DISTRICTS GEARING UP FOR NEW SCHOOL YEAR
No tax increase in CCSD

Property owners in the Cameron County Area School District will not see a tax increase for the 2008-09 school year when tax bills are sent out later this summer.

Directors signed off on an $11 million spending plan and opted to dip into the district's reserve for about $315,000 required to balance the budget.

Even with that injection, the school board decided to eliminate a third-grade teaching position and purge the teaching position for "English as a second language."

Higher expenses for the 2008-09 year include $275,000 more for instructional costs and an additional $160,000 for support services.

Real estate taxes will be 42 mills for the third consecutive year. The district will also collect a one-percent earned income tax, as well as a onepercent real estate transfer tax and a per-capita tax. All of these rates are unchanged.

One factor that has helped the school district freeze taxes is the payment of an additional $123,000 "in lieu of taxes" from the state over the past three school years, thanks to a tripling of that allotment to a new rate of $1.20 per acre of state-owned land.

There are still some uncertainties in the 2008-09 budget. Directors tabled action over salaries for several positions, including superintendent, business manager, assistant business manager, high school principal, assistant high school principal, elementary principal, cafeteria manager, superintendent's secretary, and maintenance supervisor.

Members also approved a contract for special education services in the amount of $830,675 from the Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit Nine.

Meanwhile, the board accepted the resignations of Jill Sidelinger as assistant girls' varsity basketball coach; Aaron Bowes as head softball coach; Christine Holjencin as National Honor Society advisor; and Karen Summers and Julie Shaffer as prom co-advisers. Ed Pizzella was hired as a summer maintenance worker.

Members approved the ordering of materials for the installation of a security system in the high school. It will be similar to the system in place at Woodland Elementary School.

Superintendent Clyde Moate was given the go-ahead to buy up to 12 "interactive whiteboards" to be used in lieu of blackboard and chalk for classrooms in both schools. The technology enables teachers to display images, write notes and save work, which students will be able to access from computers.

In other business, the school board:

--approved the use of both school buildings for Penn State Cooperative Extension's Strengthening Families Program, set for Mondays and Tuesdays from September through December and Mondays from January to April.

--agreed to allow the organizers of the Aug. 18 David Hutton Memorial Race to use the high school cafeteria and rest rooms, as well as the track. Permission was also granted for use of the track, rest rooms and concession stand for the Sept. 6 Autism Walk.