PORT ANGELES — Barely six weeks into the 2024-2025 academic year, the Port Angeles School District is preparing for a very tight economic future as it tries to manage shrinking enrollment, rising special education costs and decreasing state support with very little wiggle room.
All while delivering the best education and services it can to students.
The district’s general fund balance of $583,955 at the end of September was a sign of its challenging financial position Superintendent Marty Brewer told directors at their Thursday meeting.
“We’re going to have to work really hard to stay on top of this,” Brewer said. “As we navigate through the year, we have to make sure we have the cash flow to pay the bills and end the year with a positive fund balance.
“This will be a task.”
Although the number of full-time equivalent students in the district actually rose by 34 from the start of the year to reach 3,292 in October, this was still below the 3,305 students the district had budgeted for.
Port Angeles is not alone in experiencing declining enrollment and its consequences. The number of students in public schools in Washington and across the country has gone down, while costs for staffing and services continue to increase.
Another hit to Port Angeles’ budget will come from the rising number of students who qualify for special education services.
Director of Business and Operations Karen Casey said 18 percent of students in the district were in special education programs — a number she anticipated increasing as the school year progressed. Because Washington caps funding for special education at 16 percent of enrollment in a district, Port Angeles — like the majority of districts in the state — has had to dip into its educational programs and operations levy to fund the difference between what the state pays and what it costs to educate the students who need those services.
There was good news, Case told directors: material supplies and operating costs — known as MSOC — were down $371,255 in September.
“We’re working very, very hard to cut those costs and do the best that we can and still run the schools,” Casey said. “It’s not an easy challenge.”
Sam Schafer of the architectural firm Integrus gave the board a progress report on the new Stevens Middle School, which is about half-way through the design development phase. Integrus had been meeting with teachers, students and a design advisory committee comprised of community members to discuss a range of issues from classroom configuration to storage to restrooms.
A single point of entry to the campus, fencing and security cameras will play a significant role in protecting the safety of students and staff, Schafer said. Students will enter the main three-story building on its second floor. The library will be located on the third floor and CTE classrooms will be located on the ground floor. The gym and music building will be reached by covered walkways.
Students will have access to a basketball court, a synthetic turf area, a garden and outdoor learning areas, as well as the existing playfield on D Street.
Construction on Stevens will begin when the district has collected all of the funds from the 2020 voter-approved capital levy, which will occur in 2026.
The latest design development can be found at tinyurl.com/26a52x6n.
• Hamilton Elementary School sixth graders Gracie Easton and Christian Wagner were honored as the district’s students of the month.
• The first of two community tours of Port Angeles High School is scheduled for Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. On each 45-minute tour participants will learn about the district’s capital facilities plan and the bond measure on Nov. 5 general election ballot for funding to renovate the high school and replace Franklin Elementary school. The second tour is Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. at the high school. Space is limited. Please RSVP to Casey McDonald at cmcdonald@portangelesschools.org or 360-565-3702.
• The board recognized Sodexo Food Service Director Stephanie Bry and six members of the food service team for National School Lunch Week, next week, Oct. 14-18. The 30-person food service staff prepares and serves nearly 3,000 meals a day at eight district schools.
• The board holds informal community conversations at 4 p.m. before its meetings at the student-run Wildcat Café located in the district administration building, 905 W. 9th Street. Parents, community members and students are welcome to come to speak with individual board members about school-related issues.
• FORMA Construction will hold an informational session Oct. 24 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. for local and women-own businesses interested in being subcontractors on the Stevens Middle School construction project. Businesses with experience in concrete, painting, earthworks, utilities, steel supply, roofs and other construction-related tasks are welcome to attend. Registration is recommended, but not required. Go to LinkedIn at https://lnkd.in/g-xa2TZK.
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com
