Budget passes for South Fayette schools
Taxes in the South Fayette School District could be increasing by as much as 0.8357 mills for the 2014-15 school year. The board of school directors passed a proposed final budget of $44,549,597 at its May 20 meeting, though changes could still be made before the final budget is voted on in June. Board member Todd Petrillo voted against the budget and Alan Vezzi was absent from the meeting.
For residents with a home assessed at $100,000, the increase in millage would mean an additional $83 per year on their school taxes.
The current taxation millage rate in South Fayette is 24.7126 and the proposed budget has taxes at 25.5483. The proposed budget includes increasing taxes to the two percent index allowed, and also taking another exception for PSERS (Public School Employees Retirement System).
“Approval of this budget does not prevent the board from making alterations,” said Dr. Bille Rondinelli, superintendent of South Fayette Schools.
Although the board approved a maximum budget at the meeting, director of finance Brian Tony and district accountant Maria Brewer-Aguilar are recommending a millage rate increase to the index, which would be 0.667 mills or a flat rate increase of 0.5 mills.
The board will continue to evaluate the budget at its May 27 meeting and is scheduled to vote on a final budget at the June voting meeting.
South Fayette Middle School Principal Dave Deramo and industrial technology teacher Frank Kruth made a presentation at the meeting asking the board to consider a new position at the school. Deramo said the proposed position would be for a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) coordinator at the middle school. Currently, the intermediate school employs a teacher in a similar position.
“With the focus of STEAM in the district, it makes sense to continue it at the middle school,” Deramo said. “We all know STEAM is not a new concept or idea at the middle school.”
Dermao said the STEAM coordinator would bring an “interdisciplinary approach” to teaching. The position would also bring a hands-on approach to learning to core classes. Eventually, he said he would like to bring the STEAM concept to all the classes at the school.
Deramo said the position would be created and fill a vacancy made by a retiring teacher. An additional teacher would be needed to take over the industrial technology teacher vacancy.
“I think it’s awesome. It’s a great idea,” said board member Teresa Burroughs. “I think the kids will be thrilled with it.”
“We couldn’t be more excited about the possibilities,” Rondinelli said of the proposed new position.