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<blockquote data-quote="DammitJanet" data-source="post: 344553" data-attributes="member: 1514"><p>I found this article in our local newspaper. Granted it is 9 months old so it could mean nothing but it does say something about funding. Now whether it really did what it says it did...I cant be sure. Im not their accountant. </p><p></p><p>PEMBROKE &#8212; Superintendent Johnny Hunt and Robeson County school board members ended a two-day retreat at COMtech on a positive note Saturday after learning there will be enough federal stimulus money to prevent teacher layoffs despite yet another round in the seemingly endless parade of state budget cuts.</p><p></p><p> Erica Setzer, finance officer for the Public Schools of Robeson County, told board members that the state last week had cut an additional $662,000 from the system's operating budget. More than $2.2 million has already been hacked from the system's budget, and the state has also withheld $750,000 in quarterly-paid lottery funds. Hunt said he has been told not to expect any lottery money this year, leaving another $2.25 hole.</p><p></p><p>"Fortunately, there will be enough stimulus money to make up for whatever the state keeps or takes back," Hunt said. "That means we can hire all the teachers and teacher assistants we need and keep our class sizes where they are."</p><p></p><p> With no relief, the number of teaching positions would have been cut, meaning layoffs and more students per classroom.</p><p></p><p> Hunt said all summer school programs will remain intact as well.</p><p></p><p> "Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, summer school will operate as planned, transitional academies will</p><p></p><p>continue, and the Learning Accelerated Program will continue," he said.</p><p></p><p>Hunt said the Learning Accelerated Program will ensure that at 57 seniors will graduate with their classes on June 10. The program helps keep kids in school through graduation, decreasing Robeson County's traditionally high dropout rate and improving its graduation percentage at the same time.</p><p></p><p> The school system has received about $8 million of about $16 million from the stimulus package and should get the remaining $8 million by September.</p><p></p><p> School board Chairman Robert Deese said board members discussed funding for school construction needs, noting there are about 132 modular units scattered across the system's 41 campuses.</p><p></p><p> "We ranked the schools based on the number of modular units each one has," Deese said. "The schools needing the most attention include East Robeson, Piney Grove, Purnell Swett, Littlefield, Deep Branch and Magnolia. Some of them have as many as seven modular units."</p><p></p><p> There is no local or state money available for construction because of the economic crisis, Deese said, but there may be stimulus funds available at no-interest or low-interest rates on a competitive basis.</p><p></p><p> "We'll also be talking to the county commissioners for some help," Deese said. "Their hands are kind of tied too, but there may be ways to get some money through them."</p><p></p><p> Funds are also available on a competitive basis for child nutrition equipment such as industrial-sized freezers, cookers and serving lines. Some Robeson Schools are in need of larger freezers because the number of students has increased beyond cafeteria capacity.</p><p></p><p> Deese said he was pleased with the overall tenor of the retreat, saying board members worked hard, stayed off their cell phones and spoke freely and passionately about their concerns without "backbiting or tension."</p><p></p><p> "I spoke with several members after the retreat was over and those I spoke with agreed that it was the least contentious and most productive retreat they'd had in a long time," he said. "We agreed to disagree on some subjects, but everyone got to speak their minds. We were working together, not against each other."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="DammitJanet, post: 344553, member: 1514"] I found this article in our local newspaper. Granted it is 9 months old so it could mean nothing but it does say something about funding. Now whether it really did what it says it did...I cant be sure. Im not their accountant. PEMBROKE — Superintendent Johnny Hunt and Robeson County school board members ended a two-day retreat at COMtech on a positive note Saturday after learning there will be enough federal stimulus money to prevent teacher layoffs despite yet another round in the seemingly endless parade of state budget cuts. Erica Setzer, finance officer for the Public Schools of Robeson County, told board members that the state last week had cut an additional $662,000 from the system's operating budget. More than $2.2 million has already been hacked from the system's budget, and the state has also withheld $750,000 in quarterly-paid lottery funds. Hunt said he has been told not to expect any lottery money this year, leaving another $2.25 hole. "Fortunately, there will be enough stimulus money to make up for whatever the state keeps or takes back," Hunt said. "That means we can hire all the teachers and teacher assistants we need and keep our class sizes where they are." With no relief, the number of teaching positions would have been cut, meaning layoffs and more students per classroom. Hunt said all summer school programs will remain intact as well. "Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, summer school will operate as planned, transitional academies will continue, and the Learning Accelerated Program will continue," he said. Hunt said the Learning Accelerated Program will ensure that at 57 seniors will graduate with their classes on June 10. The program helps keep kids in school through graduation, decreasing Robeson County's traditionally high dropout rate and improving its graduation percentage at the same time. The school system has received about $8 million of about $16 million from the stimulus package and should get the remaining $8 million by September. School board Chairman Robert Deese said board members discussed funding for school construction needs, noting there are about 132 modular units scattered across the system's 41 campuses. "We ranked the schools based on the number of modular units each one has," Deese said. "The schools needing the most attention include East Robeson, Piney Grove, Purnell Swett, Littlefield, Deep Branch and Magnolia. Some of them have as many as seven modular units." There is no local or state money available for construction because of the economic crisis, Deese said, but there may be stimulus funds available at no-interest or low-interest rates on a competitive basis. "We'll also be talking to the county commissioners for some help," Deese said. "Their hands are kind of tied too, but there may be ways to get some money through them." Funds are also available on a competitive basis for child nutrition equipment such as industrial-sized freezers, cookers and serving lines. Some Robeson Schools are in need of larger freezers because the number of students has increased beyond cafeteria capacity. Deese said he was pleased with the overall tenor of the retreat, saying board members worked hard, stayed off their cell phones and spoke freely and passionately about their concerns without "backbiting or tension." "I spoke with several members after the retreat was over and those I spoke with agreed that it was the least contentious and most productive retreat they'd had in a long time," he said. "We agreed to disagree on some subjects, but everyone got to speak their minds. We were working together, not against each other." [/QUOTE]
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