A longtime crossing guard was honored, a budget was preliminarily passed, and a new principal was named for the Jr./Sr. High School. Those were just a few of the issues discussed and voted upon Thursday night during a meeting of the Sto-Rox School Board. You can find the complete recap of the meeting here. The highlights are as follows:
Bennett receives flowers and a proclamation from Young.
Crossing Guard Honored
”She is a gem for what she’s done for this community.”
Board member Lucille Young lavished praise on that gem - Dorothy Bennett - who is retiring after 48 years as a crossing guard.
“Through hot and cold - good and bad - getting hit by a car,” said Young, referencing the incident in 2011 when Bennett pushed a boy out of the way of an oncoming car, taking most of the impact.
“I’m grateful for her,” explained Young. “She was a great asset to me when I was a crossing guard, she would come and she would make sure I knew what was going on. She let me know…who to look out for, what to look out for, when to look - she just was a very dedicated mentor and servant for this community.”
Young presented her with a board proclamation and flowers, and Bennett received a rousing round of applause. Bennett was accompanied to the meeting several of her fellow crossing guards.
Urged to give a speech, Bennett kept it short - sweet - and funny.
“This is the second award I got from this school,” she said, referencing the 2011 incident. “Thank you, for everything.”
Comings and Goings
• Raelyn Day will become the Principal of Jr./Sr. High School on Thursday, June 1. Her family was in attendance as the promotion was approved, much to the delight of her family who showed up to support her. Day came to the district in the middle of the year as Assistant Principal of Grades 10-12. She will take over for Acting Principal Michael Hauser, who the district thanks for his contributions during his time here.
• Paul Sroka has resigned as Business Manager. He has been replaced by Nate Fisher of JMA. You will find a complete listing of finance-related staff in the Finance section of this website.
Preliminary Budget
The Sto-Rox School Board on Thursday night approved a preliminary budget for the 2023-24. The budget is on the school district website in the Finance section, as it must be up for public review for 30 days. You can also download it here (PDF).
Sroka gave a presentation on the budget, detailing the progress made as the district works its way through the state recovery plan. While the district has been making necessary fiscal moves, it is also benefitting from temporary federal funding sources such as ESSER. The district will both increase revenues and spending, with expected revenues of $36,208,988 and expenditures of $34,792,684 - meaning there will likely be a budget surplus and the district’s first positive fund balance since 2013.
Sroka explained that the district will keep all of its academic programming and security enhancements, while making an $400,000 increase in investment in IT. One of the district’s key issues going forward will be the number of students who live in the Sto-Rox school district who go to charter or cyber charter schools, as that remains a financial drain on the district.
Assessments and tax collection also remain concerns, as does the state budget process taking place in Harrisburg. District taxes, as dictated by the state, will increase to 28 mills. Positively, Sroka anticipates an improvement in the district’s bond rating - possibly to a “B” - that would help as the district considers future projects.
Rees speaks to the board.
Cleaning Up ‘The Rocks’
District resident Nancy Rees is on a mission to clean up her neighborhood.
“Besides crime, trash is like the number one issue,” said Rees. “Everybody talks about it, so we’re trying to do something about it.
Rees addressed the board in an effort to engage the district in efforts by her group, the McKees Rocks Clean Team. Their work includes a cleanup on Saturday, May 20 from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. at Third Street Park.
“We believe that this would be a really good opportunity for the students,” said Rees. “Being together, being in the fresh air, being with people who are engaged in their community. Rees said it would help the group’s mission of making McKees Rocks a clean and safe place to visit.
“I can’t tell you how good it feels, after you’ve done it,” she told the board.
People who would like to help Rees’ group are encouraged to reach out their email at mckeesrockscleanteam@gmail.com.
Student Representative
Makayla Borda gave her year-end presentation as the student body’s representative on the board. Borda, a sophomore, broke down the following highlights:
• PSSA Testing is wrapping up this month.
• The PA Army National Guard brought a Rock Wall to the school earlier this month.
• Attendance incentives: students who were on time to homeroom were awarded with tickets to Student vs. Staff basketball games.
• A very successful Jr./Sr. High School Prom was held on the Gateway Clipper Fleet on Saturday, May 13.
• Senior Walk, where seniors take one last stroll through the Primary, Upper and Jr./Sr. High Schools, is scheduled for Thursday, May 25. The Senior Awards Ceremony will be held that night at 7:00 p.m. at the Jr./Sr. High School Auditorium.
• An 8th grade picnic is planned for Friday, May 26 as eighth graders prepare to “move up” to high school
• Graduation is set for Friday, June 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Jr./Sr. High School.
“I have enjoyed the opportunity to serve as board representative this year,” said Borda. “Thank you.”
Brown presents to the board about YouthPlaces programming.
YouthPlaces Presentation
Esther Brown - known as ‘Ms. E’ to her students - is the site manager for YouthPlaces at Sto-Rox Jr./Sr. High School. She spoke about her group’s mission to serve students and help them develop skills and talents that will serve them in the future. YouthPlaces returned to the district this year, bringing Brown and its programming with it. More than two dozen students have enrolled in YouthPlaces’ programming, but Brown stressed they also work with “drop-ins,” students who may suddenly need their services. YouthPlaces’ programming also includes working with seniors on college preparation, college tours and resource fairs, plus job readiness, resume preparation and interview coaching. YouthPlaces’ programming will continue in Sto-Rox in the 2023-2024, and Brown said “it is an absolute pleasure to be able to serve the youth here and serve the community here.”
RELATED: YouthPlaces Website
Vikings Den
During the meeting, Superintendent Megan Van Fossan discussed the Vikings Den resource room and how it will be renovated over the summer. The Vikings Den was established this year as a room where students can get any resources they need - clothing, feminine products, baby products, and more - so they can focus on their education. Van Fossan said the need for both volunteers to help clean out and renovate the room, and the need for resources will continue into the summer.
RELATED: Vikings Den Resource Room Now Open
RELATED: Vikings Den Featured on KDKA-TV
Mental Health
Superintendent Van Fossan will be honored at a upcoming meeting at the Education Policy & Leadership Center in Harrisburg. The superintendent’s work focused on marshaling mental health resources and screenings for children.
“We have the opportunity to intervene often and early and we don’t.” said Van Fossan. “Kids suffer in silence.”
Van Fossan engaged certain schools to screen children for their mental health at the start and end of the year, with an emphasis on making referrals as often as possible. As she said during the meeting, the children who suffer in silence are often those who do not get referred to mental health providers. If screenings and referrals increase, “we would have interventions and avoid out of district placement, out of home placement and hospitalization.”
Looking Ahead
The school board’s next meeting, a Combined Agenda and Legislative Voting Meeting, will take place on Thursday, June 22 at 7:00 p.m. at the Sto-Rox Jr./Sr. High School Cafeteria.