ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Allentown School District Board of Directors on Thursday passed a spending plan with a zero-rate tax increase for district taxpayers.
The $436 million dollar budget with no tax increase reflects the district's financial health, officials said.
"We're in a great, strong financial position right now," Superintendent Carol Birks said at an April budget meeting.
The board also approved a resolution for the 2024-25 Homestead assessment exclusion. The total amount of the state gaming funds available through the Taxpayer Relief Acts for the 2024-25 fiscal year for property owners in the Allentown School District is $14.1 million, which reflects a $959.58 increase for each approved homestead property.
New strategic plan
In other news, the board heard a presentation on the district's new strategic plan.
Led by Superintendent Birks, the presentation outlined the culmination of a large-scale feedback collection.
Birks said when she joined the district in 2022, she established a learning and leading plan and went on to gather feedback from the district's families, community members, students and staff.
"I heard a lot of great things within what we wanted to do together to reimagine the work of our district," Birks said.
Titled "Lighting the Way: A Blueprint for Innovation and Excellence 2030," the strategic plan "sets the stage for the next decade and will focus on delivering strategic actions for defined goals aligned with our core values and our priorities of Academic Excellence, Safety & Whole Child Development, Creating Pathways for Tomorrow, Empowering Families: Strengthening Partnerships, Exceptional Workforce: Talent Management & Development, Organizational Efficiencies & Effectiveness, and Technology For Universal Learners," said Birks on the district's website.
The district worked with Insight into 2023 Education to create the plan last year. A kickoff event was held in November, and monthly steering committee meetings began in December.
According to the district website, more than 5,000 people completed surveys or participated in focus groups and advisory committees. The input resulted in reimagined mission, vision and core values.
Similarly, the plan addresses "the competencies and transferable skills essential to supporting students' long-term success," through the Portrait of a Learner.
Issac Ramos, a South Mountain Middle School student, presented "Portrait of a Learner" at the meeting. Ramos serves on the district's student advisory council with the superintendent and as a steering committee member and South Mountain Middle School student
"Being a part of ASD is not as easy as it may seem," he said of the experience.
Lehigh County Commissioner Sheila Alvarado also spoke at the presentation. An ASD parent, she spoke about equity and its inclusion in the plan.
Alvarado said she served on the parent advisory council with the superintendent and was part of the steering committee.
"I feel blessed to be a part of this," Alvarado said. She commented on the collaboration she saw during the process — something she feels is important throughout the district.
"Together, we are better," Alvarado said.
Birks offered her thanks to all involved in formulating the strategic plan.
"This is really great; I'm so excited. Thank you all," said Birks.
"I am blown away, I really am. Dr. Birks, you and the administration really took it to the next level," said Board President Andrene Brown-Nowell.
"Our students will be the best. The best," said Brown-Nowell.
The next step in the process is the release of the communications plan and implementation plan.
Board member Lisa Conover also celebrated the completion of the plan, but reminded the board that "the work is still not done…but I'm looking forward to working on it," she said.
William Allen High School teacher remembrance
In other news, the board recognized the death of Amie Passarelli, a teacher at William Allen High School and a nearly 20-year district employee who died on June 14.
According to board documents, the resolution and obituary minute allows the board to "take note of the untimely death of this faithful employee."
"It is with sincere regret and deep sorrow that we record the death of Amie Passarelli…her passing is marked by a deep sense of loss across the district," the resolution said.
Summer programs
In closing, Brown-Nowell reminded the audience that summer meals will be served at Trexler Middle School and South Mountain Middle School from June 17-Aug. 9 on Mondays through Thursdays. According to the district's website, breakfast is served from 7:30-8:30 a.m. and lunch runs from 11a.m. -1 p.m.
Any school-aged children are welcome to the sites and do not have to be enrolled in the district.
Summer activity programs are also available through the district.
In other news, the board voted to extend the agreement with Building 21 for an additional year from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, pending final review by the board solicitor. The total cost for the agreement is $25,000 plus $60 per student.
