Cambridge-Isanti board approves preliminary budget for 2022-23

“Our philosophy is, ‘The greater the level of uncertainty, the more conservative our approach will be,’” he said.

Much of the uncertainty is caused by inflation, which Kampa said is raising food prices by 10% and energy prices by 50%. To counter inflation, Kampa said the district locked in a $5 average price per unit of natural gas, which could produce a potential savings of as much as $400,000 over the next two years.

“However, we will still spend more on heating than we did in previous years,” he added.

Kampa said other areas that could see an increase in cost are electricity, diesel fuel, purchased services and custodial supplies, among others.

In the area of funding, Kampa said the passage of the November school referendum will produce $3.2 million in additional monies for the system. But salaries and benefits for staff will increase, as will the costs of buildings and grounds along with transportation because of inflation.

After the federal government sponsored free meals for the past two years, students will be expected to pay for lunches in the coming school year. Kampa said lunch prices will increase $1 across the board for 2022-23, with the increases used to deal with inflation and supply-chain challenges.

The cost of breakfast for grades K-8 will be $2.75, while breakfast at the high school level will be $2.85 and adults will pay $3.40. Lunch for students in grades K-5 will be $3.90, while students in grades 6-12 will pay $4.15 and adults will pay $5.40.

“Every school district that we have talked to is planning a raise,” Kampa said. “Everyone we have talked to is raising prices in line with ours. We know these increases are hard, but we don’t think they’re out of line.”

School superintendent Nate Rudolph wanted to encourage families in the district to apply for the reduced-price meal program, even if there is little chance they will qualify.

“We anticipate that [paying for meals] is going to catch families by surprise,” he said. “Families have been receiving free meals for the past two years because that was federally funded. Now it is not being funded that way.

“We had free meals; now we are not going to have free meals. So we encourage every family in the school district to fill out the form to see if they are eligible for free or reduced meals.”

In summary, Kampa said the fiscal year 2023 budget projects a deficit of roughly $845,000 that would be covered by a transfer of up to $996,000 from the Long Term Facilities Maintenance fund.

“The board has had to make a lot of difficult decisions over the past three years,” Kampa said. “But we’ve seen the results of those decisions. Over the past winter, our credit rating improved from a ‘negative outlook’ to a ‘stable outlook,’ and our fund balance is growing.

“We’re facing some headwinds next year. But we have been successful in meeting those challenges.”

Kampa’s complete presentation will be posted on the school’s website; it can be found as a PDF in the meeting packet at https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/1122?meeting=530062 as Item XIII.B.

A look at curriculum changes

Director of Teaching & Learning Brenda Damiani teamed with Curriculum Coordinator Michelle Glasgow to introduce some new curricula that will be adopted in the fall.

There were four new products for English and language arts, a Personal Finance curriculum, two for health and two for the arts and music.

“One of our teachers who taught this [Personal Finance] curriculum this past fall received a call from Edward Jones,” Glasgow said. “They wondered what was going on in the school because she had had so many kids come and set up Roth IRAs.

“It’s making a difference. Kids are getting excited to save and invest.”

Solberg honored by NHSACA, board

The meeting was the last for Mark Solberg, who retired June 30 after working in the school district for 41 years, including the last 23 as athletics and activities director.

One day earlier, Solberg was honored as a finalist for national activities director of the year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.

“Thank you to each of you who are on our school board – you do a tremendous job,” Solberg said before shaking hands with each board member.

“You spread your work out to everyone in athletics and activities – and what a difference you have made,” board member Lynn Wedlund said, before using a phrase Solberg is well known for saying. “Because of you, it’s a great day to be a Bluejacket.”