Riverview School Board Notebook: January Meetings

Here's a roundup of items discussed at the Riverview School Board's January meetings.

Budget

School district business manager Frank Thompson said he continues to work on the budget.

Due to an increase in healthcare and retirement costs, expenditures are at $17.9 million, and increase from the $17.8 million figure released in November.

Thompson said he is in the process of applying for an exception to the Act 1 index, which is the limit a school district is permitted by state law to raise taxes. The index for the 2012-13 budget year is 2.1 percent, as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

The state allows for districts to apply for tax exceptions to help alleviate costs outside of the districts' control, for example rising pension or special education costs.

The includes a 0.58-mill tax increase, whixh exceeds the state index limit. The current millage rate is 24.7864 mills. With the proposed tax increase, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay about $58 more next school year.

Thompson said the district will start holding budget meetings in March.

Appraisal

The board approved a $5,200 contract with American Appraisal for appraising services.

American Appraisal will appraise the district's property and classrooms for insurance purposes, Thompson said.

"This way, we have an accurate account of what we have in our buildings," he said.

It's been more than eight years since the district's property was appraised.

School Musical

's musical this year is "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."

The musical is about a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door.

The performance dates are April 13, 14, 15, 20, and 21. 

Mandarin Chinese

Riverview High School students can take Mandarin Chinese with A.W. Beattie Career Center in North Hills.

Students can participate in the course via live video at the high school for $500 per student plus the cost of books.

officials were for its students.

Personnel Items

The board hired the following people:

• Loraine Zatawski as a paraprofessional at Verner Elementary, effective Jan. 24.
• Linda Tamburro as the superintendent's secretary and school board recording secretary, effective Jan. 24. Tamburro is replacing Nancy Morrison, who retired after 24 years. The board welcomed Tamburro and thanked Morrison for all of her years of service.

The board approved the following resignations:

• Maria Sanz Ramirez, Verner paraprofessional, effective Dec. 9.
• Maria Previni-Hocanson, Verner special education teacher, effective Feb. 29.

The following long-term substitutes were appointed:

• Rick Nese will cover Megan Sather's fourth grade class at T until June 8. Sather's leave of absence was extended.
• Bobbi Jo Hanes will sub for Previni-Hocanson's Verner Elementary class until the end of the year.
• Stacey Mitchell will be the high school foreign language substitute for the remainder of the year. She is covering for Rachelle Poth, who is on a sabbatical leave through June 8.