NEW BREMEN – While New Bremen Schools finances remain positive for this next fiscal year, according to the most recent five-year forecast presented at the Nov. 16 meeting of their board of education, deficit spending will commence in 2024.
Treasurer Jill Ahlers showed members that currently the predicted 2023 cash balance at the end of the fiscal year is predicted will be $7,080,374. However, without extra funding from a new levy, deficit spending will begin in 2024 with increasing deficit totals of $98,645 in 2024, $434,604 in 2025, $688,130 in 2026 and $993,567 in 2027. As a result, at the end of fiscal year 2027, the cash balance will be down to $4,865,428.
Elementary principal Diane Kramer reported Oct. 25 was the end of the first nine weeks with report cards going home on Nov. 1.
She said the school’s administrative team met with Police Chief Michael Skinner and a representative from the sheriff’s office on Oct. 26 to discuss school safety and develop a plan for professional development.
She went on to say during the current school year, they will update their “Go Buckets” and provide individual classrooms on safety procedures in the new building. Also, during the 2023-24 school year, they will schedule a half-day ALICE training for all staff members during one of the professional development days at the start of the school year.
Third grade students were administered the State Reading Test on Oct. 25-26, she said. Results will be available online on Dec. 12.
As part of parent and community participation, Lock One Community Arts sponsored a science presentation “Air is Everywhere” for students in grades K-2.
Also, the Cardinal Pride parent organization held their second meeting of the year on Nov. 7. They will be sponsoring “Donuts with Grownups” for students in grades K-6 on Feb. 17.
Junior/Senior Principal Marcus Overman reported their program Motivational Monday was held this week for grades 10-12. He thanked Platinum Auto for sending a mechanic to show seniors how to do various things to their vehicle such as tire pressure, spare tire, oil level, battery-jumping, etc.
He added that for grades 7-9, Skinner will be in to talk to students about various different topics such as phone use, drugs, alcohol, interactions with police, etc.
Teachers continue to use good instructional practices, according to the principal. He said he had completed an observation on almost all teachers and was on his second round of documented walk-throughs. He said he was very pleased with what he was seeing in the classroom.
The school’s FFA chapter was recognized at the National Conference as a three-star national chapter, which recognizes the top 5% of chapters in the country.
Individual national proficiency finalists included Liam Homan in Grain Production and Max Homan in Dairy Production. Overman explained Ohio had only 25 National Proficiency Finalists this year, and New Bremen had three of them.
A national proficiency winner was Jared Weigandt in Landscape Management, while Emma Homan, Liam Homan, Max Homan, Ashton Ritter and Abigail Sniegowski were American Degree recipients, which is the highest degree members can earn in the FFA.
Overman also said next week the school will induct their newest members of National Honor Society. He said congratulations go to Mackensie Bornhorst, Abigail Burden, Alivia Dammeyer, Larissa Evers, Olivia Gabel, Jonathan Heitkamp, Chloe Homan, Carson Keller, Mara Lozier, Logan Schumm and Emma Wittenbrink.
In board action, an emergency resolution was approved to waive competitive bidding and declare an emergency in order to contract with Burkett Restaurant Equipment and Supplies for the $64,511.18 purchase of a combi oven for the cafeteria.
