1. bUDGET
Final Reports

2. Highlights No Millage Increase in Luzerne or Columbia County
11th consecutive year without an overall millage increase
No academic programs reduced
One instructional staff position reduced through attrition
Fund balance maintained within BASD policy and PA Public School Code
Lowest earned income tax in Columbia County

3. Budgetary Challenges Increased PSERS contributions
Increased medical costs
Reduced # of retiring professional staff members
Uncertain state and federal funding
Final closeout of West Berwick Elementary project

4. Class Size Average Salem Elementary: 20.2 Nescopeck Elementary: 18.1
West Berwick Elementary: 20.5
Berwick Middle School: 23.1
Berwick Area High School: 20.2
Note: This does not include specialty areas

5. Kindergarten projections
June June 2016 – Actual (#)
Salem – Salem – 68 (82)
West Berwick – West Berwick – 82 (99)
Nescopeck – Nescopeck – 32 (35)

6. Fund Balance Projected at 20% of budget – $11M
Reduced from $20M+ through payments on building project and early repayment of 2015 Note
Committed to PSERS, medical and debt service - $6.5M
Committed to construction, renovation - $1M
Unrestricted - $3.5M

7. RecommenDed millage rate
Columbia County – Reduction of 1 mill
Luzerne County – Reduction of .72
Recommended in conduction with culmination of building project
Allows for sufficient revenue to meet future challenges
Follows elimination of “nuisance” taxes in

8. Columbia County Tax Rates
Property Tax Earned Income Benton Berwick Bloomsburg Central Columbia Millville Southern Columbia

9. :Luzerne County Tax Rates
Property Earned Income
Berwick
Crestwood
Dallas
Hanover
Hazleton
Lake-Lehman
Nanticoke
*Northwest
Pittston
*Wilkes Barre
Wyoming Area
*Wyoming VW

10. Future Challenges 1) Vo-Tech
Anticipated request for building renovations
Limited capacity for programming
Berwick has had 347 students rejected for admission since
Berwick has had 134 students with Special Needs rejected since
Berwick will pay approximately 28% of any approved project at CMVT
A project could be approved without a positive vote of the BASD Board

11. Future Challenges 2) BASD buildings
Future of Nescopeck Elementary – 4 options presented in feasibility study
Study will be posted on web site
Public meetings will be held to discuss options
Salem Elementary also needs to be a topic of discussion
Possible demolition of Orange Street
Interest is being expressed in 14th Street

12. Future Challenge 3) “Valley Students”
Potential decision on students from the “Valley”
Addition of approximately 1,400 students in grades K-12
Must be initiated by petition from residents of the area
Guided by PA School Code of 1949
Significant impact on revenue, expenditures, academic programs, staffing, transportation, and extra/co-curricular programs

13. “Valley” continued 1,400+ students impacted in 3 Townships/Boroughs
Valley K-8 building and Hazelton Area High School impacted
Valley 1008 students in grades K-8 - HASH 410 students in grades 9-12
Impact on aid ratio - projected reduction from approximately .67 to .56
HASD yearly revenue - $133,054,685
HASD yearly expenditures - $138, 390,588
HASD long-term debt - $134,821,939

14. BASD building capacity and Current Enrollment
Berwick Area High School – 1037+/715
Berwick Middle School – 1140+/968
Nescopeck Elementary – 352/181
*Salem Elementary – 562+/383
West Berwick Elementary – 750/553
Source: 2012 Pennsylvania Department of Education approved feasibility study
*Note: Head Start students at Salem Elementary are not included in this figure

15. District Accomplishments
Bloomsburg University Science Iditarod – 1st place for Position Paper within Security Council
University of Scranton “Kane” Physics Competition – 1st Place of 31 Teams
CSIU Regional Computer Fair – 2nd Place (Mallory Pinterich, Maddy Lanning)
Region 2 National History Day – 1st place (Olivia Gomez)
Luzerne County Council of Teachers – 1st place of 60 (Jacob Demler)
PA Class AAA State Champion – Shot Put (Payden Montana)

16. Accomplishments Continued
Three BAHS swimmers qualify for states: Becca Decker, Sydney Lloyd and Chris Michael
Keystone Northeast Chapter Competition – 1st of 18
College Board recognizes 27 BAHS students as AP Scholars
14th Street Elementary recognized as Title I School of Distinction
Berwick Area High School is one of 13 public schools in Pennsylvania nominated as a National Blue Ribbon School