Hometown boy hired as R-IV financial consultant

 As the Willow Springs R-IV school district navigates a perilous financial position, the board voted last week to hire Dr. Kelly Lowe, WSHS Class of 1990, as their new financial consultant. Since the August announcement of a reserve balance of less than five percent, the district has employed independent financial consultant services of Dr. Carol Embree, retired deputy superintendent of operations for Springfield Public Schools 

At the October 13 meeting of the school board, School Board President Mac Gum said it is Embree’s suggestion that the time has come where the district needs, “someone on campus reviewing programs and staffing.” Enter Lowe, former superintendent of Pleasant Hope School District, Chief Financial Officer at Valley Park, and former coach at Willow Springs.
  

Lowe’s role with the district will be to work directly with Spence, administrators, and staff to get a clear picture of expenditures, and then offer recommendations.
 

“We’re not saying Marty and the admins are not working towards cuts. That process has already begun, but we hope to make all those decisions before the new superintendent is here. It won’t be popular,” said Gum.
  

After the board discussed in open session Lowe’s proposal, as a service agreement with K-LO Finance, of Houston, board member Meagan Jones said she had questions about Lowe’s former role within the district that she believed should be asked in closed session. The vote to approve the hire took place in closed. A motion from Adam Webb, seconded by Brent Colley, passed unanimously, to approve the contract with K-LO Finance. 

According to contract documents obtained by Howell County News, the district will pay Lowe $60 per hour, not to exceed $3,100 per month.
 

In a financial update, Superintendent Dr. Marty Spence presented a budget amendment to the board. In Dr. Embree’s continuing review of actual district expenditures, she identified $126,224 in expenses that should have been included in the district’s FY26 personnel budget.
 

“An assumption was made that all positions carried health insurance expenditures and included in the August 8, 2025 budget amendment [sic]. Not all employees participate in the health insurance and that reduction was overstated, now resulting in an increase to right-size the total health insurance budget,” reads Embree’s update.
 

Adjustments to expected revenue shrinks the income side of the school’s budget by $29,374. These revenue changes are in state and federal funding.
 

With the amendment, the revenue budget is now $15.88 million, and the expenses are $15.66 million. The balance of all funds was reported at $1,099,835.35. In September, the balance was $1,071,411.84, and the balance one year ago was $2,329,666.32.
 

Last month, a cash flow projection predicted an all-year low balance of funds in November: approximately $258,000. Spence said in September the district would not have to borrow money to continue to operate. After the budget amendment last Monday, he did not present new cash flow balances in the meeting, and no board members asked him about it.
 

In a follow-up email, Spence clarified, “I do not have an updated cash flow projection from Dr. Embree. This week has been spent in transition from Dr. Embree to Kelly Lowe. He is looking at the potential for a tax anticipation note, but nothing has been decided yet.”
 

Spence, as previously reported by the News, will be departing the school district at the end of the school year. The board has hired Missouri State School Board Association (MSBA) to conduct a superintendent search on their behalf. A MSBA representative was present and gave an update on the search – namely that the position has been posted, and there had been four inquiries as of the meeting. The board should be interviewing finalists by January.
 

In other discussion, Curriculum Director Chris Waggoner gave a presentation suggesting the district could launch an online-learning program that would allow remote students to graduate with a Willow Springs High School diploma. Currently, the remote learning program available graduates students with a Springfield-area diploma. The service provider, Edmentum, would remain the same, but graduates would be Willow Bears.
 

“That means something to me,” Waggoner said to the board.
 

While acknowledging that it is the district’s position that in-person learning is the best option for education, Waggoner pointed out that this change could capture enrollment-based revenue for the district.
 

“That’s the only reason to do it,” commented Spence.
 

Without a formal vote, the board communicated support for the plan, and Waggoner will continue to pursue the program.
 

In other discussion:
-Josh Owens gave an update on the roofs of the campus’s main buildings, and Spence discussed insurance pay-out options. The board requested more details on the insurance claim.
-Safety Director Jeff Cunnigham gave an update on the district’s safety including the continued success of the drop-off line and fencing on Ferguson St. New this year are access points at all entry doors, which are also working well.
-The board reviewed district policy relating to release of records and information.
-Board members asked questions about individual checks from the cash ledger, which Spence explained were budgeted expenses.
 

In other actions:
-The board approved a procedure for bedbugs in school.
-The board approved the annual MSBA policy agreement.
-The board approved personnel changes: non-certified new hires: Ruby Medwid Paraprofessional, James Ditto Paraprofessional, and Kaleb Simpson Custodian; resignations: David Pruett Elementary custodian, Cassie Rutledge Paraprofessional, Chris Rodgers Elementary Principal; and retirements, effective at the end of the school year: Kevin Hummel High School Geometry and Karen Nichols ISS.
-Lisa Calloway, Joanie Miller, and Jessica Baldwin were approved as new subs.