Tuition will go up by $145 for out-of-district students attending Dalton Public Schools this fall.
Board of Education members voted unanimously to raise tuition from $855 to $1,000 during their monthly meeting Monday night. Board member Tulley Johnson was absent.
The new tuition rate will bring in a little more than $300,000, about $30,000 more than this year, if the same number of children continue attending. Board members say their decision was based on a desire to equalize the amount out-of-district students and Dalton property taxpayers contribute to their children’s education.
“We want good kids to come in to our system, but we also bear in mind that some are not as affluent as others,” said board chairman Steve Williams. “We don’t want to keep kids out.”
About 400 out-of-district students attend Dalton schools. Board members said they’ll likely consider gradually raising the amount to about $1,400 over the next couple of years. The average cost of educating a child is about $9,000, and about $4,500 comes from local funds. About 30 percent of the local funds — $1,400 — come from residential taxes.
“We will vow to look at that again in the future,” said board member Mark Orr.
Board member Danny Crutchfield said he recognizes now is a “hard time to ask anybody to pay more money for something,” and he favors stepping up tuition gradually.
The new tuition amount is based on the average residential property tax bill in the 2009 digest. The old amount was based on the average bill in 2005, the last time the board changed the amount.
Employees who live out of district will continue to pay $648 annually. Both employees and non-employees pay 75 percent of their respective rates for the second child and half for the third child.
Superintendent Jim Hawkins said several employees asked the rate not be increased.
Parent Mitch Land attended the meeting but did not speak. In an interview, he questioned the need for raising tuition, but he praised the board for the process they went through to approve the rate. Officials gathered information on how much similar school districts charge for tuition and also sought input from parents and the community.
“I thought the process they went through was fine,” Land said. “The increase they went through for our family of four was about 30 percent.”
In other business at the meeting, officials:
• Voted to lower substitute teacher pay rates, partly as a cost-saving measure and partly because all other employees except substitutes saw a reduction in pay earlier this year. Subs with an associate degree or higher will make $62.50 a day rather than $65, subs working between 11 and 19 days will be paid $70 instead of $79, and long-term subs working 20 or more days will make $110 instead of $133.24. Paraprofessional subs and those with less than an associate’s degree will continue to make $50. Estimated savings is $7,500.
• Approved eliminating Jan. 8, April 1 and June 4 as teacher workdays. Some employees, like cafeteria workers and some central office employees, will not be affected. Students will not attend school April 1, but officials said Dalton students already attend school the hourly equivalent of 10 days more than state law requires. The move will save the school system $650,000 in salaries, $12,000 in transportation costs and about $4,000 in utilities.
State funding to the school system has been cut the equivalent of six days’ pay plus a 4 percent reduction in the funding formula. It’s about $5 million than the $29.85 million the school system was expecting at the beginning of the school year.
• Recognized Blue Ridge, City Park, Dalton Middle, Roan and Park Creek schools for state awards celebrating their high participation in the school nutrition program. Nutrition director Amy Weaver-Akins said the recognition is especially meaningful since students are eating more leafy greens and orange vegetables than they were a few years ago.
Education
Dalton schools hike tuition
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Northwest students place high, take tech to next level
Several Northwest Whitfield High School students placed high in the Sequoyah Regional Georgia Educational Technology Fair. Pictured from left are Josh Rountree, Audrey Edds, Bryan Cooper and Eli McMahon.
Several Northwest Whitfield High School students placed high in the Sequoyah Regional Georgia Educational Technology Fair.
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Dalton student on GPS May Court
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Northwest Whitfield High School Sweetheart Court
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Art student’s work on exhibition
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Local high schools recognized for AP classes, exams
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The Perfect Polish
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MCHS accepts letterman's jacket
James “William” Butler’s family presented his letterman’s jacket to Murray County High School Principal Gina Linder during halftime of a varsity boys’ basketball game recently. The jacket, which has a “1962 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP” patch on it, will be displayed in the school’s trophy case. Presenting the jacket to Linder were Butler’s nieces, Chloe Brown and Ashley Strong; his wife, Patsy Butler; his daughter, Robin Baggett; and his grandchildren, Jaden and Janna Baggett.
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Mountain Creek Academy honors December teacher of the month
English teacher Jennifer Weninger (center) was selected by her peers as December’s Teacher of the Month at Mountain Creek Academy. Principal Paula Martin (right) and Curriculum Instructor Facilitator/Counselor Jennifer Lents presented her with the award.
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Mountain Creek Academy honors December staff of the month
Mountain Creek Academy Lisa Sanford, center, accepts a certificate from Principal Paula Martin and Counselor Jennifer Lents (left) as she is recognized with a December Staff of the Month award. Sanford has worked at Mountain Creek for 12 years.
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Med students visit Murray High
In December, students from Murray County High School and North Murray High School were invited to meet with fourth-year medical students Allen Ligon of Augusta and Heath Petty, an MCHS graduate.
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Gladden honors December student of the month
Joey Ecklebarger is the December 2011 Gladden Middle School Student of the Month. Joey is motivated and puts forth great effort in all classes. His behavior and attitude towards school, other students and teachers is also outstanding. Sean Hammond, Joey’s social studies teacher says of Joey, “He is great to have on our team.”
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Coker honors students for Week 14 good behavior
As part of Coker Elementary School’s PBIS or Positive Behavioral and Interventions Support system, students that follow the school expectations are recognized each week for their Great Behavior.
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Gladden students use Facebook in lessons
Gladden Middle School eighth-grader Shaley Stafford shows her Facebook page model on the book “Alice in Wonderland.” Eighth grade reading teacher Keith Rollins had his students choose a book from the library to do a book report on. However, this was not an ordinary book report. After the students read their book, they were to do their report by making a Facebook page about their book.
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Gladden assigns January Dreamcatcher award
Every month, one of the faculty members at Gladden Middle School is recognized for having the most clean and organized room. The award given is called the Dream Catcher Award. Seventh grade social studies teacher Jennifer Bennett was awarded the Dream Catcher Classroom of the Month for January and will hang the Dream Catcher model in her room until the next month.
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