Mt. Lebanon board approves budget, teachers’ contract
Board president Lawrence Lebowtiz said the new teachers’ contract was a “win, win, win” for the district, for staff and students. He said the $92 million budget was a “happy medium to minimize impact to district services and to taxpayers” while maintaining the quality of education in the district’s schools.
Retiring staff and faculty standing left to right: School Board President Larry Lebowitz, (in the back), Steve Scheurer, Judith Wolfe, Roberta Biseda, Jan Ban, Jan Barson, Carol Berklich, Patricia McAuley, Ann Platt, Joan Zacharias, Cecelia Toohey, Russell Jones, Linda Peck, Janet Ruprecht and Dr. Timothy Steinhauer.
The Mt. Lebanon school board approved both a $92 million budget that raises millage by .40 and a new teachers’ contract running through June 2018. The 2015 millage rate of 23.55 will increase property taxes on homes valued at $100,000 by $40. The new collective bargaining agreement sees additional healthcare contributions from teachers and incremental pay increases for them, while affording extra annual raises of $400, $700 and $900 for teachers in the highest seniority tier. The agreement sees the district taking on an additional 3.17 percent in costs.
In other business, the board set a special meeting for May 29 at 7:30 a.m. to review bids for a security vestibule at Jefferson Middle School.
The board also recognized a group of retiring teachers, faculty and staff. They were Steve Scheurer, Judith Wolfe, Roberta Biseda, Jan Ban, Jan Barson, Carol Berklich, Patricia McAuley, Ann Platt, Joan Zacharias, Cecelia Toohey, Russell Jones, Linda Peck and Janet Ruprecht.