The Creswell School Board received a special presentation from Adam Watkins, principal at Creswell High School, on their Youth Transition Program (YTP) printing project during the Dec. 12 regular school board meeting at 7 p.m.
The program is designed to connect students with real world business experience, and will hopefully give them a ”leg up” when they leave Creswell, Watkins said. The printer was bought in August after a three-part money donation installment from Richard and Barbara Heyman. They Heymans wanted their money to be used in the manual arts or as ”blue collar occupations as much as possible,” Richard Heyman said in an email. He added that they were pleased Stan Mercer was assigned to run most of those programs as they believe him to be ”an outstanding educator.”
Since its purchase, it has been used to print merchandise associated with the high school – including apparel, stickers and posters. Along with the skills learned with the graphic design aspect, students are also learning production, marketing and business.
”It’s not a simulation anymore, but a real world application,” Watkins said. ”This is giving us flexibility to provide resources to students and the community, and eventually bring in revenue.”
People outside the community have already started placing orders with the high school. The money received will go back into the printing business.
”That money will be used to run the business, as well as potential student opportunities such as scholarships (and) opportunities,” Watkins said in an email.
Watkins gave each school board member a swag bag, with Creswell Bulldog merchandise samples printed from the store.
After special presentations, the board approved the out-of-state student travel request of the High School Band for a performance in Disneyland from March 20 to 26. An estimated 52 students will attend the trip, with nine to 11 supervisors. Board Director Mike Anderson motioned to approve and Board Director Natalie Smathers seconded; the motion passed unanimously.
The board also approved the 2019-20 budget calendar to help set up future meeting dates, Superintendent Todd Hamilton said. Anderson moved to approve and Smathers seconded; the motion passed unanimously.
During the Superintendent Report, Hamilton said he is ”cautiously optimistic” about the 2019-21 biennium state budget. He said the current service levels are getting closer to the district’s business manager’s projections.
”They have been working with the fiscal office to align variables so the numbers are closer,” Hamilton said.
The state calculation for the next biennium is $8.77 billion, and Governor Kate Brown’s recommended budget is $8.97 billion with an addition of $100 million for Public Employees Retirement System. The Education Partner’s calculation for the district is $9.13 billion, which gives a gap of $60-150 million. That said, the 2017-19 biennium gap was at $400 million.
Hamilton said more details will be available in January.
The meeting adjourned at 7:48 p.m. Board Directors Lacey Risdal, Paul Randall and David Esuted were not in attendance, and all had excused absences. The next board meeting will be on Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.
