BR board tables adoption of prelim budget

BY STACI WILSON

The Blue Ridge School Board postponed adopting the district’s 2016-17 preliminary budget to give the board time as a group to review it.

Board member Christina Whitney moved to table the budget adoption, saying she felt the entire board should meet as a group before moving forward with the approximate $17 million budget.

Whitney said a lot of work has gone into the budget preparation but she felt there were spots in it the board as a whole could look at.

Superintendent Matthew Button made the board aware of time constraints of a delay. He said that following board approval of a preliminary budget, the public has a 30 day review period. He advocated the board approve it by May 16 in order to make sure the figures are accurate when it goes out to the public. School districts are required to adopt final budgets by June 30.

Button said he would prefer the board adopt the final budget no later than June 20 in order for the real estate tax bills to be issued on July 1.

A past Blue Ridge teacher will rejoin the district. Gail Wnorowski was hired as the Special Education Director, effective Aug. 1, at an annual salary of $82,000. Wnorowski is currently the Director of Special Education in the Mountain View School District.

Wnorowski was also approved to work five days in the district, between May 3 and Jul 31, at the discretion of the superintendent at a per diem rate.

Bobbi McCain, who has been serving as the special education coordinator, will transfer to the high school learning support teaching position, effective Aug. 8. McCain will replace Casey Webster who is resigning from her learning support teaching position, effective Aug. 1.

School director Christina Cosmello was elected to serve as the board treasurer. Cosmello has been serving in the position since the December 2015 board organizational meeting when former treasurer Harold Empett was elected as board vice-president.

As the school year winds down, the district is gearing up for the coming year with the following approvals:

*release time class for religious instruction in 2016-17 from Child Evangelism Fellowship of Susquehanna County;
*2016-17 student handbooks;
*bid from RGM Hardwoods Inc. of Covington Twp. to supply woodchips at a price of $34 per ton delivered;
*Craige’s Photoique for photography services;
*Bayada Home Health Care Inc. for in-school nursing service for the 2016-17 school year;
*Blue Ridge Medical Center approved as the medical director for the 2016-17 school year;
*2016-17 transportation contracts.

The board also approved summer hours for guidance office staff.

The district will continue the Summer Food Service program through the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Dept. of Education for summer 2016.

Administrators reported that PSSA testing was complete; and Keystone exams and Advance Placement testing is approaching.

Blue Ridge will also host the 2016 Life Skills Prom on Friday with life skills students from many area school districts attending.