Dieterich Board Hears Progress Report on School Year to Date

Dieterich school board members Monday got an update from their building principals on how the school year has gone.

Junior-Senior High School Principal Scott Kocher and Elementary Principal Josh Benefiel said total enrollment is 555 students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade, 10 fewer students than last year. Superintendent Cary Jackson said the District has experienced a few students withdrawing to participate in Home Schooling or private school, mainly due to COVID-19 restrictions and requirements on public schools. 

The principals said the school year is going better than initially expected. Kocher and Benefiel said the students are eager to learn and the teachers are eager to teach. Jackson said there have been challenges to providing both in-person and remote learning, but the staff and students are handling it extremely well. He said the District is seeing a very small percentage of full-time remote learners, approximately 5% of all students enrolled.

The Board adopted the fiscal year budget. The budget shows revenues outpacing expenditures, resulting in an estimated surplus of $58,326. Jackson reminded the budget is a flexible document that could change throughout the year, as unexpected revenues and expenditures arise.

The Dieterich board hired Mary Lucy and Allison Holstefor the district's After-School program, and accepted resignations from Marcy Kingery as aide and Carson Funneman as high school Scholar Bowl coach. It was also decided to post the annual Administrator and Teacher Salary Report on line and to approve policy updates on display for final adoption in October.