School board holds the line on taxes, makes cuts

A divided Mars Area school board approved a proposed budget May 26 that holds the line on taxes but eliminates the curriculum department and furloughs several people.

The $52.3 million spending plan keeps the millage rate at 99 mills. It maintains all secondary-level programs and reduces class size at the elementary levels. The budget also adds an autistic support classroom at the elementary school, additional learning support at the Centennial School and autistic support at the high school. It also adds up to six paraprofessionals.

The district has come under fire from parents and the state in recent years for not doing enough for special education students.

Business Manager Jill Swaney said the COVID-19 crisis has led to “significant challenges” for school district budgets. Since most businesses were shut down, revenues from earned income, real estate and other taxes have also declined. Local taxes bring in 70% of the district’s revenue, and state and federal subsidies are “still evolving,” she said.

She added that “the financial consequences are likely to linger for years, challenging school districts to navigate the short- and long-term impacts beyond this budget cycle.”

The final budget is to be approved June 23.

“We have shown the community our goodwill by not raising taxes,” said board member Anthony DePretis. “It’s a challenging time, and we are all in this together.”

The budget also extends an early retirement incentive for teachers and eliminates one or two reading specialist positions at the elementary level.

But it was the elimination of the Curriculum, Instruction and Innovation Practices department that attracted the ire of some board members, parents and a representative of the Mars Area Education Association.

Kara Eckert, director of that department, was offered a substitute elementary principal position, which will give each of the three elementary-level buildings a dedicated principal. Her assistant, Mary Ellen Rockwell, was furloughed.

Board member Kevin Hagen said that members learned through the superintendent search process that curriculum is usually handled by assistant superintendents. But board member Megan Lenz said whether to eliminate that department should wait until the new superintendent, Mark Gross, takes the reins in July.

Mr. DePretis, Mr. Hagen, Rita Dorsch, J. Dayle Ferguson, Gordon Marburger, Sallie Wick and board President John Kennedy voted for the budget.

Ms. Lenz and Christine Valenta voted against the budget and against the personnel item eliminating the department. Mrs. Lenz also voted against the personnel item that furloughed Ms. Rockwell.

“The curriculum director position is not a ‘one-and-done’ job,” Ms. Valenta said. “A healthy curriculum is a living, ever-changing, ever-expanding, critical area of responsibility to ensure the students in this district reach their maximum learning potential. This is a full-time position that for years was missing in the Mars Area School District and, sadly, will be absent again.”

Ms. Valenta listed several accomplishments from the department in the past four years, including increasing graduation credits, supporting the addition of advanced placement classes and adding an internal English as a Second Language program, which saved the district money over outsourcing.

Ms. Lenz said that although there are some positives in the budget, the loss of the curriculum director is a huge negative. “We have heard via email as a board from multiple teachers who feel supported by Kara Eckert during [online instruction], and I am concerned about pulling that help moving forward as we don’t know what will occur in the fall with education,” she said.

Teachers Colleen Hinrichsen, Christine Petrini and Sharyn Lipnicky also decried the loss of the curriculum department.

“I am in total shock and disbelief,” said Ms. Lipnicky. “[Ms. Eckert] has brought a vision to Mars that no leader would have attempted.”

Ms. Hinrichsen said she has sent more than 1,000 emails to Ms. Eckert since 2017. “We are lucky to have her. She is the heartbeat for the teaching and learning” in the district.

She also noted that Ms. Rockwell is the person who does all the uploads for online learning each year.

Ms. Petrini said that Mars Area historically had either a director of curriculum or two assistant superintendents. Next year, there will only be one assistant superintendent and no curriculum director.

“It’s a huge, huge loss for the students of our school district,” she said.

Parents Jennifer McAfee and Julia Konitzky also criticized the budget.

“You’re using COVID as a scapegoat. This is not to be used as a scapegoat. This is crisis education,” Ms. Konitzky said.