Shenandoah Valley approves first tax hike in eight years

SHENANDOAH – Taxes are going up for the first time in eight years in the Shenandoah Valley School District.

The school district approved the final 2025-26 operating budget at Wednesday’s school board meeting.

It includes a a 3.2 mill real estate tax increase, bringing the real estate tax rate to 60.175 mills. Only Panther Valley levies a higher tax rate in Schuylkill County.

“This decision was not made lightly,” Superintendent Brian Waite said at April’s meeting, only attended by the Sentinel. “Shenandoah Valley School District has not raised taxes in eight years, a testament to our commitment to financial stability and community support.”

At last month’s meeting, Business Manager Anthony Demalis told the Sentinel the district is facing a potential $2,903,440 shortfall with the tax hike. He said the district’s fund balance will allow them to balance the budget, but he and Waite emphasized that something needs to change at the state level.

Other tax levies remain the same, including a $5/ton tax on ash disposal from co-generation facilities, persons, or entities, 5% on any person or entity engaging in culm processing, and 1% earned income tax.

In other business, the school board approved the appointment of longtime co-athletic director Jeff Maksimik as the district’s sole athletic director.

For well over a decade, Maksimik shared the duties as co-athletic director with John Brennan and later Chris Conroy. A science teacher in the district, he will receive a $4,725 stipend for the job.

The district also approved the appointment of Kelsey Conroy and Frank Drozal as assistant athletic directors. They will both earn $3,362.50.

The board voted to keep Karen Kayes as board secretary and Leslie Gilroy as board treasurer for the 2025-26 school year. They both are donating their stipends — $1,800 and $1,200 respectively — back to the district. Gilroy’s will be split equally between the band and drama club.

In other business, the district approved:

• the 84 Class of 2025 graduates;
• several PSBA developed policies;
• a letter of resignation from Megan Savitski, special education teacher, effective the last day of the school year, and posting and advertising;
• the 2025 extended school year staff;
• an emergency operations plan;
• conference requests for three staff members;
• the hiring of Hannah Hopper as an elementary teacher at a salary of $48,590 (bachelor’s step 1);
• the hiring of Ashley Papincak as an elementary teacher at a salary of $64,330 (Masters step 13);
• the following appointments:
  • Britney Bidding, elementary chorus advisor;
  • Laura Bisco, FBLA advisor (retroactive);
  • Chantelle Troutman, elementary yearbook advisor (retroactive);
  • Jennifer Zemek, art club advisor;
  • Megan Mehalick and Gabrielle Reinoehl, junior high cheerleading co-head coaches;
• the use of the high school auditorium by the SV band boosters;
• the use of the high school gym by SV Boys’ Basketball for a youth camp;
• the hiring of Jeff Ziolko as a substitute paraprofessional/lunch aide/custodian;
• the resignation of Deanna Lally, LPN, and Courtney Myers, paraprofessional;
• the hiring of Joseph Whalen as a permanent van driver.

Micquelynn Kapuschinsky contributed to this report.

The post Shenandoah Valley approves first tax hike in eight years first appeared on The Shenandoah Sentinel.