March 5, 2010

Dear Staff, Parents and Patrons,

It’s a time of both celebration and hardship in the Mustang Public School District. I have been an educator for 36 years and have not seen anything like our current financial crisis. The state’s revenue shortfall has led to a more than $2 million loss in state aid for this fiscal year. Predictions for the next two years are even more grim. There is talk at the Capitol of using the Rainy Day Fund and other sources to provide additional help to public schools through June 30, 2010. Should the plan come to fruition, the additional funds will be helpful, but will in no way solve the problem.

We have put measures into practice to save money such as implementing an energy conservation plan and reducing travel expenses. We are evaluating our funding picture from every angle. We have created a committee, which is reviewing the fees charged for the use of MPS facilities. We welcome the use of our school buildings by the public, but in many cases, the fees charged do not cover the additional electricity and maintenance costs. In reviewing our records, we have also discovered many facilities are being used for private lessons at no cost. The committee will present its recommendations to the Mustang Board of Education later this year. Fees would not increase until July 1, 2010.

We have created a budget information sheet for you that explains where the operating revenue for Mustang Public Schools comes from and how the funds are expended. Eighty-five percent of Mustang’s General Fund budget goes to salaries. The cost-saving measures we have implemented will produce some results but not nearly enough. The only way we can bridge the gap between this fiscal year and the next is by reducing the amount of money spent on salaries. The district is being forced to reduce the number of employees by 15-20 positions. We hope to accomplish this primarily through attrition. If the number of retirements and resignations are not enough, it is likely that the district may be unable to rehire all of our first-year employees who are on temporary contracts. Although this will invariably lead to an increase in class sizes, we will fight to protect the 20 to 1 ratio in kindergarten through second grade.

The economic crisis has one silver lining for taxpayers; bids for the construction projects are coming in below their estimates, which is allowing us to do more for the students than we had hoped. At the baseball dressing room, crews are working on the electrical, plumbing, roof and parking lot. The west side of Bronco Stadium has been leveled. Crews are doing the earthwork necessary to start construction of the new 4,600 capacity home side of the stadium. Once the earthwork is completed, crews can begin pouring the footings, piers and concrete. The new stands will include 598 chair-back seats. The new seats are making it possible for us to offer season tickets to the home games.

Regardless of the bleak financial predictions we are facing, our focus will continue to be on doing the best that we can for the students. Our course will remain steady when the question continues to be “what’s in the best interest of the kids?”

I would like to personally congratulate Lisa Kriegh, a senior at Mustang High School, who was recently named a National Merit Finalist and an Oklahoma All-Stater. Sondra Bivens, principal at Mustang Trails Elementary, was named the Oklahoma Association of Elementary School Principals 2010 District 11A Administrator of the Year. Patrick Courtney, a teacher at Mustang High School, was named the Oklahoma Technology Teacher of the Year by the Oklahoma Technology Association last week. Our JROTC unit once again had a leadership and academic team qualify to compete in the national 2010 Junior ROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl. Our students have raised thousands of dollars to help a classmate, people suffering in Haiti and nonprofits like the Leukemia Society. I am continually amazed by their character, perseverance and generosity. This generation is one of the most remarkable I have ever seen.

I am blessed to be part of the Mustang Public School District. Thank you for what you do for our students.

Sincerely,

Bonnie Lightfoot
Superintendent