Mountain View trims budget

Mountain View’s annual Relay for Life event raised over $44,000 for the American Cancer Society. Front row, from left: Rob Presley, Jamie White, Brandi Miller, Alison Martino, Teri Edwards. Second row: Julie Beach, Rebekah Ihlefeldt, Marybeth Langdon, Kelly Richmond, Danielle Scott, Sue Gesford. Back row: Pete Regeski, Kevin Reuss, Antony Borgia, Donna Porter, Katie Ross Absent from picture: Heather Larkin, Jaimie Mirabelli.

Mountain View’s annual Relay for Life event raised over $44,000 for the American Cancer Society. Front row, from left: Rob Presley, Jamie White, Brandi Miller, Alison Martino, Teri Edwards. Second row: Julie Beach, Rebekah Ihlefeldt, Marybeth Langdon, Kelly Richmond, Danielle Scott, Sue Gesford. Back row: Pete Regeski, Kevin Reuss, Antony Borgia, Donna Porter, Katie Ross
Absent from picture: Heather Larkin, Jaimie Mirabelli.

Mountain View’s final budget is nearly complete, it was announced Monday, June 13, at the school board meeting. Business Manager Tom Witiak said that the budget is based on raising taxes to the index of 2.9 percent.
“The budget is currently $21,600,000 now, and should be $21.4 million when we are done,” Witiak said. “We should have a positive fund balance by the end of next year, of approximately $600,000.”
There is a negative fund balance of about $2 million at present, he noted.
Witiak said that some things have been trimmed, and that some things were missed in the previous draft, notably the athletic budget which had not been submitted yet, and the most recent hire in the maintenance department. He noted that Maintenance Director Robert Taylor had trimmed his budget considerably; as also had Special Services Director Patricia Pasierb, eliminating $22,000.
School board president Michael Barhite said, “Thank you to all who are tweaking budgets. Be careful not to take away from kids, however inevitable that sounds.”
Olivia Ainey, who served as student activities liaison this year and faithfully reported on numerous clubs, programs, and events, was recognized with a plaque and a gift at the meeting.
The Mountain View String Project, an outreach program of the Marywood University String Project, was noted for its efforts in training students to play stringed instruments for orchestra, including violin, viola and cello.
School director Dr. Christine Plonski-Sezer was instrumental in bringing the satellite
program to the district, and three teachers worked with students Riley Jagger, Paige Barns, Chelsea Empet, Michaela Hammond, Alexis Kozlowski, Addison Tompkins, Christina Denny, Jordan Jagger, and Noah Barnes. It was noted that it has been 40 years since there have been orchestra or string lessons at Mountain View. Lessons will be available during the summer at Marywood University, and the program will be offered next year. “It’s amazing all they have accomplished,” Plonzi-Sezer said.
Superintendent Karen Voigt noted that the Washington D.C. trip was a success. Voigt said she went on the trip as an administrator, and that Lisa Kozloski did an extraordinary job coordinating the trip for the first time.
The board approved three shuttle bus contractors for the next school year: Gary Synauskas will service Clifford, Dundaff and Glenwood; Laura Fuller will service Harford and Gibson; and Linda Anthony will service Hop Bottom and Brooklyn.
The board voted to accept the resignation of Donna Cobb from her route #6 bus contract.
Later in the meeting, a visitor introduced himself as the owner of Pocono Transportation, who contracts for two bus routes for the district. He said of Cobb, “I would like to hire her and put her back into a bus. This will relieve her of the hardships of owning and insuring the bus.”
Several administrators and board members thanked Cobb for her services over the years.
The board approved a dual enrollment agreement with Lackawanna College.
Coaches’ stipends for the 2017-18 school year were approved as presented.
A pre-K teaching position was posted for the 2017-18 school year.
A resignation was accepted from Audrey Brink from a cafeteria position, effective June 15. The board voted to advertise for food service positions with salaries of $10.20 per hour and benefits per MVESPA agreement, with starting dates to be determined.
Extended school year staff was approved, including Heather Larkin, occupational therapist, and Stacy Decker and Gary Jones for substitute support staff.
Rather than having a traditional senior trip, the senior class did two-day trips, one to Six Flags in New Jersey and another to Hershey Park.
A parent asked if her daughter, who took her own life in 2015, could be represented at graduation with an empty chair on stage with a flower on it. “I don’t feel it is healthy for kids to pretend it didn’t happen.
Bridgette Reed, a member of the class of 2017, stood and said, “She was my best friend. She came to us sophomore year and left us junior year. I’ve spoken to plenty of seniors, and it is really important to us.”
High School principal Robert Presley said, “This has happened to us for the last two years. We sat down with the counselors and decided that before the diplomas were given out, an honorary diploma would be given to the family.”
He said that the decision was made after consulting a professional “best practices” manual.

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