Whitley Co. School District finishes fiscal year with $2.1 million balance

The Whitley County Board of Education received a clean financial bill of health during its regular monthly meeting Thursday evening.

PAVE Volunteer Jenny York received the October Above and Beyond Award.

The board approved the 2018-2019 audit report by the accounting firm of Marr, Miller & Myers, which noted the district ended the 2018-2019 fiscal year with a cash balance of $5,729,387 compared to a $3,623,944 cash balance at the close of the 2017-2018 fiscal year, or an increase of $2,105,443.

The 2018-2019 fiscal year ended on June 30, 2019.

“The school district had a very good audit this year,” noted auditor Nancy Logan. “Basically your financial statements are in accordance to all the financial standards you have to go by.”

National Board Certified Teachers Amy Bowman, Angela Singleton, John Crisologo and Johnna Robinson were recognized Thursday and each received a free laptop computer from Cumberland Valley Electric.

The district had general fund revenue of $38,701,606, and expenditures of $37,168,447. The district’s total debt decreased $1,953,052 during the current fiscal year.

Logan added that revenue was up about $1.7 million compared to the prior year, most of which was an increase from federal revenue sources. Expenditures only increased during that time by about $205,000.

“The district came out to the good $1.5 million. That is pretty impressive for a district this size,” Logan said. “The people in the finance office, everybody around here needs to be commended for really keeping an eye on expenditures and managing their money.”

The Whitley County Board of Education recognized several new teachers Thursday night, and presented each with a new T-shirt.

Logan noted that the audit also contained no management comments, which is a good thing. Last year’s audit contained some small things related to activity funds, but this wasn’t the case this year with those issues being corrected.

Prior to the start of Thursday’s meeting, the board of education held a prayer in support of the family of Fisher Barton, a Whitley County High School Junior, who died in an ATV accident on Oct. 4 near Jellico.

In other business, the board:

• Approved a correction to the 2019-2020 pay scale. Superintendent John Siler noted that the correction includes a $1,000 stipend to teachers, who get additional training so they can be certified to teach dual credit classes.
• Recognized teachers Amy Bowman, Angela Singleton, John Crisologo and Johnna Robinson, who have completed work to become National Board Certified Teachers. The Cumberland Valley Electric Coop also presented each of those teachers with a new laptop computer in recognition of their work. Cumberland Valley is also donating an expensive charging station to Whitley County High School, noted Principal Bob Lawson.
• Awarded the October Above and Beyond Award to Jenny York, who is a Parents As Volunteer Educators (PAVE) volunteer at Pleasant View Elementary School. Pleasant View Principal Bobby Gibbs nominated her for the award.
• Recognized new teachers Maylan Branham, Corey Crisologo, Matt Jewel, Elaine Maria Johnson, Justin Kemper, Misty McNealy, Lashea Myers, Michelle Pigman, Sean Pigman, Brandi Smith and Pamela Brooke Wilson and presented each of them with a T-shirt.