State leaves schools in crisis LH board says
The Laurel Highlands School District could be facing a deficit of $2-3 million in this years budget.
That was the message at Thursday’s school board meeting as school director Ira Chrise reviewed state education financing.
“We are in a crisis situation in Pennsylvania over the funding level for public education,” Chrise said. “We are receiving the same funding level as in 2008 yet we know expenses have gone up in all areas.”
Chrise said that while there is more money in the state budget for education, the entire increase has been dedicated to the state’s obligation to the retirement fund, with no new money for classroom programs.
Chrise said the district is continuing to seek as many grants as possible to cover educational expenses. Superintendent Jesse Wallace said the district this week applied for a grant that if received, would provide a million dollars to continue the “Striving Readers” program already in place in the district.
“We’re taking a proactive stance,” Wallace said.
District officials will be meeting with representatives from the state Department of Education and the governor’s office on April 13 to discuss educational funding.
“I’m hoping we can at least be heard. I have a laundry list of ideas that I think make common sense,” Wallace said.
As the district looks for funding options, fourth grade students at Hatfield Elementary School decided to share some of their excess and donated to the Heifer International program. Two of the students Skylar Ferens and Haylee Rapp presented information about the program to the school board, noting that their donation is providing chickens and ducks to people living in poverty in another country.
The girls noted that the recipients of the fowl are taught how to care for the animals and are required to share chicks and ducklings from their flocks with others to pass on the gift they have been given.
“It’s passing on the gift that the kids thought was just wonderful,” said their teacher, Debbie Stanish. “The kids see that kids in other parts of the world don’t have what they have.”
In other matters, it was stated that hundreds of students in the district in all grade levels are still without the required vaccinations. All immunizations must be up to date by May 1 or the students will not be allowed to attend school, solicitor Gary Frankhouser said. School director Melvyn Sepic said free immunizations may be available through the county health department. The list of required vaccinations is available on the district website at www.lhsd.org. Registered letters may also be sent out to the parents of the students who are without the proper immunizations.
The board also voted to revise the school calendar, with June 1 as the final day of school. It was noted that the district used only one snow day this year.
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