1. How are budgets going to develop for the funding of clothing, books, and joining JROTC programs?
JROTC covers necessary expenses for participating students. There are limited, if any, out-of-pocket expenses.
2. How will you manage the budget with the new schools opening?
Funding for new schools is primarily driven by student enrollment, or FTE (Full Time Equivalent), which generates the resources supporting our programs. The half-cent sales tax also supports school construction and maintenance, and the referendum funds many programs. As students enroll, various funding sources help pay for offerings like Cambridge and Advanced Placement. The district also provides from its General Fund, ensuring new schools open with the same opportunities and programs available across other schools.
3. What are the future plans, if any, for combining Dunnellon High School and Middle School?
At this time, no formal decision has been made regarding combining Dunnellon Middle and High Schools.
4. There is a lot of talk in some circles about the possibility of moving Dunnellon schools to a 6-12 model. What would you tell the community about the actual probability of this?
At this time, no formal decision has been made regarding Dunnellon Middle and High Schools combining or moving to a 6-12 model.
5. How are you engaging students, like you said, “for the long run?”
Students are engaged by using modern technology and working toward industry certifications that connect their learning to real-world careers and future opportunities. When students earn industry certifications, these programs receive additional funding, which allows us to reinvest and continue growing our Career and Technical Education programs while keeping students motivated, skilled, and future ready.