The Fairfield Area School Board approved a wide-ranging consent agenda last night that included adoption of the district’s 2026-27 final budget, personnel actions, service agreements, and operational matters for the coming school year.
The board unanimously approved a final budget with expenditures of $24.79 million and revenues of $24.09 million. The plan includes a 1 percent tax increase, raising the millage rate from 12.2357 to 12.3581, with the remaining difference funded through the district’s assigned fund balance.
During his report, Superintendent Thomas Haupt said the district continues to have one unfilled professional position, a technology education teacher, but otherwise described the agenda as routine for June.
The board approved more than 40 consent agenda items, including agreements for student mental health, drug and alcohol liaison services, outpatient therapy, special education services, speech and language support, healthcare staffing, counseling services, and educational placements. The board also approved support staff salary increases of 4.3 percent and maintained a 10 percent employee share for health insurance premiums for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Meal prices will increase by 10 cents across all categories next school year to comply with federal school nutrition regulations. Elementary breakfast will rise from $1.65 to $1.75, while elementary lunch will increase from $2.95 to $3.05.
Personnel actions included the hiring of Kevin Bryant as network systems specialist, Moriah Hoffman as supervisor of special education and student services, Erin Rodgers as an elementary autism support teacher, and Paige Ney as an elementary learning support teacher.
The board reappointed Erica Bollinger as treasurer for a one-year term beginning July 1 and appointed Ted Sayres as the district’s Pennsylvania School Boards Association liaison.
In discussion items, administrators recognized five employees who earned tenure after completing three years of satisfactory service: Heather Redding, Amy Dennis, Ashley Kaas, Noah Schaeffer, and Elizabeth Yealy. The district also recognized employees reaching service milestones, including Tara Phillips, Kathryn Barnes, and Erica Price for 20 years; Daniel Irwin and Craig Baugh for 25 years; and Brenda Miller for 30 years of service.
Board members also discussed the proposed Adams County Technical Institute campus near New Oxford. Superintendent Haupt said enough districts appear poised to approve the land purchase to satisfy the two-thirds vote required under the joint operating committee’s bylaws. He noted that alternative locations, including the Harrisburg Area Community College Gettysburg campus, had been evaluated but were considered problematic because of floodplain concerns. The district remains committed to moving the project forward, he said.
The board also acknowledged donations of $200 from Karen Weddle to assist a single mother and $250 from Rob Olyphant for headset microphones used in school musical productions.
Before adjourning for the summer, Board President Candace Ferguson-Miller praised the board’s collegial working relationship. “We have disagreements here and there, but our board does really well together. We’re getting stuff done. We’re all dedicated to the school district community, so I just really appreciate it. I don’t know if you read the news—people resigning from different boards, different boards having issues with their own things—but we don’t have that here. So good job. Again, we disagree sometimes, but we hash it out. We all understand the mission,” she said.
The board will next meet Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. There are no board meetings scheduled in July.
