South Fayette schools schedule make-up days, discuss budget
This winter’s cold and snowy weather has led school directors in South Fayette Township to schedule make-up days. The board unanimously voted Jan. 28 to hold classes on Feb. 17, April 17 and April 25. A full day, rather than a half day, of school will be held June 5 and a half day will be held June 6, which is also graduation day for seniors, who will not have to attend that day.
Superintendent Dr. Bille Rondinelli said the make-up days will put the district “just a little over the needed amount” as far as instructional days and hours are concerned. “This will get us to where we need to be,” she said.
Rondinelli added that families who have already made plans for their children to be out those days can apply for excused absences.
Rondinelli also announced at the meeting that the district has been awarded a Safe Schools Grant in the amount of $40,000 for a school police officer.
“It’s quite an accomplishment,” Rondinelli said of the grant which was applied for by high school associate principal Aaron Skrbin. She said the school district is in discussion with the township since the police officer would be a township officer assigned to the school full-time.
“We haven’t worked out all the details,” Rondinelli said.
Principal Scott Milburn presented the high school’s budget for the 2014-15 school year at the Jan. 28 meeting. He is requesting two new teachers for core subjects for next year and two more the following year due to increased enrollment.
The school board and administration agreed that the high school will need two new teachers next year.
“I think we have to. We don’t have a choice,” said board member Teresa Burroughs.
Milburn said the current numbers at the high school indicate there will be about 754 students there next school year. He added those numbers don’t include students that may be coming from parochial schools or new students moving to the district. The projections for the 2015-16 school year indicate that number will grow even more – to 816 – not including new or parochial school students.
The new teachers will help with class size, but not with classroom space. Eventually, Milburn said, teachers may have to start teaching in spaces such as the conference room, auxiliary gym and the band room when it’s not in use.
“I’m trying to be creative,” Milburn told the board.