DEXTER -- A nearly $20 million budget and two-year contract for a student resource officer were among items approved by the Dexter R-XI Board of Education during June's regular monthly meeting.
According to Superintendent C.A. Counts, the Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget 'strives to meet the financial obligations necessary to achieve a high quality education that our children deserve.'
"This budget allows the district to maintain present programs and education opportunities while also being fiscally conservative in light of the constantly changing state funding," he said.
Dexter Public Schools' operating budget is approximately $18 million, with a capital budget of $500,000. Annually, the district spends about $1 million in debt service for bonds established in 2015-16.
Expenditures slated for next year include one 72-passenger International bus, Chromebooks for students in grades 6-8 at about $45,000, the additions of one special education teacher to be shared by the middle and high schools and one full-time computer teacher at Southwest Elementary, and completion of the roofing project at Central Elementary to extend the warranty of its existing roof.
Regarding the roof, Counts said, a coating will be applied by district employees which will add 10 years to its warranty at a cost of $140,000 for materials.
Counts said currently Dexter's reserve account contains about 40 percent of its operating budget.
"We have a very good reserve balance," he said. "My focus in making the budget was to use our resources to benefit our kids."
Counts said he expects to see increased revenue from the state due to higher enrollment numbers over the last two years, as well as increased revenue due to a state adequacy target increase by the Missouri Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Through an agreement with the Dexter Police Department, a student resource officer will be present on the school district's campuses beginning in August.
Counts said R-XI and the city will share expenses, with cost to the district at approximately $40,000 per year. The district is not responsible for supplying or contributing to the officer's retirement or benefits, Counts said, as is sometimes the case in SRO partnerships.
Also approved by the board were pest control services for next year to be provided by All Star Pest Control, a one to one student Chromebook agreement and a revised 2017-18 academic year calendar.
The next Dexter R-XI Board of Education meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 24 in the administration building board room.