CNBNews

  The district’s broker advised that 2.1 percent of the budget increase is due to the Federal Health Care Reform Act, which includes a requirement that children of employees are to receive health benefits until age 26, three years longer than what the law previously required.

  “Outrageous” is what one resident said in regard to the amount of the school tax, and added that the district needs to seriously consider consolidation.

  Board President Dominic Cipolone said that steps are being taken to relieve the tax burden, and that the School Choice program which will allow students from other districts to attend Mount Ephraim is one of those steps.

  A teacher asked the Board why the district needs legal representation for contract negotiations.

  Cipolone said that it is atypical not to have representation, and that in this economic climate the board does not take the negotiation process lightly.

  In other news, the Board was in executive session for four hours for a Superintendent Evaluation and other confidential matters.

  Kenneth Visconti, Christina Banks, David Kroon and Judy Franchi-Wynters have been approved to be substitute teachers and paraprofessionals at a daily rate of $80 and $60, respectively.

  Principal Michael Hunter introduced Student of the Month winners for the month of March; 1^st grade Michael Downs, 2^nd grade Taylor Finnegan, 3^rd grade Andrew Chang, 4^th grade Nicole Dutill, 5^th grade David Critch, 6^th grade Louis Wittje, 7^th grade Sarah Krieg, and 8^th grade Samuel Czerski.

  Board members remind residents to vote in the school election which is on Wednesday, April 27, from 2-9 p.m. at Kershaw’s Media Center.