The St. Joseph-Ogden Board of Education is continuing to be financially responsible.
During the September board meeting, the board and Superintendent Brian Brooks discussed the 2026 Fiscal Year Budget.
“Our tax rate is expected to stay the same or drop again,” Brooks told the board.
Brooks also discussed the cost for students to tuition in to the district.
It would cost a family living outside of the St. Joseph-Ogden District $13,409.02 to send a student to the high school. That cost is the per capita tuition charge and is determined by expenditures per student from the educational, operations and maintenance, debt service, transportation, tort and other funds, per student.
Brooks said the fee is $1,100 less than last year.
In other news, Brooks told the board that a social worker will be available to all students starting in October.
Through the Special Education Coop that the district currently belongs to, students with an IEP can have access to a social worker. Starting this week students with a non-IEP can have access to the social worker two days a week.
Brooks said the move will cost $30,000 but he feels it’s worth it.
Brooks said students can see the social worker for a variety of issues.
“Anything they are struggling with in that regard,” he said. It doesn’t have to be mental health per say. It’s such a prominent issue with kids right now and we don’t feel like we have enough services for them.”
In other news, Brooks said Kleen-Rite will be addressing some follow up issues with the mold found in the south wing of the high school.
“This is the last phase,” Brooks said.
Brooks said the district hopes to take control of the space soon and resume classes in the wing.
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