During the seven-year period , a total of $ 3,745,885 was raised from the increased taxes and added to the fund balance to specifically pay for the debt service increases . Debt service is the third-largest expenditure ($ 7,588,121 ) and second-largest increase in the 2024-25 budget ($ 869,239 ) and totals 11.1 % of the budget . The upcoming year will be the second of four years with bigger increases in the debt service and then the increases will level off .
Insurance and Benefits Increase by Double Digits
The district saw health insurance / benefits increase by 27.5 % in this year ’ s budget , followed by a 10.9 % projected increase in 2024- 25 , the third-largest increase by percentage but the largest overall increase to the budget ($ 1,880,002 ).
JAGUARS IN THE NEWS
“ Beauty and the Beast ” Earns Best Musical , Total of Five Honors at 33rd Gene Kelly Awards
Thomas Jefferson High School ’ s production of “ Beauty and the Beast ” won five awards at the 33rd Annual Pittsburgh CLO Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater . The event was held May 25 at the Benedum Center .
For the second time in three years , Thomas Jefferson ’ s musical theater students earned Best Musical honors in their budget category . TJ and Woodland Hills ’ Wonderland Pilot Production were the two finalists in Budget Category IV , the highest category . In 2022 , TJ ’ s “ Legally Blonde ” earned Best Musical , the first time the school had earned the top honor .
In addition to Best Musical , Beauty and the Beast also won Best Vocal Ensemble and Best Crew / Technical Execution for the third consecutive year in its budget category . Thomas Jefferson also won Best Lighting Design , an area that included senior Brady Bandik , who was selected the Outstanding Student Artist among the six finalists from all participating schools .
Another TJ senior , Julie Evanchak , was the recipient of the Christopher Rawson Kelly Critics Award and spoke at the ceremony .
Thomas Jefferson ’ s Beauty and the Beast was nominated in all eight Gene Kelly Awards ensemble categories for the second consecutive year , led by Best Musical .
In the acting categories , TJ ’ s Olivia Virgin was selected a Gene Kelly Awards finalist for Best Actress and Kayleigh Johnson was named a finalist for Best Supporting Actress . Johnson was a Best
Outside District Placements and Associated Costs on the Rise
One growing district expense that many residents may have little knowledge of are Outside District Placements . Students from other districts who already have an IEP ( Individualized Education Program ) are moving into WJHSD but continue to attend their previous school . The district works with the parents / guardian to provide appropriate education and services , and , as required by state and federal law , pays for transportation and the costs of services ( speech , occupational therapy , physical therapy etc .) for those students .
In the district ’ s 2024-25 budget , costs associated with Outside District Placements fall under two budget categories - Purchased Professional Services and Other Purchased Services - that rank among the top five increases in the budget at 15.2 and 8.9 %, respectively .
The number of Outside District Placement students is projected to be 23 in 2024-25 , which doesn ’ t include any new students that move into the district over the coming months . The district began the 2022-23 school year with 15 outside placements but ended with 19 and started this year with 17 outside placements but ended the year with 25 . The district ’ s Special Education budget has grown from $ 4,861,859 in 2020-21 to a projected $ 6,942,869 for the upcoming year , a 30 % increase . The Commonwealth ' s funding isn ’ t keeping pace with the increasing number of special education students and related costs .
The district has consistently demonstrated fiscal responsibility in a meaningful way for its residents and will continue to do so , while providing a superior educational experience for WJHSD ’ s growing and more diverse student population .
( Graphics by Hannah Nelson )
Actress semifinalist in 2023 . Aidan Oeler was a 2024 semifinalist in the Best Actor category and Eli Fisher was a semifinalist in the Best Supporting Actor category . There were six overall nominees in each of the acting categories
Beauty and the Beast was directed by Jim Benedek , who teaches Technology Education at TJ . Julie Tipton , a TJ English and theater educator , was the assistant director and Michele Stoicovy , who teaches family and consumer science at TJ , coordinated costume design . Thomas Jefferson music educators Julie Lucci ( vocal director ) and Jim Mirabella ( orchestra pit director ) also were members of the musical production team . Additional members of the Beauty and the Beast team include : Louis Smolenski ( lighting director ), Dave Herrington ( sound director ), Alana Wieclaw ( dance choreographer ), Jennifer Allan ( business operations / publicity ) and Renae Benedek . est Jefferson Hills WEST JEFFERSON HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
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