Plum Preliminary Budget Eliminates Teaching Positions, Electives

As the Plum Borough School District 2013-14 budget stands, about 24 teaching positions and several electives have been eliminated.

During a special voting meeting on Wednesday, the board voted 5-3 to approve the $55.2 million budget. The millage rate is 18.44. Board members Tom McGough, Loretta White and John St. Leger dissented. Joe Tommarello was absent.

The vote came after more than 3 hours of public comment and more than 50 speakers in support of keeping the programs.

Students, parents, residents and Plum alums packed the Oblock Junior High School auditorium. Their signs read "Electives are important" and wore shirts with "Our Plum Matters" and "Education is a Human Right." Many recited the district's mission statement, some said they'd be in favor of a tax hike, and others held back tears as they pleaded for the school board to keep the programs.

In an effort to close a $1 million deficit in the budget, earlier this month, the school board proposed cutting the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), Plum TV Production, business education and family consumer sciences at the high school; and French, Spanish and computer instruction at the junior high. Officials also proposed that technology education at all schools be eliminated.

According to officials, the elimination of 24 teaching positions associated with those programs, and including a librarian and guidance counselor, saves the district about $1.2 million.

Students and alums who experienced the electives at Plum lauded the district for giving them an education that allowed them to be "leaps and bounds" ahead of their classmates in college.

Several residents urged the teachers' union and the school board to work together to come to the conclusion, saying that in the end, the students are the ones who are going to suffer in the end.

Teacher JR Pilyih said that although he can't go into detail, the union did offer a proposal to the board that was rejected.

Board member Kevin Dowdell stressed that the preliminary budget can be changed. A final budget must be adopted by the end of June. The budget, as it stands, is a working one.

"We're trying to balance a budget without cutting programs," he said.

Dowdell said the board might take money from the district's reserve fund to save some of the programs. He also said officials will continue to meet with the teachers' union.

A finance budget workshop meeting has been scheduled for June 6 at 6 p.m. at the high school auditorium.

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