Wakefield’s Board of Education held both a budget hearing and board meeting last week. The board discussed helping some band students fund a trip to commemorate D-Day and superintendent evaluation, among other topics, after the budget was approved.
The 2021-2022 budget is eight percent higher than the 2020-2021 budget. While budget increases have come from items like the stadium project, the tax levy has gone up only marginally with an increase of two cents per $100 valuation.
“The valuations were up, the State aid is up a bit, but we did keep the levy approximately the same,” Superintendent Matt Farup said.
The final tax request was approved at $4,990,002.
The board also approved giving funds to band and choir teacher Esly Ovando and students Rachael Nuernberger, Susana Prado and Catleena Lortz for their band trip to Washington D.C. and France. Farup told the board the group had worked very hard on auditions for a D-Day commemoration performance and were chosen. They will go on a 10-day trip, first to the nation’s capital, and then on to Normandy on D-Day, when they will perform. Farup said the students are currently raising funds on their own to attend.
“(They) are doing a great job of raising funds and working really hard, but I also believe it is a curricular subject that should be supported by the school.”
The board voted to give Ovando $2,000 and each student $1,000 for their trip.
Board president Bree Brown lead discussion of adopting the Nebraska Association of School Board’s (NASB) superintendent evaluation tool. Superintendent evaluations have been a tedious process for the board in the past, but the NASB tool will streamline the process and provide better feedback. The move was approved.
The next regularly scheduled Wakefield Board of Education meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 11.
