With last week’s approval of a state budget for the upcomingfiscal year, Brookhaven School District officials now have aclearer outlook for the 2005-06 school year and are makingpreparations.

School board members met Tuesday night to discuss how thebudget, which includes a large increase in funding for thedistrict, would affect certain programs and teaching positions.

Superintendent Lea Barrett reported that the district wouldreceive $966,783 more than last year.

“That’s a considerable improvement,” she said.

Board members were glad to hear that the funding will allow thedistrict to keep or bring back a music program at Lipsey MiddleSchool, physical education classes at Brookhaven Elementary, art atAlexander Junior High and driver’s education during the school yearat Brookhaven High.

“Those are things that just make an educational experience inBrookhaven special,” said board secretary Karen Braden.

Barrett said the budget also will ensure that teachers receive astate-mandated 8 percent pay raise and a 1 percent increase inteacher retirement benefits.

“That is good news,” board chairman Dan Brown Jr. said.

Three additional teaching positions in the district will befilled as a result of the recent state budget approval, addedBarrett.

The district will also have enough funds to hire an additionalmath teacher at BHS and an additional kindergarten teacher at MamieMartin, if needed.

Barrett explained that the kindergarten enrollment looked likeit would be up next year. And due to increased enrollment at theMississippi School of the Arts, another math teacher may behired.

District officials now will be able to finalize some teachercontracts and plan to start work on those immediately.

Board member Carl Holloway questioned the district rushing todesignate ways to spend the additional funding rather than savingit for times when there may be more cuts.

“Simply because we’ve gotten the money, why should we spend themoney if we said we were going to make it with the cuts?” heasked.

Barrett explained that the district had still cut back in someareas, such as not filling positions left vacant by assistants whodid not meet the No Child Left Behind certificationrequirements.

“I feel very comfortable that the budget is solid and that we’renot putting the district in any economical strain,” she said.