Howe ISD sets 11 million budget Howe Youth Football signups online

The budget of $11,067,913 for the 2015-16 school year has been adopted by the Howe ISD Board of Trustees after a recommendation by Superintendent Kevin Wilson.

Of that, the general fund, which included teacher salaries is set for $9,354,625. Food service is budgeted at $456,22 while debt service is at $988,640 and federal funds of $268,426.

"The compensation plan (teacher salaries) encompasses 75 percent of the budget, so that's always the first major expenditure that we look at " Wilson told the board "When we look at non-payroll, we look at campus needs and department needs and we always try to consider legislative action in odd number years because that will affect our revenue And fortunately, we did see a little extra revenue from the legislature."

The ISD added $1,000 to each step in the teacher salary structure All staff that's not on the step structure received a three percent increase in pay That is one percent more than normal. Teachers that have 20 or more years experience that did not receive a salary step will receive a $500 increase The total payroll came to $7,062,300 which is 75 percent of the overall budget

A new teacher with no experience will start out at $36,000 (step zero) Howe ISD is expecting an increase in enrollment next year due to the small 2015 senior class that graduated They are hoping for a normal kindergarten size class of 75-80 students Enrollment in May at the elementary was 393. The Middle School listed 312 and the high school listed 291 for an overall enrollment at 996. Attendance was 979 for May

The projections for property tax revenue is $189,000,000. The number is a projection based on new numbers The school uses 96 percent of that number to base their budget until certified numbers come in in August With the appraisals going up in the area, that will have a direct impact on the Howe ISD budget

Wilson reported that he accepted resignations from Niki Hunt and Erin Vawter Contracts have been offered to Matt Boykin to be the elementary school assistant principal Jennifer Tucker will teach sixth grade science and Natalie McCall will teach high school math Sherri Price will teach middle school math Dana Schumaker will teach fifth grade math.

Fulenchek will start season with Danville Braves

Former Howe Bulldogs ace pitcher Garrett Fulenchek will start his second professional season with the Danville Braves in Virginia Fulenchek was drafted 66th overall by the Atlanta Braves in 2014

Howe Youth Football Commissioner Chris Campbell announced that those interested in signing up to play youth football this fall can now register at www.leaguelineup.com and searching for Howe Youth Football.

Registration is $90 for students entering Kindergarten through 6th grade.

Athletes continued from Page #2

The first week was all teaching for the junior high kids. Seeing some of the lifting techniques for the first time, they learned proper safety for becoming an athlete

"Once we put the weights on them and ran them, they had jelly legs " said West "But we're already seeing improvements by leaps and bounds They're going to be really sore in these first couple of weeks They're going to be sore in places that they didn't even know they had muscles That's a good thing "

The athletic department measures the progression of the strength and conditioning program by tracking the athletes max weights in August,

December and just before spring break As of right now, Joel Menjivar is the leading lifter in bench press He suffered a torn Achilles Cruciate Ligament on Halloween night versus Whitewright

"If he weren't injured, he'd probably be our biggest lifter across the board He's getting pretty strong " said West "If his knee wasn't hurt and he could do a full squat, he'd be our biggest squatter by far"

As far as the running part, Andrew Griffin had the best 40 meter time with a low 4.6.

"Some people were surprised by that, maybe because he's so young, but short and jacked up, but he's fast " said West

Griffin is one of the ones that is penciled in to replace the graduated Anthony Hawthorne, who set the all-time Howe school rushing records last season

Brandon Wall should replace Joaquin Lopez at quarterback, while the homerun hitter of the offense Stratton Carroll will return after suffering a torn ACL the same night as Menjivar Tyler Grisham will also return and this could create one of the best backfields in school history