LINN — Linn R-2 Superintendent Bob James told board members at their December meeting that increased enrollment would create additional staffing needs next year. The catch is that the district is required to increase the base salary, which means James is considering ways to balance the two.

“We do have some concern at the first-grade level,” said James, noting that the two classes each have 23 students. “We expect potentially two more first-graders to be moving in after January. Of particular interest to you guys, we did our food-service verification report a couple of weeks ago. On that report, we have 620 students listed, and since the report, we have about a dozen students who have enrolled and either already arrived or will be coming to us after the new year, and we’re not aware of any leaving.”

Linn R-2 had approximately 590 students the last time the report was done. “We’re 30 ahead there, and we’ll end up about 40 larger than we were this time last year,” said James. “We’ll be looking at potentially bringing someone in to help us out with that first-grade class.”

Board members were slated to consider the recommendation of a nurse candidate in closed session as well.

“We are already looking to the spring and hiring people of particular interest,” James noted. “I don’t think that it necessarily applies to us, but it’s something we’ve got to think about and acknowledge as we compete for staff. Jefferson City has a lot more staff than we do. They’ve already hired about 15 teachers. They don’t even have openings yet. They have an anticipated turnover, but we have larger districts around us that are upping the ante on what they’re doing to get staff locked into contract and ready. I don’t think we can quite get there. We’re just not big enough to do that, but we do have to think of ways to attract teachers and get them here as soon as possible. We’re working on that.”

In the meantime, the district continues to focus on academics, curriculum, and data for professional development.

“Culture and climate are going to be big,” said James. “There’s no way to work harder, longer, and better without really taxing your people and wearing them out; they are doing everything we have needed them to do, and now we are asking even more. ”

As noted in previous stories, the district is considering another attempt to pass a tax-levy increase as the state minimum $2.75 is not enough to handle the base salary increase long-term.

“I think we’re in a pretty good spot to handle our obligations right now, but we really have to be thinking forward to increased base salaries, at which point, we will not be,” said James. “We have full state funding, but I don’t anticipate it will last forever. I’m predicting that we won’t have the same support at the state level for the next five years, so we have to plan to not have it so we can survive that leaner time.”

While Linn R-2’s assessed valuation has improved, a $.50 increase would accommodate a move to the legislatively-required base salary of $41,200 and move the hourly base.

James told the board he believes he can increase the certified teacher salary schedule to the legal minimum without the Teacher Base Salary Grant for the 2026-27 school year. However, there are implications to consider.

“We can lock down our budget to get certified teaching staff to $41,200, but that does not change the base for our hourly employees whatsoever,” said James. “We can survive that on current terms, if nothing changes, but I believe we are going to look at state cuts.”

Maintaining a healthy fund balance between 30% and 40% is untenable with a minimum operating levy.

Pacing the state’s required increases will cost R-2 approximately $300,000 next year after the $4,200 raise for every teacher. “That will strain our reserves,” said James. “That is a 4% burden to our fund balance every year. At a nearly 40% reserve, it will take three years under current funding to deplete our reserves to at or below our 30% threshold.”

Being at or near a 40% fund reserve means the district would have about three years under current circumstances before that drops Linn R-2 remotely close to its padded 30% fund balance. “We have three or four years to figure that out before we start eating away at reserves,” James noted. “We’ll have some assessed valuation — cross your fingers — increases along the way, but some other things we’ve got to consider. If the AV goes up, but we pass an umbrella for our senior citizens for taxes, that’s going to cut into our proceeds at the county level. We have to acknowledge that that just gets us to the minimum, and we’ve got a three to five-year clock on our budget and its health. We don’t have a choice but to get to $41,200, but remember, we’re required to increase by 3% per year after that, which will cost $100,000 more per year to pay our certified teachers.”

That does not address hourly wage gaps for secretaries, paraprofessionals, substitutes, etc. “We will have to remain where they are and continue to be driven by the $37,000 base salary until I can find a funding source to move them,” said James. “This move will place a serious strain on our general funds; we will not have much room to do anything else for 3-5 years.”

James added that his strategy will depend on what Gov. Mike Kehoe says in mid-January during his address regarding elementary and secondary education.

In related business, James suggested finding a way to employ a full-time school resource officer if the levy increase is approved.

“This is the first district I’ve been in that hasn’t had a full-time school resource officer,” said James, alluding to behavior issues on campus that a school resource officer could help address, along with the current environment in general. “We’ve had a few issues with parents over the years, and a lot of that we wouldn’t have to deal with it just because of that presence. I think, from a safety and security issue, while we’re putting all this film and impact-resistant glass, putting bollards in front of things, that having a school resource officer on campus would go a long way. We’ve had a great history of partnership with our Sheriff’s Department, including some of them coaching for us right now. So, if we’re going to ask for an operating levy increase in 2026, we need to decide that now so I can get ballot language pulled together, get it in front of you at the January board meeting, and file it by the last week of January. The language would say increase in salaries to meet the minimum base teaching standards as directed in state legislation, and fund all or part of a school resource officer.”

James added he did not expect anything extravagant on the operating or the building side. “It’s going to get tight if we don’t pass a levy increase, and I don’t think the time to do it is when it’s tight and we don’t have a choice,” he said.

Details on how such an arrangement would work have yet to be determined. “What I’m going for is, they would be full-time here, and be at our events. In the summer, they would go on the road for the sheriff, anticipating a full-time salary. I would negotiate with the Sheriff’s Department to share as much of that cost as we could, because for a few months in the summer, they would be working for Sheriff Bonham. As far as the school year is concerned, I would want them here full-time with us.”

No vote was taken. James will provide ballot language, and the board will need to decide at the January meeting whether to proceed with a ballot issue in April. The deadline for submission is Jan. 27.

• Linn R-2 is on schedule and under budget, even considering the alternatives and upgrades added to the bond project.

Here’s a look at each part:

Middle/High School addition — roofing and windows are complete. James requested that the opaque film on the eye-level windows in the admin area be removed because it obstructed the view of the parking lot from the administrative offices. “I believe that presents a safety concern,” said James. “The film is glazed and will be removed at a minimal cost.”

Drywall is going up, and the addition has been weathered in and is being heated.

— James is moving forward with the mild renovation of the existing high school common areas: repainting the common areas to match the new addition, updating the receptacle covers, switches, etc., replacing damaged ceiling tiles and matching the 2x2 tiles in the new addition, adding a few graphic areas (history of the high school, performing arts, and a wall graphic(s) for the cafeteria area. He also included replacing existing teachers’ desks and chairs to match those in the new addition.

James requested an estimate to replace the cafeteria tables, which will likely go to the elementary school to upgrade those near the end of their life. Replacements would be more conducive to older students, allow for the myriad banquets and events held in the MS/HS cafeteria, and improve the overall aesthetic of the campus.

— Fieldhouse cooling system: the outside units were placed over Thanksgiving, the ductwork has been set outside, and the interior ductwork and infrastructure will be installed over the holiday break. “We will do an initial system test mid-January,” said James.

The mini split for the concession stand is complete, and Information Technology has a substantial completion date of March.

— Parking lots: the district is awaiting a solution for the substandard work on the entrance concrete following a recent survey. “I should have a recommendation from our contractors by January,” said James. “It is likely to be mostly or completely replaced as part of the balance of main parking lot work this summer.”

The northwest parking lot is waiting for a few very small details to be buttoned up, including the turnover of the extra cameras the district does not need.

— Elementary secure vestibule: the transaction window is set and waiting for the writing surface. Timing issues with the automatic doors have been addressed, and James said the plan is to complete the storefront wall between the instructional rooms and classrooms, as well as close in the custodial closet in the cafeteria over the summer.

Softball/Baseball facility: Demolition is complete, and the backstop poles were set recently. Dugout foundations were to be poured over the break. Concession and pressbox demo has begun. “We will be doing a mild renovation of that in-house to minimize the costs,” said James, noting it would be a stand-alone building. We have procured an engineer to design our bleacher covers and have settled on 27’ by 10 row bleachers (x2) to accommodate our seating (we save 20% or so doing this in-house).

—The district encountered issues setting the poles, which required a well-drilling company to bore through rock (10 feet deep at a $10,000-$15,000 additional cost). “We have a similar issue with the backstop poles but have found a low-cost alternative,” said James. “We will have some additional supply costs as we install equipment storage and other ancillary items to get the dugouts up and running (minimal and will still leave us ahead of our budget).”

James noted he would have a list of potential projects and estimated costs at the January board meeting, adding that the district would have a significant amount left over and can continue to expand the scope of projects included in the bond while adhering to bond language. “It is a lot of work, but it’s well worth the results we are getting,” he said.

In other business, Board President Dr. Shawn Strong, Matt McCoy, Mitch Branson, Alfred Brandt, and Jill Tschappler have filed for the April election. Two three-year seats are up for grabs.

• Early graduates are Dareion Crider, who plans to join the workforce; Kadi Robinson, who plans to major in Cosmetology at Merrell University; Tyler Wagner, who plans to attend Capital Academy to earn certifications in Heavy Equipment Operations; and Madaleigh Wilson, who plans to major in Medical Radiologic Technology at State Tech.

• James told the board that last year’s junior high track cooperative with St. George went very well, and he would like to do it again this spring. He will return with details.

• The school has a checking and investment balance of $1,573,190.02, including investments of $508,322.97 through Mid America Bank.

• Linn R-2 will meet again on Jan. 15 at 6:30 p.m.