Thursday, January 24, 2013
A 3.75% tax increase was included in the 2013-14 preliminary Marple Newtown School District budget.
NEWTOWN SQUARE–Marple Newtown School Board directors approved, 6-3, the preliminary 2013-14 Marple Newtow School District budget at a school board meeting on Jan. 22. School Board directors John McDevitt, David McGinley and Jim Lanzalotto voted against the approval of the preliminary budget. Business Administrator Joe Driscoll introduced initial major budget assumptions in the preliminary budget, including a projected 3.75 percent tax increase. According to Driscoll, the total exceptions the district will apply for will be approximately 3 percent. "The preliminary budget just kicks things off–it's the opening event," said Driscoll. "This is designed as a worst-case-scenario." Driscoll states on the district website: "The Marple Newtown …
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Resignations of Marple Newtown School Board directors Fred Dewey and Jamie Mariano were officially accepted at Tuesday night's meeting.
NEWTOWN SQUARE–The resignation rumors of two Marple Newtown School Board members were confirmed at Tuesday night's school board meeting. In the agenda addendum, two motions were added to accept the resignations of Fred Dewey and Jamie Mariano as Marple Newtown school directors. Dewey's resignation is effective Jan. 31, while Mariano's resignation is effective Feb. 13. Newly elected School Board President Kathryn Chandless shared she wished both school board members would reconsider their decision but thanked them for their service. Dewey announced that he will be moving out of the Marple Newtown School District and, by law, will have to resign from serving on the school board. Dewey thanked the Board, the administration, the teachers, …
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Marple Newtown School Board may be voting to accept two school board director resignations on Tuesday night.
NEWTOWN SQUARE–Two school board directors may be suddenly resigning from the Marple Newtown School Board. The Board may be accepting two different resignations at Tuesday night's Marple Newtown School Board meeting, informed an inside source in the district. According to the source, those two members include 2011 elected school board director Jamie Mariano and 2011 re-elected school board director Fred Dewey. The reason behind the supposed resignations are mostly due to personal reasons, according to the source. Marple Newtown Patch did not receive a call back from MNSD Board Attorney Mark Sereni. Last month, the Board reorganized with Kathryn Chandless as the new president of school board directors and Nancy Galbraith was re-appointed as …
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
A reorganization meeting was held on Monday, Dec. 3, for the Marple Newtown School Board.
NEWTOWN SQUARE–The Marple Newtown School Board voted in a new president at Monday night's reorganization meeting. Four-year school board director Kathryn Chandless replaced the seat formerly occupied by David McGinley. McGinley has served as president of the Marple Newtown School Board for approximately six years. Chandless has served on the board as the chair of the Human Resources Committee last year. School Board Director Rob Sack made a motion to appoint Chandless for board presidency. The motion was approved 7-2 with School Board Directors McGinley and John McDevitt voting against the motion. "I want to also say 'thank you' to Dave [McGinley] because he has worked tirelessly as president and he did fantastic things...and I really do …
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Vice President of the Marple Newtown High School Band Parents' Association Kristel Schimmoller urges parents to attend Tuesday's Marple Newtown School Board meeting.
The following letter was submitted by Marple Newtown School District parent Kristel Schimmoller. To all Elementary, Middle School and High School Parents of Instrumental Students: First of all, let me introduce myself – I am Kristel Schimmoller, Vice President of the Marple Newtown High School Band Parents’ Association and parent of a junior in the high school band. Last week, the Marple Newtown School Board Budget and Finance Committee Meeting was held to review the budget plans for next year. During the meeting, members of the board indicated their desire to have a 0% tax increase while supporting salary increases for teachers. Attendees noted that if the budget was not increased, but salaries were, there would need to be cuts and …
Marple Newtown School Board member John McDevitt share his thoughts about the rumors circulating around the 2013-14 budget cuts.
The following letter was submitted by Marple Newtown School Board member John McDevitt. As all these emails circulate concerning the budget among other things throughout the district, all involved need to take a step back and let the school board do their job as the season gets underway for the 2013-14 budget process. Before I start on instrumental music, curriculum and budget cuts, let me first point out a few things. For the first time in recent history, this board and our teachers union have a tentative agreement eight months before the expiration of the current contract. We are all confident that this two-year deal will be ratified by the union and our teachers will be signed through the 2015 school year. I am very proud to be part …
Thursday, October 25, 2012
The Marple Newtown Board of School Directors voted in favor of pursuing the relocation and new construction of the varsity softball and baseball fields at Marple Newtown High School.
NEWTOWN SQUARE–Softball and baseball athletes at Marple Newtown High School may see a change in fields come spring. The Marple Newtown School Board voted unanimously on Tuesday–with school board member Sherry McAuliffe absent–for the construction of a new varsity softball field and a new varsity baseball field. The main changes will include some swapping and the revamping of the varsity softball and varsity baseball fields. The official motion read: "To approve the construction of a new varsity softball field at the location of the current varsity baseball field at Marple Newtown High School, the construction of a new varsity baseball field at the location of the current 9th grade baseball field at the Administration Building property, …
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
The Marple Newtown School Board recently approved the use of advertising on the back of Marple Newtown High School's football tickets.
NEWTOWN SQUARE–Based off of recommendations provided by the Marple Newtown School District Community Budget Committee, the members of the Marple Newtown School Board approved the use of advertising on the back of this week's football game ticket. The Marple Newtown Tigers will host Lower Merion on Friday, Sept. 7. On the back of this week's game ticket, two advertisers will be displayed–including one from a Marple Newtown football alumni advertising mnenergy.org and another for a printing company in Havertown. A sample of the new tickets were presented by District Communications Coordinator Michael Larkin and Marple Newtown High School business and technology teacher Jessica Buechele. The Community Budget Committee, a seven-member group …
Thursday, August 30, 2012
A total donation of $31,000 was donated to a few schools in the Marple Newtown School District.
NEWTOWN SQUARE–The Marple Newtown School Board of Directors happily accepted several thousands of dollars worth of donations to schools in the district at a school board meeting on Aug. 28. The amount of donations totals to $31,000. Here's the breakdown of each donation and which schools will receive the donations.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Marple Newtown School Board accepted former school director Rich Sokorai's resignation and appointed Jim Lanzalotto as his replacement on June 26.
NEWTOWN SQUARE–Two candidates submitted their names in the hat for the replacement of Marple Newtown School Board Director Richard Sokorai's seat on the school board but in the end, candidate Jim Lanzalotto won unanimously in favor by the board. Lanzalotto, with his family by his side, was sworn in by Delaware County Court of Common Pleas Judge Barry Dozer on Tuesday night. The board voted 7-0 for Lanzalotto to replace Sokorai's place on the board, who submitted his resignation earlier this month. Sokorai, who currently serves as the Newtown Township solicitor, previously stated his desire to spend more time with his two children. Lanzalotto, who has lived in Marple and Newtown townships since 1992, is a father of three children–two at …
John McDevitt
11:52 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
JC: This is a preliminary budget and the taxes will not and can not by law increase by 3.75%. If that sounds stupid so why bother to pass this budget in the first place, it certainly is thanks to the process. Marple Township's preliminary budget was 7.2% but the final budget was a 0% increase. Last years budget for the district was a 0% increase. There is a lot of work left to get to the final … more ›