham Schirg told the school board at Monday night’s meeting. “We are preparing for an exciting and busy month in August as we welcome our students, staff, families and communities back to schools.”
He said it has been, “exciting to see many of our high school and middle school fall activities get underway over the last several days.”
“They will pick up as we get closer to August and the start of school,” Schirg said.
The first day of school for students in grades 1-12 will be Wednesday, Aug. 14. Kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students will start school on Monday, Aug. 19.
Schirg said district maintenance director Scott Shively has been working to prepare facilities. He said planned asbestos abatement is complete, as are a number of other projects.
The middle school roof project is about 70% complete.
“With all the rain we had, we thought we were getting behind right off the bat,” Schirg said.
He explained that crews have been good to work and keep the area free of little and debris. He said that with their work, “we might be a little ahead of schedule.”
Schirg said work on the district’s Life Skills Lab is “progressing.”
The new superintendent said the lab is a project he is excited about. He said the lab will service students who need a different learning environment. He said these students will receive special education services.
Board member Brian Phelps said the lab will help these students, “grow a little more independence.”
Board President Mark Lippencott said that in the past, facilities have limited the life skills the district was able to teach. He said that as officials look to the future, the ability to teach these skills will be important.
Schirg said the district staff is also preparing for the opening of school. He said there will be an administrative retreat on Aug. 5-6, followed by a whole-staff breakfast and convocation Aug. 12 and work day that day and the next.
The high school and middle school will have back to school night for students and families on Wednesday, Aug. 7. The elementary school’s back to school night will be Monday, Aug. 12.
The board also approved the permanent appropriations budget for fiscal year 2019-2020. Treasurer Aaron Johnson said the budget included an increase of about “just over 5% for next year.”
He said the increase is due largely to a 17% increase in medical insurance and the purchase of a K-5 literacy curriculum.
Johnson reported the district finished 2018-2019, “pretty much where we projected.”
Johnson said district revenue for 2018-2019 was about $12.95 million, down about $35,000 from the previous year. He said property tax was down but other revenue was up.
Expenses for 2018-2019 totaled about $12.74 million, an increase of about $591,000 or about 5% over the year before.
Board member Derek Nicol said the state legislature continues to work on the state budget. He said officials are “optimistic” they can have an agreement soon.
He said the legislature is also still working on legislation to create equitable funding for school districts.
“I don’t know if this will help or hurt us,” Nicol said of the potential legislation.
Schirg said that while the legislation has been in the process for more than a year, it is “still in its infancy.”
He said the legislation as recommended by committee would mean “a significant increase in funding for state public education.”
He said the committee-recommended plan would mean a funding increase of about $1.6 million for districts across the state.
“I don’t think that is what we will see ultimately,” Schirg said.