As a member of the Aspen View Academy Finance Committee and Board, I have been given the privilege of writing the final administrative address before the winter break. While there are many topics that come to mind, one that is near and dear to my heart is the discussion of how the Board operates as financial stewards for the school. Stewardship is defined as the careful and responsible management of something that is entrusted to one’s care. As a financial steward of Aspen View Academy, the Board is tasked with balancing the fiscal demands on the school’s budget each year while planning for future capital improvements, educational growth opportunities, and economic downturns that impact school funding.
One of the many goals of the Board of Directors is to improve the retention of current teachers as well as attracting top quality talent from all over the district, state, and country. By retaining and attracting high quality teachers, we continue to improve the educational experience for our children as well as improving efficiency through reduced training and acquisition costs. One such way that the Board was recently able to act on this is through the recently passed Douglas County Mill Levy Override, which voters approved in November. This Mill Levy Override increased school funding across the District and gave Aspen View Academy an opportunity to immediately put dollars to work that the community so graciously approved. As stewards of this money we focused on some key areas that we believe would provide the most impact for our students, including a plan to unify compensation for our teaching staff based on experience, qualifications, and longevity, as well as increasing funding for curriculum, teacher supplies, and additional security measures.
The recently approved revised budget for Aspen View Academy provides an operating surplus which the school strategically allocates to the capital reserve fund to be used for future capital improvements and to act as a financial buffer for any unforeseen declines in school funding. While some schools operate with deficits each year and others operate with very large surpluses, we believe responsible financial stewardship lies in the middle. Allocating as much money as possible to improve the learning environment of the school while also planning for the future results in a balance of the needs of today with the financial security of tomorrow.
On behalf of the entire Board, we want to personally thank you for your continued support of Aspen View Academy and hope the financial stewardship the Board provides helps the school to thrive for many years to come. Happy Holidays!
Eric Patton
Board Member
Aspen View Academy
