July 27, 2026 Board of Education Meeting

The Saint Joseph School District Board of Education meeting on July 27, 2026 included updates on district reorganization, finances, facilities, and academic programs. No contract award or bid approval was recorded. The district is working with DLR on a facilities-planning process, with a proposed 10-year plan expected to come to the board in November. A demographer and possible RFP were discussed; board members emphasized that any projections should be available in time to inform the planning process and be meaningfully used. The administration also reported that the Community Alliance had indicated possible $60,000 financial support for the facilities work, but the funds had not yet been received. Additional parking near Benton was discussed as a possibility, subject to city approval, with a preliminary estimated cost of $50,000–$100,000 depending on the number of spaces; no spending authorization was sought or approved. Construction updates indicated that district projects were nearing completion, and the board discussed preliminary zoning review for buildings that will no longer be used, with any eventual property sale requiring board approval.

The board approved the bills and accepted the FY26 financial and investment reports. The finance update reported an estimated operating reserve ratio of 10.7% and a projected $3.6 million deficit for the coming year; the administration also said it may bring a proposal in August to prepay part of a 2024 bond with a 5% coupon, using debt-service funds rather than operating funds. The board approved a resolution rescinding a prior voluntary levy rollback, with the administration stating that this would not increase the total tax rate, which would remain at or below 4.9163. Other discussion included staffing retention, school reorganization, and board committees; no other procurement decisions were identified.