MONESSEN - Qualifying senior citizens will have an opportunity to reduce their property taxes and middleschoolers will be able to sign up for math and reading courses under a summer enhancement program if the school board accepts both proposals later this month.
At Tuesday's agenda session, Superintendent Dr. Alex Warren introduced a senior volunteer tax exchange program that would allow income-eligible senior citizens 60 years of age and over to help out at the school in exchange for residential property tax credit. Warren explained to the board the Smiles (Senior Motivators in Learning and Education Services) Program used in the Greenville Area School District, where senior citizens perform a variety of jobs in and around the school for a minimum of 50 hours per year. The work earns them up to $200 in tax reductions.
Warren said senior residents work as gardeners, guest readers, library and office assistants, and classroom aides, among other assignments.
"It's a good opportunity to have these people in the community here who like the schools, who like to help us, and at the same time help them defray some of their tax load," said Warren. "It's important to have seniors in contact with the schools and with the children."
Warren said jobs could be tailored to the needs of the schools.
"I'd love to have a greeter every day at our high school. We'd like to have some gardens planted around the school. We need someone to plant and weed, and we just don't have the staff to do that," he said.
Warren said the program would be a popular one based on the Monessen community.
"The district has an excellent turnout of people 60 and older who attend athletic events, and we kind of want to build on that," said Warren, who said many of the community's senior citizens have taken an interest in the school system.
Also introduced on Tuesday was a summer enhancement program being coordinated in conjunction with the Westmoreland County Private Industry Council. It could offer students a chance to brush up on math and reading, or make up missed work.
If approved, courses will be offered three hours per day for 30 days beginning June 17.
For the remaining two hours each day, the participants will perform some type of community service.
"Also, we're calling it a drop-out prevention program for students who have failed math or reading and can use this as a make-up session," said high school Principal Randall Marino, who expects 15 to 20 students to participate.
PIC will pick up all costs.
