Jason Adams for FHSD

Over the last year, the Board has been presented with an overview of our finances, culminating tonight with the presentation of the budget for the next school year, which will be voted on at the 2nd June meeting.

Last month, Dr. St. John made two incredibly thorough documents detailing our revenue and expenses. They are 40 pages of 11 point text which goes into great detail how we are doing financially, and forecasting into the future.

Using a custom GPT, I uploaded both these documents, and asked it the following question: ‘Being as concise as possible, based on anticipated revenue and expenses, how financially healthy is FHSD projected to be in 2026-27 and 2027-28. Additionally, what are the top three areas of concern over the next 3-5 years?’

This was the result:

FHSD appears financially stable for 2026-27, but with little room for error. The district is budgeting cautiously: local tax revenue is expected to rise about $2.7M, but state formula funding, Proposition C, tuition-based revenue, insurance, staffing, and inflationary costs are putting pressure on the operating budget. Looking ahead to 2027-28, the district may need additional operating support, including a possible no-tax-rate-increase levy transfer, to keep finances sustainable.

The top concerns over the next 3–5 years are:

1. Flat or uncertain state funding that may not keep up with inflation.
2. Rising employee compensation, health insurance, property/liability insurance, and other operating costs.
3. Long-term enrollment softness and facility/capital needs that will require careful prioritization.

Bottom line: FHSD is not in crisis, but the financial outlook is tight and will require disciplined budgeting, close monitoring, and strategic decisions to protect classrooms and long-term stability.

To put it simply, we are skating on thin ice. We will be deficit spending next year. We can’t sustain this for much longer. Please stay engaged.

Our schools serve students from many different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Pride Month is an opportunity to reaffirm a simple principle: every student deserves to feel safe, valued, and respected at school.

Students should be able to focus on learning, building friendships, exploring their interests, and preparing for their future while knowing they belong in our schools and community.

Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed in an environment where they are respected, supported, and encouraged to be themselves.

I also want to recognize and thank our LGBTQ+ teachers and staff who help make our schools stronger every day. Thank you for the positive impact you have on our schools, our students, and our community. Your contributions are valued, and the work you do each day makes a difference.

About to graduate some Phoenixes!

It’s here!

Happy last day of school to students and staff alike!

Students: If you’re graduating, congratulations and I look forward to celebrating with you in the coming week. If you’re coming back next year, have a wonderful summer!

Staff: Thank you for another year of doing what you do. I know that in one way or another depending on your position, the work doesn’t truly end after the last bus leaves the lot today, but I hope you get the opportunity to relax and have a well deserved break.

‘Sitcoms to Streaming’: The soundtrack of television at Francis Howell Middle.

15 TV theme tunes accompanied by a live band including a banjo for ‘The Rainbow Connection’

Awesome job, Junior Vikings choir!!

This month’s board meeting agenda is live. This one has a lot of content, and a couple of items that will generate a lot of discussion.

My intention was to schedule monthly in person opportunities for people to meet with me and share their opinions, feedback, and concerns ahead of the meeting, but I am booked up this week. So, for this month, let’s use this thread for those discussions.

I’ll check for comments throughout the week, and will respond when I can. Please also consider attending the board meeting virtually or in person, and sign up for Patron Comments if you would like to share your views with the board.

Please know that before the meeting, I will be responding as one of seven board members with my own views and opinions, but after each meeting when votes have been cast, I will be honoring and supporting the full board’s decision.

go.boarddocs.com

I was honored to attend the Ringing of the Bells this evening and celebrate with so many wonderful people I worked with, and so many people who dedicated their careers to the service of children and their education.

Congratulations to everyone, and enjoy your retirement!

Update on events in Jefferson City:

The bill to bring charter schools to St Charles county was not brought for a vote and is therefore dead.

The bill to move school board elections in St Charles county to November in even number years ultimately passed, but not without some drama:

An amendment was brought up that would exclude bills and levies from only being voted on in November in even number years. That would have given more flexibility to districts when going out to the public. This amendment was defeated.

The bill handler stated that he received emails 5/1 in favor of the bill, and claimed, ‘only school districts, bureaucrats, and those from outside the state’ were opposed…

The bill went up for a final vote and failed, but was immediately called for reconsideration and within only a couple of minutes, it was approved and sent to the governor’s desk.

I won’t restate the reasons why this is bad for our county, but will just say, that the chairwoman of the committee that held public comments stated (and I’m paraphrasing), ‘This is just a pilot. If it’s a terrible failure, then we know it didn’t work’. If something has a risk of being a terrible failure for our kids’ education and it’s then voted for, which constituents are actually being served?

To everyone who reached out to our legislators, thank you. Please continue to stay engaged.

There are two days left in the Missouri legislative session, and there is still a good chance that two bills will be voted on: SB 1002, which would move school board elections, and any bond or levy initiative, to November in even-numbered years; and a house bill which is thought to be 2710, which aims to move charter schools out of Boone County. What do these two bills have in common? They only affect St. Charles County. Only our county will have our school board elections moved. The charter schools will be moved into our county. We can all speculate on why our county continues to be the “lucky” one, but here is what I would like to pass along:

While April election turnout is lower than we would like to see it, these elections are focused on local issues. Elections in November are much bigger, noisier, take attention away from local matters, and are partisan. Keeping school board elections in April and nonpartisan allows the public to learn more about those who are volunteering to serve their schools and community and not be distracted by a letter next to their name.

In May 2024, SB 727 was signed into law, and while it included some positive things, like increasing teachers’ minimum salary, it allowed charter schools to be established in Boone County. Now, only two years later, legislators want to move these charter schools into St. Charles County. If you’re not familiar with these types of schools, I invite you to do your own research, but the two main points to be aware of are public schools are held to stricter teacher certification requirements, while charter schools are allowed to employ teachers who are not fully certified. Also, charter schools receive funding from the federal, state, and local levels, which takes money away from public schools. I won’t speak for the other districts in our county, but we know that FHSD has been hurting financially for some time. Prop RT would have badly hurt us. Charter schools will do the same thing.

I am kindly requesting that you email our county’s representatives and senators, asking them to oppose moving our elections to November and bringing charter schools to our county.

Senators - Potentially voting on moving charter schools to St. Charles County

Nick Schroer: https://www.senate.mo.gov/Senators/WebApplications/Disclaimer?DistrictNumber=02
Travis Fitzwater: https://www.senate.mo.gov/Senators/WebApplications/Disclaimer?DistrictNumber=10
Adam Schnelting: https://www.senate.mo.gov/Senators/WebApplications/Disclaimer?DistrictNumber=23

Representatives - Potentially voting on moving school board elections to November, along with making it optional to declare political party affiliation

Tricia Byrnes: [email protected]
Deanna Self: [email protected]
Wendy Hausman: [email protected]
Scott Miller: [email protected]
Richard West: [email protected]
Dave Hinman: [email protected]
Terri Violet: [email protected]
Colin Wellenkamp: [email protected]
Travis Wilson: [email protected]
Mark Matthiesen: [email protected]
Mike Costlow: [email protected]

Thank you.

- Senators