Rockwood Now Anticipating $11 Million Deficit for Next Fiscal Year

The board gave the informal go-ahead to a slate of capital projects that would cover what were described as the district's "most critical" needs.

After at least three years without any red ink, the Rockwood School District is moving ahead with a proposed budget plan that will produce an $11 million deficit. The plan included $4.6 million worth of items that would have been included in the $38.4 million Prop S bond issue, had it passed. District CFO Tim Rooney presented the recommendations to the board at a meeting Thursday night and said they represented the district’s most critical needs. “We had a tough task,” he said. “We were really looking at what, if it would fail, would cause the most disruption.” The move was not a formal adoption of the fiscal year 2013-14 budget, which will occur later this summer, but provides guidance to district staff so they can begin coordinating the …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Rockwood School Board Candidates' Forum Hosted by League of Women Voters

Rockwood School District is sponsoring a Board of Education candidates' forum Tuesday, and it will be moderated by League of Women Voters' representatives.

League of Women Voters of St. Louis representatives will moderate a Rockwood School District Board of Education candidates' forum from 7-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5, at Crestview Middle School, 16025 Clayton Rd., in Ellisville. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization whose members encourage informed and active participation in government. Attendees at Tuesday's event will learn more about the candidates seeking election for the Rockwood School Board by hearing them speak and answer questions in a public forum. This election's candidates are:  Janet Strate, Stephen (Steve) Banton, Loralee Mondl, and Jeffrey Morrell. See previous candidate-related article:  Meet the Four Candidates Running for Rockwood School …

• Photos (1)

Parkway Considers Cutting Another $4 Million From District Budget

The cuts would begin in the 2013-2014 school year and come in the form of approximately 40 jobs through attrition.

The Parkway School Board is reviewing a proposal to cut approximately $4 million from the district's budget over the next two years, beginning with the 2013-2014 school school year. The district has said it needs to cut another $2-4 million, or approximately one to two percent of the district's overall operating budget, to restore its fund balance and prevent borrowing from reserves. "The revenues didn't come in where we thought they'd come in last year," Parkway's CFO Mark Stockwell explained. Last February, the board voted to cut up to $9.63 million over two years and ended up cutting just under $8 million from the 2012-2013 budget. The additional $4 million now being proposed would bring the total budget cuts to between $11 and $12 …

• Photos (1)

Parkway School District Gives Raises Following Millions in Cuts

After cutting $8 million from the budget and eliminating 130 full-time jobs, KMOV reports that the Parkway School District gave its gave administrators and department heads raises. Watch KMOV's story here.

As previously reported by Patch, in February, the Parkway School Board voted to cut up to $9.63 million from the district's budget over the next two years. At the time, school officials blamed the depressed economy for lower revenue.  According to a report by KMOV investigative reporter Craig Cheatham, the district cut $8 million of that this year and those budget cuts eliminated 130 full-time positions. (Watch Craig Cheatham's complete report on KMOV.com here.) However, Cheatham also reports that a few months after deciding on the cuts, the district gave all of its administrators and department heads pay raises, including all 70 employees making more than $100,000 a year. Parkway school officials tell Patch that vote came at the June 13 …

• Photos (2)

Expect Budget Cuts For Parkway Schools, Chief Warns

The next two years will see operating costs slashed due to declining revenue.

Parkway School District Superintendent Keith Marty announced Thursday that he wants to trim operating costs by approximately three to five percent over the next two years. Although no specifics were given, Marty said in an email he plans to introduce cost-cutting strategies in January for the 2012 and 2013 district budgets. Marty issued the following statement Thursday: Although Parkway continues to be in strong financial shape, our schools are not immune to the challenges of declining revenues in a tough economy. Since 2007, Parkway's operating revenues have decreased steadily and future growth is expected to be minimal. Over the same period, our schools have worked hard to keep costs down and expenses have only grown by 2.8 percent …

• Photos (1)

Rockwood's Information Systems Staff May Reorganize

Rockwood's technology staff could operate differently in the future if the school board approves top position to be upgraded at tonight's meeting.

Rockwood School District's student information system supervisor, Cathy Salter, is retiring, effective July 31. To reposition the district's information systems department, administrators plan to recommend to the school board at Thursday's meeting that this supervisory position be upgraded to an information systems manager.  Rockwood staff involved indicate the proposed recommendation will be cost-neutral for the district. Rockwood's information systems group consists of programmers and analysts and system support staff, including support staff who report to the student information system supervisor.  As an alternative to hiring a new supervisor, administrators recommend the position be upgraded to the managerial role, and have all …

• Documents (1)

Filing for Municipal, School Board Elections Closes

The office of mayor and a council seat in each of the city's four wards are up for grabs. Both Parkway and Rockwood boards of education have three seats open.

Filing for city council seats and both Parkway and Rockwood school board seats closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The election will be held April 5. Candidates in ballot order are: Mayor (for a two-year term, filling the unexpired 4-year term of former Mayor John Nations): Bruce Geiger 14787 Greenloch Court Chesterfield, MO 63017 (636) 532-9661 Richard Riley 192 New Holland Drive Chesterfield, MO 63017 (314)392-9521 Joseph Gambino 1923 Dovercliff Court Chesterfield, MO 63017 (636) 394-6397 Dan Hurt 2035 Emerald Crest Court Chesterfield, MO 63017 (636) 532-2035 Ward One (two-year term): Matt Segal (incumbent) 14321 Strawbridge Court Chesterfield, MO 63017 (314) 205-8867 Ward Two (two-year term): Tania Pappas 15520 Highcroft Drive Chesterfield, MO …

• Photos (1)

Parkway Board OKs Tuition-Free, Full-Day Kindergarten

The board voted 6-0 to approve the program, which will start in the 2011-2012 school year.

The vote was met with a standing ovation. The Parkway Board of Education approved tuition-free, full-day kindergarten with a 6-0 vote Wednesday night. Board member Helen Casteel was absent. A crowd of about 100, including all Parkway elementary school principals and assistant principals, applauded the decision, which will go into effect next school year. "When you look at the national trend, there's no question that Parkway needs to go this direction," board director Sam Sciortino said. Sciortino commended the Project Parkway task force members—part of the district's multi-year strategic planning effort—and district staff for their work on the proposal, which included examining research studies and drafting a proposal for implementing the …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Rockwood School Board Considers Food Allergy Policy Changes

The final vote on the proposed policy changes is expected to take place at the board's next meeting on Jan. 20.

Rockwood School District's board of education directors took the first of two steps toward approving an adjusted food allergy management policy at Thursday's brief board meeting at Crestview Middle School in Ellisville. Rockwood's directors reviewed and voted to approve the revised food allergy policy Thursday evening. The final review and vote is scheduled for their next board meeting on Jan. 20. According to the board's materials, proposed changes to the food allergy management policy focus in the following areas: A copy of the full plan can be found online.  Any comments, concerns or recommendations can be directed toward board of education directors prior to their final vote later this month. 

Candidates Take First Step Toward April Elections by Filing

The office of mayor and a council seat in each of the city's four wards are up for grabs. Both Parkway and Rockwood boards of education have three seats open.

He was ready at 7:30 Sunday morning. OK, he wasn't technically waiting at City Hall the whole time; he had some stand-ins help by holding his place in line. Ward Two Councilman Bruce Geiger filed to run for mayor of Chesterfield this morning, right as the clock's second hand hit 8 a.m. In the race for ballot order—determined by filing date and time—in the April 5 municipal elections, Geiger was first. Richard Riley will be second on the ballot for mayor. He filed after 9 a.m. Although Gieger asked friends to hold his place in line beginning at noon Sunday, they showed up earlier so he could be the first in line, securing the top spot on the ballot. Geiger, who has been a councilman since 2001 according to the city's website, would keep …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (3)

Tania Pappas

11:10 pm on Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Dear Ms. Heaton: Thank you so much for being at Chesterfield City Hall bright and early for our Declaration of Candidacy signing. Your presence made it even more special. Your enthusiasm and commitment highlighted our (the candidates) enthusiasm and commitment. I think you and Patch.com are important assets enhancing the interdependent relationships between Chesterfield City, businesses and …   more ›