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Dave, Sorry for getting back to you so late on the questions you raised at the April 16 board meeting. Your first question related to the amount of money that will leave each elementary school when the fifth graders are moved to the middle school building. Each student in the district generates approximately $6,000 in general education revenue. The majority of this money is used to pay salaries and fringe benefits for teachers, administrators, clerical personnel, educational assistants, maintenance/custodial personnel, and pupil support personnel such as counselors. The rest of the money is spent on building fixed costs, transportation, instructional materials, student extra-curricular activities and other special programs. The number of students in a building will determine the number of teachers and educational assistants that are assigned to that building. When we moved the fifth graders from Madison and W-K this year, we also moved instructional personnel. We will do the same for next year. It should be noted that when we bring the fifth graders together in the middle school building, we do generate savings due to the efficiency of consolidating the students in one location. For example, we are projecting savings in teacher salaries for next year in the amount of $63,128 when the Central and Goodview fifth graders move to the middle school building. As with instructional personnel that are moved from the elementary building, we also transfer instructional supply money that we allocate on a per pupil basis. Next year this amounts to $88 per student. In summary, the dollars that are "lost" to the elementary school and "gained" for the fifth grade program at the middle school building are those costs that are associated with the classroom instructional program. For an average classroom of 25 students, this would amount to a teacher salary plus benefits (approximately $41,500) and $2,200 in instructional supply dollars. Your second question related to the input that was received from Goodview parents regarding the survey that was distributed to them by members of the PTA. The board received a copy of this survey, along with a survey that was sent to parents of fifth grade students who are at the middle school building this year. This information, along with other information supplied by parents, teachers, students, board members and administrators was provided to the board in the decision-making process. Your last question asked if the decision to continue to move the fifth graders to the middle school building was a "done deal". As it now stands, the board has taken action to continue this transition, and we are proceeding based upon that action to move the Central and Goodview fifth graders to the middle school building for the 2002-03 school year. As with any decision, this one is open to review and reversal by board action. If you have any questions about my response, please contact me. I have also forwarded this response to the board email site Eric Eric Bartleson, Superintendent Winona Area Public Schools 654 Huff St. Winona, MN 55987 507.454.9461 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------- This message was sent to the School Board of Winona Area Public Schools. To send a message to the entire School Board, address it to [EMAIL PROTECTED] All messages sent to that address are viewable by the general public. A public archive of emails sent to and exchanged between school board members is available at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
