By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Hays USD 489 will continue its work toward smaller class sizes in the coming year.
Superintendent John Thissen said the school district has made positive progress in achieving its goals during the last year as he reviewed the district’s goals and objectives at a school board meeting Monday night.
Included in these objectives was a goal to reduce class size to 18 students per classroom.
Class sizes are currently averaging from 20.7 students in the fifth grade to 22.5 students for first grade.
The district’s proposed bond issue that will go to voters on Nov. 7 could help with the student/teacher ratio issue. The bond would build two new elementary schools and remodel space at Roosevelt Elementary School.
Each school would be able to accommodate four sections of each grade. Thissen said the district is anticipating stable enrollment over the next few years, so the additional space could be used to create additional sections and reduce class sizes.
The district would need additional funds to pay for new teachers to staff those new sections, which is something the district hopes to work on through the budgeting process over the next several years.
At the high school level, the district once considered eliminating block scheduling in order to address class size, but has been able to achieve its goals while maintaining block scheduling. The district plans to cross that objective off its list.
If state funding stays stable or increases, the district also would like to add counselors who were eliminated due to state funding cuts.
In terms of increasing the quality of education, the district still has set a goal to increase its preschool program to all-day. Thissen said a plan to accomplish this goal is in the works and could be a reality within the next three to four years.
In addition, Thissen said he would like see the amount of in-service time increased. Hays has the least amount of time dedicated to in-service — four days — of any district in which he has worked.
Under capital outlay, the district set goals to address a new bond issue, LED lighting updates and secure entrances at schools.
The bond vote has been set for Nov. 7, and it will address secure entrances at all schools if it passes.
A project to replace all the lighting at Hays High School with LEDs was completed this year. Thissen said he hopes to have a report soon that will show how much savings the district is reaping from the more energy-efficient bulbs.
Under finances, the district was able to successfully lower school fees for all students, which was one of its goals.
The workbook/material fees for all students for this school year was reduced from $135 to $90, thanks to an increase in state funding. The district also eliminated the kindergarten fee when the state funded all-day kindergarten for the first time this school year.
The district also has decreased its worker’s compensation insurance premiums through the work of a district safety committee. The district has been able to reduce the premiums by more than $100,000 since the committee’s formation in 2014.
The district is continuing to work toward improving safety and lowering rates. The district is very close to a one insurance rating. If its rating falls below a one, the district should see another significant decrease in rates.
Thissen said the district still needs to work to decrease schools’ reliance on home and school organizations for the capital purchases.
“I have great concern that we end up having curriculum being purchased by home and school,” Thissen said. “Curriculum should be purchased by the school not by home and school … by PTO. That needs to be changed.”
The district successfully increased its contingency fund from $300,000 to more than $600,000. However, Thissen said the district should have more money in reserve. The district would need at least $2 million in reserve to cover one month’s worth of expenses.
One of the district’s ongoing goals is to increase transparency and communication with the public.
Thissen has started being a guest of KAYS radio at 7:45 a.m. on the mornings after board meetings. The district has organized town hall meetings, communication groups for special-ed and met with legislators. The district also is working to improve its website.
Thissen said the district is trying to build trust not only with the public but throughout its whole system.
“You have to have trust all the way through it,” he said. “You have to have the building administrators trust the administrators. You have to have the teachers trust the building administrators. Those are the pieces we are trying to work with and have the best communication in that process.”