March 19, 2024
Local News | Bureau County Republican


Local News

Improving safety, communication in Princeton schools

PES Board OKs $10,000 for two-way radios, new messaging system

PRINCETON — Last week’s unsubstantiated threats of violence involving Logan Junior High School has prompted the Princeton Elementary School District to take steps to streamline communication with parents, staff and the community.

Comments about bringing a gun to school supposedly made by students on a bus on Sept. 19, and threats of violence said to have been made in social media, brought an increased police presence the next day, when roughly 150 of Logan’s 500 students were kept home.

Interviews and investigations turned up no legitimate threat.

What officials learned, though, is that although the district’s text messaging alert system worked well, there is room for improvement, Superintendent Tim Smith said at Monday’s school board meeting.

Before the board adopted the tentative budget for Fiscal Year 2017, Smith said $10,000 will be used to “streamline our communications and help increase safety.”

About $6,500 will pay for a two-way radio system for outside personnel such as teachers on the grounds and bus drivers. The rest will be used to help develop a mass notification system that will forward messages from the district to texts, emails, websites, voicemails and social media, he said.

The board will receive recommendations on mass communication systems such as EduLink and Blackboard at the Oct. 24 meeting.

The board then approved FY 2017 budget, which projects revenues of $8,696,990 and expenses of $8,691,492.

That leaves an overage of $5,498, which, when added to the $127,125 left in the budget on June 30, will leave a surplus of about $132,623 at the end of FY ‘17.

The state still owes the district $236,924 from FY ‘16, $143,229 for the education fund and $93,695 for the transportation fund, Smith said.

Also Monday, district auditor Joel Hopkins reported the district’s transition from an accrual-based accounting system, which match expenses with related revenues that then are reported when the expenses occur, to a cash-basis accounting system, which records revenues when cash is received and records expenses when they are paid.

The state board of education prefers cash-basis accounting systems, Hopkins said.

In other action, the board:

• Agreed to pay Kmetz and Legat Architects $58,000 for preliminary design proposals for a new pre-K-8 facility, to be presented to the board by its Dec. 19 meeting.

• Announced the resignations of Brianne Blumhorst, assistant track coach; Zach Smith, head track coach; and Paula Bader, cafeteria employee/custodian.

• Hired Zach Clark, physical education teacher; Zach Smith, seventh-grade boys basketball coach; John Matlick, assistant track coach, Anne Johnson, Student Council sponsor for fifth and sixth grades; Joseph Stefko, part-time custodian; and Lindsay Ponsetti, paraprofessional aide.

• Approved maternity leave for Erica Lenihan and Olivia Johnston.

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