Buena Vista School District

Saturday, May 18, 2013

IMPORTANT MESSAGE:

ATTENTION!!!

PURSUANT TO BOARD ACTION ON MAY 17TH, 2013 STAFF MEMBERS MENTIONED IN THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION ARE HEREBY RECALLED TO WORK EFFECTIVE MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013. PLEASE REPORT TO YOUR ASSIGNED DUTY STATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR ASSIGNED DUTIES. PLEASE SEE THE "DISTRICT ATTACHMENTS" BOX AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.

Please contact our office if you would like a student instructional packet. K-2 Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 and Packet for Grades 9-12. 989-755-2184 or hunterk@bvsd.us. When sending an email request the grade level of your interest. If you need the packet delivered, please leave your name and address.

Upcoming Events

School will be Closed until Further Notice

Please find below answers to Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Budget Crisis

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RESPONSES TO COMMON QUESTIONS

REGARDING THE BUENA VISTA SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET CRISIS

Buena Vista School District and its community of parents and stakeholders has a long tradition of pride and excellence. We pride ourselves on the caring and committed staff with which we are blessed and consider it our highest calling to be entrusted with the care and education of the community’s children.

Recent reductions in state school aid, combined with a severe drop in enrollment have created a situation where the District has not been able to get small enough fast enough. Adding to this problem is the fact that the District must return to the state funds related to the Wolverine Secure Treatment Center which it continued to receive after the program severed ties with the District in 2012. The District brought its receipt of these funds to the attention of the State during a meeting with state officials to discuss a draft of its deficit elimination plan in February. All of this came into focus when the State did not transmit the District’s April state school aid.

Upon noting that state school aid was not received in April as planned, the District made inquiry of the State and was told that state school aid for April, May and June would be withheld to recoup the funds that were mistakenly sent to the District. We remain in contact with officials at the State, the Intermediate School District and our surrounding districts. We have been told by State officials that a prerequisite to continuing dialogue is the District’s completion of a satisfactory deficit elimination plan. We are and have been working diligently to meet this requirement, and appreciate the technical assistance that State officials have provided regarding the deficit elimination plan.

1. Why have almost all staff been laid off?

With very few exceptions, the District has laid off its staff. This step is necessary due to the fact

that the District will not receive state school aid for April, May and June of 2013.

Due to the suddenness of the recoupment and the fact that it involves an embargo of all of the

District’s remaining state school aid for FY 13, which is the source of most of the District’s

revenue, there are no funds from which to draw in order to make payroll.

We brought this situation to the attention of staff just as soon as it could be responsibly

confirmed that there was no way, under current projections, payroll could be met. Although the

decision to undertake the layoffs was a difficult one, we believe the alternative would be grossly

unfair to staff, whom we value.

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2. Will health insurance benefits be continued?

In addition to laying off most staff, the District has terminated its benefit plans (including health)

for all staff. As a self-funded district for health insurance purposes, the District has no funds to

use for payment of claims.

3. Teachers have offered to work for free until Friday, May 10. Why did the District

lay them off?

The dedication of our staff at all levels is unparalleled. We have heard their stories of daily

sacrifice in the care of students and believe they are entitled to the utmost respect. However, Michigan law requires that employers pay employees for work performed. We thank the teaching staff for their dedication, and understand their frustration. However, we must follow the law. Over the past day, many staff who have been laid off have asked how they may volunteer their time. Staff who make the personal decision to do so should contact the District regarding the logistics of that volunteering. However, we must stress that under current circumstances, there is no ability to compensate staff for their services and there is no indication that there will be money for such compensation at any time in the future.

4. Does the District expect to recall any staff?

The District’s ability to recall staff will depend on whether it is able to receive any funds which it

can use for that purpose. Without funding, our ability to make payroll is nonexistent.

5. How will my son/daughter be able to finish the school year?

Under the current circumstances, there is no plan to re-hire staff to complete the current school year. This situation is a source of great pain for the school board and administration. Whatever the cause of the current financial crisis, it is not the children of the District. Through this process, we are doing our very best to meet all requirements of the State, so that we can ascertain if assistance in the form of funding could be forthcoming. However, we must be clear that at this point, the District has spent all of the state aid it is entitled to receive for FY 13.

6. Will there be a school district next year?

It is impossible for us to predict whether the District will be in a position to enroll students next year. During this period of time, all of our efforts are being directed toward an attempt to secure as smooth a completion of the current year as possible, given the circumstances.

7. How should teachers and staff obtain their belongings from their classrooms and

work areas?

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The District buildings will remain open and, we understand, the Principals have volunteered to

remain in their buildings, on an unpaid basis, into the indefinite future. Staff should report to

their building principals and, in an orderly fashion, collect their belongings. Additionally, staff should turn in, to their building principal, their school-issued items, such as keys, phones, laptops, etc.

For the sake of order, we ask that these tasks be completed by Friday, May 10, 2013.

MAY 1, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dear Members ofthe Buena Vista Community:

As you may know, the Buena Vista School District has been struggling with declining enrollment and decreased state and other funding for the past several years. During this time, the Board of Education has done its best to provide a quality education for all students.

Unfortunately, the cost of providing a quality educational program has increased, while we have seen a significant decrease in our revenues. Thus, the District has run a deficit.

Most recently, while presenting our latest draft deficit elimination plan to State of Michigan ofñcials, we advised the State that the District no longer provides teaching personnel to the Wolverine Secure Treatment Center program,
although we continued to receive categorical funds for that program. That report, and the wholly appropriate need for the State to recoup those funds, has triggered a series of events that culminated in confirmation on Tuesday, April 30, 2013, that the District would not receive any state school aid for the months of April, May and June.

Our analysis ofthe Districfs cash flow demonstrates to us that, absent an extraordinary situation, we will not be able to make payroll for staff on May 24. We want to bring this infomation to the attention of all staff and the Buena
Vista community at the earliest opportunity, so that decisions can be made that will impact their households and families. We have worked diligentiy to attempt to avoid this situation since it first appeared as an immediate possibility to us this week and continue to work with ofñcials at the State of Michigan in an attempt to mitigate this
possibility.

The District is, therefore, taking the ñrst steps toward confirming a financial emergency under Michigan Public Act 436 of 2012, and will continue to Work with State officials and the leadership of the District’s bargaining units to provide educational continuity to the children of the Buena Vista School District.

Parents, staff and students will undoubtedly have many questions regarding the situation and what may happen over the coming weeks. We intend to provide updates on the District’s website as infomation becomes available. We also intend to provide common questions and answers to the situation on the District’s website.

At this time of financial crisis, it is more important than ever that We as a school community remain calm and Work together to find a solution to the situation. Our continued commitment and focus is to provide our children with the greatest possible educational opportunities that we can.

Again, through this process, our foremost goal is to provide an educationaîly sound end to the 2012-13 school year and to work to build a foundation from which the 2013-14 school year may begin.