ORAN -- The Oran School District is in good financial shape, Superintendent Jack McIntosh told the school board last week.

Revenues and expenditures are balancing well this year, McIntosh said, even with teachers receiving a $1,000 increase in salaries.

McIntosh estimated the school district will receive about $572,000 in minimum guarantee funds from the state this year. In addition, $34,000 is expected as reimbursement for students receiving free and reduced-price meals. The total of the two is about $17,000 more than last year.

McIntosh said he is concerned about attendance, since the eligible pupil estimate is based on 345 students, which is about 95 percent of enrollment.

The school usually has that level of attendance, but sickness over the last three weeks has cut that number to about 88 percent, McIntosh said. If attendance falls below 95 percent for the year, the district may have to refund some of its minimum guarantee money.

With the current school funding formula, a student attending school for one day provides about $9.50 to the district in state money.

McIntosh said he hopes everyone will be well soon so attendance can move back to that 95 percent level.

The school district has been helped financially by the required $2.75 increase in the local property tax levy, McIntosh said. The district had to increase its operating tax levy by 47 cents per $100 assessed valuation last year to meet that state requirement.

Since the district's assessed valuation is about $10 million, each additional penny increase in the tax levy generates about $1,000 for the district, McIntosh said. The district received about $47,000 more in 1994 property tax revenues.

Local taxpayers also paid 80 cents per $100 assessed valuation for the district's debt service fund. That was 20 cents more than in 1993. The payment on the high school building amounts to about $114,000 per year, McIntosh said.

The board heard a report from vo-ag teacher Tom Hulshof on student participation. He said some of the students' projects -- trailers, storage sheds and dog houses -- will be displayed at parents' appreciation night this spring.

Beverly Augustine, fourth-grade teacher, discussed solutions to a recommendation by the Missouri School Improvement Program that parents should be better informed about what students are expected to learn each year. Fact sheets about expectations will be distributed during an open house at the beginning of the next school year.

A major change to the school calendar was adopted by the board, McIntosh said. The first semester will end before the Christmas vacation, which McIntosh thinks is better intellectually for high school students taking exams. He said it's harder on elementary students and teachers who have several Christmas-related programs at that time of year.

For the 1995-96 school year, the teachers will join educators from several north Scott County school districts on Aug. 21 at Scott City for a workshop presented by Charlie Spoonhour, basketball coach of the St. Louis University Billikens.

Another workshop day is set for Aug. 22 with the first day of classes on Aug. 23. Six snow days are built into the 175-day school calendar, McIntosh said, with graduation planned for May 19, 1996.

High school Principal Don Moore told the board that a health fair for grades seven through 12 is scheduled for Wednesday. Topics include AIDS, oral cancer, alcohol and its effects, hair care, skin care, exercise and power snacks.

The board extended the contracts for the principals, Moore and Tom Anderson at the elementary school, through June 1997. McIntosh, who is in his sixth year as superintendent, has a contract through June 1998.

The board learned that Evelyn Kluesner was retiring as a cook at the end of the school year. In addition, John Robinson, high school social studies teacher, will retire after 25 years.