The Salem Community High School Board has passed its budget for the coming school year.
Superintendent Dr. Brad Detering says the four major funds are overall $100,000 in the black, with an estimated $9,581,901 in reserves at the end of the year.
“We have deficit spending in a couple of funds and our two main operating funds,” Detering said. “We’ve got a deficit of about $30,000 dollars in the ed fund, and we’ve got a deficit of about $85,000 dollars showing in the building fund. We’re hopeful to be able to close those deficits and to maybe even bring one or two of those funds into the black, but it’s all going to depend on what state revenues look like and what expenditures look like.”
Detering says summer improvements around $1 million will be planned for next summer.
“Summer improvements are still to be determined. We’ve been continually trying to make upgrades to the building. When you have a 70-year-old building, you have to continue to make upgrades and having that routine maintenance program allows us to keep the building in great shape. This is one of the most iconic schools around, especially when you start talking about it being 70 years old.”
The board agreed to donate $3,210 to the Shriner’s Hospital from the gate of the Shrine football game between Salem and Centralia.
Principal Clint Wolfe reported SCHS currently has 694 students.
Assistant Principal Kelsey Pogue reported the new cell phone policy that requires students to put their cell phones in a container when entering a class has produced positive results, but there are a few small issues still being worked out.
The board accepted a letter of intent to retire from Michelle Blomberg at the end of the 28-29 school year. Groundskeeper Doug Telford submitted a letter to retire in June 2028. The board approve Brook Lewis and Kyla Borcherding as FFA volunteers.
