Eastern Lancaster school board reviews budget, gets technology report | Community News

When: Eastern Lancaster County school board meeting, June 13.

What happened: Keith Ramsey, chief of finance and operations, briefly commented on the general fund budget for the 2022-23 school year to be approved at the June 20 meeting.

By the numbers: The total budget is $64.96 million, which is $1.41 million less than the school year just ending. That’s due to spending down of COVID-19 relief funds. The new tax levy is set at 1.48 mills, down from 2.22%.

Technology update: Lotsie Wooten, technology director, gave a presentation to explain the five categories of technology in education — instructional, educational, teaching, learning and productivity. Instructional means teaching, learning and assessment. Educational refers to infrastructure and productivity. Teaching involves classroom audio/visual and remote teaching. Learning applies to ElancOnline Virtual Academy and Anytime Anywhere Remote Learning. Productivity includes print management, parent/community services and mobile work force. Infrastructure describes IP security cameras (400 cameras which emergency responders have access to as necessary), voice over IP phone headsets (telephone and intercom access to each classroom), server/desktop virtualization, network/internet and cybersecurity.

Quotable: “I consider our technology team to be the offensive linemen of the school district. Thanks to Lotsie and the proactive work done by his team,” Superintendent Michael Snopkowski said.

New teachers: Ashley Stern, elementary assistant principal at Blue Ball Elementary School, will begin effective on or about July 1; Cara Haley, special education teacher at Blue Ball Elementary School to begin on or about Aug. 23; Mallory Forney, English teacher at Garden Spot High School to begin on or about Aug. 23; Kelsey S. Koerber, speech & language pathologist, location to be determined to begin on or about Aug. 23.