Budgets and butterflies

Northern Wells Community Schools board members approved the district's $24.7 million budget for 2016 at the panel's regular meeting Tuesday.

But before they did that, first-graders at Ossian Elementary School gave a presentation on monarch butterflies.

Students at OES worked to hatch the insects this year, and they're now nationally recognized as a "Monarch Waystation." The butterflies hatched at the school were tagged, so it's possible they could be located as they travel to warmer climates such as southern California and Mexico.

OES Principal Susanne Tieman with first-graders at the board meeting Tuesday.

First-graders talked about how they studied the life cycle of the butterflies and also presented a video.

And then it was on to the budget.

Board members approved the spending plan, which will now be sent to the state. State officials likely will pare back the request from Northern Wells, which is what typically happens.

Take a look at what was approved last night (click for larger version):