NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. (RVO) by John Gerow – Just a week before district residents vote on a tax increase referendum, the Redbank Valley School Board voted for several spending increases, increases in some student fees and expanding staff and faculty payrolls at their monthly meeting Monday evening, May 7.

Following split votes on track renovations and increasing some student fees, the Board approved an $18,483,182 budget for fiscal 2018 -2019. This level of spending is projected to be $1.22 million more than expected revenues, further weakening the District’s financial position.

Even facing these deficits, the Board voted 7 – 2 to spend $418,035 to renovate and resurface the running track at the High School’s athletic field. Although these monies will not be charged against the 201 – 2019 budget, they will be drawn directly from the Fund Balance, further depleting that account for future use. Adding the track renovation cost to the projected deficit, it is likely that the Fund Balance will be drawn down by $1.6 million this year. Directors Kopnitsky, Nair, Reddinger and Ferringer voted against the spending.

One of the major off-budget items of this school term has been an effort to refit the schools with enhanced security features in light of recent attacks on schools. District Maintenance Supervisor John Sayers reported that the door alarms have been installed at the Elementary and Intermediate buildings and installation will begin at the High School in the next few days. He also told the meeting that the cameras have been ordered and that he is still working on ordering the security screens for the doors and the windows beside each of the doors. According to Mr. Sayers, this is a rather detailed and lengthy ordering process, requiring not only precise measurements but also details about the windows and their design and construction. The Board hopes to have all of the new security measures and operating protocols in place before the fall term begins.

The Finance Committee presented several ideas to the Board for generating additional revenue. Several of these were included in Monday night’s agenda. On a 3 – 6 vote the Board turned back a proposal to increase the student activity fee from $50 to $75 per student. Linda Ferringer, Darren Bain, and Bill Reddinger voted in favor. Consideration to implement a student parking fee of $25 per semester or $50 per year was approved on a 5 – 4 vote, with Directors Bain, Copenhaver, Adams and Kopnitsky voting against the proposal. The sale of personalized bricks and allowing the sale of facility naming rights were approved by unanimous vote.

High School Representative Peyton Kirkpatrick presented the Board with the results of a survey that he conducted among High School students who drive. Fifty driving students responded and the some of the results are given below:

• Over ⅔ of students surveyed responded that to them, driving was a privilege they were offered once obtaining a license.
• When asked why they drove to school, 56% percent responded saying they had “school-affiliated obligations before/after school.”
• Over ⅔ of students responded that they had driven in order to stay after school for an activity more than half of the school days in April.
• 80% of students responded that they had driven to/from school to attend an appointment on their own, a responsibility that would require most parents to take off work if the student wasn’t to drive.
• In the event that the students were not to drive, 34% percent responded that they would not participate in the activities they drive to attend.

The Board approved retaining The Law Office of William Hager III as district solicitor for another year. They also approved retaining Dr. Stephen Jaworski as district dentist, Dr. Brandon Doverspike as district physician, both at current fees. The Directors also voted unanimously to continue the agreement with Moore’s Physical Therapy for athletic trainer services. Dr. Shaffer pointed out the Justin Moore did not ask for an increase in his fee for service for this next year.

The Board voted to establish a full-time speech teacher position within the District. No salary or costs associated with this position were disclosed Similarly, they approved the establishment of a full-time Special Education Supervisor within the District, with no cost revealed. The Board also voted to direct hire aides for the Intermediate Unit classrooms rather than contracting them through the IU. No salaries reported and the number of aides was not clear.

Continuing their hiring drive, the Board hired two part-time cafeteria aides at a cost of $4,408 and approved hiring Suzanne Erickson as a “part-time” (3 days per week) district psychologist at a salary beginning at $61,369.

For more detail on the School Board Meeting, please see this week’s Leader – Vindicator.

ABOUT:
Redbank Valley School District provides education services for the 165 square mile area of New Bethlehem and Hawthorn boroughs, and the townships of Mahoning, Madison, Porter, and Redbank of both Clarion and Armstrong counties.

MEETINGS:
The Redbank Valley School Board meetings the first Monday of every month at 7pm at the High School Library.

CONTACT:
For more information about the Redbank Valley School District, please call 814.275.2426 or visit RedbankValley.org/pg/biz/redbank-valley-school-district