A preliminary budget has been set for the Osakis School District. However, it is just that – preliminary. There are a lot of “what ifs” when it comes to the budget at this point, said Superintendent Randy Bergquist at the Monday, June 14, school board meeting.

As it stands today, revenues are projected at $11.307 million with expenditures at nearly the same – $11.334 million.

The district’s fund balance is projected to be at $5.922 million.

In the past, Bergquist said when it comes to setting the budget, he likes to keep it on the conservative side. And that holds true this year with so many unknowns, including how much money the district will be receiving from the state as well as the total cost for some upcoming projects. Projects that include a new bus garage and tennis courts .

Randy Bergquist

Here’s a look at the total revenues and expenditures, along with the total fund balance for the past five years. This year’s numbers are proposed, while previous years are actual numbers:

Grand total revenue

• 2017-18: $10.388 million

• 2018-19: $16.412 million

• 2019-20: $10.928 million

• 2020-21: $11.451 million

• 2021-22: $11.307 million

Grand total expenditures

• 2017-18: $10.449 million

• 2018-19: $16.336 million

• 2019-20: $10.647 million

• 2020-21: $11.370 million

• 2021-22: $11.334 million

Total fund balance

• 2017-18: $4.635 million

• 2018-19: $4.660 million

• 2019-20: $5.130 million

• 2020-21: $5.948 million

• 2021-22: $5.922 million

Enrollment

Although the district is expecting an overall growth in enrollment, Bergquist said he bases the budget conservatively when it comes to enrollment. If the district expects 63-65 total kindergartens, for example, he’ll use 60 as the projected number as the district will not know the exact number until the start of school.

Additionally, he said that the district keeps track of enrollment throughout the entire school year as it is continually changing.

Shad Schmidt, Osakis elementary principal, shared enrollment projections at the Monday night meeting. He said as of now, the projected enrollment for K-6 is 397 students, but he expects that number to grow. Currently, he knows of nine new students coming into the district this fall. Schmidt said to keep in mind that enrollment numbers are fluid and are always changing as students move into or out of the district or parents open enroll their students into or out of the district.

The ending enrollment for the 2020-21 school year, as of June 1, for K-6 was at 402 and for 7-12, it was at 430 for a total of 832 students. .

Brad Hoffarth, high school principal, said the high school has had multiple tours a day of families checking out the facilities. However, he said it is too early to have an accurate projected enrollment.

Here’s a look at what the enrollment was per grade on June 1:

• Kindergarten – 59

• Grade 1 – 49

• Grade 2 – 49

• Grade 3 – 60

• Grade 4 – 60

• Grade 5 – 62

• Grade 6 – 63

• Grade 7 – 60

• Grade 8 – 76

• Grade 9 – 81

• Grade 10 – 75

• Grade 11 – 69

• Grade 12 – 69