FOUNTAIN SPRINGS - The North Schuylkill school board decided to table or reject agenda items at Wednesday's meeting that would have cut or curtailed curriculum and sports programs in order deal with a large budget deficit for the 2012-13 budget year.
Before the school board members began voting, they listened for an hour on requests and suggestions from the public to find other ways to balance the budget without taking away academic and athletic opportunities.
The recommendations for cuts and adjustments were announced during last week's school board workshop by district Superintendent Andrew D. Smarkanic to deal with an almost $1.6 million budget deficit. Proposed cuts in state and federal funding prompted the school district to find ways to operate with a balanced budget, Smarkanic said.
The school district is also proposing a 0.75-mill increase in property taxes.
The following agenda items were tabled or voted against:
- A motion to close the swimming pool, effective at the end of the summer youth swim programs and until further notice due to budget restrictions. The item was tabled with a vote of 8-0.
- A motion to eliminate full-day kindergarten for the next school year and to realign the curriculum to accommodate kindergarten for a half-day program. The agenda item also included authorizing Smarkanic to submit the restructuring plan to the state Department of Education for approval. When several school board members voted against voice vote, leading to applause from the public, a roll call vote (3-5) was held. Voting for the motion were Robin Hetherington, Kelly Moran and Deborah Hampton. Voting against were Charles Hepler, Daniel Holderman, Mark Kessler, Raymond Reichwein and Roy Green. Absent was Suzanne O'Neill.
- A motion to eliminate English tutoring was voted against 3-5 with the same roll call as the previous motion.
- The board unanimously tabled 10 agenda items dealing with the elimination of junior high track and field, junior high baseball, junior high softball, junior high wrestling, seventh- and eighth-grade football, junior high cheerleading, freshman boys basketball, junior high basketball, swimming and the volleyball program. The vote to table received huge applause from the crowd.
There were some agenda items dealing with the budget issues that were approved unanimously:
- Approval to offer a retirement incentive to members of the current collective bargaining agreement by and between the North Schuylkill Education Association and the school district. The board also approved another retirement incentive between the school district and North Schuylkill Educational Support Professional Association.
- A motion to authorize the administration to realign the current curriculum and classroom rotations for the seventh- and eighth-grade students next school year.
- A motion to eliminate the classroom portion of driver's education for next year.
- A motion to only provide transportation for the band and cheerleaders to two away games with the exception of playoff games.
- A motion is requested to retain the facilities rental fees for use by booster organizations as previously established.
- A motion to establish the 2012-13 "pay to participate" fee schedule for student athletes participating in one for more sports: $40, $30 and $25, based on the individual's free and reduced lunch status.
