10 Local Projects That Will Help Keep Your Taxes Down

Parkland School District administrators, during an all-day budget seminar Friday, pointed out some of the major Upper Macungie development projects that will increase tax revenues in the district in coming years.

Assessments and collection of taxes are critical to every school district and the Parkland School District is no exception. District administrators, during an all-day budget seminar Friday, pointed out some of the major Upper Macungie Township development projects that will increase tax revenues in the district in coming years. According to the school district:

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Will Your Taxes Go Up With New Parkland Budget?

Parkland School District administrators and school directors met Friday to examine and discuss 2013-14 budget issues.

Parkland School District administrators and school directors met Friday to examine and discuss 2013-14 budget issues.  At the meeting's opening at the district administration building in South Whitehall, Parkland Superintendent Richard Sniscak said, "Challenges continue to impact school funding and that continues to impact Parkland. We've done more with less for three consecutive years." District officals and school board members were examining every facet of the proposed 2013-14 school budget. The proposed $144 million budget, which is a 4.36 percent increase over 2012-13, carries a 2.73 percent tax increase totaling 13.94 mills, but work continues on it. Sniscak has predicted that the final budget presented in June will carry a lower tax…

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Parkland Appoints New Administrator

Kelly Rosario was appointed Parkland School District's new director of curriculum, instruction and professional development.

Kelly Rosario was appointed Parkland School District's new director of curriculum, instruction and professional development. Rosario will replace L. Randy Claroni, who will retire at the end of the school year, according to a news release. The Parkland School Board approved Rosario's appointment at its Tuesday meeting. She will earn $112,000 a year. Rosario is currently director of professional development in the Allentown School District, where she has worked for 21 years. While in Allentown, Rosario served two years as the director of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) for kindergarten through 12th grade. Prior to that, she was elementary mathematics curriculum coordinator, an elementary mathematics specialist and taught …

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Parkland Board Outraged at LCCC Budget Request

Lehigh Carbon Community College is sitting on a $17 million budget surplus but asked Parkland and other school districts for more money.

An angry Parkland School Board rejected Lehigh Carbon Community College's request for more money from the district after it learned the college was sitting on a $17 million budget surplus. Several board members said they were outraged LCCC asked Parkland for $1.23 million, a 2.1 percent increase, for the 2013-2014 school year when the college's surplus was nearly 40 percent of its $41.8 million budget. Although the board voted 5 to 3 against LCCC's budget, Parkand will still have to pay the amount unless the majority of the 13 Lehigh County member school districts rejects the college's budget. LCCC asked Parkland for $25,751 more than last year to help fund the $439,830 more it needs to fund next year's budget. Board member David Kennedy …

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ted.dobracki

6:56 pm on Saturday, May 4, 2013

LCCC was founded by the school districts that partially fund it. The current long existing funding mechanism (about 1/3 state, 1/3 school districts, 1/3 tuition) is fair, on my opinion. However, the 50% fund balance is excessive. One problem is that once you have it, it's difficult to use without disrupting the normal budget balance. It should be used for one time capital expense, or to retire …   more ›

Parkland H.S. Ranked in Pa.'s Top 50 by U.S. News

Parkland High School ranked 55th out of 687 Pennsylvania high schools, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Parkland High School ranks among the best in the state, according to annual rankings published Tuesday by U.S. News and World Report. Parkland High School ranked 55th out of 687 high schools in Pennsylvania. That ranking is actually down from a 49th ranking in 2012. Still, the news was welcomed by Parkland Superintendent of Schools Richard Sniscak. "It's nice to be recognized by an independent party," Sniscak said. "It's an accomplishment and something we can be proud of. It's obviously a credit to the students, staff and the parents in the district. Our board and administration contribute as well." The 2013 U.S. News and World Report Best High Schools rankings are based on data collected from more than 21,000 public U.S. high schools from…

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Parkland Has Slight Increase in Kindergarten Enrollment

Based on projections, kindergarten enrollment in the Parkland School District will still fall below 500 students.

Kindergarten enrollment in the Parkland School District is up slightly. Based on new registrations in March, kindergarten enrollment for the 2013-2014 school year is projected to be at 449 students across the district's eight elementary schools, Assistant Superintendent Rod Troutman said. That marks a 17 student increase from 2012-2013, when 432 kindergarten students enrolled. Troutman said the kindergarten enrollment numbers could rise another 10 percent before next school year rolls around. "A number under 500 [students] is kind of low for us," Troutman said. According to numbers released by the district, kindergarten registration last cracked the 500 student mark in 2010, with 503 students on the rolls. Prior to that, 2004 and 2005 …

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Sunday Community Resource Fair Offers Family Fun

Asbury United Methodist Church, 1533 Springhouse Road in South Whitehall ,will host a Community Resource Fair in conjunction with Parkland School District on Sunday, April 14 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Parkland's 'Phantom of the Opera' Gets Standing Ovation

Shouts of 'Bravo!' after Parkland High School's stellar opening night of 'Phantom of the Opera' brought the audience to its feet.

Parkland High School's production of "Phantom of the Opera" brought the audience to its feet and drew cheers and whistles on opening night. The show is sold out through Sunday.

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Parkland Real Estate Market Sales Up Dramatically

The Parkland School District housing market, like that of the rest of the Lehigh Valley, is off life support and getting healthier by the day.