Tax rises with budget adoption

North Hills School Board on June 6 adopted the district’s final budget for the 2024-25 school year, implementing a real estate tax increase of .67 mills.

The rate rises by 3.4%, from 19.70 to 20.37 mills. A maximum of 6.2% was allowed under the Act 1 index set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Homeowners with a home valued at $134,400, the median in Ross, will pay $90.05 more per year or $7.50 more per month. Homeowners with a home valued at $97,600, the median in West View, will pay $65.39 more per year or $5.45 per month.

For a home valued at $300,000, the increase is $201 per year or $16.75 a month.

The board also approved the district’s homestead exclusion for 2024-25. The $2.17 million allocation, derived from state gaming funds, is divided equally among taxpayers with approved homestead properties as a reduction against their total taxes owed.

For 2024-25, the reduction is $195.59, compared with the $162.63 reduction per homestead allocated for the current school year.

North Hills’ budget has revenues and expenditures of just under $100 million each. The spending plan includes the addition of three new elementary assistant principals, a grant writer, an autistic support teacher and a custodian.

All board members voted in favor of the proposed nearly $100 million spending plan with the exception of Elizabeth Nease, who cited the cost of the personnel additions.

New high school assistant principal

North Hills School District hired Kevin Sheridan as assistant principal at North Hills High School.

Sheridan, a Ross resident, joins North Hills from Central Catholic High School, where he served as assistant principal of faculty and curriculum development since 2019, also spending the past year as interim principal.

He replaces John Lesjack, who will move to his new position as North Hills Middle School principal on July 1.

Sheridan holds a teaching degree with a minor in business administration from Mercyhurst College and earned his master of education from St. Francis University. He received his principal certification from Point Park University.

He is the linebackers coach for the Carnegie Mellon University football team, having previously coached at both Central Catholic and Bishop McCort high schools.

Elementary assistant principals hired

North Hills School Board on June 13 approved hirings for several key positions, including three new assistant principals for district elementary schools: Meredith Cooper at Ross, Colleen Frankel at Highcliff and Brooke Ustazewski at McIntyre.

Cooper joins North Hills from Allegheny Valley School District, where she taught elementary and special education since 2017. Frankel comes from Sto-Rox School District, where she has served as assistant principal since 2022.

Ustazewski wrapped up the school year teaching fifth grade at Highcliff Elementary, a position she held since 2017.

The first day for all three in their new positions is July 31.

Independence Day festivities

Ross is holding its Independence Day parade and celebration on June 30, with the parade taking place from 2 to 3 p.m. along Perry Highway, starting at St. John’s Church and ending at Brandt’s Funeral Home.

For more information about the route, visit ross.pa.us or call 412-931-7041.

The celebration is scheduled for 5 to 10 at the Ross Municipal Center Park, featuring food trucks, live music and a petting zoo, plus fireworks to conclude.

Fishing tournament set

The Ross Township Fishing Tournament, sponsored by the township police and parks and recreation departments, is scheduled for July 13 and 14 at Evergreen Community Park, 3430 Evergreen Road. Thanks to police, there is no charge. Featured are refreshments, bait, prizes and trophies.

Saturday’s festivities are for participants ages 5 to 17, and on Sunday, adults, seniors and people with special needs. Anglers 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information, visit ross.pa.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=244.

Block Northway Farmers Market

The Block Northway Farmers Market takes place from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Sept. 26.

In addition to vendors, the market in Ross will feature weekly entertainment and rotating lineup of food trucks. For more information, visit theblocknorthway.com/farmers-market.

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