The Montoursville Area School Board approved a preliminary budget for next fiscal year that includes a tax millage increase of 0.56 on real estate.

Under the proposed spending plan, properties having an assessed value of $121,000 – the median for the district – will absorb an additional $68 in real estate taxes next year.

The tax increase, which will bring an additional $467,000 in revenues, help fill an approximately $1 million budget deficit.

Another $423,404 from the district’s fund balance will be used to close the deficit.

Business Manager Jessica Reich noted that will leave the fund balance with $4.2 million at the end of June.

The vote to pass the proposed $37.9 million budget was 8-0.

Voting in favor were Todd Badger, Sharon Meyer, Doug Gardner, Brad Eisenhower, Amanda Kling, David Young, Tina McCloy, and John Houseknecht.

Daniel Albert was absent.

The final budget is scheduled to be approved June 9.

Following a discussion, the board agreed to remove a $79,000 purchase in the budget for Chromebooks.

Meyer questioned the idea of spending money on Chromebooks for kindergarten and first-grade students.

“First off, I don’t know why we have Chromebooks for every single kid in kindergarten and first grade,” Meyer said. “I think it’s a great time not to put screens in front of 5-year-olds and 6-year-olds for all the school day.

“Get our kids away from screens at that little age when they don’t need them. In fact, they really shouldn’t be in front of them.”

Badger said he was concerned that the cost for purchasing Chromebooks might be higher if delayed until next year.

McCloy said she felt young children get enough screen time at home.

“I work at the high school in Muncy as a nurse and I don’t know what the statistics are in the elementary school, but I see kids coming in for headaches all the time,” she said. “And I know it’s because of the lights and the screen time they spend eight hours every day.”

The board approved the following personnel for positions:

• Michael Hummel, social studies teacher, $54,200 yearly salary.

• Keith Cavanaugh, assistant football coach, $3,000 stipend.

• Mitchell McMunn, full-time armed security, $32.50 per hour.

• Abby Waltz, substitute teacher.

In other matters, the board approved:

• An agreement with UPMCW for school-based therapy services.

• A 10-month agreement with River Rock Academy for alternative education services for disruptive youths at $89,910.

• An agreement with BLaST UI #17 for DARTS software at $6,895.

• A contract with New Story Schools, Selinsgrove.

• A one-year agreement with Nutrition Group, a food service management company.