“We’ve been very progressive utilizing different means and alternate ways of finding revenue to tackle these issues,” Dr. Madison says. “We’ve been using bonds, which is a unique way of approaching some of these bigger ticket items but then splicing them off at different times within different programming methods.” Chris Street, Chief Financial Officer, attributes this financial stability to decades of careful planning.“Our board and facilities team have invested in capital, ensuring our buildings are in strong positions of maintenance. When we get toward the end of a life cycle, we’re replacing HVACs, boilers, chillers, and roofs so we can reduce year-to-year maintenance costs,” Street explains. PREPARING STUDENTS FOR ALL PATHS “As a district in the state, I don’t feel there are many districts that position kids better than ours,” Dr. Madison asserts. “At both high schools, we have tremendous partnerships with local universities providing dual credit opportunities that give students a head start on college without significant out-of-pocket costs.” These articulation agreements with higher education institutions reflect a growing national trend, with research showing students who earn college credit in high school are more likely to enroll in and complete postsecondary education. However, NAFCS recognizes that a four-year university path isn’t appropriate for all students. 9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 05 NEW ALBANY-FLOYD COUNTY SCHOOLS (NAFCS)
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