KC Board heard Liberty-Curtin build update, reviewed proposed partial tax increase, and communication from devoted Kindergarten teacher

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP- Keystone Central School Board held their May Work Session Thursday evening.

First up, the school board will vote next week at their Voting Session to adopt the proposed final budget, with adoption of the final budget at the board’s June 13 meeting. The proposed final budget includes a 3.55% partial tax increase for 2024-2025 averaging about $55 additional per year, generating an estimated $930,073 annually for the district. The potential still exists to reduce expenses  through retirement and attrition, evaluating open positions based on student needs and support, cutting all building budget spending, and evaluating all district-wide software programs. Additionally, recruiting more students to the CTE program, evaluating health insurance benefits, and collapsing classes per student enrollment are also ways to reduce district expenses.

“We will be providing you a construction report every quarter, or every four months, on the build process of the school,” he said. “We are still on track for an August 11, 2025 completion date and we are currently 134 days in of the 577 day project, or 23% of the way complete with 17% of the project billing having been completed.”

A brief project status reported that stormwater basins were installed on site to meet erosion and sediment requirements, building foundations and concrete block walls are up to finish floor height for 90%+ of the school, temporary parking is installed, concrete block walls are going up in both classroom wings, structural steel framing for the main lobby and core of the school have arrived onsite and will be going up next month, concrete floor slabs are being installed in both classroom wings and in the mechanical room in the next month, underground utilities are nearing completion for both electrical and plumbing, final interior finished were reviewed with KCSD and are in process of being released to the contractors, and submittals for contracts are 85% complete for reviews and approvals.

The architects report prompted questions by board member Elisabeth Lynch, asking what can be done to continue to lower the cost of the project. The architect replied saying that materials are currently ordered and processed, some are warehoused or are presently on the build site, and what can be controlled would be the change orders in the project where they are “doing well now, but might run into some things in the future,” but also keeping the project on track would save project finances and expenses.

Superintendent Dr. Frank Redmon gave a huge shout out to students in the district for their hard work and commitment to reaching mastery of subjects and content. He also mentioned that Robb Principal Tyler Barth will be hosting the Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin next Thursday at Robb Elementary, and Dr. Mumin will also be visiting the CTC classes at Central Mountain High School. Dr. Redmon also spoke highly of his time at his first KCSD Foundation Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony where he was the emcee.

“I met so many new people and it was great to listen to their experiences over the course of their lives launched here through the district, and to hear their amazing impacts on folks and the lives they lived after they graduated,” he said.

Dr. Redmon also mentioned that graduation will be held on June 3 for Bucktail, and June 4 for Central Mountain High School.

Suzanne Rainey, Kindergarten Teacher at Liberty Curtin addressed the school board Thursday evening during the “visitors” portion of the work session.

“I am passionate about teaching students, and I like sending postcards to my new students every summer before the school year begins, I am passionate about teaching and I normally can’t sleep the night before the first day of school,” she said. “I love our youngest learners and we both grow together as learners,” she continued, “you board members are missing some good things in our schools and I am here to be a voice for my colleagues and students…it is disheartening to observe recent discussions about budget deficits and low test scores but that paints a rather incomplete picture of our school landscape, and how our students are modeling and how they stress being kind.”

“I witness learning, resilience, and innovation on a daily basis, my students waited for almost three weeks for our chicks to hatch, and they learned measuring skills and successfully learned about raising and hatching chickens, but we had say goodbye to them yesterday as they went on to be on the farm,” she said. “If we only focus on the financial, then we risk losing out on the creativity and critical thinking that our students learn and display…come to Liberty Curtin, visit us and see for yourself how our students learn and interact.”

Board member Polly Donahay, stressed how important it was for Suzanne to come and speak to the board this evening.

“Her coming forward to talk to us says a lot about her…when do we ever have teachers come and talk to us, it’s been forever…there is a stigma there that teachers think they can’t speak up to the board because they may think they then have a target on their back, and I want to thank Suzanne very much for talking to us, and representing Liberty Curtin very well tonight.”

Two donations were also listed on the Work Session agenda, onen of which being a $1,200 Instalert sign form All Traffic Solutions, which is a portable digital message board. Another donation was listed as three snack vending machines from AVI Foodsystems.

Finally, the board received for consideration the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – Act 93 Early Retirement Incentive. The early retirement incentive states:

1. 1 additional year of health insurance at the employee’s current plan structure.

2. $50.00 per unused sick day based on the number of accumulated sick leave days on June 30, 2024 of their retirement year.

This agreement is only for employees who have 30, or more, years of PSERS service (can be from both in the district and outside of the district)