With the projected student count rising from 395 to 452, McDonogh City Park Academy’s 2012-13 budget will rise accordingly, the board learned at its monthly meeting, July 17.  More students means more expenses, but also more revenues; just how much more remains to be determined, finance director Keeanyu Dupre said.

Dupre said the school was “working with the bare bones” when constructing a budget based on an enrollment of 395. That forced severe cuts in the allocations for office supplies and repairs and maintenance.  The additional funding resulting from the increased student count will in part alleviate those cuts.

Nonetheless, the school still hopes to slash maintenance and repair allocations in the coming year, having spent heavily to replace copy machines last year.

Dupre alerted the board to the past year’s $68,463 deficit, which she expects to swell after pending invoices surface.  Dupre attributed most of the deficit to depreciation of current assets.

While the school has the funds to cover the deficit, Dupre told the board a second consecutive year of deficits would damage its financial standing.  Auditors will check the school’s records again in early September.

The meeting touched on a variety of unrelated developments.  The board assisted in the composition of a new parent handbook which was sent to the printer on July 17 and was scheduled to be posted on the website shortly.

The school has contracted a new web provider to upgrade and update the site.

iLeap summer results won’t be available until Aug. 6, the board was told.  The means some students may not learn until the first day of the new school year that they have been held back a grade  as a result of lagging test results.

Carmelite Price, coordinator of school services, reported that all grade levels are at maximum enrollment except for kindergarten, which has seven openings.

Board members present included Mary Kay Parker, Jim Nelson, Thomas Hooks, Emily Waterfield, Michael Plemer, Monica Candal, Sheila Hebert and Lee Hampton.  Along with Dupre and Price, principal Christine Mitchell was also present.  A reporter from The Lens was the only member of the public in attendance.

The next meeting is August 21 at 5:30 p.m.