Tackling some “fiscal housekeeping, “ Octorara Area School Board members said Oct. 12 they plan to take advantage of favorable interest rates to refinance $10 million in construction debt.
The move should save the school district about $153,000 in interest charges during the 2009/10 school year, according to Ken Phillips of RBC Dain Rauscher, who will present the school board with the legal paperwork for the deal during its regular meeting Monday, Oct. 19.
According to Phillips, the move will consolidate three bond issues and pay some of the contractors currently working on the $37 million high school renovation.
In other business, the school board announced Pete Mango will resign as a school board member next Monday. Mango represents Region 1, which includes the municipalities of Atglen and Christiana boroughs, Parkesburg North, and West Sadsbury Township.
Mango, who is retiring from municipal police work in Chester County, is beginning a Signal 88 Security franchise, which will provide a roving patrol to clients such as shopping centers, corporate parks and schools.
Newcome said the school board is interested in hearing from any resident interested in filling Mango’s term, which expires in 2011. Candidates should send a resume and letter of interest to the superintendent by Nov. 2.
The school board plans to then hold a special meeting to interview those vying to fill the last two years of Mango’s term. Mango’s announcement did not come in time for a candidate to muster a campaign for the November general school board elections. Region 1 is also served by board members Linda Bicking and Brian Norris, whose terms expire in 2011.
In Region 2, which includes Sadsbury Township (Lancaster County) and West Fallowfield Township, two candidates are running for the two seats which are up for election. They are Samuel Ganow of Cochranville, a Republican who is running again for his seat, and John McCartney of Sadsbury Township, who has cross-filed as both a Republican and Democrat.
Lisa Bowman’s Region 2 seat does not expire until 2011.
Duane Hershey, school board president, is not running again in Region 2 following 12 years of service he said he has “really enjoyed.” Hershey is a Cochranville dairy farmer and the son of retired state Rep. Art Hershey.
School board members Robert Hume (who has cross-filed with both major parties) and Nelson Stoltzfus, a Republican, are both running again for their seats in Region 3, which serves Highland and Londonderry townships, and Parkesburg South. John Malone’s seat does not go up for reelection until 2011.
Finally, Newcome offered highlights of the recent audit of the district’s gifted education program, which serves 30 students in grades K-4, 43 students in fifth and sixth grades, 47 students in seventh and eighth grades, and 37 high school students.
There were three major findings in the audit, requiring the school district to make three changes prior to August, 2010: write gifted IEPs to student strengths, rather than generically; move the gifted program away from the pull-out model and into regular classrooms; and reduce teacher caseloads.
Newcome said the district plans to provide staff training, parent information and education, and develop a staffing budget to comply with the audit.