SALEM R-80: Board passes $12.2 million budget

McColloch said that since he is in his first year as superintendent, he wanted to be conservative with the budget for any oversights or unexpected items.

He also recommended a transfer of five percent, or $357,000, to the debt service fund. After paying for the roof project, that would leave approximately $666,000 balance in that fund. He hopes to recommend a seven percent transfer next year.

In other news:

• during his facilities update, McColloch said work is underway on parking lots at the high school and upper elementary, and supplies for work on the high school choir room roof are expected to arrive Monday.

Bus inspections were made by the highway patrol, and 100 percent of R-80 busses passed, he said. The state average is 89.9 percent.

• Assistant superintendent John Smith said preliminary numbers indicate that 92.13 percent of district students attended school 90 percent or more of the time, perhaps the best showing for the district ever.

Smith said all of the building administrators are to be commended for the improvement, and that previous years that number has not hit the 90 percent mark.

The district has implemented several programs to improve attendance, plus administrators have emphasized the need for improvement.

Average daily attendance was 95.36 percent.

• The board voted unanimously to contribute $10,000 to the Salem Community Center @ The Armory, as it has every year since becoming one of the original partners. McColloch says that R-80 staff will get a 25 percent discount at the fitness center in the building in appreciation of the contribution.