DASD School Board honors fall athletes, reviews preliminary budget by Glenn Schuckers
The DuBois Area School Board held its regular meeting on Thursday, January 27, at the Administrative Center on Liberty Boulevard. There were numerous items on the agenda.
The first item of business was to recognize district students who participated in the fall sports programs, notably football and girls volleyball. Athletic Director Chuck Ferra introduced the football coach who then went on to recognize the players who were getting their certificates. Coach TJ Wingard listed the accomplishments of the team and awards for many individual players. That was followed by the girls volleyball assistant coach who noted the girls’ team had finished the season with varsity record of 16-2 and the District IX title. He said the team had eight seniors and gave certificates to some fourteen players. Superintendent Wendy Benton added that she had never seen so many accomplishments by one team and said its record was, “most impressive.”
Following the sports recognitions, Business Manager Jeanette Buriak presented the preliminary budget proposal for the coming school year, 2022-2023. That proposal listed total revenues of over $63 million dollars with expenditures projected slightly higher. The biggest source of income comes from the contribution from the state of over $33 million with local funding contributing just over $25 million and a federal contribution of some $7 million. There is a projected increase of about 2%, but as it stands in the proposed budget, the school tax will not increase in the coming year. Final approval of the budget will take place in June.
Following the budget presentation, representatives for the district’s auditing firm Maher Duessel gave the rest of the financial audit. They said the audit was “clean” and added that in their opinion the district had presented a very good report on how the finances were handled.
Following some comments from the audience about why citizens are asked to give prior notice of their intention to speak at a meeting, why healthy children who have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus are sent home , and why there is a time limit on the length of those speeches, the board moved ahead with its agenda.
The board approved the revised health and Safety Plan and authorized the Superintendent to revise that plan as events deem necessary with Board approval. The Board also approved construction projects at C.G. Johnson Elementary School and a roof top unit replacement at the high school.
Acting on the recommendation of Director of Curriculum Anne Young, H.S. Principal Brian Weible and H.S. Assistant Principal Charles Pasternak, the Board approved ten new courses at the High School as well as updates for four other courses there.
Also on the agenda were the hiring of Cheyenne Fink as an elementary instructor at C.G. Johnson Elementary School, and Practical Nurse (LPN) Courtney Snyder.
