School Board Adds Full-Day Kindergarten Program to Preliminary Budget

The last night moved to place  on the district's 2013 budget but rejected adopting a  program for student athletes. 

The board also removed proposals to eliminate ninth-grade sports teams and from the preliminary budget. 

The board is expected to vote on the 2013 preliminary budget at its May 21 meeting. The document will be available for public review for 30 days following the meeting before the board finalizes its adoption. 

Board members also moved to divert money from a $2.665 million court settlement with the Pittsburgh-based Elmhurst Group to use toward the district's pension reserve and capital fund balance. 

Using the settlement money to pay down pension costs would enable the district to hold the line on taxes for the year, board members said. Commercial development firm Elmhurst Group lost its township property tax appeal in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. 

"We knew we about that money," said board member Ron Steele of the Elmhurst settlement. "But we didn't want to earmark it until it was settled." 

Alan Bennett, director of fiscal services, advised board members to not use the windfall settlement money toward recurring expenses, such as legacy costs.  

"Part of that money should go into the pension fund so that we don't have to raise taxes moving forward," said board president Sandra McCurdy. "I'm certainly not going to raise taxes if we have the opportunity not to." 

Board members had vowed to balance the district's budget, which has been projected to include $60.2 million in revenue and $61.5 million in expenditures, without a tax increase. 

The school district has been preparing to offer a full-day kindergarten program to students since 2007, but board members have expressed concern that budget constraints would prevent the program from coming to fruition in the fall. 

Parents in attendance at the meeting urged board members to maintain the district's ninth-grade sports teams. Cutting the teams would save the district $37,000 next school year, district officials . 

"We have a $9 million fund balance without raising taxes in the last two years," said board member Jerry Testa. "For me to take away opportunities for kids for $37,000 is ludicrous." 

Board members Jeff Bussard said the district should explore selling commercial advertising on its sports facilities to raise money for athletic programs. 

"Rather than going and asking parents to ante up more money, I think we need to look into that really seriously next year," Bussard said.

The board also approved the adoption of an  in a 5-to-4 vote. The program, which will enable students to obtain a Moon Area School District diploma online, will be a partnership with the 

District Superintendent Donna Milanovich said the program will serve as an alternative to area charter schools. Click  for more information on the program. 

Check back with Patch for more on the budget process.