The Eagle Eye - Hale Area Schools

The Eagle Eye
February 2014
Hale Band Allstars
Inside this issue:
Mrs. Smith’s band Allstars hit a positive note
Band Allstars
1
Family Fun Night
2
Millage Renewal
3
District Information
4
Transportation issues and
excused absences still
need to be communicated
in writing. Emergencies
must be phoned in prior
to the 2:15 pm deadline,
to ensure the changes
can be made.
7 Hale students auditioned and all 7 were chosen to participate in MSBOA District
9's 2014 All-Star. Students submit a recorded audition and approximately 120 students are chosen out of the recordings from the 14 schools in our district. Students
receive their music, rehearse on their own, and then meet together for 6 hours of
rehearsal, split between a Friday evening and a Saturday morning, and then perform in a concert Saturday afternoon. Guest conductors this year were Scott Boerma from Western Michigan University and Matthew Bishop from Grayling
Schools. Two of our Hale students, Ariel Everitt and Joseph Muhle, were chosen as
first chair for their section. Special thanks to the administrators of Hale Schools for
their support and encouragement of our students, and providing the necessary funding to make this opportunity possible and meaning for our students.
For your students absence to be considered excused we must receive a written note from you
or your doctor when the child returns to school. This must include students name, your name,
and signature to be filed with your child's records. Phone messages will be taken in an emergency for bus notes only, absences need the written information, phone calls “excusing”
students can’t be excepted as per requirements. Thank you for your help with this issue.
Ariel Everitt gave her oratorical speech to
all who attended the school board meeting
on Fed 10th.. Her topic was “What
makes us who we are as American citizens”. She will be representing the northern division at the state competition in
Grand Rapids. This contest was part of
the American Legion national contest and
we are proud that Ariel will represent Hale
at this competition. Good Luck Ariel!!
OPERATING MILLAGE RENEWAL ELECTION
On Tuesday, February 25, 2014, Hale Area Schools will ask its voters to renew, for a ten-year period, the authorization for the School
District to levy 18 mills on all "non-homestead property" located within the School District's boundaries. The property tax revenues that the School
District will collect from the millage levy will be used to finance a significant portion of the School District's operating costs. "Non-homestead property" does NOT include principal residence property, qualified agricultural property, qualified forestry property or industrial personal property.
Hale Area Schools currently receives a $7,026 per pupil foundation allowance to fund its operations. The current 18 mill levy brings approximately $2,840,237 of revenue to the district. This amounts to 80% of the per pupil foundation allowance. The state makes up the remaining
20%. Without the 18 mill renewal, the district stands to lose approximately 66% of its total revenue.
The following is the operating millage renewal proposal as it will appear on the ballot:
OPERATING MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL
This proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy the statutory rate of 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance.
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by
law, in Hale Area Schools, Iosco and Ogemaw Counties, Michigan, be increased by 18 mills ($18.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a
period of 10 years, 2014 to 2023, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the
millage is approved and levied in 2014 is approximately $2,840,237 (this is a renewal of millage which expired with the 2013 tax levy)
HALE AREA SCHOOLS BOND REFUNDING TO SAVE DISTRICT TAXPAYERS OVER $300,000
The Board of Education of Hale Area Schools is proud to announce the successful sale of its 2014 Refunding Bonds in the amount of $3,935,000. The Bonds are being issued for the purpose of refunding the School
District’s outstanding 2004 Refunding Bonds and to pay the costs of issuing the Bonds. The 2014 Refunding
Bonds reduce the School District interest expense approximately $333,726 for the taxpayers and will occur
through lower debt payments over the next 8 years.
In preparing to sell the 2014 Refunding Bonds, the School District, working with their financial advisor,
Stauder, Barch & Associates, Inc., requested that Moody’s Investors Service ("Moody’s") provided a credit
rating based on qualification for the Michigan School Bond Qualification and Loan Program. Moody’s affirmed the MSBQLP outstanding rating of "Aa2".
According to Hale Area School’s Business Manager, Michael Boensch, the estimated savings back in October when we started the bond refunding process amounted to $247,000. Because of changes in the bond
markets which resulted in lower interest rates, the actual present value of the savings to be realized totals
$307,967. “We are very pleased with the outcome of the bond refunding process” explained Boensch. “The
lower debt payments resulting from this refunding will result in a direct savings to the taxpayers of Hale Area
Schools over the next 8 years.”
The School District's financing was conducted by the Michigan investment banking office of the brokerage
firm, Stifel, the financial advising firm, Stauder, Barch & Associates, Inc. and the law firm serving as bond
counsel, Thrun Law Firm P.C. The School District's 2014 Refunding Bonds were sold at a true interest rate
of 2.14% with a final maturity of 2022 (a repayment term of approximately 8 years).
Brenda Voutyras, Managing Director with Stifel states, "Hale Area Schools’ Bonds were well received by the
bond market. We were able to take advantage of current interest rates that resulted in a savings level that
exceeded the goals of the District."
Non-Profit Org.
HALE AREA SCHOOLS
Ron Kraft, Superintendent / Michael Bowman, K-12 Principal
U.S. Postage Paid
200 West Main
Permit No.11
HALE, MI 48739
Local Postal Patron
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Mrs. Valerie Cryderman, President
Mr. Terry Bovee, Vice-President
Reading Awareness. The school board was entertained by Mrs. Look’s 3rd grade , and Mrs. Streeter’s 4th
grade classes last week. The students read stories they had written during readers/ writers workshop to the
school board members. Parents were also invited to attend and listen. Students were: Carter Nelkie, Chloe
Bernard, Bethany Sides, Bailey Hewitt, Alexis Duncan, Kaitland Hollis, Aaron Johnston, Jerrik Johnson,
2014 DATES TO REMEMBER
January 31 End Of Open Enrollment
February 3
Professional Development Day / No Students
March 21
End of 3rd marking period
March 27
Parent-Teacher Conferences
March 28
Parent-Teacher Conferences
SCHOOL CANCELLATIONS
Occasionally schools must be closed due to inclement weather. The
decision to close schools is made when it is determined that busses
cannot safely navigate the roads to pick up students. Generally, the
decision to close is not made until early morning after an evaluation of
road conditions is completed. Announcement of closing is made immediately and periodically on the following radio and television stations:
TELEVISION
WNEM - TV 5
Central Administration Office
Athletic Department
728-7661, x 302
728-6499
Superintendent: Ron Kraft
Directors: Joe Kimmerer &
200 West Main St.
Ryan Parkinson
K-12 School Office
Food Service
728-3551
728-5752
Principal: Michael Bowman
Supervisor Rhonda Brindley
311 N. Washington St.
311 N. Washington St.
WBKB - TV 11
WEYI –TV 25
WJRT- TV 12
RADIO
WKJC/WIOS Tawas
WHNN
96.1 –Flint
STUDENT SCHEDULES
Elementary School Day (grades K-6)
8:10 a.m.-3:20 p.m.
Junior High/High School (grades 7-12)
8:10 a.m.-3:20 p.m.
Breakfast served daily
7:35 a.m.–8:10 a.m.
When an early dismissal is scheduled, student releases are at:
12:35
These times are for regularly scheduled days only. Emergency situations due to weather