Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Officials must work to cut $3.3 million to balance the budget.
Plum School District officials have cut about $1 million from the 2013-14 school year budget, but they still have quite a ways to go. Currently, the budget reflects a $3.3 million deficit. Last month, the budget had a $4.3 million deficit. The school board will hold a special finance committee meeting to serve as a budget work session on Tuesday, April 2, in the Oblock Jr. High School auditorium. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Projected expenses are $58.6 million with revenue at $55.4 million. The district's millage rate most likely will be lowered due to the county-wide reassessment, according to district business manager Eugene Marraccini. He said the district's overall assessment jumped from $1.2 billion to $1.6 billion. Under state …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Redistricting could happen as early as next school year or as late as the 2015-16 school year.
Plum Borough School District officials continue to explore the best option for redistricting—it could occur as early as next school year or as late as the 2015-16 school year. However, the school board and administrators have many factors to consider when deciding when to implement the new plan. A new school building project at the Adlai Stevenson Elementary site is expected to begin this summer/fall, Holiday Park Elementary is closing once the new school is built and hundreds of Adlai students will be moved to the Old Pivik during construction of the new school ((district officials are calling this AS@P). As of right now, plans call for crews to break ground/demolish the existing Adlai Stevenson in June 2013. Building construction will …
Friday, March 1, 2013
Registration begins March 19.
Kindergarten registration for the Plum Borough School District 2013-2014 school year will begin in March. All five elementary schools—Pivik, Adlai Stevenson, Holiday Park, Regency Park and Center—will conduct registration on Tuesday, March 19, through Thursday, March 21. There only will be one kindergarten class at Regency Park next school year. The district will honor sibling preference, but the deadline for sibling preference will be March 29. After March 21, registration will be processed at the Central Registration office located inside Plum Senior High School. Central Registration hours are 7:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Any questions should be directed to: Mrs. Barbara Arrigo District Registrar 412-798-6320 …
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Plum School District students celebrated Black History Month throughout February.
Today is the last day of Black History Month, which is celebrated in the U.S. throughout the month of February. American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week to commemorate the contributions that people of African descent have made to our nation. The first celebration occurred on Feb. 12, 1926. For many years, the second week of February was set aside for the celebration to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist and editor Frederick Douglass. In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, the week was expanded into Black History Month. Each year, U.S. presidents declare February National African-American History Month. Here's a look at what some Plum Borough School District students did to …
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Officials have until the end of June to balance the budget.
Plum school officials are faced with a bigger budget deficit than they were at the same time last year. During a Plum School Board finance committee meeting on Tuesday, school district manager Eugene Marraccini presented a $59.8 million preliminary draft budget for the 2013-14 school year. That budget currently has a $4.28 million deficit and does not include a tax increase. A copy of the preliminary budget presented at the meeting has been uploaded to the media section of this article. At this time last year, officials were dealing with a $3 million deficit. The district's millage rate most likely will be lowered due to the county-wide reassessment. Marraccini said the district's overall assessment jumped from $1.2 billion to $1.6 billion…
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The governor's spending plan is expected to provide school districts with close to $10 million in taxpayer assistance.
Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed 2013-14 state budget is expected to provide Pennsylvania school districts with more than $9.83 billion in taxpayer assistance. For the Plum School District, that translates to a $1.06-million increase for the 2013-14 school year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Riverview School District is expected to see a $235,694 increase for the 2013-14 school year. Net pension savings for Plum are proposed at $276,786, while Riverview's savings are proposed at $102,761. Riverview officials already have prepared what they are calling "a very preliminary" budget in an attempt to apply for Act 1 exceptions to the tax rate millage cap due to the uncertainties of state education funding, pension costs and …
Friday, February 15, 2013
A presentation is in the process of being prepared.
Details about the new Holiday Park Elementary School in the Plum Borough School District will be discussed next month. District administration is in the process of preparing a presentation for the March 12 school board facilities committee meeting, which will be held at 6 p.m. at the Oblock Jr. High auditorium. Currently, plans call for the new Holiday Park Elementary School to be erected at the Adlai Stevenson Elementary site. The current Holiday Park Elementary will close—Regency Park Elementary also could close in the future. Elementary school consolidation, construction, the Adlai Stevenson transition to the "old" Pivik Elementary and redistricting will be outlined in the March presentation, according to Superintendent Timothy …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Firms were hired to work on the district's newest school.
The Plum School Board has chosen a name and awarded contracts for work on a new school in the district. On Tuesday, the board appointed several firms to work on the school, which will be erected at the Adlai Stevenson Elementary site. Current plans call for the immediate closure of the current Holiday Park Elementary—Regency Park Elementary also could close in the future—and the redistricting of all students. The new school building will mirror the new George Pivik School. The board decided the name of the new building would be Holiday Park Elementary School. At a facilities committee meeting earlier this month, board member Shane McMasters said it made the most sense because it would be the only school located in the Holiday Park …
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
The school district and the transportation union must continue negotiations for a new contract.
Bus drivers in the Plum Borough School District will continue to work under the terms of an expired contract. During a special meeting on Monday, the school board voted 5-2 to reject a fact finding report in regard to the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1595 contract, which expired July 31, 2012. Board members Loretta White and Tom McGough dissented. Shane McMasters and John St. Leger were absent. The union represents a unit of 53 bus drivers, three mechanics and nine aides who work for the district. Because both entities were unable to come up with an agreement via negotiations, Pennsylvania Labor Relation Board fact-finder Michelle Miller-Kotula was appointed as a third party to review the situation and make a recommendation. A fact-…
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Plum School District is in need of more substitute bus drivers.
Plum Borough School District officials are hoping to offer incentives to attract substitute bus drivers. During a school board transportation committee meeting last week, board members discussed offering certain incentives such as individualized training and reimbursement for clearances for anyone who is appointed as a substitute driver. Superintendent Timothy Glasspool said getting substitute drivers to fill in is a "daily struggle." "We have challenges every day with transportation," he said. The board recently approved an hourly pay raise for substitute drivers from $11.75 to $14.50. There currently are two substitutes available in the district, according to district transportation manager Scott Mergen. Mergen also said a lot of …
