The Loyalsock Township School Board passed its final budget for the 2026-27 school year, including a 0.65 mill tax increase.

This increase will bring the district’s real estate millage rate to 16.00.

Very little changed between the district’s May meeting and the passing of the budget, Business Manager Dan Egly said.

“Unfortunately we wait on the state budget. We’re held to a timeline of June 30, they are not, so it’s very hard to predict exactly what will be given to all 501 school districts through Pennsylvania,” he said, while noting that the budget passed by the board was still “conservative.”

“It is the first tax increase in three years,” Egly reminded the community.

Other financial actions taken by the board include the adoption of the Homestead and Farmstead

Exclusion Resolution for the 2026-27 school year, effective July 1, 2026; and approval of a contract with Miller Sports Construction, West Chester, for resurfacing of the synthetic track, at a cost of $176,600; a bid from Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc., Montoursville, for resurfacing/paving at the Donald E. Schick Elementary School lower lot, in the amount of $128,599.50; the purchase of a Trident scrubber from Hillyard, Warminster, at a cost of $17,687.27; the purchase of a Ventrac Tractor 4520Y Kubota from Power Pro Equipment, Lebanon, at a cost of $50,181.80; and the sale of three school buses for a total of $6,050.

In staffing matters, the board approved Grace Andrews as a temporary professional employee assigned as a business/computer information technology teacher, effective Aug. 24, 2026; Rebecca Hatchell as a temporary professional employee assigned as a social studies teacher, effective Aug. 24, 2026; Madyson Smith as assistant head cook supervisor, effective Aug. 3, 2026, at an hourly rate

of $20.00; a job description for intervention specialist I and II, and the appointment of Julian Wilson, as an Intervention Specialist I, at an hourly rate of $17.50, effective Aug. 24, 2026; and the transfers of Terrence Samuel and Stephanie Smith to Intervention Specialist II, both at an hourly rate of $20.00 and effective July 1, 2026; the transfer of Veronica Bubb to full-time paraprofessional, effective Aug. 24, 2026; a number of fall athletic coaches for the 2026-27 school year with stipends ranging from $2,000 to $7,600; the termination of Heather Cherry as a full-time food service employee, effective May 27, 2026; acknowledged the resignations of Daisy Clouser as elementary school secretary, effective May 30, 2026 and Noah Bower as Transportation & Facilities Supervisor, effective June 19, 2026; the retirements of Linda Wolfe, as a transportation paraprofessional, effective June 10, 2026 and Audrey Earnest, as a school bus driver, effective June 5, 2026.

Upon approval of the job description for Chief of School Police/School Safety & Security Coordinator, the board appointed current school safety coordinator Michael Knight to the position, effective immediately.

Several agreements were given the go ahead by the board, including with the Loyalsock Township

Education Association for the period July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030. The agreement reflects a 4.75% increase over the term of the contract; BLaST IU-17 covering special education, IDEA, DARTS software and technical services; and River Rock Academy, Williamsport, for educational services during the 2026-27 school year.

Other actions taken by the board include the adoption of Policy No. 707 (Revised) – Use of School Facilities; and the approval of a list of tests/assessments as part of the district’s Comprehensive Testing/Assessment Program for the 2026-27 school year; after establishing a Buildings & Grounds Advisory Committee to be co-chaired by the Business Manager & Supervisor of Facilities, appointed board Vice-President Michael J. Zicolello and member Larry Allison Jr. as board representatives; and authorizing district administration to file for subsidies, federal programs and grant applications for the 2026-27 school year.

The next school board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8.