Hempfield Area to eliminate dozen positions, will save $923,000

Leaders in the Hempfield Area School District on Monday unanimously voted to eliminate about a dozen positions through attrition, a response to declining enrollments and a decision that supported a balanced 2021-22 budget, officials said.

The vote, which took place during the district’s workshop meeting and required a suspension of the rules, eliminates more than 10 positions across several district schools. Superintendent Tammy Wolicki noted there will be no furloughs.

The eliminated slots include:

• One high school physical education position
• One high school math position
• One high school Spanish position
• One Harrold Middle School social studies position
• One Wendover Middle School ELA position
• Three elementary positions
• One special education position
• One part-time secretary for the Hempfield Area Cyber Academy
• One full-time athletic operations manager
• 1/2 high school family and consumer sciences position
• 1/2 high school art position

Wolicki noted the family and consumer sciences and art positions was previously filled by a teacher who was certified in both fields.

In all, the district will save more than $923,000, according to preliminary budget documents presented last month.

School board members in May approved the preliminary budget that included $98.8 million in revenues and $99.5 million in expenditures. While officials were able to save money through attrition and by replacing retirees at a lower cost, there is still a projected $769,100 deficit.

According to preliminary budget documents, money will be pulled from the fund balance to cover the deficit that was incurred from a curriculum adoption at the elementary level.

If approved, this would be the third consecutive budget district leaders are not raising property taxes, leaving the rate at 83.46 mills.

A final budget vote will take during the June 21 meeting.