The Habersham County Board of Education (BOE) will meet Monday to approve its FY 2025 annual budget and discuss renovations at two elementary schools.
The BOE will consider approving its FY 2025 General Fund budget of $97,042,115, an increase of $8,328,863 over the FY 2024 budget. Of the $8.3 million increase, $7,980,261 are for employee raises and benefits.
Teachers will receive a $2,500 pay raise and classified employees will receive a 4.1% salary increase. Staff salary increases will be $2,116,070.
Health insurance benefits increased as well for the school district. For FY 2025, health insurance costs increased by $2,479,320 when compared to FY 2024.
Another increase in salaries for the FY 2025 General Fund budget will be the retention of 41 employees that were hired with federal funds. In 2020, school systems received the ESSER III ARP Federal Grant to hire employees to assist students that may have been impacted due to school closings during the pandemic. That grant will expire on September 30, 2024. The cost in retaining those employees will impact the general fund to the tune of $2,348,575.
The school district operates 14 schools. It is made up of 28 departments and has 1,212 employees. The school district instructs 7,190 students.
School renovations
The BOE will consider approving Carroll Daniel Construction Company as the design build firm for renovations to two elementary schools. Hazel Grove will see all of the building’s windows replaced. The current windows were installed when the school was built in the mid-1950’s.
Woodville will see renovations to the office area and renovations within the building that will add three classrooms. The school also will have built a more secure entryway.
According to Assistant School Superintendent Patrick Franklin, the cost for the renovations will not be known for at least a month. Once the design phase is completed, the school board will receive ,for their approval, a guaranteed maximum price for the renovations at the two schools.
Last year, Carroll Daniel Construction began the addition to Clarkesville Elementary School that will add 10 new classrooms and a renovated cafeteria and kitchen. The addition will accommodate the additional students the school will receive as the school district grows. The Clarkesville Elementary School expansion cost the school board approximately $11 million.
The Habersham County Board of Education will meet at 6:00 p.m. Monday May 13. The meeting will be held in the Board Meeting Room at 144 Holcomb Street in Clarkesville.
