by Madison White Franks
KILMARNOCK—When superintendent Steve Parker last Thursday announced the Lancaster school board’s proposed $16.8 million budget includes funding for teacher raises and an at-risk 4-year-old class, the room erupted in applause. Parker was addressing a public hearing on the latest draft of a 2018-19 school budget.
An earlier draft of February 13 did not include funding for the at-risk 4-year-old class and a partial salary increase. The $16.8 million draft budget includes a 4.1% pay increase for teachers and a 3% increase for other school employees.
“The very backbone of this country is built on investing in our future. The very best way a community can invest in itself is to ensure to the fullest extent possible that the children becoming students, becoming young adults and becoming full-fledged adults, have every opportunity to succeed,” said Richard Gill of Lancaster. “My hope and my mission right now is to ensure that we invest properly and that we go forward with the intent of improving this population.”
He said the proposed budget is not extravagant but reasonable and worth pushing through…
