The Sto-Rox School Board on Thursday night approved its 2023-2024 budget, along with a host of academic and extra-curricular programs. You will find a complete recap of the meeting by clicking here. Read on for more details on some of the most significant developments.
Budget Approved
The school board approved a finalized version of the budget for the upcoming school year. The spending plan features $34.7 million dollars in spending and projects revenue of $36.2 million. The budget is the latest reflect of progress made by the district under the state recovery plan. The budget sets the millage rate at 28.0 mills and sets other tax rates which you can read in this document.
Robinson smiles at the podium while Bridget Clement, CISPAC Executive Director, looks on.
Communities in Schools Expansion
Board members heard a presentation from Communities in Schools-Pittsburgh/Allegheny County (CISPAC) about expanding in the Sto-Rox School District for a five-year commitment as part of a Full Service grant. There will be five additional CISPAC staff members in Sto-Rox schools next school year: two will be assigned to the Jr./Sr. High School, while three will take assignments at the Primary Center and Upper Elementary schools.
“Usually agreements like this are just one year, two years,” said Superintendent Megan Van Fossan. “This (agreement) really allows us to shore up some areas.”
CISPAC Chief Program Officer Montae Robinson delivered the presentation regarding his organization’s offerings. He focused on the four pillars of Communities in Schools:
• Integrated Student Supports
• Expanded and Enriched Learning Time Opportunities
• Active Family and Community Engagement
• Collaborative Leadership
The student support piece features site managers who addressed what students need and send them to resource specialists who can help them get it. CISPAC will also help increase programming to give students at least one out-of-school-time opportunity during the school year. Additionally, CISPAC hopes to expand offerings for parents, including a monthly “Parent Coffee” meeting where parents receive a gift card for their attendance. Finally, CISPAC’s planning calls for collaborative leadership among the four superintendents from districts involved in this programming - Sto-Rox, Duquesne, East Allegheny and Steel Valley - plus a steering committee involving those districts and school site teams.
Sports Updates
There were a host of changes for Sto-Rox Athletic programs including new camps and clinics. There will be a Basketball Summer Camp on July 22 and 23, with sessions for children entering grades 2-4 from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m., and for children entering grades 5-8 from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m. Both sessions will take place at the Jr./Sr. High School. The cost of the entire camp is $100 per child. Both Sto-Rox Coaches Dewey Hines and Hope Wheeler will be in charge of the camp.
Looking ahead, the district approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania to provide daily, after school sports clinics at the Primary Center and Upper Elementary until 7:00 p.m. Transportation home will be provided and more information will be released prior to the school year. Sports on tap include:
Basketball
Hockey
FF
Soccer
Martial Arts
Additionally, the district confirmed hirings for key roles in the athletic department. The newly reformed Sto-Rox Softball Team has a new head coach: Heather O’Hara, a Life Skills/Learning Support Teacher at the Upper Elementary. Erica Taylor, who is familiar to Sto-Rox families as the district’s Central Registrar, will be the assistant coach. For football, John Reay, Anthony Greer, Trevaugn Hairston, Cameron Craig, and Damon Sims will join the High School coaching staff, while Hairston will lead the new and highly-anticipated Middle School Football Team with Craig assisting. Adam Scott will work for the district as a part-time athletic trainer will Esther Brown of YouthPlaces will also serve as a volunteer cheer coach.
McPherson listens during Thursday’s school board meeting.
Band Updates
The board also approved Band Camp for the Sto-Rox Vikings Marching Band from August 7-11 and August 14-16. More than that, the band’s slate of performances and trips was expanded to include band competitions in East Allegheny, Steel Valley and Penn Trafford. For new Marching Band Director Loujaue McPherson, that’s all part of the plan.
“We’re going to be doing competitions. I told the kids that, and they looked me like, ‘what?’” he explained. “It’s not a matter of, if you’re good enough. It’s a matter of, ‘Do you want to? Can you be good enough? Do you think you could achieve?’”
“I’ve been teaching marching units since 1985,” he continued. “I’ve never pushed a unit I’ve worked with to the point where they broke down. I’ve always pushed them to be the best that they can be as a group and individually.”
McPherson has worked at schools including Penn Hills, Karns City, and Neshannock. He is also the Corps Director of the Mon Valley Express Drum and Bugle Corps, a competition group that goes against national and international groups. McPherson has been taking part in competitions since he’s high school days in the late 1970’s.
You will find an update on the marching band rehearsal schedule by clicking here. The Sto-Rox Viking Marching Band’s 2023 show, Anime Explosion!, is in the works. McPherson is also calling on all interested musicians to join the band and is also looking for color guard participants.
Personnel Moves
The school board approved DaLisha Hoszowski as School Board Treasurer, while Susan Gratton will continue as School Board Secretary. Board members also hired Chris Christiansen as Technology Coordinator starting July 1. Aaron Stephan was hired as a Emotional Support Teacher for the Upper Elementary. “I can’t wait to start my teaching journey,” he told the board. A recent graduate of St. Vincent College and native of Upper St. Clair, he acknowledged the opportunities he had growing up but said he wanted to “give back,” saying that was part of his journey at St. Vincent.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Sto-Rox School Board will take place Thursday, July 20. It will be a Combined Agenda Review and Legislative Voting Meeting and is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Sto-Rox Jr./Sr. High School Cafeteria.