The Alamance-Burlington School System’s financial picture for the coming fiscal year is made more complicated by an increase in the number of local students enrolling in charter schools because that means a larger part of the school system’s budget will be diverted to those schools.
Chief Academic Officer Revonda Johnson presented the Alamance-Burlington Board of Education an update Monday night on the proposed 2024-25 budget. In the current fiscal year, about $4.3 million, or 9% of the overall budget, is sent to charter schools. In the fiscal year that begins July 1, that is expected to increase to about $5 million, Johnson said.
“If a student who resides within our school district enrolls in a charter school, our district is required by law to transfer the local portion of funding to cover educating that student at the Charter school,” she said. “This money comes out of our budget and reduces what’s available to operate our own schools.”
The board plans to approve a budget request by April 22 and submit it to the Alamance County Board of Commissioners by May 15.
In other business, the board approved a $120,200 contract for an upgrade to Graham High School’s electrical system for the school’s welding lab to supply power to 12 welders purchased by Alamance Community College for the lab.
A $43,575.00 contract was also approved for the B. Everett Jordan roof project.
Eighteen high school seniors have been honored with the Superintendent’s Award of Excellence. The students were selected by committees at their respective schools:
Jordan Parquet and George Thompson, ABEC
Andrew Partain and Colby Sumner, AVS
Gabriel Castillo Calderon and Taylor Grant, Cummings High School
Vanessa Rivera Romero and Bridget Galicia, Eastern Alamance High School
Ariana Diaz Hernandez and Khadejah Vaughn, Graham High School
Jessi Blu and Youssef Mostafa, Southeast Alamance High School
Katie Graves and Emerson Smith, Southern Alamance High School
Caedmon Gresham and Lela Baker, Western Alamance High School
Kenna Talhelm and Thomas dos Santos de Mores, Williams High School
These exceptional students will be further honored at the Evening of Excellence celebration on April 30 at Southeast Alamance High School, where the District Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year will also be announced.
Jacari Bunting from Eastern Alamance High School was awarded the Star Student of the Month, and Kelsey Conrado, a first-year teacher at Southeast Alamance High School, was named the ABSS Star Staff Member of the Month.
Impact Alamance presented a check to support STEAM education initiatives:
- Jamie Day, E.M. Holt Elementary: $14,170 for Sphero Robots and software
- Christopher Rex, Eastern Alamance High School: $10,030 for forensic science equipment
- Kayla Reagan, Graham High School: $10,100 for media center makerspace equipment
- Daniel Flack, Alexander Wilson Elementary: $16,200 for STEAM class kits and 3D doodler pens
- Stuart Ringwalt, Williams High School: $9,500 for media center makerspace, including a 3D printer and robotics equipment
- Holly Biswurm, Western Alamance High School: $4,000 for media center makerspace and STEAM classroom kits
- Shavon Via, Eastlawn Elementary: $20,000 for a school garden greenhouse equipped with solar panels and hydroponic systems
- Rachel Harder, Grove Park Elementary: $8,000 for makerspace STEAM kits and 3D printers
- Kimberly Singletary, Cummings High School: $8,000 for makerspace with 3D printers and coding robots
