In the coming weeks, voters in the Gettysburg Area School District (GASD) will elect new School Directors in a highly important general election. I humbly ask for your support for a group of community-minded leaders who possess the experience and dedication needed to navigate the challenges ahead. For the four four-year positions please consider:Julieta Booz, Charles Weise, Dale Brennan, Donna Harrison, and Kathleen Pratt. These candidates have been actively speaking to the community and engaging in transparent campaigns to improve our schools. Over the past two months, I have gotten to know all of them and consider each to bring exceptional qualities as school board director candidates. I am running for a separate 2-year seat and humbly ask for your support. This slate offers a crucial combination of decades in education, fiscal management expertise, and commitment to the best interests of our students.
The Gettysburg Area School District Board recently adopted the General Fund Budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This budget, with expenditures totaling $79,214,846, was adopted alongside a Taxing Resolution setting the Real Estate Tax at 11.4851 Mills. While this budget maintains the policy target for the Estimated Ending Unassigned Fund Balance at $4,752,890, the stability of our district finances relies heavily on local sources, which make up over 67% of anticipated revenue. Leaders such as Ms. Booz, who emphasizes working within tight financial limits, and Dr. Weise, who is concerned with fiscal responsibility, are essential to ensuring financial health going forward.
The economic environment, plagued by uncertainty at both the state and federal levels, severely jeopardizes GASD’s ability to meet critical educational goals. The recent state budget impasse has already denied Pennsylvania public schools billions in expected payments, forcing districts statewide to consider drastic measures. Furthermore, federal funding sources, such as those that support special programs, face significant cuts, including a proposed 15% reduction in overall federal education spending. We have already seen the vulnerability of federal aid, with funding recently halted for programs supporting some of the country’s most vulnerable students nationwide.
This instability directly threatens the goals of our 2025-2028 GASD Comprehensive Plan, particularly our goal of supporting our neediest students. Our Title I elementary schools (Lincoln, James Gettys, and Franklin Township) have seen declines in ELA performance among economically disadvantaged students. The district’s plan specifically commits to improving ELA achievement through targeted resources and supporting our diverse student population. Moreover, a core goal is improving the continuity of Special Education Services by increasing district-operated programs (such as Life Skills Support and Autism Support) to reduce the number of students educated outside the district. The current federal budget proposal seeks to dismantle all federal support for students with disabilities, so our schools are going to need to prioritize how we fill this gap.
Expertise from candidates like Mr. Brennan, dedicated to helping young people build their futures, and Ms. Harrison, with decades of district leadership, will be vital to protecting these vulnerable programs.
We need Board members ready to champion responsible spending while advocating for our students against external pressures. With experience like Ms. Pratt’s history of common-sense taxation and my own commitment to finding educational partnerships, this slate is prepared to ensure academic excellence and fiscal stability for all Gettysburg students.