Wissahickon School District. Photo by James Short.
During the public board meeting on June 3, Wissahickon School District’s Board of Directors voted on the 2024-25 school year’s budget, which included a 4.87% tax increase.
During the public board meeting on June 3, Wissahickon School District’s Board of Directors voted on the 2024-25 school year’s budget, which included a 4.87% tax increase.
“With this set of action items, assuming that they pass board approval, they will set the budget for next year, which includes a 4.87% tax increase for the community, which I think we should all view, and I think we as a board view, as continued and increased investment in the education system at Wissahickon,” said the board of directors’ Vice President Joe Antonio. “We know we have a fantastic school system here now, and our district is growing.”
As previously reported, the board reduced the maximum-allowed 5.3% increase to 4.87% for the coming school year.
Antonio said that more students are coming into the district, more in need of special education assistance, and more low-income students are some of the “whole host of other needs” that will have to be addressed in next year’s budget.
“We want to keep our school system strong,” he said.
Antonio spoke on behalf of the board and explained the coming votes as the board’s president, Amy Ginsburg, who was also present, had laryngitis and was unable to speak for long periods of time.
District Business Administrator Wade Coleman provided the public and board with a rundown of items 7.1 through 7.14, all included in the evening’s agenda.
“So, 7.1 approves the actual budget, PDE-2028 and the budget,” said Coleman. The year’s budget includes expenditures of $127,628,540. “The next several, to 7.5, are the approval motions needed to enact the various taxes that support the district, including real estate tax.”
Coleman said that 7.6 would be a vote on “the same thing, but for the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, which was discussed.” The additional votes, 7.7 to 7.13, included “standard motions that the board has seen in both budget meetings and discussed at the last meeting,” according to Coleman.
“They allow the business administrator and various other folks to basically continue to run the district in an efficient manner,” he said.
Antonio asked for a motion and second to approve the listed resolutions, 7.1 through 7.13, as a packaged approval.
“I know it has been mentioned a number of times, but just to put it on the record, as you noted, the district does a great job of educating students in the community,” said Board Member Steve Walker. “But even with the tax rate, we still have the second lowest of the 20 districts in Montgomery County.”
The approval of the budget, along with its necessary accompanying resolutions, passed unanimously with all board of directors voting in favor of the new budget.
For previous Wissahickon Now coverage on the budget, visit the March article here, on the third grade strings program here, or the most recent coverage of the board’s workshop here.
Approval of student representatives
In other news at the director’s meeting, the final numbered item on the President’s Report, 7.14, was passed in order to induct the board’s new student representatives. The position, which runs from July 1 through June 30, 2026, was filled by two Wissahickon students, Isabel Da Costa and Reed Harris.
“If you recall last week, 7.14 is approval for the appointment of our student board reps,” said Antonio. “Last week, it was listed as TBD. The board had the opportunity last week to interview several candidates, and we selected Isabel Da Costa and Reed Harris to be our school board reps for the next school year, so their names are publicly listed.”
Despite their positions not “officially” starting until July 1, the two students were in attendance at the board’s meeting on June 3.
“This year the board had the opportunity to interview a few more students from the high school,” said Board Member Deanne Morris. “Usually, we interview three. This year we interviewed five. And they were all fantastic students and people and candidates. I think I speak for the board when I say we were impressed by all of them. [They are] just great kids, great representation of Wissahickon.”
Morris offered congratulations to Da Costa and Harris.
“I hope you learn a lot,” she said. “We’re really happy to have you on board.”
Board Member Zeffy Karagiannakis also was grateful for the students that applied.
“I also want to say how much we value having the student reps as part of our dialogue,” said Karagiannakis. “In fact, I’ve spoken to other school districts, and I’ve also talked to a number of other organizations that have students participate, but very few have them at the table.”
Karagiannakis continued that the position these reps hold is crucial to the functions of the board.
“We do that for a very real reason,” she said. “Your voice matters. Your voice is important to us, and we’re grateful for putting up a lot of time for this. We know how busy you are, and how many competing priorities you have, but we very much appreciate the work and the time and the effort that you all bring to this responsibility. Thank you for becoming part of our school board team.”
The vote for their induction was also passed unanimously.
