TONASKET – The Tonasket School Board held their regular meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The evening covered a wide range of topics, emphasizing ongoing efforts to enhance education.

One of the key items on the agenda was the discussion of the district’s budget. Business Manager Bobbie Catone gave a report to the board members regarding the current financial status.

Catone said as of Sept. 30, 2024, eight percent of the fiscal year had elapsed. Revenues are $1,265,250 or six percent of the annual budget. Expenditures to date, excluding encumbrances, are $1,913,216 or eight percent of the annual budget.

The ending fund balance is sufficient to cover the district’s minimum fund balance policy (five percent of estimated expenditures): GL 821 Reserved for Carryover: $58,596; GL 828 Reserved for FS Carryover $3,892; GL 840 Reserved for Inventory: $6,756; GL 890 Unreserved Unassigned Fund Bal: $546,100; GL 891 Unassigned Minimum Fund Bal: $973,396.

Catone said there have been no other significant changes, and the district is operating as expected in the Capital Project Fund, Debt Service Fund, ASB Fund, or Transportation Fund.

The board heard other reports from Casey McNett, Tonasket High School and Middle School Music Program, as well as the principals from Tonasket Elementary School, Middle School and High School.

The board approved Resolution 24/25-1, the Transfer of Funds from General Fund to the Transportation Vehicle Fund. The resolution authorizes the transfer of bus surplus sale and the bus insurance claim from a totaled bus dollars from the General Fund to the Transportation Vehicle Fund. These are to be used exclusively to pay the costs of purchasing new buses and providing for other matters properly.

According to the report, the district has received bus surplus sale funds in the amount of $3,350 and insurance claim revenue from a totaled bus in the amount of $13,178 in the district’s General Fund.

Also approved by the board was an overnight trip to FFA Range Nationals in Elko, Nevada. Nov. 3-6.

During the Wednesday evening meeting, members conducted the first reading of a set of proposed policy revisions and updates. These policies covered a range of areas including high school graduation, sex discrimination and sex-based harassment prohibited (new), student discipline (new), restraint isolation and other uses of reasonable force, emergencies, parental involvement, sex discrimination and sex-based harassment of district staff, bid or request for proposal requirements. The initial reading allowed board members to review the language and intent behind each policy, offering preliminary feedback and discussion.

The school board meetings are held the last Wednesday of the month, unless it is a pre-scheduled approved meeting The new meeting time is 6 p.m..