In a recent article, an email to Dr. Hackney from Dr. Thornton was made public. Because the e-mail might be misconstrued by some to suggest that the school division is not acting in a fiscally responsible manner in this particular instance, the division issues this statement to clarify the situation. The school division designates some capital money in its budget every year to make improvements to the physical environment for students. This year’s planned capital expenses included painting PVMS and Clarksville Elementary, purchasing new library furniture for PVMS, installing new floors for both BHS and PVHS, constructing an outdoor pavilion for PVHS, purchasing outdoor cafeteria furniture for PVMS, and purchasing student lounge furniture for both high schools. The particular funds in question in the e-mail were being considered for the purchase of student lounge furniture. Money that is collected at a particular school and earmarked for School Activity Funds (SAF) purposes may be transferred with the signature of the club sponsor and the principal. Behind the Wheel funds are fees collected by the school for the administration of that program; there is no school sponsor. Rather than have these funds transferred to the county accounts, the administration made the decision to leave them in SAF to be used for general student needs. Park View High School principal Paige Kindley is the person responsible for transferring SAF funds held in her school’s account. The principal is in charge of the driver’s education fund mentioned in the email. The school recently purchased a new driver’s education car and still had money remaining to spend on students. There was approximately $39,000 dollars in the account to be used for the benefit of students. The school purchased a car for driver’s education for approximately $19,000, leaving $20,000 in the account. Dr. Thornton, who has oversight responsibility for all curriculum, instruction and funds for those purposes, asked Dr. Hackney as the direct supervisor of principals to meet the needs of students as requested in a student voice meeting where students were excited about the possibility of having a space for collaboration and independent learning environment, much like spaces you see in more modern facilities. At this time, a purchase of school furniture for students to work independently or in collaboration to make learning spaces more conducive to 21st Century environments is an attempt to make our existing buildings better for our students while being fiscally responsible to the community. In an effort to meet these needs in our older buildings, we are trying to create spaces that will allow for collaboration and effective learning. Our current SAF guidelines, created by Finance Manager Specialist Donna Garner and presented to the school board in February 2014, allow the purchase of capital assets. According to Kristin Choate, CPA with Robinson, Farmer, Cox Associates, the school board’s auditors, “If drivers education fees are being collected by and recorded in the school activity funds, then it is reasonable that those funds would be used to purchase a car to be used for that purpose. From my understanding, the general requirement for school activity funds is that they should be used for the benefit of students. As long as the procurement guidelines and related policies are followed, then this seems reasonable.” All guidelines for such a transfer and purchase are in place in our SAF manual. Dr. Thornton merely wanted a suitable area within the high school that so many other county high schools provide for their students. The school division regrets that this matter has been made public in a manner that was apparently intended to place the division in a false and negative light. The school division is fully aware of its fiscal and accounting responsibilities, and strives to provide the best educational experience possible with the funds available to it. This situation was handled in accordance with policy and generally accepted accounting principles. The community should be assured that there was no inappropriate use or transfers of funds taking place. We will continue to move forward in building a culture of excellence and doing what is in the best interest of our students.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 21:08:17 +0000
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