Wrapping up a year, under budget

The Luther School Board made quick work of its meeting Monday night.

Notables from the meeting:

• All board members attended except for newly appointed member CJ Cavin who had a law school exam.
• Treasurer Gary Roy reported the district’s checking account shows more funds than it has in recent months because of some ad valorem payments to the district. He also said that the district has only spent 68% of the budget at the end of the year. Although expenses in operations and the business office are way over budget, but no money has spent spent this year on buildings. The district operated on a $5.2 million budget this year and has spent just more than $3.6 million. For comparison, in 2015-206, the district spent $6 million.
• Consultant David Harp said with keeping expenditures down, the district is “in a pretty good situation even with the dire news at the state level.” He expects the district to have about the same budget numbers to work with for the next school year.
• The board approved a trip for the high school girls basketball team to play in Houston over Thanksgiving break, at no cost to the district.
• The board planned its second June board meeting for June 29 at 6:30 pm. (There is no July meeting).
• The board approved a student “drop-out” report for accreditation purposes. There were zero dropouts in middle school and two in the high school.
• After executive session, the board voted to make Mr. Barry Gunn the superintendent immediately and hired and/or rehired some certified and non-certified personnel whose names were not made public.
• The board hired a new head varsity softball coach and assistant junior high softball coach. Ashton Fitzgerald played collegiate softball and will only coach for a stipend, as there are no teaching positions for her currently.
• The board applauded the Track team for its outstanding showing at the Regional and State Track meets. Coach Higdon said out of the ten students who went to state, five “stood on the podium” as champions.

The meeting began with a somber remembrance of Dr. Sheldon Buxton, the outgoing superintendent who passed away on April 27. School Board President Steve Broudy said his family continues to keep the Buxton family in their prayers. Mr. Gunn said his sympathies go to a family that has lost a father and a husband.

“Dr. Buxton served the Luther School District for four years and it is important to remember that through the ups and downs, he was a man who genuinely cared about people, those he worked with and the students.”

Commencement is Tuesday night at 7:30 pm in Luther Auditorium. There are 50 graduates with 16 of them also earning diplomas from Eastern Oklahoma Technology Center, and many more earning college credits through concurrent enrollment at local universities. The class has five valedictorians who maintained a 4.0 GPA for the last seven semesters: Hannah Boydston, Lyliana Gonzalaz, Jakob Harmon, Kiley Morphis and Kacy Price. The salutatorian is Jake Broudy.

The last day of school year  is Friday.

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