Superintendent's Message

From the Desk of Jake Helms
Superintendent of Central Montcalm Public School

Dear Community Members:

What’s going on with Education?

I’m sure most of you have heard of the State’s proposed reductions for funding education next year. Let’s take a look at what these proposals would mean for Central Montcalm Public Schools. At the current time, the proposal is a $470 per pupil reduction in State Aide and a 4% increase in the State retirement rate. The per pupil reduction, based on last falls pupil count, is $853,000 less in State Aid. The increase in retirement equals $339,000 in new contributions the school will be making to the State over last year’s amount. Our District has also been losing, on average, 35 students annually since 2003 when there were 2,077 students K-12 in our schools. If that trend continues that is $256,000 +/- less State Aide the District will have in next year’s budget. All of public education in Michigan has a most dismal outlook for next year.

What is Central Montcalm doing about this?

The Board of Education has charged the administration with developing a plan for reducing costs, while maintaining the best educational program possible for our kids. Every operational aspect of the district is being examined to determine the most effective cost reductions while minimizing the overall effect on students’ educational opportunities. While rumors are flying about what some of these reductions may be, the Board has not been presented or adopted any plan for program reductions at this point. Why, what are we waiting for? We are waiting for the final figures (reductions) to be released from the State so we can minimize the amount and types of changes necessary to balance next year’s budget (best case scenario!)

Will the Community have a voice in this process?

We will be hosting a community forum in May to inform you of the projected State cuts and some of the things the District may have to do to balance the budget for the 2011-2012 school year. Hopefully by mid-May we will have a better “picture” of the reductions the State will be imposing on the State’s schools. Please remain patient with us as we wait for the final figures from Lansing