KIDS Six Questions to Consider OVER POLITICS Teachers Are Critical. But Who Really Supports Them? Quaker Valley ranked #7 out of 81 Pittsburgh area school districts in this year's "Best Teachers" category and earned an A+ rating for the quality of our teaching staff. But, ironically, the handful of activists and school board candidates who have been protesting outside of our QV schools in recent weeks-supposedly to support our teachers is the same smal group of people proposing to cut our school budget by one third Do the math if you impose a 33% cut across a school budget that largely funds teachers and teaching support staff salaries-not only can you not provide our educators a raise-but you would also have to cut their salaries and eliminate scores of teaching positions. The fact is while negotiations continue between teachers and the administration, educators are working-and being paid-under their existing contract. De very skeptical of candidates who send text messages or place newspaper ads purporting to "support our teachers at the same time they are pledging to impose deep cuts on our QV school budget. The nicest way of characterting these campaign messages would be to call them very charitably-empty promises What Happens if We Cut the QV School Budget by 1/3? While we are talking about the impact of this kind of draconian out in our school budget, it is worth noting the other areas that would be significantly harmed; special education, gifted programs, athletics, the performing arts, and other extracurricular enrichment activities for students. Next time you hear a candidate propose a dramatic reduction in "spending per student ask them how they plan to do so without harming the academic programs and teacher positions we rely on to educate our children. Do We Really Want Book Bans in Quaker Valley? The Quaker Valley community is fortunate to have avoided the awful divisive ideological bates that have torn apart so many other school districts in this nation-some of them right here in Allegheny County. We don't want political agendas being forced on our kids in QV public schools-from the left or the right But some candidates running for school board are pushing extreme political agendas and are backed by the same national groups leading the charge to ban books and censor science and history curriculums. Please vote for the candidates who will ensure these divisive culture wars don't infect the Quaker Valley School Board. Will We Ever Be Done Debating the New High School? The way some candidates for school board are talking, you would think there will be a forthcoming vote held by the board to reconsider the high school project and pursue other alternatives (ue: the existing high school sites. But here is the god-honest truth: No such vote will take place after this election Why? The school board-elected by QV voters-decided over three years ago to move forward with the new high school planslated to break ground in Leet Township in early 2024. There have been a handful of well-funded opponents of the new high school who have sought to confuse the public into thinking they can somehow reverse this decision after millions of dollars have been spent to acquire land, draft site preparation and architectural plans, navigate the zoning and planning board approval process and get us to the final preconstruction phase of the project. Don't let them mislead you Before Voting for Quaker Valley School Board But Seriously, Can't the new High School Be Built Faster, Cheaper, and Safer on Beaver Street? To be blunt, no. First, it is doubtful that the Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMAL or the Department of Environmental Protection would ever approve permits to build a larger school at the existing site. Further complicating this reality is that constructing sizable new parking lots, eliminating a huge amount of permeable surface adjacent to the Little Sewickley Creek, in the middle of a FEMA-designated floodplain, is not an option. There are multiple other challenges that plague the current high school building that would be prohibitively expensive to overcome significant water seepage into the current high school foundation, coal seams underneath the school, and traffic flow and congestion issues on Beaver Street and Route 65 that can't be fixed. In 2013, the school district spent considerable time and money to find a way to renovate or rebuild at the existing site. However, the unlikelihood of securing approval from federal and state agencies to build there was one of the many reasons they opted to start a comprehensive search for a new site. Finally, constructing a new school while students continue to attend class in the existing building would be extremely dangerous for a multitude of reasons, including introducing construction vehicles to an already congested traffic area What Underpins Our School Tax Bill? Let's face it. None of us enjoy paying property taxes. The sad reality is that in Pennsylvania, our public schools are funded almost entirely by property tax revenue. Only 17% of the QV school budget is funded with state or federal dollars. Yet, the state and federal governments impose many legal mandates on Quaker Valley (and all school districts) Requirements to fund both teacher pensions and special education programs are two big examples These mandates, along with inflacion have been the primary drivers of small incremental annual increases in our school budget. In fact, Quaker Valley's administration and overhead budget are surprisingly modest. The overwhelming majority of our budget goes to support the salaries of our teaching and support staff who work every day to educate our children and grandchildren The significance of our Quaker Valley schools cannot be overstated-they are foundational to our community's excellence. Safeguarding these institutions demands steadfast, non-partisan leadership- a principle we should demand in our school board candidates. To enhance the enduring legacy of excellence in Quaker Valley schools we encourage you to vote for these candidates: Gianni Floro Region 1 Dell Acres, Leet, Letsdale, Fair Oaks Corinna Garcia- Skorpenske Geoff Barnes Region 2 Sewickley Borough Padfor by Song Jessica Webster Melissa Walls Region 3 Aleppo, Edgeworth, Glenfield, Haysville, Glen Osborne, Sewickley Heights, Sewickley Hills KIDS Six Questions to Consider OVER POLITICS Teachers Are Critical . But Who Really Supports Them ? Quaker Valley ranked # 7 out of 81 Pittsburgh area school districts in this year's " Best Teachers " category and earned an A + rating for the quality of our teaching staff . But , ironically , the handful of activists and school board candidates who have been protesting outside of our QV schools in recent weeks - supposedly to support our teachers is the same smal group of people proposing to cut our school budget by one third Do the math if you impose a 33 % cut across a school budget that largely funds teachers and teaching support staff salaries - not only can you not provide our educators a raise - but you would also have to cut their salaries and eliminate scores of teaching positions . The fact is while negotiations continue between teachers and the administration , educators are working - and being paid - under their existing contract . De very skeptical of candidates who send text messages or place newspaper ads purporting to " support our teachers at the same time they are pledging to impose deep cuts on our QV school budget . The nicest way of characterting these campaign messages would be to call them very charitably - empty promises What Happens if We Cut the QV School Budget by 1/3 ? While we are talking about the impact of this kind of draconian out in our school budget , it is worth noting the other areas that would be significantly harmed ; special education , gifted programs , athletics , the performing arts , and other extracurricular enrichment activities for students . Next time you hear a candidate propose a dramatic reduction in " spending per student ask them how they plan to do so without harming the academic programs and teacher positions we rely on to educate our children . Do We Really Want Book Bans in Quaker Valley ? The Quaker Valley community is fortunate to have avoided the awful divisive ideological bates that have torn apart so many other school districts in this nation - some of them right here in Allegheny County . We don't want political agendas being forced on our kids in QV public schools - from the left or the right But some candidates running for school board are pushing extreme political agendas and are backed by the same national groups leading the charge to ban books and censor science and history curriculums . Please vote for the candidates who will ensure these divisive culture wars don't infect the Quaker Valley School Board . Will We Ever Be Done Debating the New High School ? The way some candidates for school board are talking , you would think there will be a forthcoming vote held by the board to reconsider the high school project and pursue other alternatives ( ue : the existing high school sites . But here is the god - honest truth : No such vote will take place after this election Why ? The school board - elected by QV voters - decided over three years ago to move forward with the new high school planslated to break ground in Leet Township in early 2024. There have been a handful of well - funded opponents of the new high school who have sought to confuse the public into thinking they can somehow reverse this decision after millions of dollars have been spent to acquire land , draft site preparation and architectural plans , navigate the zoning and planning board approval process and get us to the final preconstruction phase of the project . Don't let them mislead you Before Voting for Quaker Valley School Board But Seriously , Can't the new High School Be Built Faster , Cheaper , and Safer on Beaver Street ? To be blunt , no . First , it is doubtful that the Army Corps of Engineers , the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMAL or the Department of Environmental Protection would ever approve permits to build a larger school at the existing site . Further complicating this reality is that constructing sizable new parking lots , eliminating a huge amount of permeable surface adjacent to the Little Sewickley Creek , in the middle of a FEMA - designated floodplain , is not an option . There are multiple other challenges that plague the current high school building that would be prohibitively expensive to overcome significant water seepage into the current high school foundation , coal seams underneath the school , and traffic flow and congestion issues on Beaver Street and Route 65 that can't be fixed . In 2013 , the school district spent considerable time and money to find a way to renovate or rebuild at the existing site . However , the unlikelihood of securing approval from federal and state agencies to build there was one of the many reasons they opted to start a comprehensive search for a new site . Finally , constructing a new school while students continue to attend class in the existing building would be extremely dangerous for a multitude of reasons , including introducing construction vehicles to an already congested traffic area What Underpins Our School Tax Bill ? Let's face it . None of us enjoy paying property taxes . The sad reality is that in Pennsylvania , our public schools are funded almost entirely by property tax revenue . Only 17 % of the QV school budget is funded with state or federal dollars . Yet , the state and federal governments impose many legal mandates on Quaker Valley ( and all school districts ) Requirements to fund both teacher pensions and special education programs are two big examples These mandates , along with inflacion have been the primary drivers of small incremental annual increases in our school budget . In fact , Quaker Valley's administration and overhead budget are surprisingly modest . The overwhelming majority of our budget goes to support the salaries of our teaching and support staff who work every day to educate our children and grandchildren The significance of our Quaker Valley schools cannot be overstated - they are foundational to our community's excellence . Safeguarding these institutions demands steadfast , non - partisan leadership a principle we should demand in our school board candidates . To enhance the enduring legacy of excellence in Quaker Valley schools we encourage you to vote for these candidates : Gianni Floro Region 1 Dell Acres , Leet , Letsdale , Fair Oaks Corinna Garcia Skorpenske Geoff Barnes Region 2 Sewickley Borough Padfor by Song Jessica Webster Melissa Walls Region 3 Aleppo , Edgeworth , Glenfield , Haysville , Glen Osborne , Sewickley Heights , Sewickley Hills