The Hanover Area school board unanimously agreed to the planned $42,872,534 budget for the 2024-25 school year on Tuesday evening, without raising property taxes.
The board stated that they did not even think about raising property taxes when creating the budget.
The approved budget includes a millage rate of 18.7743, which means a $1 tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value. Starting on Wednesday, May 8, the complete budget will be accessible in the District Administrative Office and on the Hanover Area School District website.
Vic Kopko, a board member, mentioned that the school district is growing rapidly, leading to an increase in students with special needs and economic disadvantages. Kopko highlighted a statistic showing that over half of the student population in the district faces economic challenges. The budget was designed taking into account the significant expenses related to special needs, while keeping a strong focus on academics, according to Kopko.
Aside from approving the budget, some district residents expressed dissatisfaction with the district’s efforts for mental health during the public comment portion of the meeting. The residents argued that these efforts are diverting time and resources from students' learning of other skills, such as writing and historical comprehension.
The board also:
• Accepted the resignations of Brooke Adair, 6th Grade Social Studies Teacher, and Olivia Hart, 6th Grade Learning Support Teacher.
• Approved the tentative list of 2024 graduates. The Hanover Area School District will graduate their Class of 2024 on June 4.
• Approved Hunter Pearson as Technology Support Technician and Joseph Pericci as a part-time School Police Officer. Both Pearson and Perrici were recognized as being Hanover Area graduates.
• Appointed Courtney Cragle as a Home Instruction Instructor.
