Keystone Oaks School District Will Implement Full-Day in Celebration of the 50Th Anniversary Kindergarten Beginning with This School Year
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Keystone Oaks An newsletter for the Keystone Oaks community Summer 2015 kosd.org Congratulations Class of 2015! Commencement exercises for the 51st graduating class of Keystone Oaks High School were held on June 5th at Dormont Memorial Stadium. In addition to the 173 students who received their diplomas, 21 individuals earned their diplomas through Project Succeed, an evening educational program that helps individuals obtain their high school diplomas. Approximately 80% of the Class of 2015 will be continuing their education by pursuing a two or four-year degree at a college, technical school or university, and three graduates will enter the U.S. military. The first day of classes is August 24, 2015. Be sure to vist the updated www.kosd.org for important back-to-school information and events! Full-Day Kindergarten to Begin in Nominations Being Accepted for Alumni 2015-2016 School Year Achievement Award The Keystone Oaks School District will implement full-day In celebration of the 50th Anniversary kindergarten beginning with this school year. The move to a full-day of Keystone Oaks School District, the program was approved by the Board of School Directors in March. District is accepting nominations for The full-day kindergarten program will afford students the its first Alumni Achievement Award opportunity to participate in expanded activities in all curricular through August 14, 2015. The Alumni areas, including language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, Achievement Award Committee may and technology. Students will have more opportunities available to select a maximum of four individuals them for both remediation and enrichment during the school day. In to receive the award. The recipients will be announced in early September addition to expanded curriculum options, opportunities will also be available for learning center activities, fine and gross motor skills and recognized during a ceremony practice, writing workshops, and sharing and planning time as a prior to Homecoming on October 9, group – to name only a few. 2015. “The effectiveness of full-day kindergarten in improving academic To qualify, nominees must be alumni of Keystone Oaks High School and emotional/social learning has been documented in numerous or the former Dormont High School. The committee may select one validated research studies found in educational journals over the individual each year who has graduated in the past decade and has years,” said retired Assistant Superintendent Kathy Foster, Ed.D. met the other requirements. Alumni Achievement Award “Benefits of a full-day program are significant, especially for nominations will be evaluated based upon extraordinary historically underperforming groups of students, such as those who achievement in academia and/or the arts; professional are economically disadvantaged, those who have special needs and accomplishments; and/or service to the Keystone Oaks community. others who are English Language Learners.” For more specific information about the District’s kindergarten The committee will also accept nominations for individuals who did program, please contact the principal at the elementary school in not attend Keystone Oaks or Dormont High Schools but have made your community. significant contributions to the District, as well as past employees. The nomination form may be submitted on-line at: www.tinyurl.com/koalumniachievementaward. A paper application is also available on the District’s website, www.kosd.org. 2015-2016 Budget Maintains Millage Rate For the second consecutive year, the Keystone Oaks Board of School Directors has passed a balanced budget that does not increase taxes and continues to enhance educational programs Breaking Down the Budget throughout the District. School district budgets are large documents, filled with a lot of nuances and complexities that can make it The $38,977,585 budget is balanced without using any of the District’s fund balance and challenging for the average citizen to understand where maintains an 18.63 millage rate. the district gets its money from each year and what exactly it spends that money on. Here is a breakdown of A median home in the Keystone Oaks School District valued at $113,000 will pay a property tax what is included in the various revenue and expenditure bill of approximately $2,105.19, before any exemptions. categories listed in the budget: EXPENDITURES For the 2015-2016 academic year, the budget includes funding for new programs and technology enhancements, including: Salaries Includes teacher salaries, substitute teachers, • The implementation of full-day kindergarten in all three elementary schools secretaries, classroom aides, custodians, coaches and salaries for activity sponsors and administrators. • New uniforms for the Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles Marching Band Benefits Includes health, life, disability, social security, • New devices for students and teachers, including 210 Chromebooks, 310 student desktop retirement, workers’ compensation and unemployment. computers to update the High School and Middle School computer labs, and 30 CAD Purchased Professional / Technical Services workstations to update CAD labs in the STEAM room and in the industrial arts wing. Includes, but is not limited to, Special Education Services, Mental Health Consulting Services, Vocational • Mimio interactive projectors and AV rover mobile presentation equipment / Rehab Services, Legal Services, Medical / Dental Services, Athletic Trainer, Tax Collector Services and Due to the Early Retirement Incentive and staffing adjustments for the 2015-2016 School Crossing Guards. academic year, Keystone Oaks saw a minimal increase in employee wages. The largest Purchased Property Services increase in the budget is in the District’s contribution to the Public School Employee’s Includes, but is not limited to, utilities, copier leases, Retirement System, which increased 4.4%, totaling $723,029 in contributions. service contracts on equipment and buildings and repairs/maintenance on equipment and vehicles. Additionally, due to sound financial management, the District has continually added to its Other Services Capital Reserve Fund for improvement projects, such as the $2.3 million parking lot and Includes all regular education transportation, sidewalk improvement project that is taking place this summer and the recently approved $3.6 special education transportation and transportation the million repairs to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls and equipment at all District is required by law to provide for those students three elementary schools and the middle school. choosing parochial or private institutions within a 10 mile radius of the District. Also includes tuition paid to charter schools, Parkway West Vo-Tech School, and approved private schools (placement of children the District does not have the resources to educate). Also EXPENDITURES BUDGETED 2015-16 % OF TOTAL included are communication services, such as telephone Salaries & Benefits $24,853,098 64% services and printing/binding. Purchased Professional / $1,534,500 4% Supplies / Books/ Utilities Technical Services Includes instructional and building maintenance supplies, books, computer software and natural gas. Purchased Property Services $1,238,812 3% Equipment / Property Other Services $4,654,947 12% Includes capital equipment purchases, such as Supplies/Books/Utilities $1,327,059 3% computers and vehicles. Equipment/Property $586,000 2% Other Objects General obligation bonds interest payments, various Other Objects $888,169 2% dues and fees. Other Financial Uses $3,895,000 10% Other Financial Uses Total Expenditures $38,977,585 100% Includes repayment of funds borrowed to finance major capital improvements (principal payments) and transfers to other funds, such as activities. REVENUE BUDGETED 2015-16 % OF TOTAL REVENUES Real Estate Tax $23,394,892 60% Local Sources Act 511 Taxes $3,036,000 7.8% Includes real estate taxes (current and delinquent), Delinquent Taxes $655,000 1.7% Act 511 taxes (earned income tax, occupation tax, real estate transfer tax, etc), intermediate unit pass-thru Intermediate Unite Pass-Thru $230,000 0.6% funds, earnings from investments, and minor Funds miscellaneous income (such as rental of the pool and Investment Earnings $15,000 0.1% gyms). Other Local Revenues $324,496 0.8% State Sources Includes regular education subsidy, special education Basic Education Subsidy $4,853,635 12.5% subsidy, transportation subsidy, social security subsidy, Gaming Fund Allocation $848,434 2.2% retirement subsidy, health services subsidy, gaming (Homestead) funds, Pennsylvania grant dollars and a few other small subsidies (Alternative Education, Education Assistance). Other State Revenue Sources $5,197,981 13.3% Federal Sources Federal Revenue Sources $422,147 1% Includes Title I, Title II, Title V, Drug-Free School, and Medical Assistance (these funds must be used in Total Revenue $38,977,585 100% accordance with the federal guidelines). Keystone Oaks Welcomes New Leaders to Administrative Team Nine new administrators have joined the District’s staff since the beginning of the 2014-2015 academic year Beginning with the 2014-2015 academic year, the Keystone Oaks Brian Werner, Dormont Elementary Principal School District has welcomed 9 new members to the administrative Brian Werner began as Dormont Elementary School’s new Principal team. last October. Mr. Werner had spent his entire career in the Gateway “We are very excited to welcome this new group of leaders to the School