Before hurricane Michael, Calhoun County School District sought financial advise from an outside source. A suggestion to combine school’s was made.
“The revenue that is generated based on the FTE that we have in the school district, currently is insufficient long term so we have to make some structural changes,” said Ralph Yoder, Calhoun County School’s superintendent>
Yoder said, because of damage from the storm, staff as well as school board members explored multiple options before deciding it be best to either combine Blountstown Elementary and middle school, or Blountstown middle and high school.
“These two options bubble to the surface as what is best for our students academically, what can we afford from a financial stand point,” Yoder said.
Some parents aren’t happy with either suggestion, questioning, if there’s not enough funding to maintain campuses, what happens to the education.
“Then the concern comes into the vocational programs,” said Clarissa Cooper, parent. “That if we can’t operate just the basic necessities for our school, what will be cut out of the budget for the education.”
Cooper said she doesn’t want district officials to make a rash decision that will be harmful in the future.
“What are the best options short term, long term, but is also going to carry us into the next generation,” Cooper said. “My suggestion would be to reconstruct Calhoun County into three schools.”
Yoder said this option was explored but just isn’t feasible.
“From a logistic stand point and transportation stand point it creates a tremendous burden for our parents as well as our employees to look at that,” said Yoder.
A special board meeting is set for Wednesday at 4 pm in the Blountstown Middle School auditorium, where superintendent Yoder plans to make a recommendation to the board.
