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The Cheyenne County School District No. 1 Board of Education approved the 2021-2022 District Budget in its Sept. 13 meeting.
The 5-0 vote was held in the regular session following the 5:15 p.m. public hearing on the budget.
The board noted the budget increased from about $19.4 million for the General Fund in the 2020-2021 budget to $20.3 million in the proposed 2021-2022 budget. The mill levy increased from 1.015094 generating almost $7.1 million for 2020-2021 for the General Fund, to 1.05 mills to generate $7.323,138 for the 2021-2022 General Fund.
The General Fund Operating Budget increased from almost $19.4 million in the 2020-2021 budget to $20,323,000 for the 2021-2022 budget. The total operating budget increased from $20,823,907 in 2020-2021to $22,021,772 for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
In addition to approving the 21-22 budget, the board approved a resolution for District Tax Request for $7,323,138 for the General Fund, $175,100 for Qualified Capital Purchase Undertaking Fund and $1,140,200 for the Bond Fund.
The board also discussed definition of leave related to COVID. The proposal is for teachers to be allowed to use “sick days” from their sick leave bank in lieu of personal time off for days COVID-19 reasons only. The proposal expects the teacher to continue teaching from home to the best of their ability. Lesson planning, Zoom lessons and video conferencing were cited as ways instruction could continue. The proposed policy says “any teacher unwilling to make the effort will not be included and will use PTO (Paid Time Off). Board members debated the use of the word “unwilling.” Sidney High School Principal Chris Arent said teachers who call in sick are expected to do what they physically can from home. The change of procedure is a “meeting in the middle” approved by the Sidney Education Association.
The board also approved an overnight travel request by the FFA chapter. Arent said the chapter's officers will be traveling to the National Convention. The District will be paying for the cost of registration, hotel rooms and one meal per day. The students and families will be responsible for the cost of airline travel and miscellaneous expenses. As of the Sept. 13 school board meeting, there were no COVID restrictions impacting the National Convention.
The local chapter has eight students in leadership positions.
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