April 7 B-W Council of PTA Meeting Notes

Harrison Middle School Tour

The Baldwin-Whitehall Council of PTA includes PTA/PTSA units from W.R. Paynter Elementary School, Baldwin High School and J.E. Harrison Middle School, and more often than not, representatives from all three units attend the Council of PTA's monthly meetings.

Because some of Thursday's meeting attendants' children are not J.E. Harrison students (at least not yet), the Council of PTA saw much benefit in following Harrison Interim Principal Michael R. Wetmiller for a tour of the middle school.

Wetmiller and the parents toured the school's music rooms, its different levels for different grades, its wood shop and much more. One of the highlights was a stop at the school's new fitness center, which includes weight machines, aerobic equipment and similar items.

The fitness center can be used for physical-education classes and after-school activities. Teachers can also use the center for workouts.

Another of the tour's highlights was a stop at teacher Jeff Reffert's sixth-grade science class, where he led his students in a song about cells. At least 75 percent of the students in the class had memorized the song, and those that were singing it were quite enthusiastic.

Korchnak on 2011-12 Budget

After their tour of Harrison, the meeting's attendants were joined by Superintendent Dr. Lawrence C. Korchnak, who gave an update on happenings around the school district.

Korchnak said that he has submitted his budget to the Baldwin-Whitehall school board for the school district's 2011-12 fiscal year, which would cause no increase in residents' millage rate (currently at 23.4). Each mill generates approximately $1.5 million in funding for the district.

Because funding for some district offerings could be reduced in anticipation of , Korchnak said that his proposed 2011-12 Baldwin-Whitehall budget for calls for reductions in some areas, including the number of "super sub(stitute)s" in the district. "Super subs" are substitute teachers that work similar hours to regular, full-time teachers.

The district's tutoring program will also be modified, Korchnak said, but not eliminated.

He also said that the number of students using each school bus in the district will be increased by five, which he says brings the bus capacity level from "66 percent to 75 percent." Korchnak said that he would be in favor of increasing that number even more but that he realizes that the school board's and the community's sentiments are otherwise.

Overall, he said that the school district would still be in good shape without raising taxes for this coming fiscal year but that there is "no guarantee" for the following year.

Korchnak said that he has drafted a letter to district residents, which can be found here, that calls for them to urge their government representatives to oppose Gov. Corbett's proposed budget cuts to basic education.

In the near future, Korchnak will publish another letter that could act as a "template" for district residents to sign and send to their representatives.

Korchnak stressed that he felt that cutting basic education is "immoral to do that to the children of the commonwealth. That's how strongly I feel against the budget."

Korchnak on Wetmiller

Korchnak told meeting attendants that he is pleased with Wetmiller's performance so far and that he would recommend that Wetmiller's "interim" status be removed from his title.

Korchnak on Young Scholars Charter School

Korchnak also said that the , which will be opening in  this coming fall, planned on submitting its list of accepted students to the B-W school district on April 15 but is now pushing that date back to May 15.

Korchnak said that he anticipated 30 students in his proposed budget leaving B-W school district schools to attend Young Scholars, but if that number ends up being higher, he would have to adjust district spending some way to offset that.

If less than 30 B-W students attend Young Scholars, he would then have more money to spend on other district business.

Come to a PTA/PTSA Meeting

The B-W Council of PTA wished to promote the fact that , as are the meetings of its W.R. Paynter, Baldwin High and Harrison units.

The next meeting of the Baldwin High School PTSA will be held in the high school's Room 322 on Monday, April 11, at 9:30 a.m.

The Harrison PTSA will meet in the middle school's Room 129 on Tuesday, April 19, at 9:30 a.m.

The Paynter PTA will meet in Paynter's rear auditorium on Thursday, April 28, at 9 a.m.