Here in La-La Land, we forge ahead

Due to lower enrollment, Upper St. Clair is not replacing ten educators who either retired or resigned.

To balance the budget, administrators may reduce its support staff through furloughs, reduce the athletics and activities budgets, reduce curriculum-related purchases and reduce transportation expenses, they said.

Upper St. Clair School District Narrows Budget Gap

It’s a problem that will also affect educational programming in the Upper St. Clair School District, administrators said.
The numbers are “staggering,” said Sharon Suritsky, assistant to the superintendent for curriculum and instruction/supervisor of special education.
Projections show:
--Athletics, arts and academics will face significant changes in programming and staff, according to district projections.
--Elective offerings will be reduced, eliminated and/or changed.
--Transportation would be affected, with increased student travel time and reduced or eliminated field trips.
--Class sizes would significantly increase.
--Instructional support and enrichment opportunities would be reduced, eliminated and/or see a significant change.
--Foreign language/international learning opportunities would be reduced, eliminated and/or significantly changed.
--Professional development and staff may also be reduced, eliminated and/or significantly changed.

Upper St. Clair Projections Show Long-Term Challenges

I guess since people move to Mt. Lebanon "for the schools," we don't have this problem.  Wake up, School Board!  We're talking Upper St. Clair!  They have been number one for six years in a row!!!!

We're civilized here.

Police were called at a school board meeting in West Middlesex, PA when teachers were given a 2.6% increase starting the second year of a six year contract.  Yes, 2.6% increase.  http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11088/1135539-100.stm Our board passed a 4.15% increase in August.  On Josephine Posti's Center Court blog, she wrote:

 In order to control this expense, there may be a reduction of several positions created by retirements with no new staff reflected in this budget. The second way we addressed this issue was by negotiating a cost-efficient contract with our teaching staff. The Board approved this five-year contract in August; it provides reasonable salary increases to the teaching staff. http://jposti.blogspot.com/2011/03/2011-12-budget-information.html 

Now we are going to have larger class sizes, fewer teachers, and a nice, new sports facility.  Love it!