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MIFFLINTOWN -- The Juniata County School District school board approved its preliminary budget for the 2023-24 school year, as well as a resolution authorizing display and advertising of the budget.
The spending plan is balanced at $45,082,524, with a proposed real estate tax of 72.8970 mills, five dollar per capita tax, five dollar residence tax, $10 flat rate occupation tax and one percent real estate transfer tax, one-half percent earned income tax and five percent amusement tax. Taxes are effective July 1 and are subject to final board approval in June.
The vote took place during the board's regular monthly meeting, held Thursday night at the Administration Office in Mifflintown.
The motion passed by a 6-3 vote. School board members who voted in favor of moving the proposed plan forward included Douglas Kline, Joseph Shearer, Jane Shirk, Angela Varner, Mark Wagner and Troy Woodward. Those who voted in opposition included Malinda Carvell, Helen Casner and David Fry.
Fall athletic
coaches approved
The school board approved the following fall athletic coaches at East Juniata High School:
• Tom Feltman, girls soccer head coach, with Abby Corman and Noah Brackbill, assistant coaches.
• Tyler Inch, boys soccer head coach, with Tony Kauffman, assistant coach.
• Mike Zendt, golf head coach.
• Chloe Rougeau, volleyball head coach.
• Wes Rickenbaugh, boys soccer junior high head coach.
• Wed Diehl, girls basketball junior high head coach.
• Dorothy Boreman, field hockey head coach, with Rachel Loy, assistant coach.
The school board approved the following fall athletic coaches at Juniata High School:
• Laresa Paden, girls soccer head coach, with Garrick Paden, assistant coach.
• Jared Byler, boys soccer head coach, with Levi Harper, assistant coach.
• Susan Paden, volleyball head coach, with Layne Greenholt, assistant coach.
• Kurt Condo, football head coach, with Steve McLaughlin, Colton Shertzer, Caleb Shertzer, Spencer Page, Ben Lauver, Dylan Smith and Steve Harris, assistant coaches; and Marcus Brothers, junior high head coach.
• Jeff Miller, cross country head coach.
• Marissa Boyer, cheerleading head coach.
The school board approved the following fall athletic coaches at Tuscarora Junior High School:
• Chris Alderfer, boys soccer head coach.
• Hannah Geedy, girls basketball head coach.
• Desiree Rhea, cheerleading head coach.
Athletic admission fees
The board approved the price of admission fees for Juniata County School District athletic events as $3 for students and $5 for adults for the 2023-24 school year.
Loretta Woodson
Award presentation
Bonnie Flurie, of the Juniata County Chapter, Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees presented awards to Kimberly Becker, a sixth-grade English Language Arts teacher at Tuscarora Junior High School; and Jacqueline Heidenreich, an English teacher for grades 9-12 at Juniata High School.
EJHS cafeteria flooring
The board approved contracting with Crider Mitchell Construction of Lewistown for replacement of the floor in the cafeteria of East Juniata High School at a cost of $119,185.
Other approvals
In other related news, the board approved the following facility-use requests:
· Melissa Brechbill, Cocolamus Under-8 girls softball, East Juniata Elementary gymnasium, indoor practice, as needed on Wednesdays through Saturdays, March through June; and
• Wes Diehl, Thompsontown Baptist Church/Bunkertown Brethren Church, East Juniata High School softball field, church league softball.
The board approved Richard Meily as treasurer of the Board of School Directors for a one-year term.
They approved Robert Pickup Sr. as a driver. They also approved the provision of shuttle service between Bason Park, Richfield, and East Juniata Elementary School for concert attendees on May 23.
The board approved student-related field trips:
• 8 East Juniata High School students, prom preparations, Laurel Rock Farm, Mifflintown, May 5;
• 10 to 14 East Juniata High School students, math competition support, East Juniata Elementary School, May 11;
• Juniata High School speech students, pen pal event, Mifflintown Playground, May 15;
• 30 East Juniata Elementary School students, math competition, Mill Creek, May 19; and
• Juniata Elementary School fifth-graders, tour, Tuscarora Junior High School, May 22.
The board approved the retirement of Juniata High School Construction Trades Instructor Steven G. Whistler, effective June 30, 2023.
The board approved the termination of Juniata Elementary School part-time custodian Gerald J. Stahl, effective May 12, 2023.
The board approved the following employment, contingent upon receipt of required documentation:
• Nichole L. Kerlin, health professions instructor, Juniata High School, at a salary of bachelor's degree step 15, effective Aug. 16. She will replace Chelsea Boyer, who retired.
• William Hiemer, school psychologist, Juniata Elementary School, at a salary of $75,394.04, effective Aug. 14. This is a newly-created position.
• Carrie A. Evola, reading specialist, Juniata Elementary School, at a salary of master's degree step 20, effective Aug. 16. She replaces Heather Heart, who transferred.
• Elizabeth S. Book, mathematics teacher, Juniata and East Juniata high schools, at a salary of master's degree step 5, effective Aug. 16. She will replace Edward Reinhold, who resigned.
• Lisa D. Bottorff, part-time custodian, Juniata Elementary School, at a salary of $15.76 per hour, effective TBD. She will replace Gerald Stahl, who was terminated.
The board approved the hiring of Benjamin Tyson and Nathaniel Tyson as substitute summer maintenance positions for cleaners at an hourly rate of $11.50.