By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school district head count is stable and in good shape, said Superintendent John Thissen Monday night.
A report heard by the school board Monday night shows enrollment at 3,033 students compared to an audited count of 3,006 last year.
Superintendent John Thissen said once the enrollment figures become official, he anticipated they will be close to the audit numbers from the previous year.
The district’s official count date is Sept. 20. Those figures are then audited in spring.
However, the district is showing a slight increase over the last seven years. Audited enrollment during the 2012-13 school year was 2,916 students.
Assistant Superintendent Shanna Dinkel said that enrollment trend may continue. The district’s largest class is the incoming kindergarteners, and the smallest classes are the juniors and seniors. As the smaller classes graduate, enrollment may see a slight bump, she said.
Base state aid for schools is based on enrollment. However, school districts receive additional funds for various factors.
The head count also includes students who go to other area schools, but receive services through the Hays school district for special education. The district enrollment may vary depending on how many hours of the day the auditor determines these students are receiving services from the district.
District goals
The board further refined its goals during its meeting Monday.
The board settled on three goals:
• Design a stable financial structure that allows the district to accomplish its educational mission.
• Create an educational improvement guide utilizing the Kansas Educational Systems Accreditation process.
• Develop a plan to prepare the district for the future.
Each of these goals have multiple objectives, which will be refined in the coming weeks.
Crisis Drills
The board also discussed changes to its Administrative Handbook that were required to conform with new state rules for crisis drills.
The Kansas Fire Marshall’s Office increased the number of required crisis drills, reduced the number of fire drills and stipulated school districts statewide could only give five minutes notice of a drill to the public. State officials suggested giving more notice might lead to someone taking advantage of the drills to harm students or staff.
Wilson playground
Thissen also reported work has begun on installing new playground equipment at Wilson Elementary School. The work should be complete by the end of next week.