School board members in Ely have finalized more than $640,000 in budget reductions and revenue enhancements, and action Monday linked names to the associated moves.
In a unanimous vote, the board approved recommendations that came from the district’s finance committee the week before, in an effort to close a wide budget gap for the 2026-27 school year.
The list includes an estimated $195,000 in savings that will come from a shift to a four-day school week, as well as a $213,480 donation from the Ely Educational Foundation.
Several personnel moves were also part of the package, including the elimination of the assistant K-12 principal position.
Current assistant principal Jeff Carey will return to the classroom and take a 1.0 full-time equivalent special education position.
That was one of the personnel decisions authorized by the board this week.
Another was a voluntary request from full-time English teacher Heather Cavalier, who will move to 0.8
FTE in 2026-27.
The board also declined to renew the contract of non-tenured teacher Nicole Roy, which will save $75,374, and will realize savings by these moves:
•Reducing a full-time science position from 1.0 to 0.8 ($30,757);
• Savings as the result of a leave of absence taken by teacher Kaley Hotaling ($41,517);
• Reducing the media specialist position held by Madeline Olson from 1.0 to 0.8 ($13,398);
• Savings realized by replacement of a full-time English position as a result of the retirement of Jim Lah ($21,213);
• Anticipated savings by reducing a social studies position from 1.0 to 0.8 ($14,369), because of the retirement of Tom McDonald;
• Reduction in lobbyist costs ($12,000).
In a related decision, the board hired Noel Cordero for a full-time English position and Cale Prosen for a 0.8 FTE science job.
At the moment, the various budget decisions bring total savings to $641,701, above the targeted goal for a balance budget for next year.
But finance manager Jordan Huntbatch told committee members last week that was purposeful, given last-minute budget adjustments the last two years that widened budget deficits.
Declining student enrollment, rising expenditures and a revenue drain created by high school students opting to take courses at Vermilion Community College have created a triple-whammy of sorts when it comes to finances for the district.
For six straight years, the district has spent more than it has taken in, depleting school reserves.
The district has already made major budget reductions in each of the last two years, but the impact in 2025-- 26 wasn’t as much as expected due to some higher than expected insurance costs and the addition of staff to accommodate student enrollment at a particular grade level.
The PSEO impact might only get worse next year, given projections that show among 85 high school juniors and seniors, 54 will participate in the program in 202627, totaling 63.5 percent.
In other business Monday, the board:
• Hired Kate Rejman for a temporary cafeteria aide position;
• Hired Jennifer Kerntz for an extended year teaching position for June and July;
• Hired LeaRae Richards, Jacki Tolbert and Addi Nelson for summer paraprofessional positions;
• Approved an agreement with Kelly Education, formerly known as Teachers on Call, for substitute teacher coordination effective July 1;
• Accepted various donations including $52,000 from the Ely Educational Foundation for English textbooks, $1,000 from Twin Metals for the senior class trip to Washington, D.C., $912 from Donors Choose-Angel Carradus for math books, $250 from Ely Family Dental for the senior trip, $200 from Patricia Steger for an eighth grade field trip, $200 from Jordan and Matthew Klug for a fourth grade field trip, $100 from Ryan Anderson Construction for the knowledge bowl team, and $100 from Klun Law Firm for the senior trip.
