By Emily Hoffman
    The Wauneta Breeze
    
     School buildings, the teaching staff, janitors, classes, busing-nothing was considered sacred, everything was looked at as a possible cut worth considering when the WP school board met on Monday to take a long, hard look at the district.
     With Wauneta-Palisade facing a $250,000 to $300,000 shortfall for the 2005-2006 school year, the board held a strategic planning session to discuss viable options to deal with the money crunch.
     Less money will be placed in WP coffers due to a loss of state aid. Lower enrollment is the main driving force behind the budget shortfall.
     "Not many Class D schools have two elementaries," said Jon Anderjaska, school board secretary. "We need to cut out duplication."
     "It's hard to justify staffing at the elementary level," said Rod Ready, WP high school principal. "Not just staffing but buildings and programs."
     "We need to list our options then look at where we want to be five years from now," said school board member Kelly Egle.
     Questions and discussions bounced off the walls of the Wauneta Attendance Center Library. Is busing necessary? Do we need to offer five mini-courses to the junior high? When the ESU stops providing the preschool for special education kids, can we take that on? Should we approach Culbertson and simply ask what they're looking for?
     Something that came through all the talk was the strong agreement of the board and administration that they need to plan on seeing the district remain for five, 10, 15 years and longer, then craft changes and make adjustments that support that long term goal.
     "We need to be progressive and look toward the future," said WP Superintendent Charles Isom.
     Board members agreed that if they don't plan on keeping the district together it would fall, the way other districts have across the state.
    
    Palisade building options
     Discussion took a different track when school board member Don Suda began talking about the Palisade Attendance Center building.
     Suda had numbers that compared and contrasted energy costs for the Palisade building compared to other schools in the state.
     He proposed that the board simply investigate, crunch numbers, and see if output now for a new metal structure to serve as a elementary attendance center would save money for the district in five years through the reduction in heating costs, staffing, and other related costs.
     "The three things we need to consider in this is safety, ADA and payback," said Suda, referring to the Americans with Disabilities Act and subsequent building codes necessary to carry out its policies.
     There's currently money in a building fund that's not been touched. The board will look into using that to build something new in Palisade, and to substantially improve the Wauneta building.
     Questions were raised. If there was a new building, would all the elementary go to Palisade? Would the district save in staffing, and upkeep costs? What if the district isn't here down the road, what then?
     The board wrapped up the planning session with more questions than answers. They are comparing numbers, looking at what will make the best sense financially and educationally. They have resolved to look at every option and every program and see what are the best options for students in the district.
    
    Science grant money
     Teresa Hayes and Betty Alig showed the board a Power Point presentation that outlined how they had used $4,000 in grant money from the Rural Health Education Network.
     The women took classes on several medical and health related field trips, bought textbooks and used some of the money toward a new digital microscope.
     The RHEN grant encouraged rural students to enter health care fields and return to rural communities to serve.
    
    In other business
     • The board voted to approve an early retirement incentive package again this year.
     • The board approved the purchase of a car from Harchelroad Motors in Wauneta for $19,700. The car will be funded through special education money and used in transportation for special education students, and for teachers going to training.
     • Isom informed the board that Artist in Residence Regina Leininger will be at the school Jan. 31 through Feb. 4.
     • Option enrollment papers were received for the 2005-2006 school year for Matt, Jessica and Brittany Cole. They will be attending Hayes Center next year instead of WP.