Voters in the enlarged school district will be able to vote on May 20 on three propositions: the district budget for the next school year, a $3.25 million capital improvement project at the high school and Dorothy Nolan Elementary School, and an $845,000 bus proposition that will replace eight full size 66-passenger busses and one handicap accessible bus. Voters will also vote on three school board members, in which board President Frank Palumbo, Mia Pfitzer and Jeff Piro will be running for re election.  

The capital improvement projects will be funded through an exiting account and will not affect school taxes. The proposed project will add a bus loop at Dorothy Nolan Elementary School and will help to replace parts of the roof at the high school. These projects are ones that could not be taken care of with the state-funded $7.4 million EXCEL (expanding our children’s education and learning) aid that was part of this year’s budget, Superintendent Janice White said. State aid will cover $2.46 million of the $3.35 million project.

“This is a worthwhile accomplishment,” White said.  “There’s always something to be done around the district.  These are not frill expenses.”

The proposed budget for the 2008-09 school year is nearly $107.7 million, or a 3.2 percent increase from this year’s $104.4 million.

With new initiatives to have healthier meals for students, $60,000 is added to the food budget, along with a 25 cent raise in meal prices for students.

“The district has made great strides in having healthy food from local farms, but at a cost,” Assistant Superintendent for Business Kurt Jaeger said. 

While funds are being added to food services, it will be held back in other areas due to the current state of the economy, according to various Board of Education members.  Items that did not make the cut this year include a business office typist and two sixth-grade foreign language teachers.

“It’s simply the economy,” said trustee Will Martin.  “This isn’t the time.  These things need to be done, but not now.”

Trustee Jay Riffenbary was in agreement with Martin.

“We need to be frugal, but not at the expense of the students.  We’ve got to be fiscally responsible right now,” he said. 

The adoption of the finalized proposed budget will be up for vote by the Board of Education at the next meeting on April 8, at 7:30 p.m. at Greenfield Elementary School. 

For community members who wish to run for one of the three open seats on the Board of Education, petitions can be picked up at the district offices beginning Monday, April 7 and should be returned no later than April 30 at 5 p.m.