School funding was a key topic of discussion during the District 14 Board of Education’s November meeting and work session. The meeting, which was held Monday, Nov. 15, in the high school media center, was the first since Nov. 4, when the highly anticipated ballot issue 4C was defeated.
Ballot issue 4C asked citizens of Manitou Springs to approve a $43 million bond to provide improvements to the district’s aging infrastructure. Part of the money requested in the bond was required as matching funds to secure a $9 million Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant.
With the failure of 4C, the district must now scramble for a new plan to tackle the long checklist of needs for its buildings and grounds.
The district does have the option to apply for BEST again and the letter of intent must be received by Nov. 30. Superintendent Elizabeth Domangue noted that the board would need to give direction soon to hit that deadline.
Director Gary Smith expressed disappointment that the community did not pass the measure. He also said he was concerned that the lack of community support might impact future grant approval. Board Vice President Natalie Johnson said that people she spoke with were horrified the issue did not pass and many felt motivated to help funding pass in future efforts.
Vidovich commented that the best option for moving forward would be to find where the district failed to communicate effectively and work on those pain points in future funding measures.
“I think we relied on people’s generosity and past practices,” said Vidovich. “I think we need to acknowledge that there was some doubt and fear in people’s minds and for some, the increase really might be a financial burden.”
Vidovich noted that several acquaintances provided clear reasons as to why they voted no, although she did not go into further detail.
The board discussed options for moving forward as several building issues, such as Ute Pass Elementary’s leaking roof, cannot wait much longer for repairs. In previous meetings, the school’s principal, Chris Briggs-Hale, shared pictures of water dripping into buckets in the halls and temporary patch jobs.
Director Gus Moen asked if there were options to take more of the burden off taxpayers to make a future measure more palatable. Domangue and chief financial officer Suzi Thompson outlined several options, ranging from targeted grant applications to worst-case options such as taking a second mortgage on a district asset.
Domangue and the board determined that the district would submit a new letter of intent to apply for a BEST grant and that she and her team would begin creating a list of options for funding outstanding improvement projects as best as possible. The superintendent also mentioned meeting with community stakeholders to share more detailed information about the bond’s financial impact and the necessity for the district.
Although the bond didn’t pass, citizens did re-elect Johnson and Vidovich to the board for additional two-year terms. Both women ran unopposed and were sworn in during the official meeting.
The board then selected its officers for the new term. Vidovich and Johnson will remain in the roles of president and vice president, respectively. Thompson will assume the role of treasurer, as she has in past years, and Kendal Kelly will remain as secretary.
After the board elected its new officers, Principal Jesse Hull presented an update on the progress of Manitou Springs High School.
Graduation rates in 2021 were at 96 percent, an exceptionally large number considering that COVID-19 has negatively impacted school enrollment and retention across the United States. Vidovich commented that other schools have graduation rates of 83-84 percent.
Students continue to excel in high PSAT scores, and the advanced placement program has seen large gains in exceptional scholarship. Of the 102 students enrolled in AP courses in 2021, 14 have achieved the distinction of AP Scholar, which requires that students pass three or more AP tests with a score of 3.0 or higher.
Six students have earned AP Scholar with Honors, which requires passing four tests with a score of 3.0 or higher and maintaining a grade-point average of 3.25 or higher across their scores for the year. An additional six students have achieved AP Scholar with Distinction, scoring 3.0 or higher on five exams and maintaining a 3.5 or higher GPA throughout the year.
The board then heard from John Harden, director of transportation; he oversees a fleet of 32 vehicles, including buses and maintenance trucks. The department has added a new driver-trainer role to ensure the district complies with federal regulations when training new drivers.
The district is short on drivers, with department employees doubling up on routes and extracurricular trips to keep students moving where they need to go.
Harden also noted, as he has in several past meetings, that the buses need updating. At least two buses are considered “spares” and it is difficult to impossible to obtain parts. He briefly mentioned concern about how to manage his recommendations without bond money and stressed again the need for newer student transportation that is easier to repair and more environmentally conscious.
Next, Tom Sistare and Jessie Seibert of Hoelting & Co. presented information about the school’s annual audit.
“The overall financial condition of the district is strong and financial statements are presented fairly in all material respects,” said Sistare, adding that the company has issued an unmodified, clean opinion as they have in past years.