h a STE, TS Sunday, March 27, 2011 THE DALLAS POST PAGE 3 DALLAS SCHOOL DISTRICT Personnel s By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com Dallas School Board officials discussed budget cuts at a spe- cial meeting Monday, and there was one thing all nine members could agree on for the 2011-12 school year: the district must do more with less. The board is facing an $896,000 state funding gap ~ brought on by Gov. Tom Cor- bett’s proposed budget an- nounced earlier this month. Basic education funding has been slashed, as are programs funded by certain grants and stimulus funds, including be- fore- and after-school tutoring, UP NEXT The next Dallas School Board work session meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 4 and the next regular meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, April lin the administration building. developmental first-grade class- es and other programs. Superintendent Frank Galicki said retirements this year will mean the current district staff will need to stretch to avoid fill- ing those positions, and a vote was conducted for one in partic- ular. Wycallis Elementary School Principal Kathleen McCarthy announced at last week’s meet- ing she would retire in July, and Assistant Superintendent and Director of Curriculum and In- struction Paul Reinert volun- teered to perform the role as ele- mentary principal in addition to his responsibilities. Galicki esti- mated the measure would save the district more than $100,000. Reinert would remain as di- rector of curriculum and in- struction but his responsibilities as assistant superintendent would be divided up among oth- er administrators, including Gal- icki and Business Manager Grant Palfey. While some board members agreed this option would save the district money while not Wycallis Elementary School Principal Kathleen McCarthy an- nounced at last week's meeting she would retire in July, and Assistant Superintendent and Director of Curriculum and In- struction Paul Reinert volunteered to perform the role as ele- mentary principal in addition to his responsibilities. Galicki esti- mated the measure would save the district more than $100,000. hurting students, others said Re- inert was already overworked and the move may negatively impact the school’s operations. Board member Karen Kyle said she would not approve of the shared position. “I just feel that if we truly value effective teaching and learning and the success we have, it’s not with a shared position with director of curriculum and instruction.” The board was split on the de- cision, but at the end of the meeting voted 5-4 in approval of the administrative plan. Board members Russell Bigus, Gary Mathers, Charles Preece, Cathe- rine Wega and Bruce Goeringer voted for the measure while Ri- chard Coslett, Dennis Gochoel Jr., Maureen Matiska and Kyle plit, moved and other ideas save money voted against it. Other savings strategies in- cluded moving a kindergarten teacher to another position due to low enrollment, reducing a speech therapist’s salary to hour- ly wages, cutting individual building budgets and other ideas that brought the total pro- posed savings to more than $826,000. Additional ideas included sharing educational resources with the neighboring Lake-Leh- man School District, including advanced placement and lan- guage arts teachers. Bigus told the board the pro- posals were “just the tip of the See IDEAS, Page 11 LAKE-LEHMAN | SCHOOL DISTRICT Board discusses budget cuts By EILEEN GODIN Dallas Post Correspondent The effect of Gov. Tom Cor- bett’s proposed state budget could impact many Lake-Lehman School District programs, said district business manager Tho- mas Melone. On Monday night, Melone told the school board the proposed state budget would mean $300,000 less in state aide for the local district. “As it stands now, lots of pro- grams would be affected,” he said. : Last month, school board members gave preliminary ap- proval on a $26.5 million pro- posed budget for the 2011-2012 school year. The district's pro- posed budget had a $1 million def- icit and board members were hop- ing for a $10.4 million state contri- bution increase this spring. If the state budget passes, as is, Melone said he will be “evaluat- ing expenses.” Corbett’s plan would cut about $550 million from the state’s pri- mary subsidy for public school operations and instruction, and a total of more than $1 billion when counting his move to eliminate rial grants that subsidize pro- ms such as all-day kindergar- ten and reimbursements to dis- tricts for services to charter school students. In other news... eo Girls basketball coach James Spencer was awarded the Wyom- ing Valley Conference Girls Varsi- ty Coach of the Year, and Barry Horvath was honored as Wyom- ing Valley Girls’ Basketball JV Coach of the Year. The girls basketball team was recognized as Wyoming Valley Conference Division III cham- pions 14-0, the District II PIAA runner-up. Team members are Karen Yamrick, Nikki Sutliff, Kaitlyn Yoniski, Marissa Moosic, Carol Mosier, Selena Adamshick, Kristen Baker, Morgan Decker, Alex Lubinski, Bethany Williams, Emily Laskowsky, Jen Konopin- ski, Sarah Brooks, Emily Sutton and Nicole O'Connor. Sutliff was given a certificate for performing over 100 season assists and Adamshick received a certificate for earning 1500 points scored and 1000 rebounds. e The following wrestling team members, District II cham- pions, received certificates: Bryan Carter, junior, 145 Ibs; Nick Shelly, junior, 171 Ibs.; and tin Harry, freshman, 1191bs., o placed second at the North- east Regional Tournament. e The Key Club competed at the Pennsylvania District Con- vention and Leadership Confer- ence and won first place in the state for its traditional scrapbook. The scrapbook will be sent to Ari- zona to compete internationally. Key Club members Courtney Sult, Kristen Boyle, Alyssa Ta- lacka, Tom Boyle and Taryn Ta- See CUTS, Page 11 Fundraiser will help with improvements By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com The Jackson Township Recre- ation Park has changed quite a bit during its 20-year existence, but the recreation board is spon- soring a fundraiser to guarantee at least one piece of the park will remain for years to come. The board is holding a brick fundraiser to generate dona- tions for maintenance of the space and future park projects, including increasing the field space for athletic organization use. Bricks will be sold in three sizes and can be inscribed with any type of message, from fam- ily member memorials to a friendly blurb about the park to an advertisement for local busi- nesses. Once enough bricks are ordered, the board will begin to install the bricks around the re- cently-built pavilion and along walking paths. Elizabeth Leo, recreation board member and Jackson Township resident, said anyone from the Back Mountain and be- yond is welcome to participate in the brick-paving project. While the concept of a brick fundraiser is not new, Leo said the bricks purchased from Bricks ‘R Us are guaranteed for life, so if there is fading or chip- ping on one’s message over the years, bricks will be replaced at no additional cost. “It’s not just a donation, it’s a permanence,” said Leo, who fre- quents the park with her chil- dren. The park, located behind the municipal building on Hunts- ville Road, is situated on about 20 acres and features a soccer field, Little League field, a quar- ter-mile walking path, a pavilion and playground. The recreation CARL Members of the Jackson Township Recreation Board recently received a grant to improve the Jackson Township Recreation Park. From left, first row, are Dan Paley, Chris Chapple, Sam and Rob Rolland and Alana and Jerry Palmaioli. Second row, Elizabeth Leo, John Sweeney, Randy Rodkey, representing the Baltimore Life Insurance Company; and Charlie Magdalinski. Absent at the time of the photo wasTodd Paczewski. area also recently had its park- ing lot paved last summer, which is capable of accommo- dating about 70 vehicles. John Sweeney, who's been on the recreation board for more than 10 years, said the work put into the park within the last dec- ade has been staggering. The board receives money for pro- jects through grants and dona- tions — it has no budget from the township. He said much of the work is done by board members them- selves, from installing the play- ground to cementing benches along walkways. “A lot of the time we did the labor ourselves to save on the budget,” he said. Leo, who's been a board mem- ber for five years, said she be- lieves the national and local eco- nomic struggles don’t deter the board from looking toward the future. “Even in these tough econom- ic times, people need to have an outlet, whether it’s organized or individual play,” she said. Leo, who also coaches a youth soccer team, said the park is of- ten packed on summer nights, and sports organizations book the fields in advance to get some practice time in before games. She said lacrosse, soccer and Little League teams often use Bricks will be sold in three sizes: three lines on a 4-by-8-inch brick with up to 18 characters per line for $50, six lines on an 8-by-8- inch brick with up to 18 characters per line for $100, custom logo on an 8-by-8-inch brick with room for three lines and up to 18 char- acters per line $250. Customers have the option of buying a donor brick, which is a replica brick to have as a personal keepsake, for $25 for the 4-by-8 size or $50 for the 8-by-8 size, or a certificate to commemorate the purchase for $8. For more information, call the Jackson Township municipal building at 675-8371to0 leave a message for Elizabeth Leo, fun- draiser coordinator. Donors can also place an order at www.bricks- rus.com/order/recreationpark. the fields, and the space can be used for practice, games and athletic camps. She added that the nearest fields available for athletic events, including the fields on Outlet Road in Leh- man, are booked far in advance for games and aren’t open for practice use. “If you come here in the sum- mer on a Tuesday night, it’s packed,” she said. “I had to have my kids run drills one night in a little 12-foot spot. It’s very heavi- ly used during the week in the summer and even in the fall.” One rule keeps the park use open to everyone - no organized athletic teams can use the space on Sundays. Leo says this gives residents a chance to utilize the entire park. “I can just come here with my kids and run the track while they play on the playground,” she said. “It’s great.” BACK MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP Agreement requires By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com The Back Mountain Commu- nity Partnership reviewed a draft agreement that would require each involved municipality to provide written notice concern- ing major zoning issues affecting the entire Back Mountain region. The document, called a re- gional impact notice agreement, was prepared by Solicitor Jeffrey Malak who said the agreement may be the first of its kind in the state. He had to look elsewhere in the country, such as in Massa- chusetts, to find research about this type of agreement. The agreement would require Dallas Borough and Dallas, Jack- son, Kingston and Lehman town- ships to provide written notice of major zoning or land develop- ment applications to member municipalities at least 14 days prior toa public hearing on the is- sue. Franklin Township, also a member of the partnership, was not included on the draft because the municipality had not yet con- firmed its participation in the Malak that the agreement may UP NEXT The next meeting of the Back Mountain Community Partnership will be held at 3 p.m. April 21in the Sandy & Marlene Insalaco Hall at Misericordia University. agreement. The document states a region- . al impact could be defined as ef- fects on air or water pollution, school enrollment, solid waste disposal, demand for water sup- ply or wastewater treatment, street deterioration or traffic safety. It could include any activ- ity that could potentially affect a municipality and surrounding ar- eas, including commercial or in- dustrial developments. Partnership Chairman James Reino Jr., of Kingston Township, proposed the idea at the group’s last meeting in February. He said the notion came to him as King- ston Township officials prepared a draft gas and oil ordinance and natural gas industry issues began to develop in Dallas Township. He was surprised to hear from ment last year. sharing o be the first in the common- wealth, but he believes the unique spirit of the partnership influences new ideas. “Others are so tied up in poli- tics and who owns what,” he said. “That’s not what this orga- nization is about. We're a frater- nal, cooperative think tank, and it’s worked really well.” The partnership will continue discussions about the drafted document at its April meeting. Kingston Township Manager Kathleen Sebastian said the cost of ashared radar speed-detecting trailer may increase from its price set last year. The company from which five of the municipalities had agreed to purchase the trailer recently lost its contract with the state cooperative purchasing pro- gram, but may re-establish one within the coming weeks. Sebastian said the cost of the trailer, to be shared among Dal- las Borough and Dallas, Jackson, Kingston and Lehman town- ships, may have increased by about $1,500 due to inflation. Franklin Township opted not to enter into the purchase agree- zoning information "Working together is a please and a thank you. It started as a please at one in the morning, and ended as a thank you at about five in the after- noon.” John J. Wilkes Jr. Representing Jackson Township Municipalities may need to vote again on the matter as the contract only obligated $1,300 from each municipality’s budget for the purchase. Partnership Vice Chairman John Wilkes Jr., of Jackson Town- ship, told members the Back Mountain Regional Emergency Management Agency between Dallas Borough and Jackson and Lehman townships was unoffi- cially enacted during the inclem- ent weather earlier this month. Heavy rains caused waters in the Huntsville Dam in Jackson Township to rise seven inches in two hours, and Wilkes said he and the other appointed officials in the Back Mountain EMA were called at 1:30 a.m. on March 11. “Working together is a please and a thank you,” he said. “It started as a please at one in the morning, and ended as a thank you at about five in the after- noon.” He expressed his gratitude to the other municipalities in- volved in the flood management over the weekend. “This is how we have to work together,” he said. In other matters... ® The partnership announced it will sponsor a food drive at each member municipal build- ing in support of the Back Moun- tain Food Pantry from April 11 through 15. e Sebastian announced Na- tional Incident Management System training for all elected of- ficials and municipal employees has been rescheduled for March 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Kingston Township munici- pal building at no cost. The train- ing is a requirement for all public officials and employees. os
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