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Aug. 4, 2011

Interim school superintendent Sue Waggoner presented an update report on Garrett County schools to the county commissioners on Tuesday. She presented a wide variety of facts and figures pertaining to past and upcoming school years in such areas as pupil services, finance, transportation, food service, and special education.

“Engaging Students to Reach Their Potential” is this year’s theme, Waggoner noted. With that in mind, local teachers, principals, and other personnel have been preparing for the upcoming session, which begins on Aug. 24.

She noted that nearly 6,000 educators from across the state recently participated in a staff development academy at Mountain Ridge High School in Frostburg. More than 60 local Board of Education employees took part in that event, including principals, office personnel, and reading and math teachers.

The BOE will hold an “academy” for new principals on Aug. 9 and 10 and an orientation for new teachers on Aug. 17. Waggoner noted that there are 10 new hires for fiscal year 2012. But a total of 29 positions have been eliminated: 19 at the elementary level, four middle school, five high school, and one central office staff member.

In addition to human resources, Waggoner presented facts in the following areas:

Pupil Services

• Character Education programing has had a positive effect on local schools, according to Waggoner. A local school is recognized annually by the state; the 2011 school was Yough Glades Elementary.

• Total enrollment this year (FY ’12) is expected to be 3,945, which is a loss of 139 students compared to the last school year.

Finance

• With regard to Garrett County per pupil wealth, it is estimated that the county’s assessable real property base will decline by .4 percent for the fiscal year 2013 state aid calculation cycle; however, the state average may contract by 6.20 percent. As a result, Garrett’s wealth could decrease by approximately .33 percent in FY ’13, compared to the state average’s contraction of 4.39 percent.

• The enrollment loss of 139 students, or 3.4 percent, will likely be the highest of any district in the state.

• The above factors could result in a per pupil wealth increase of 3.19 percent for Garrett County and a 4.47 decrease for the state’s average, which could lead to a reduction in state aid of $2,445,608.

• Based upon the estimated data, Garrett County may pass Queen Anne’s and Anne Arundel counties in FY ’13 to become the fifth most wealthy county in the state on a pupil basis. (The county is currently ranked at seventh.)

More here.

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