Salem Grade School Superintendent Mark Cartwright is concerned about finances.  He notes while the district is well within budget, the state now owes the district $155,217 in special education, free lunch and breakfast as well as transportation reimbursement.  Cartwright says the unpaid bills come on top of the loss of nearly $1.2-million in reduced general state aide payments for the past two years.

"Down the road here very soon it's going to get very critical.  We've been able to avoid to get into programming issues.  We've done some saving with attrition and a few retirements, but this is the second year for pretty drastic things and next year doesn't sound a lot better.  It's going to spend down the reserve time here in the very near future", said Cartwright.  

Cartwright says 58-percent of the way through the fiscal year the district has spent 54% of the budget in the education fund, 39% in the building fund, and 47% in the transportation fund.  

Technology Director Jacob Burkett told the board that the school's computer data is now stored on a 'cloud server' that will allow teacher's to start a project in class and have students complete the work anywhere there is an internet connection.  In the past, students could only access data through the school computer system.  Burkett says the new technology could allow the district to go paperless in the classroom.  

The board was told there are 16 charter businesses that will be honored as charter Bobcat Backers at a Bob Cat Bash that is planned for Saturday night, March 2nd, at five pm.  The event will also include basketball and volleyball games between students and coaches.    

In personnel action, the board approved making part-time aide Mallorie Uphugei full time. The board accepted the intent to retire letter from teacher Steve Smith who is planning to retire at the end of the 2015-2016 school year.