NS proposes 5% real estate tax increase for 2024-25
Board also approves first step for NS, SV to share physics teacher
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS – Taxes could go up in the North Schuylkill School District next year if the budget proposed Wednesday night is formally adopted.
The school board voted to tentatively approve the budget. The budget must be advertised prior to final adoption.
Robert Amos, business manager, said the budget has projected expenditures of $37,699,750 and revenues of $37,655,748.
“It’s about break-even,” Amos said, noting that it factors in about 70% of funding from Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget. “We’ve met with some local state legislators who reassured us that that number is extremely high compared to what is realistic to receive.”
He said that the 70% figure is “consistent with the increases we’ve been getting each year” for the past two or three years.
The budget includes a 5% — 2.34 mill — real estate tax increase, bringing the tax rate from 46.36 mills to 48.70 mills for both Schuylkill and Columbia counties. One mill brings in around $194,000 for the district, Amos said.
“We’ve got two months to work on cutting expenditures as well as getting a definitive number from the state,” Amos said.
Board member Raymond Reichwein voiced his opposition to a tax increase.
“We’ve got to find $400,000 somewhere,” Reichwein said. “We’re about the only school district in the whole county that I’ve seen so far that are raising them.”
Amos and other board members cautioned that they have two months to work on the budget.
“And maybe other districts are banking on the full amount in the governor’s budget,” Amos said.
Reichwein did vote in favor of the proposed budget.
NS, SV to share physics teacher
The school board also voted to approve a memorandum of understanding with the North Schuylkill Education Association — the teachers’ union — to allow for a physics teacher to be shared with the Shenandoah Valley School District beginning next school year.
Shenandoah Valley’s physics teacher, Russ Schumack, is retiring at the end of the school year and the district has been unable to find a replacement.
“Physics teachers are hard to come by,” Superintendent Robert Ackell said. “Luckily with physics, it’s small class sizes. Roughly, we have 10 students, they have 10 students.”
Ackell said Leah Briggs, North Schuylkill’s physics teacher, will teach North Schuylkill students in person and Shenandoah students via Zoom, who will be supervised in person by a Shenandoah teacher.
Full details have not yet been worked out between the two districts regarding reimbursement or other factors.
In other business, the district approved:
- consent for compromise of taxes for three properties in Girardville slated for demolition:
- 7 West Odgen Street;
- 9 West Ogden Street;
- 341 West Mahanoy Avenue;
- an agreement with Heim Construction, Orwigsburg, for an exterior water damage project at a cost of $11,914;
- a contract with Pro Max Fence Systems to install an overhang on the existing backstop at Robert Wetzel Field at a cost of $21,960;
- the use of the high school lower parking lot for fire company training on April 21;
- the use of the entire school district campus for preparations for the 2025 Schuylkill County Firemen’s Convention;
- the use of Spartan Stadium for Schuylkill County Special Olympic track practice on March 30, April 6, 13, 20, 27, May 4, 11, 18, and 25;
- the hiring of Thomas Towers as Director of Building and Grounds at a salary of $65,000;
- the adjustment of the salary of Mallory Mattern, elementary teacher, from $45,825 to $46,425;
- the hiring of Philip Koles as a part-time paraprofessional at a rate of $12.25;
- the designation of Ryan Culbert as truancy officer;
- a contract with IXL Learning for three years at a cost of $128,220;
- the hiring of Metz Culinary Management, Dallas, as food service provider;
- the addition of Sade Brown to the roster of school bus/van drivers/aides;
- the appointment of the following coaches and salaries:
- William Bracey, head boys’ basketball coach, $4,100;
- Rich Wetzel, head girls’ basketball coach, $4,950;
- Leah Briggs, wrestling cheerleading advisor, $3,400;
- Corey Fetterolf, head wrestling coach, $4,860;
- Melissa Tenaglia, varsity basketball cheerleading advisor, $2,700;
- Ellen Geidner, basketball/wrestling cheerleading advisor, $1,850;
- Marcie Ackell, head swimming coach, $4,035;
- Renee Warner, assistant girls’ soccer coach, $1,765;
- Madeline Frew, volunteer assistant girls’ soccer coach;
- Sydney Casey-Fiamoncini, volunteer assistant girls’ soccer coach;
- Albert Maziekas, assistant boys’ soccer coach, $1,765;
- Khristian Onuschak, volunteer assistant boys’ soccer coach;
- Jamie Palmerio, assistant volleyball coach, $1,875;
- Kevin Keating, volunteer assistant football coach;
- Brett Budwash, co-head bocce ball coach, $850;
- Craig Demko, co-head bocce ball coach, $850;
- the appointment of Glenn Weist as the district’s representative on the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 and Schuylkill Technology Center boards.
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