SODA council discusses use of grant

Los Lunas The School of Dreams Academy Governing Council accepted an award of $24,781 from the Public School Capital Outlay Council (PSCOC) Monday and discussed the use of a nearly $800,000 federal grant.

The council held a special meeting and work session on Monday at the Youth Development Inc. building in Los Lunas.

The award from the PSCOC will assist the new charter school develop a five-year facilities master plan. A completed master plan is required of all New Mexico charter schools in order to receive funding consideration.

The PSCOC awarded funding to four New Mexico charter schools for the 2008-2009 year. The schools awarded include Cien Aguas International, International School at Mesa del Sol, Media Arts Collaborative and School of Dreams Academy.

Of the $83,316 that PSCOC awarded in assistance to charter schools, SODA received the most funding at $24,781, resulting in almost 30 percent of the total money awarded.

"In terms of charter schools, we fared pretty well," said SODA co-founder Michael Ogas.

"I'd like to give my thanks to Mike and Kathy for all their hard work. I'm impressed we got this much money," said council member, Janice Leach, referring to Kathy Chavez and Mike Ogas, the co-founders of SODA.

The council work session began immediately following the special meeting and discussed the use of the Public Charter Schools Program Planning and Implementation grant of $798,339. The last day to obligate funds is June 30, 2009, or the date that the charter school is fully implemented.

The $798,339 was approved as the planning and implementation budget for SODA. The funding is broken up into principal salary and benefits, purchased services, supplies and materials, equipment, staff travel, faculty lease and stipends and substitute costs.

Purchased services include expenses, such as, business accounting software training and follow up consulting. The council spent a good amount of time discussing advertising and web page development for SODA. In addition to the $10,000 allotted for web page development, $40,000 has been budgeted for advertising.

"This is the first point of contact we will have with the community," said council secretary Teresa Ogas, emphasizing the importance of a professional, user-friendly website for the school.

Of purchased services, the total amount given by the Public Charter School Program is $493,000.

SODA has $519,520 for supplies and materials, including things such as, desks, chairs, printers, computers and much of the equipment that makes the school a performing arts academy. Musical instruments, arts and crafts tables, recording software, and Apple McIntosh computers for a digital arts studio are all included expenses.

"We can't cut on curriculum," said Governing Council Vice-President Kenneth Griego about not skimping on things like guitars and keyboards for students. "That is what we are."

Another $39,000 was allotted for equipment, which includes a color copier and network server, installation and wireless peripherals. More than $28,400 was approved for staff travel, which must have a direct relationship to the planning and implementation of SODA. Other areas of the budget include facility lease, stipends and substitute costs and principal salary and benefits.

The total amount of funding requested for the award period of SODA is $1,164,980. Because the amount is more than the awarded grant, the council will have to cut its current budget.

The costs of $175,000 allotted for contractor fees and costs to address issues such as ramps, bathroom, etc. may be able to be cut if the building chosen for the school is whole and solid, said Michael Ogas.

The council expressed interest in a couple of buildings that could potentially be the permanent home of the academy. One would require significant interior renovations, and the other is more readily accessible. The council is currently in negotiations, but nothing has yet been decided.

The council said it is waiting to hear about a couple of other grants that may cover a few other budgeted expenses, which will help alleviate some of the costs that need to be trimmed. However, the council did make clear that they do not want to cut anything curriculum-related or equipment for the students.

The council will hold a workshop to discuss possible web page design vendors at 4 p.m., Tuesday Jan. 6, after their regular board meeting at 12.30 p.m. Both meetings will be held at the YDI office in Los Lunas.