Starmont board adopts FY27 budget, revises 2026-27 calendar and approves conditional preschool expansion

The Starmont Community School District Board approved the fiscal 2027 budget and made several policy and program decisions at its April 13 public hearings and regular monthly meeting in the high school conference room.

In a 5-0 vote, the board approved the FY27 budget as presented (motion by Julie Uhlenkamp, seconded by Jacob Moellers). The board also approved a revised 2026-27 school calendar after discussion: the adopted calendar removes early-outs on Jan. 13, Jan. 27, Feb. 10 and Feb. 24 and replaces them with a single full professional development day on Feb. 15 (motion carried 5-0 after an earlier motion failed for lack of a second). The calendar had been the subject of a public hearing earlier in the evening; a public commenter asked that proposed calendars be posted for public review before meetings and urged more consistency between full no-school professional development days and early-out PD days.

The meeting featured extended debate over preschool and junior kindergarten (JK) programming. The board considered multiple competing motions about schedules, teacher full-time equivalents and tuition rates. After several failed and amended motions, the board approved a plan to offer five-day preschool including junior kindergarten with teacher positions at full-time equivalent levels and a tuition arrangement that was amended to require at least two additional JK enrollments for the 2026–27 year; the final motion carried 4-1. Earlier proposals—one to offer five-day preschool/JK with a $350 monthly tuition and another to offer five-day JK with a four-day preschool at $400/month (subsequently amended to $350)—failed in separate votes. The board recorded motions and outcomes for each proposal and amendment during the deliberations.

The board also approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Starmont Education Association to alter Master Contract language so that noon dismissals at the end of the first and third quarters become early outs on conference days; that motion carried 5-0. The separate Starmont Education Association agreement was approved on a 4-0 vote with Nathan Meyers recorded as abstaining.

Other business approved by the board included teacher and extra-curricular contracts (approved 4-0, Meyers abstained), the district's 2026-27 health insurance options (4-0, Meyers abstained), the 2025–26 graduating class (5-0, pending completion of requirements), a request for nutrition bids that adds whole milk to the bid, and a FY26 technology services agreement with Keystone AEA. The board authorized a bus repair in the amount of $17,800 and approved a new social studies curriculum for sixth- and seventh-grade students at a cost of $15,633.52. The board also approved a $6,074.40 district contribution to a booster club field-improvement project that will be matched by a grant of $6,074.40; the booster club will donate $2,000 to the school activity fund.

Facility and vendor actions included approval, pending insurance, for Colts Drum Corps use of district facilities at $175 per day/night (5-0) and a $640 contract with A&J Bounce House (approved 4-0 with one abstention). A motion to consider in-house public relations options failed on a 0-5 vote. The board updated sick bank procedures to include classified staff and immediate family members (approved 4-0, Meyers abstained).

Superintendent Robert Busch closed with a report urging advocacy for public education with local legislators, describing efforts to share teachers with nearby districts to save costs, and reiterating priorities for facilities, finance and community communication. The meeting adjourned at 9:05 PM.

Votes at a glance: Approve FY27 budget — carried 5-0; Adopt 2026–27 calendar (revised to remove several early-outs, add Feb. 15 PD day) — carried 5-0; Preschool/JK options — final approved plan carried 4-1 after multiple motions and amendments; Memorandum of Understanding with the Association — carried 5-0; Starmont Education Association agreement — carried 4-0 (Meyers abstained); Teacher and extracurricular contracts — carried 4-0 (Meyers abstained); Health insurance options — carried 4-0 (Meyers abstained); Bus repair $17,800 — carried 5-0; Social studies curriculum $15,633.52 — carried 5-0; Booster club field improvement contribution $6,074.40 (match $6,074.40; booster donation $2,000) — carried 5-0; Colts Drum Corps facility use (pending insurance) — carried 5-0; A&J Bounce House contract $640 (pending insurance) — carried 4-0 (Moellers abstained); Motion to consider in-house PR options — failed 0-5.

The board will revisit enrollment conditions for the approved preschool/JK plan in May as noted during the motion that added the two-enrollment condition.