School board approves FY 2020 budget

The Mountain Brook Board of Education approved the school system’s budget for Fiscal Year 2020 during Monday’s meeting at Mountain Brook High School. 

The budget projects $56.5 million in general fund revenues, with 59% of that total coming from local sources and 38% coming from the state. 

 “We’ve taken a conservative approach by thinking that we will increase revenues by approximately 2%,” Mountain Brook Schools Superintendent Dicky Barlow said. 

Meanwhile, the budget projects $56.7 million in general fund expenditures, with 84% of that total going toward personnel costs. 

Barlow said the state-mandated 4% pay raise for teachers cost MBS about $800,000. 

The new budget, which takes effect Oct. 1, also includes $845,000 for capital projects. According to Chief School Finance Officer Kari Austin, those projects will be determined at a later date. 

Austin said MBS is projected to finish FY 2020 with a $12.9 million balance in the general fund. 

“We feel real good about this budget and scoured our spending and our revenues,” Barlow said. 

School enrollment numbers

During Monday’s meeting, the school board also discussed systemwide enrollment numbers. There are 4,329 students in MBS for the 2019-20 academic year, which is a 29 student increase from 2018-19. 

There are 2,287 students enrolled across Mountain Brook’s four elementary schools; 997 students enrolled at the junior high; and 1,045 students enrolled at the high school. 

This is the first school year since 2010-11 that the school system has seen a rise in total enrollment. MBS had the most students in its history in 2010-11, with 4,505, but that number dropped steadily over the next eight years. 

Barlow attributed the trend to the Great Recession, which affected people’s ability to sell their homes in other communities and move into Mountain Brook. 

The school system projects enrollment numbers to dip below 4,300 in the next two academic years, despite this year’s increase. If that happens, it will be the first time since 2006-07 that MBS enrolls fewer than 4,300 students. 

Summer facilities updates

At Monday’s meeting, MBS Facilities Director Tommy Prewitt highlighted the various projects that were completed over the summer. 

They included installing new carpet in classrooms at Mountain Brook Elementary; outfitting MBE’s immersive classroom with projectors; installing security doors for MBE’s gymnasium; constructing an outdoor classroom at Brookwood Forest Elementary; installing new cabinetry and furniture at Cherokee Bend Elementary; upgrading the HVAC systems at Cherokee Bend and the high school; and replacing portions of the roof at the junior high and high school. 

The aisles at Spartan Stadium also were widened and now have handrails. 

“We had another busy summer, as always,” Prewitt said. 

Schools vote Sept. 24 

During the meeting, Barlow also spoke about the importance of the ad valorem tax vote Sept. 24. That’s when Mountain Brook residents will have the opportunity to participate in a citywide referendum that will determine if the ad valorem property tax rate increases by 10 mills.

The measure would generate an additional $6 million in annual revenue for the school system, Barlow said. That money would help finance capital improvements at each of the city’s six schools, along with enhancements in both safety and quality. 

Barlow said the increase is much needed because Mountain Brook’s youngest school is 50 years old. 

“We’re asking all citizens to vote for this millage rate increase,” he said. 

Rosenstiel honored for award

The board recognized MBHS teacher Bryan Rosenstiel at the meeting. Recently, he was one of five Alabama educators named a finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. 

According to a press release from the state department of education, the presidential awards are the nation’s highest honor for K-12 math and science teachers. 

Rosenstiel holds an engineering degree from the University of Alabama, a law degree from the University of Memphis and primarily teaches Advanced Placement chemistry courses. 

New PTO recognized

The 2019-20 PTO Council was recognized at Monday’s meeting. Jackie Woodall is president; Lee Alice Estes is legislative vice president; Suzanne Perkins is secretary; Betsy Byars is treasurer; and Graham Smith is district expressions representative. 

At the individual schools, Amber Craig is PTO president at Brookwood Forest; Caroline Woods is PTO president at Cherokee Bend; Georganne Perrine is PTO president at Crestline; Mary Virginia Mandell is PTO president at Mountain Brook Elementary; Britt Redden is PTO president at the junior high; and Dena Berte is PTO president at the high school. 

Tricia Pugh represents All In Mountain Brook. 

Debate teams celebrated

The debate teams at the junior high and high school were both celebrated at Monday’s school board meeting. 

They had just arrived back in Mountain Brook earlier that day from a tournament at the University of Kentucky, coach Liz Wood Weas said. She lauded her debaters’ accomplishments and said they have a busy fall ahead, with tournaments almost every weekend. 

State Rep. David Faulkner was present at the meeting and commended the teams as well. 

“Keep striving for excellence,” he told them. 

Faulkner, an MBHS alum, said he competed on the school’s debate team when he was a student and is glad to support the current team financially. 

The next school board meeting will be Oct. 14 at 3:30 p.m. at the junior high.