CAPE SCHOOL BOARD TO HOLD RETREAT TODAY

Long-term budget projections and class scheduling will be among the items discussed by the Cape Girardeau Board of Education during its annual planning session today.

The school board's retreat begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce board room and is open to the public. It is scheduled to conclude at noon.

Board members will spend the bulk of their time reviewing financial information during the meeting. Business manager Dr. Steve Del Vecchio will give reports regarding projected balances for the end of this fiscal year, as well as annual projections for the next five years. Del Vecchio is also scheduled to present salary schedule proposals for faculty and staff.

Schools superintendent Dr. Dan Tallent will lead discussions regarding legislative issues that could affect district funding. Similar legislative initiatives are being reviewed by state lawmakers that could increase school funding to districts like Cape Girardeau which have hold-harmless status. Approximately 52 of the state's more than 500 school districts have hold-harmless status.

Tallent also will review the status of the district's long-range master plan. The strategic plan, developed by school officials and patrons two years ago, includes a detailed list of objectives for the district's construction, curriculum, programming and finances.

Not scheduled for discussion today is a proposal submitted by the Attendance Area Study Committee last month. School board members are considering boundary changes for the district's elementary schools to coincide with the opening of Barbara Blanchard Elementary School next fall. May Greene and Washington schools are scheduled to close at that time, reducing the district's total number of elementary schools to five.

Board members currently are collecting public opinion about the proposal and are scheduled to vote on the measure next month.