Dissinger named principal at Patton

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on May 16, 2017

Steve Dissinger will no longer be the principal at Hillendale Elementary School. As of July 1, he will be the new principal at CF Patton Middle School. Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board directors voted unanimously May 15 to give that job to Dissinger.

His salary will be $141,101 per year.

In introducing Dissinger, Superintendent of Schools John Sanville said, "We're thrilled that Steve will be the next principal at the middle school…Every step of the way, head and shoulders above very talented candidates, was Steve Dissinger."

Dissinger will take over for Tim Hoffman who, in February, was promoted to district director of curriculum and instruction. The promotions were among several in the wake of Ken Batchelor's resignation from the district.

Batchelor had been the assistant to the superintendent but was hired away to become the superintendent of the Radnor School District. Replacing Batchelor as Sanville’s assistant was John Nolen, then the district director of curriculum and instruction. Hoffman replaced Nolen, and now Dissinger replaces Hoffman. Nolen was also a previous principal at Hillendale.

Other business

School directors also voted on a proposed preliminary budget for the next academic year. That proposed budget calls for total appropriations of $84.9 million. There is a weighted tax increase between Delaware and Chester County property owners of 2.16 percent.

Specifics of that include raising Chester County property taxes to 28.41 mills, and to 23.63 mills for Chadds Ford Township property owners. The difference is based on how the two different counties assess property values. A mill is a tax of $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

The proposal passed by a 7-1 vote. The lone no vote came from Director Gregg Lindner of Chadds Ford.

Lindner gave a brief presentation explaining that he would prefer a higher tax increase so the district can maintain a higher reserve fund.

A final vote on next year's budget will happen on June 19, but the proposed final budget may change before that vote. Directors may make changes during the June work session or at the June 19 meeting up to the actual vote.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.