Palmerton takes 1st look at school budgets

Palmerton Area School District got its first look at the 2020-21 departmental budgets during a school board workshop Tuesday night.

Business Administrator Ryan Kish said the individual departments make up around $2.5 million out of a $33 million budget.

“It’s very early in the process,” Kish said. “After the new year, we’ll do a presentation and bring it all together with staffing requests included in that. A lot will change before June. We’re just taking a preliminary look at this tonight and answering any questions.”

Technology is the department with the largest projected increase, $38,900, mostly due to equipment purchases.

“Part of that is we’re buying Chromebooks for a pilot one-to-one program in the junior high school,” technology director Dan Heaney said. “Every student would get a Chromebook in the morning to use throughout the entire school day for their classes. Then they turn that back in at the end of the day and get it again the next morning. They would not be taking them home. If it goes well, we would plan to start working that program into the high school as well.”

Kish said the curriculum budget is figured to be up $22,500 largely due to new textbooks, the facilities budget projected to decrease by $1,500 and the athletic budget is estimated to increase by $15,286.

“That is due to new uniforms for track and field, grades 7-12, and for cheerleading; storage and concession stands for the softball field, and a new baseball backstop,” Kish said.

The high school budget is on track for a $3,760 increase, highlighted by an increase in meals for celebrations. Principal Paula Husar cited the recent “honors breakfast” as an example.

“I strongly believe in incentives to celebrate student success,” Husar said. “Just like with the honors breakfast, I think it is important for our kids to see we celebrate our success and I think the public should know the good things that are happening as well.”

Director Kathy Fallow concurred, saying she attended the breakfast and the students were, “very excited to see their scholastic achievements appreciated.”

Last year, the district approved an additional $10,000 to the Future Business Leaders of America club when it sent eight qualifiers to the national conference in San Antonio. That extra $10,000 will continue in the 2020-21 budget, Kish said.

At the other buildings, the junior high school budget is projected to increase $3,832, S.S. Palmer Elementary and Parkside Education Center budget set to increase $10,050 and the Towamensing Elementary budget on track to increase $15,235.

Palmer and Parkside Principal Mary Brumbach said her increases are due to a contract with Bayada Nursing for nurse substitutes, books and technology supply fees.

Towamensing Principal Christine Steigerwalt attributed increases to supplies and travel for the math coach, a position in its first year in the district; general supplies at each grade level, the extended learning program and the IXL online math program.

Acting Superintendent Dr. Al Lonoconus called the items in the department budgets some of the most important decisions the board will make.

“Aside from salaries, this is the area of the budget where you have actual control and it’s the area that impacts students the most,” he said. “I’ve been in districts where the sky is the limit and they ask for the Cadillacs. I think you’re being very frugal here.”