- Newberry Community School Board approved a $5.9 million budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year based on 520 full-time students.
- Most budget funds cover instruction, with $3.1 million allocated to salaries, benefits, and educational materials.
- The board accepted a quote to reprogram school radios and postponed officer elections until July 20.
The Newberry Community School Board acted on several items at a meeting on Monday, including approving the school’s one-year operating budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year and a quote to reprogram school radios, while also tabling the election of officers for 2026-27.
Budget
The 2026-27 operating budget for Newberry Community School, the new conversion public charter school that is taking over the Newberry Elementary School (NES) building in the fall, is based on an enrollment of 520 full-time equivalent (FTE) students.
Principal Lacy Roberts said 520 students is the school’s “cap of enrollment,” noting that they weren’t at that number yet. She added that the finance committee could elect to revise the budget if NCS’s enrollment doesn’t reach the 520 number.
The board unanimously approved the budget, with members Chuck Clemons and Leslie Hayes-Morrison absent from the meeting.
The budget includes a total projected revenue of $5,988,266, with the bulk of that funding ($4,491,618) coming from the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP).
Most of the budget is allocated to instruction, which totals $3,144,106. This includes salaries for teachers and staff ($1,977,164) and benefits ($894,692). The other $272,250 is allotted to other expenses like textbooks, curriculum, supplies, furniture, equipment, etc.
Another $238,766 in the budget is allocated for student support services, including salaries and supplies.
The school also budgeted $320,857 for administrative salaries, including the principal ($117,500), assistant principal ($76,000), secretary/administrative assistant/financial specialist ($97,920) and office assistant ($29,437).
In addition to instruction and administration, the budget will also include $409,860 for transportation and $587,596 for plant operations. That total for plant operations includes $111,661 for custodial services, $117,834 for insurance, $80,000 for contracted security services (school resource officer), $83,102 for electricity, $37,774 for facility operations services, and $10,400 for water, sewer and garbage.
Following the board’s vote on the budget, there was discussion in regard to the finance committee. Roberts outlined the bylaws, which require the board to appoint a finance committee chaired by the treasurer (Hayes-Morrison).
Roberts said the finance committee will be considered a standing committee and would “review the annual budget for consideration and approval by the board, monitor the financials of the corporation and perform such other duties as identified by the board.”
Board Chair Derek Danne recalled the finance committee being created last year, which consisted of himself, Hayes-Morrison and Vice Chair Leslie McGehee.
Roberts said the recommendation from the Florida Charter Institute (FCI) was for the committee to consist of roughly five members. She suggested recruiting community members with financial backgrounds to also serve on the finance committee.
“It’s definitely a committee that we need to get up and running and taking a look at through the summer into the fall as we finalize enrollment numbers and take a look at possibly revising the budget,” Roberts said.
No action was taken by the board, as members were given a month to suggest potential people to serve on the committee.
Quote for reprogramming of school radios
Also, during the meeting, the board unanimously accepted a quote from Gainesville-based Ashtin Communications to reprogram school radios.
Roberts said the radios in NES need to be reprogrammed and that she had received a quote from Ashtin Communications to get this completed.
“The staff heavily depends on radios for security [and] for lots of business that happens during the day,” she said. “It’s a very important part of running a school.”
Roberts also gave a brief update on campus preparations toward the end of the meeting.
She said she and other school staff did a walk-through on the NES campus last week, including facilities. Roberts noted that there is still work to be done at the school before teachers arrive on July 27, including painting and carpet cleaning.
Roberts said Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) is getting the carpets professionally cleaned and all the tile waxed before NCS staff moves in.
Additionally, Roberts said that all the curriculum has been ordered and hiring has been completed. She added that they’re also working on ordering clinic and custodial supplies and setting up bus routes.
“It’s been busy, but moving everything forward,” Roberts said.
The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 10.
Election of officers tabled
During the meeting, the board also unanimously voted to table the election of officers for 2026-27 until its next meeting so new member Jessica Norfleet could be present and vote.
Norfleet was appointed to the NCSB in May to replace Clemons, who decided not to renew after hitting his initial term limit on the board. Monday was technically Clemons’s last board meeting, with Norfleet joining in July.
The board will vote on chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer roles at its next meeting, which is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on July 20.
Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.