Irn260215a01

Page 1

Sports: Red Devils lose conference title See B1

THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867

www.iolaregister.com

Thursday, February 26, 2015

257 looks high, low for savings By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register

Making budget cuts is no walk in the park. Faced with cuts of more than $500,000 through the 201516 school year, USD 257 school board members and administrators are reviewing potential savings. Effective March 7, the district will lose $81,000 after Gov. Sam Brownback announced a combined $44.5 million in cuts to public schools and higher education. Administrators ranked the impact of potential cuts to various segments of the budget on a scale of 1 to 5. The higher the number, the higher the savings. 5 ratings

— Delaying the purchase of resources for math, science and language arts could save big bucks. Needed materials for language arts alone could save $155,000. The flip side is how it would affect the education of students. The delay would set back the entire curriculum process. Iola High School principal Stacey Fager said committees work with curriculum director Angie Linn to schedule curriculum updates for the district. They determine what the course needs to make students Kansas career ready. Math was updated last year. “If we hold off on language arts it would create a domino

Teachers, services in crosshairs

effect and push back the next science,” he said. “This would affect the students in the classroom Last May, Fager met with the science committee to plan out the content material. Science is the oldest curriculum in the district. “To take that money away from the curriculum shows Stacey Fager how dire the situation is for school funding,” Fager said. — Using the Bowlus Fine Arts Center for art, music and drama costs the district $143,000. The Bowlus was a gift from Iolan Thomas Bowlus so district students would have a superior environment to learn fine arts, beginning in 1965. If the district pulled out of the Bowlus, high school band students would practice at the middle school. Art and theater classes would be moved to the high school. Theater productions and concerts could remain at the Bowlus, though, they require a rental fee. “I hope they can find a way to make it work out,” said Susan Raines, executive director of the Bowlus. “We are also looking to save money anyway we can on our end.” Raines said she isn’t sure how the Bowlus atmosphere

Change to 4-day week $150,000

Pull classes from Bowlus $143,000

Eliminate four librarians Move to attendance centers Slash insurance benefits (asking employees to chip in $50 a month) (asking employees to chip in $75 a month)

Don’t begrudge Ron Baker the big smile he’s wearing these days. After 37 years in health care, he’s stepping down as chief executive officer at Allen County Regional Hospital. “I’m looking forward to the next chapter in life,” Baker, 58, said Wednesday afternoon. And that future will have nothing to do with health care. “I’m going to a nut farm, literally,” he said. During his most recent tenure at ACHR Baker’s wife, Ellie, has remained at their

$105,600 $158,400 $155,000

Accelerated buyouts

$180,000

Replace IHS block schedule

$120,000

See USD 257 | Page A3

can trees and several of other varieties. She is an elementary teacher in nearby Alma, Mo. Besides working on the grafting of those trees Baker will also volunteer his talents as an organist to schools. Concordia serves as a hub for Lutheran churches, he said, and is the site of an internationally renowned preparatory school that has three pipe organs. “I want to work with students and share with them my enthusiasm for music,” he said. “I’ve got lots of things lined up for retirement, and if I find myself bored, perhaps I’ll find a part-time job at a hardware store,” he said.

I want to work with students and share with them my enthusiasm for music. I’ve got lots of things line up for retirement, and if I find myself bored, perhaps I’ll find a parttime job at a hardware store. — Ron Baker

home outside of Concordia, Mo., where they have a 25acre farm that sports 150 pe-

$200,000

Delay curriculum updates

Hospital CEO to retire By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register

$160,000

A NATIVE of Humboldt, Baker began his career in 1978 as a lab technician at

Quote of the day Vol. 117, No. 81

Area schools consider four-day school week By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Cutting back to a four-day school week would obviously save the district money. The lion’s share would come from less spent on transportation. The trick is to ensure student achievement doesn’t suffer, said Mike Kastle. Kastle is retired superin-

Ron Baker Allen County Hospital and worked his way up the ladder. He came on as CEO here in 2012 after managing several hospitals across the state. The challenges of running a hospital have become more difficult in recent years because of financial straits, he said. “From 1978 to 1982 it was pretty nice,” he said. “Money was flowing in the doors.” But in 1982 the way hospitals could charge for patient care was changed and the result was much shorter hospiSee BAKER| Page A5

“My sun sets to rise again.”

tendent of schools for Southern Coffey County-USD 245, which switched from the traditional five-day week to four days in 2010. Such an option is under consideration at Marmaton Valley-USD 256, and has been mentioned to Iola USD 257 school board members. Kastle admits there are few, See SCHOOLS | Page A3

Kansas Senate poised to pass concealed firearm bill By RICK DANLEY The Iola Register

On Wednesday, the Kansas Senate gave initial approval to a bill that would allow any Kansas gun owner to carry a concealed firearm in public without a permit. The so-called constitutional carry bill would eliminate background checks and training classes presently required for a concealed-carry permit, and would make Kansas only

— Elizabeth Barrett Browning

75 Cents

the sixth state to authorize a law allowing its citizens to forego the licensing process. Senate Bill 45, introduced last month by Majority Leader Terry Bruce, cleared the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs last week and is scheduled for final passage in the Senate today. “It’s our belief [that this bill] will lead to more protection of individuals,” Bruce See FIREARMS | Page A5

Hi: 28 Lo: 4 Iola, KS


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.