Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Barbara Bolas, who served as vice president of the board in 2012, is now president.
The Upper St. Clair School Board Monday night elected Barbara Bolas as its new president and Louis Mafrice as its vice president. Both votes were unanimous. Bolas said she has a she has a renewed motivation to improve and maintain high quality public education after recently becoming a grandmother again. Superintendent Patrick O'Toole recognized the 2012 board President Rebecca Stern for her leadership and went over some of the year's highlights, including renegotiating teacher contracts, converting Streams Elementary to all IB, restructuring the administration staff and undergoing two audits—local and state—with no findings. The next board meeting is Monday, Dec. 10. Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Upper St. Clair School Director Bruce Kerman died on Friday, Dec. 16 after an extended illness.
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Saturday, December 17, 2011
Bruce Kerman, an Upper St. Clair School Board member, died on Friday, Dec. 16 after an extended illness. Kerman served as a school director since his election to office in 2009. "Bruce was highly respected and his voice will be missed by his colleagues on the School Board. He served his community with intelligence and dignity. Our thoughts are with his wife and children at this difficult time," said Rebecca Stern, president of the Upper St. Clair School Board, in a statement. "Bruce was a deeply committed board member, father and husband,” stated USC Superintendent Patrick O’Toole. “As a board member, he always did his homework on issues and placed the best interests of the students of USC at the forefront of his decisions.” Kerman is …
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Monday night's action will 'provide the boar with maximum flexibility' come June 2012.
The Upper St. Clair School Board passed a preliminary budget Monday night that could allow the school directors to raise taxes by 1.57 mills in June 2012. A 1.57 mills tax increase would be equal to $314 per $200,000 of assessed value. In addition, the budget would eliminate 16 staff positions, including 10 fulltime teachers and six supporting staff. The vote was made so early in the year to allow for the district to apply with the Department of Education to raise taxes above the pre-set state limit, which is .337 mills next year, equivalent to $67 per $200,000 of assessed value. District administrators recommended the board adopt the preliminary budget to allow for "maximum financial flexibility" when it comes time to adopt a final budget…
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The superintendent also gave an update on the rifle range at the high school.
The Upper St. Clair School Board appointed a new president and vice president Monday night. 2011-12 School Board Vice President Rebecca Stern will now serve as president. School Director Barbara Bolas was voted to become vice president. Superintendent Patrick O'Toole thanked Harry Kunselman for his time served as president for the past year and went over a long list of district accomplishments. Highlights included the middle school renovation projects, creating a director of advancement position, two bond refinancing opportunities, a wage agreement with Upper St. Clair School District support staff, new district policies, technology investments and a new district tagline. In addition, Judge Arnold Klein, an Upper St. Clair resident, swore …
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Taxes could rise by .82 mills.
Frustrated and worried looks appeared on the faces of the Upper St. Clair school directors on Monday night as Superintendent Patrick O'Toole presented 2012-13 preliminary budget data. Pennsylvania law will only allow the school board to raise taxes by .33 mills—less than what the district was anticipating in October. As operating now, that would be the equivalent to a nearly $2.8 million budget deficit. If the school board makes a preliminary budget available to the public by Jan. 5, they can apply for an exception that could allow the district to raise taxes by up to .82 mills. However, the district would still be facing a $1.5 million shortfall by raising taxes by .82 mills alone. One of the district's challenges is fulfilling its PSERS …
Monday, November 7, 2011
Five school board candidates are running unopposed in Tuesday's election.
There are five open Upper St. Clair School Board seats this year and five candidates are running unopposed. Louis Oliverio is the only new candidate running for school board. The other four candidates are incumbents. Upper St. Clair Patch caught up with each candidate to hear their thoughts on the most important issues in the Upper St. Clair School District. On possibly making Streams Elementary an all-IB school Billerbeck said the board is in the middle of the process and she still needs more information. "I don't have any pre-conceived notions," Billerbeck said. "I've always been a strong IB supporter...I'm going to look at the demand for IB, how it affects the overall budget...and how it will affect home values in Upper St. Clair." On …
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Election day is today!
The elections are today and a number of candidates are running for local office. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Click here to locate your polling place. Elections Manager Mark Wolosik is predicting that 30 to 35 percent of registered voters in Allegheny County will go to the polls today. The Upper St. Clair races are not competitive this November. There are four candidates seeking four open commissioner seats and five candidates seeking five open school board seats. During the primary, Upper St. Clair resident Dorothy Davis received enough votes to appear on the November ballot against Commissioner Glenn Dandoy. However, Davis said she did not file the proper paperwork with the Allegheny County Electons Division by July 1 in …
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The latest news from the Upper St. Clair School Board.
Superintendent Patrick O'Toole presented Primary Years Program student data Monday night as the Upper St. Clair School Board hopes to decide whether to make Streams Elementary an all IB school by the end of January. PYP is the International Baccalaureate program designed for elementary students. It is currently available at Streams Elementary. Dr. O'Toole said keeping both the traditional and PYP programs at Streams has become operationally difficult. The board must decide whether to abandon the PYP program or make PYP the only program available at Streams. O'Toole said 58 percent of students at Streams were enrolled in PYP in the 2007-08 school year. Currently, he said 81 percent of students are enrolled in PYP. Looking strictly at first …
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Dr. Ruth Ann Matyuf retired in August and was recognized at Monday night's school board meeting.
The Upper St. Clair School Board recognized Dr. Ruth Ann Matyuf for her 18 years of employment with the district. She retired on Aug. 19. Dr. Matyuf was hired by the district on Sept. 13, 1993. She began her career in Upper St. Clair at the middle school level, then worked at the high school level and ended her career as principal of Baker Elementary. "The most difficult part of it for me to to leave the children behind," Dr. Matyuf said. She said she plans to keep in touch with children by volunteering with the IOCC, at church and with Children's Hospital. Dr. Matyuf and her husband also plan to travel. Dr. O'Toole said he first met Dr. Matyuf in the mid-1990s as they both were finishing their dissertation. He joked that Dr. Matyuf …
Friday, May 6, 2011
Candidate profile for the upcoming primary election on May 17.
Rebecca Stern is running for a second term as an Upper St. Clair School Board member. "Four years went by awfully fast and I really get a lot of satisfaction being involved," Stern said. "There are a lot of good things happening, and a lot of challenges. I feel like I still have something to contribute." Stern's professional background is in education. She has an degree from Boston University in career education for special needs and a masters degree from Carnegie Mellon University's H. John Heinz III College in education management. She encourages residents to vote for her for a number of reasons. Stern said look at her participation; she has been very active in key initiatives. The creation of an advancement office and the renovations of…
bob balmer
8:33 pm on Sunday, December 9, 2012
I have no ideal why "School Board Director For Life" would not give you the courtesy of a response! more ›