The Indian Lake Board of Education discussed finances and the future of preschool services during their regular July meeting.
District Treasurer Brady Hipsher presented the appropriations bill for the coming school year and the board voted to approve it.
Indian Lake Superintendent Dr. Rob Underwood explained that projected spending is down slightly from the previous year because of attrition in staff. In addition, the board voted to contract with the Logan County Board of DD for special needs preschool through December 2026. However, if the Board of DD levy fails in November, the agency could be forced to cut preschool services. Underwood explained that eliminating the Discovery Center could cause the IL district to be legally required to bring special needs preschool in house.
Dr. Underwood said, "We've been on a right-sizing plan with our staff for many years and we are fiscally in a good position right now. But we know that there are lots of things that will impact our budget."
He continued, "One of the items that we're paying close attention to is serving our special education students at the preschool level. We've been fortunate to have a good partnership with the Board of DD for many years to provide that service. Obviously, the Board of DD is having some financial challenges, so we don't know where that's headed for sure, but we know that there could be additional costs to our district. We're just trying to make sure that we live within our means and we plan for those sorts of things."
In addition, board members also approved a resolution to authorize issuance of refunding bonds. This means if interest rates are favorable starting in September, the board would be able to lower the rate at which tax payers repay the bond that was used to fund the construction of Indian Lake Elementary School. Mr. Hipsher explains this is much like refinancing your home loan if interest rates decrease.
The board also got an update on summer campus improvements, including a multi-step project to enhance the ILHS cafeteria. Finally, the board approved meal prices for the 2026-27 school year with no changes.
The Indian Lake Board of Education will meet next at 5 pm on Monday, August 17th, which is the IL All District Open House Night. School is set to begin on Wednesday, August 19th.