2010-2011 Budget Updates

School Board Approves Final Budget June 10
The Board of School Directors approved the 2010-2011 Final Budget on June 10. The tax rate has been set at 24.72 mills. The Board approved preliminary adoption of the proposed 2010-2011 budget on May 13. For more information on the budget, see the May 2010 Special Budget Edition of The Grove newsletter. 2010-2011 tax bills are scheduled to be mailed out on July 1, 2010. (Updated June 11, 2010)

Superintendent Presents Preliminary Budget on April 22
Dr. Augustus J. Massaro, Superintendent, presented the 2010-2011 Preliminary Budget to the Board of School Directors on April 22. The Board is scheduled to consider preliminary adoption of the proposed 2010-2011 budget on May 13. A Board meeting is also scheduled May 27. The board is scheduled to consider final adoption of the budget on June 10. (Posted April 23, 2010)

School Board Approves Pilot Student Athletics/Activities Fee Proposal
The Board of School Directors approved a Student Athletic/Activities Fee Program for high school students which will be implemented next school year. Avon Grove’s Student Activities Fee Committee recommended on March 25 that the Board of School Directors consider implementing a pilot program that would require high school students to pay a onetime, $25 annual fee if they participate in one or more interscholastic sports and/or other activities that involve nonacademic interscholastic competition, including cheerleading, the marching band, color guards, and indoor percussion. The fee is nonrefundable. >> More. (Posted April 29, 2010)

Superintendent Presents Budget Update on April 8
At the April 8 meeting of the Board of School Directors, Dr. Augustus J. Massaro, Superintendent of Schools, presented an update on the District's efforts to balance the 2010-2011 General Fund Budget. The proposed plan that was outlined calls for reducing district expenditures by about $2 million, increasing real estate taxes by 3.8 percent, and using $1.5 million from the general fund balance to balance the proposed $74.5 million budget. Members of the Avon Grove school community are encouraged to review the presentation and additional details on the District's Financial Updates page. Community members can submit questions and/or feedback through the online Budget Feedback Form. The 2010-2011 Preliminary Budget is scheduled to be presented to the Board of School Directors on April 22. The Board is scheduled to consider preliminary adoption of the proposed 2010-2011 budget on May 13. A Board meeting is also scheduled May 27. The board is scheduled to consider final adoption of the budget on June 10. >>More. (Original posting 4/9/10; Updated 4/16/10).

School Board to Consider Student Activities Fee Proposal (Posted 4/5/10)
Avon Grove School District’s Student Activities Fee Committee has recommended that the Board of School Directors consider implementing a pilot student activities fee program that would require high school students to pay a $25 annual fee if they participate in one or more interscholastic sports and/or nonacademic competitive activities during the school year. If approved by the School Board, the pilot program would begin in the 2010-2011 school year. The Avon Grove Board of School Directors is scheduled to consider adoption of the student activities fee program at the April 22, 2010, School Board Meeting, scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Avon Grove Intermediate School Audion. >>More.

School Board Approves Voluntary Retirement Incentives (Posted 4/1/10)
At the March 25, 2010, School Board meeting, the Avon Grove School District Board of School Directors approved two voluntary retirement incentive programs for eligible support staff and teachers, and based on preliminary projections District officials anticipate a combined savings of about $145,000 as a result of possible voluntary retirements. >> More.

Avon Grove School District Board of School Directors Approves Summer 2010 Schedule to Reduce Operating Expenditures (Posted 4/1/10)
At the March 25 School Board meeting, the Avon Grove School District Board of School Directors approved a four-day summer work week for year-round employees that is expected to save an estimated $15,000 in operating expenditures. >> More.

Board Approves Proposed Preliminary 2010-2011 Budget (Posted 2/18/10)
The Avon Grove Board of School Directors approved the proposed preliminary 2010-2011 general fund budget at the Feb. 17 Board meeting. The Board also voted to authorize the filing of certain requests for referendum exceptions, which, if approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, would enable the Board to consider raising real estate taxes above the District's Act 1 adjusted index limit of 3.8 percent. With exceptions, if approved, the maximum potential tax increase the Board could consider is 6.4 percent. The Board has not proposed a specific tax increase at this time. The Avon Grove Administration and Board of School Directors stressed that additional work needs to be done to develop and finalize the 2010-2011 proposed final budget and establish a proposed tax rate.

Facilities Use Fee Committee to Review Proposed Policy Changes
A Facilities Use Fee Committee led by Board member Lynn Klingensmith is reviewing Board Policy No. 707 which outlines the use of school facilities by student groups and outside organizations. The policy was first adopted in June 2001 and revised in October 2005. Proposed revisions include adding a fifth classification and charging facilities use fees for Class II, III, IV and V organizations. The policy includes an Administrative Rule and proposed Fee Schedule. The committee is charged with making a recommendation to the Board of School Directors for consideration.

Board Votes to Make Proposed Preliminary Budget Available to Public
The Avon Grove Board of School Directors voted Jan. 28 to approve a motion to authorize the administration to make the Proposed Preliminary 2010-2011 General Fund Budget available for public inspection. The Board declined to approve an "opt out resolution" stating the district will not raise taxes by more than the 3.8 percent index limit. (Posted 1/29/10)

Board of School Directors Passes Resolution Urging Pension Reform
The Avon Grove Board of School Directors passed a resolution Jan. 28 urging legislative action on school employee pension reform. If the pension system remains as is, the District must contribute $1,234,392 in 2010-2011, an increase of $552,047 over 2009-2010 or the equivalent of a 1.3 percent increase in real estate taxes. The cumulative cost increase through 2014-2015 is projected at $15,628,340, or the equivalent of a 12.8 percent cumulative tax increase over the next seven years just to cover pension costs. The Avon Grove School Board's resolution urges the PA General Assembly to approve either House Bill 2135 or Senate Bill 1185, both of which would make PSERS a hybrid defined benefits/defined contribution system for school employees hired in the future. HB 2135/SB 1185 are part of the recommendation made by the Pennsylvania School Boards Associations’s Pension Study Committee in 2007. The recommendation was unanimously accepted by the PSBA Board of Directors and the PSBA Platform Committee and was overwhelmingly reaffirmed this past fall by voting delegates from around the state at the meeting of the PSBA Legislative Policy Council. (1/29/10)