Published: August 05, 2008 01:59 pm         

Board may cut school field trips

As diesel prices continue to rise, the Rowan County School board doesn’t think the $450,000 allocated in the budget for fuel will be enough to last the entire year.

During the July 15 regular school board meeting, the cost of fuel and how to save money was tossed back and forth as board members tried to come up with effective ways to make the money last.

Superintendent Marvin Moore said the board would work with all school principals to get their recommendations on how to save fuel.

Moore also has corresponded with superintendents across the state to see what methods they have taken to cut costs.

Board members said they need to look at in-house ways to save on fuel cost, and agreed on a three-step process before approving any field trips. “Most of these trips are very valuable,” Moore told the board. “But the cost of diesel is causing us to take another look at field trips to make sure they are related directly to the core content of the class that is requesting the trip.”

In order to be approved, field trips will first be presented to the school’s principal to check the core-content relationship.

Secondly, a committee chaired by Nadine Griffith, Tom Daugherty, Allison Mathews and Glen Teager will review all trips before being submitted to Moore for final approval.

“I think this will help keep a closer eye on them (trips),” Moore said. “I don’t want to knock any student out of activities, but the board has to look at the cost of fuel, and this may be one way to do it.”

The board also discussed field trips in relation to various sports.

Chairman Larry Coldiron asked about combining more boys’ and girls’ basketball and making adjustments to the junior and freshmen schedules.

He asked if there was need for full junior varsity and freshmen schedules. Moore said in the past, three separate buses hauling varsity, junior varsity and cheerleaders were sent to games. “This is going to have to stop as they are all going to be put on one bus,” Moore said.

Coldiron said during a recent budget retreat, the board discussed sending a message to all the schools and asked the staff to come up with ways to save money.

“This board has the greatest respect for the principals and the teachers,” Coldiron said during the board meeting. “And I don’t think the board needs to make those decisions, but rather give the staff some ideas and let them make decisions on how they can help the board save money with field trips or whatever it is. Then, if the board doesn’t see a savings, we will have to make those decisions. But for now, the board will put our trust in the staff that runs the school system.”

Moore said the board also would discuss the possibility of when field trips are approved, if groups will be responsible for paying for the driver’s time, gas or both.

When asked about going to a four-day school week, Moore said the idea would be a last alternative considered by the board. “We wouldn’t be saving anymore than $150,000 each year and that’s not worth having a negative impact on the students and staff. It just wouldn’t be fair to the students,” he commented.

Moore said after considering the budget, the board may be making tougher decisions next year other than cutting fuel costs – such as personnel. Coldiron said that is why the board is asking for help from all staff members in finding ways to cut costs.

“If the board doesn’t cut costs, then cuts would have to come from somewhere,” Coldiron added.

Moore said an administrative retreat has been scheduled in a couple of weeks, and during that time, he hopes to receive input from staff members that will be shared with the board at the August school board meeting.