When: Lampeter-Strasburg school board meeting, May 3, in person for members, Zoom for staff and YouTube for others.
What happened: The board approved, without discussion, its proposed final budget for 2021-22 with a 1.9% tax rate increase. The vote was unanimous with board member Scott Kimmel absent.
Background: At a finance committee meeting held April 26, the board reviewed the budget which projects revenues of $55.4 million and expenditures of $56.9 million. The $1.5 million deficit will be covered by the fund balance. The vote to approve the final budget takes place at the June 14 board meeting.
Tax: The increase follows no tax increase in 2020-21. The 1.9% falls below the state index of 3.5%. Millage increases to 17.25, up 0.32 mills. Homeowners of a $217,200 property, the median for the district, will pay about $70 more. In a separate action, the board approved engaging the Lancaster County Collection Bureau to collect tax payments.
THE ISSUE: Itâs Monday, the day we take a few moments to highlight the good news in Lancaster County. Some of these items are welcome developments on the economic front or for neighborhoods across the county. Others are local stories of achievement, perseverance, compassion and creativity that represent welcome points of light in a still-difficult time. All of this news deserves a brighter spotlight.
This weekâs good things revolve around Earth Day, which was last Thursday.
Throughout last week, coverage in LNP | LancasterOnline highlighted numerous inspiring stories and photographs of people being good stewards of the environment. Protecting Earth for future generations â humans, animals and plants â should be a shared goal that motivates everyone.
The Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 has been awarded a $20,000 state grant to assist teachers in developing environmental lessons.
The grant, announced Thursday on Earth Day by Gov. Tom Wolf, was among a series of Environmental Education Grants from the Department of Environmental Protection supporting 51 projects worth nearly $460 million.
âThese grants support projects that increase the environmental knowledge of community members statewide,â Wolf said in a news release. âThis yearâs awardees underscore the values of our Earth Week theme: Protect the Environment for All Pennsylvanians.â
With the grant, the IU13 will conduct a five-day summer institute for teachers serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade to build environmental literacy curriculum-aligned units and meaningful watershed educational experiences.
Matthew Stem to leave state Education Department, take leadership role at IU13 lancasteronline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from lancasteronline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Lancaster County educators were thrilled to get vaccinated once Pennsylvania prioritized the first Johnson & Johnson vaccine shipments for school personnel.
Even with the news that the Johnson & Johnson shot may be linked to rare blood clots, prompting state officials to pause administering doses in accordance with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration, that hasnât changed.
âIn the millions of doses, there have only been a handful of adverse reactions, so the vaccine is still very safe,â Conestoga Valley High School biology teacher and Conestoga Valley Education Association President Tara Flick said.