Local art, music and STEAM teachers, mental health professionals, an athletic coaching supplement and employee raises would account for a requested $2.5 million jump in local funding for the coming school year.
The recurring funding increase request comes from keeping five art teachers, four music teachers, one STEAM teacher, seven mental health professionals, increasing the athletic coaching supplement by 10%, and increasing classified employee pay by 3%, according to Macon County Schools Assistant Finance Director Alayna Ledford (who becomes finance director July 1 after current Finance Director Angie Cook retires).
The 3% raise for classified employees covers “school treasurers, receptionists, clerical, data managers, transportation, maintenance.” The total increase would equal $289,862.78. This proposed 3% raise follows a 4% raise last year.
The school system is primarily funded by state dollars, with the remainder funded locally or through grants. In 2023-24, education operations (separate from capital requests) saw a $953,120 increase to $10,118,028. This fell short of the school system’s requested increase of $1,584,197. For the 2024-25 year, the school system’s recurring expense ask will be a million dollars more at $2,546,433.
The 10 total teachers added to the local ask are because the federal ESSER funding, instituted during the COVID pandemic, will be exhausted by June 1. If not funded locally, the positions would disappear. Superintendent Josh Lynch said those 10 positions are ones MCS currently has with no cuts and would cost $718,287.35.
Other ESSER-funded positions have already been absorbed into the locally funded budget or gained through attrition, except for the mental health professionals. These seven positions are $489,040.14.
Lynch said MCS has applied for a Dogwood Health Trust grant to cover the mental health professionals for “three to five years” before the program becomes self-sustaining through Medicare billing. That grant would reduce the recurring by roughly half a million.
“During initial consultation, they did not bat an eye in regards to what the ask was,” Lynch said of their mental health professional grant meeting with Dogwood. Lynch also said Jackson County has implemented grant-funded mental health professionals, saying it has worked well there.
When asked when MCS should hear if they got the Dogwood grant, Ledford said the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation is facilitating for MCS and they should know shortly.
“They feel very positive,” Ledford said of the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation. Lynch added that MCS is seeking other grants for mental health positions, as the plan would be to expand from the initial seven to one in every school.
The 10% coaching supplement increase would be $31,719.51, from roughly $317,000 to over $348,000. These supplements would cover at least 50 coaches in MCS. Lynch said this follows a regional coaching supplement study.
Board member Hilary Wilkes asked about supplement increases for other non-sports personnel, like theater and band directors. Breedlove said that’s yet to be decided.
Along with funding 19 teachers at $1,017,523.50, the total recurring increase is $2,546,433. If MCS gets the Dogwood grant for mental health professionals, the ask becomes $2,057,393.14.
At the meeting’s onset, Breedlove called it a “necessary evil” as the board had to look over the numbers.
“Everything is going to be questioned,” Breedlove said.
Capital projects
The board discussed new capital outlay projects they could fund but held off on deciding priority.
Last year, the board decided to fund fencing at Highlands, flooring in the East Franklin office and media center, a steamer at Cartoogechaye and South Macon, a double-stack oven at Franklin High, a tilt skillet, door swipes, three mowers, a milk cooler and an activity bus. The door swipes are still in progress and should be done by June. The activity bus will arrive any day now.
Currently, the county has $131,679.35 in capital outlay remaining for the schools. Each principal compiled a list, with wants totaling $34 million.
Items discussed as immediate needs were the HVAC at FHS for $20,320 (paid out of ESSER), a milk cooler for Highlands for $5,086 and a maintenance truck for $70,692.99.
The board voted unanimously to put $96,099.63 into the general fund to reimburse previous capital outlay projects, leaving $35,579.
Board member Stephanie Laseter wanted to add the East Franklin, Iotla Valley, Nantahala and Highlands floor scrubbers, estimated at $34,000.
The board and staff discussed potentially repaving the staff parking lot at Mountain View Intermediate, as several deep potholes have caused people to fall. MCS Maintenance Director Tracy Tallent said last year, that the state said they would handle the paving costs, then at the last minute said no. Lynch estimated it would cost north of $10,000.
The board also discussed safety improvements to the school coming after the January MVI lockdown incident. MCS Technology Director Tim Burrell said improving the intercom system is more important than a video camera system. Burrell said they might not have enough money to finish upgrading the system this summer.
Lynch said in discussions with MCS Safety Coordinator Robbie Holland and school principals, the school system determined a strobing light system would be beneficial for emergencies.
Additionally, the county is adding radio signal boosters to the schools. Lynch and others have previously said law enforcement had difficulty using two-way radio communication during the MVI lockdown incident.
Breedlove said the board will discuss capital outlay priority at its next regular meeting, Monday, March 25, at 6 p.m. at Macon Middle School.