Those in Piper worried about out of district students attending the Piper School District can now call a hotline or email a tip to the school district.

The hotline was established in late December after a small handful residents spoke out over the past two meetings about the district's need to get tougher on enforcing its residency codes.

Last night, board members discussed possible ways to make the rule stronger. Among the possibilities thrown out – turning over case by case to the county attorney.

"It puts more pressure on us to find out if the kids are liars," said Steve Adams, Piper Superintendent. (SEE UPDATE and Adams' comment in the comment section).

Still, while residents packed November's meeting about the issue, the hotline and email address both have been relatively silent so far, according to Piper Board President Rick Kaminski.

Locally, the school district is limited on what it can do to enforce the codes, as they have to enroll students who show any kind of proof of residency.

Once students have been claimed for the official enrollment present to the state for funding, they cannot be kicked out without the district reimbursing the state.

But Adams said the school district has found individual cases this year.

For those interested, the number is (913) 721-9005 and the email address is violations@piperschools.com.

UPDATE: Adams also said parents "find creative ways," so he wasn't just targeting students with his comments.

The major issue for all school districts – large and small – in the State of Kansas the past year has been state-aid funding and budget headaches.

Monday was no different for the Piper Board of Education.

Piper Superintendent Steve Adams informed board members near the beginning of the meeting that the district is at $800,000 in the red because the State of Kansas has twice delayed payments to school districts and remains a month behind.

Like previous months, last month the state faced revenue shortfalls – about $33 million worth of shortfalls.

Piper and other school districts receive half of their funding from the state, which makes the delayed payments a greater problem.

"At some point the state will have to start paying their bills," Adams said.

Still, the district has made up for the money hole with other funds.

The budget issue crept its way into two other discussions – budget cuts down the road and the possibility of outsourcing employees. The school district will soon have to make more cuts – some of which will be deep.

"Our administrative council has spent considerable time on finding possible cuts," Adams said. "Some cuts will involve people."

Areas that are likely to see cuts: $50,000 in cuts to the district's maintenance budget, $50,000 in technology funding and possible amendments to retirement and health insurance benefits. Cuts could reach up to the administration level.

Over 80 percent of the district's budget is dedicated to employee salaries, a fact that did not escape board members.

"If 80 percent of our budget is spent on salaries, you have to dip into that pool at some point," said Neal Palmer, board member.

While the board did not make a final decision yet, it did take another step in outsourcing janitorial positions.

After the district called for RFPs in custodial service, eight firms responded back, four of which "fulfilled requirements" for the district, Adams said.

The bids range from $472,898 to $781,756. The district is also considering reduction of force or additional cuts in its current custodial services rather than outsourcing.

The Piper School District will be off from school Friday.

I'm hearing other school districts have closed in the area, but I haven't been able to confirm them yet.

UPDATE: Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools has been called off for Friday.

The Piper Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Monday, Jan. 4, 2010.

The purpose of the meeting, which begins at 6 p.m., is to discuss the Piper Educational Foundation and how it will be operated.

The District Office - 12036 Leavenworth Road – will host it.

(Photos and information courtesy of Melissa Bynum.)

Students in the five second grade classes at Piper Elementary participated in a holiday project of collecting hats, scarves, mittens and gloves for the young people served by PACES, Wyandotte County’s behavioral health services for young people.

PACES serves thousands of young people each year who experience mental, emotional or behavioral challenges; many of these young people also experience the need for warm winter clothing.

While last night's Piper Board of Education meeting contained mostly bad news related to budget issues, there was one source of good news.

In a revised facilities master plan, the district will not need another bond issue until 2012, rather than the originally scheduled 2010 plan.

However, the new plan will require the district to spend some money – on renovating the former Piper West Elementary building so it could become useful for students within the district.

"We will have to use the school in some fashion," said Steve Adams, superintendent of the district.

Facing a tough budget situation that's likely to get worse, the Piper Board of Education is considering outsourcing the district's custodian services.

Members of the board heard a report from representatives of PCI Building Services, a locally based company that hires their own custodians to work at schools and other locations within the Greater Kansas City metro area.

Brenda Wood, the owner of the business, presented information to the board and said the business would save the district $251,000, based on informal studies.

Some current employees would be lost, as the total number of employed custodians would dip if the board goes that route. In terms of current employees for the district, Wood said they would have an opportunity to keep their job.

"Existing employees could be kept," she said. "We would do our best to keep them. But some will probably go."

PCI currently serves the Bonner Springs School District and the Lansing School District.

No official decision was made by the board Monday night.

"This is just a learning session for the board," said Steve Adams, superintendent of schools in Piper. "It's a first step."

Even with new renovations to its high school and a new elementary school opened for class this year, the Piper School District is feeling an enrollment crunch again.

As of the official head-count, enrollment in the district is up 95 students. Since 2005, enrollment has increased by 366 students, or 27 percent. The skyrocketing of enrollment result in the district asking its patrons to support a bond issue to build a new school.

Still, even with the new school, the district is beginning to look for facility options for its elementary school numbers.

"We may be able to go one more year before doing something different with the elementary school students," said Steve Adams, Piper Superintendent. (pictured above)

Don't fret, Piper residents. That doesn't necessarily - or likely - mean another bond issue campaign anytime soon.

Adams suggested to members of the Piper Board of Education that the former Piper West Elementary School could be renovated for kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students.

"It's not suitable without attention to it," he said. "There is some available space and you could finance it without a bond issue."

The earliest projections show that it would cost roughly between $680,000-700,000 to renovate the school for a handful of classrooms to relief enrollment numbers. Renovations to the school could help hold off on a longer term and more expensive solution (such as a bond issue) for five or six years.

But the district's current growth is expected to continue for well over a decade, which concerns board members in some areas for the longer-term aspect of the situation.

"We need to look into acquiring land," said Rick Kaminski, board president. "Our options on land are running out."

The district's situation with its high school and especially its middle school capacities are much brighter for the district.

There was nothing approved by the board, as the issue was just discussed by board members.

After months of trimming budgets in light of a decrease in state revenues, it appears school districts in Wyandotte County could be swallowing another bitter pill come in November.

Piper School District Superintendent Steve Adams said that November budget cuts are likely based on information provided to him by the State of Kansas.

"The state could face an additional short term budget shortfall of $90 million," Adams said. "We saw a decrease of valuation across the State of Kansas."

All districts in Kansas have made required budget cuts, with some taking the cuts harder than others. According to Adam's information, the Piper School District itself could be out of an additional $200,000 in revenue.

"I believe it's safe to say we could be cut another $85-95 per student based on the current revenue situation in Kansas," he said.

Still, there was some good news revenue wise for the district shared tonight at the Piper Board of Education – an increase of students and free or reduced lunch students will provide the district an additional $210,000 in revenue.

This would neutralize the future cut, but even that increase doesn't mean it's completely good news for the district.

"It's good news revenue wise but it means more of our patrons are dealing with a tough economic situation," he said.

Three of Wyandotte County's school districts have reported an increase in enrollment for the 2009-10 school year.

The Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools District increased enrollment by 50 students from this point last year in the pre-audit numbers from the state. However, with the increased enrollment comes some bad news: The district's number of students on free or reduced lunch programs exceeded 15,000.

Enrollment is 19,600, meaning over three quarters of the district's students are dealing with issues of poverty.

Meanwhile, enrollment continues to increase in the Piper School District, as 95 new students were enrolled this year.

Since 2005, the district has increased by 27 percent in size as 366 new students enrolled. The increasing enrollment prompted the school district in passing a $29.9 million two falls ago.

The Bonner Springs-Edwardsville Public School District also experienced a significant uptake in students.

There are 85 new students in the school district this year.

(Note: I'm currently working on obtaining numbers from the Turner School District.)