Unionville –Chadds Ford School Superintendent Sharon Parker said the district would soon announce the date for a Community Conversation meeting to discuss “the difficult challenges” facing the district in developing the 2011–2012 budget.

Parker said there are challenges in several areas: Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed budget that would cut $1.1 million from U-CF, the ongoing negotiations with the teachers’ union, evaluating the impact of potentially outsourcing the district’s bus transportation and the impact of next year’s school budget on taxpayers.

She said the conversation meeting will provide the entire community further opportunity to collaboratively discuss the many challenges.

Parker also commented on the recent transportation study, saying it was commissioned to evaluate transportation services for efficiency and to further the discussion regarding the outsourcing of these services.

“The purpose of this study is to provide a third-party perspective on the efficiency and effectiveness of the transportation services in the district, with particular emphasis on the pro’s and con’s of outsourcing the student transportation function” she said. “The U-CF School District is currently developing bus transportation bid specification packages which will include advertising the school district’s desire to receive bid proposals from local private bus contractors…Bids will be critical to the decision to outsource or maintain the transportation department employees.”

Parker invited all interested parties to read the study on the district’s Web site and to e-mail comments to trans2011@ucfsd.org.

A bid pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for April 8. Bids will be opened on April 22.

Parker made her comments during the March 21 U-CF School Board meeting at Pocopson Elementary School.

The meeting included more than a dozen school district employee and resident comments lauding the district’s Transportation Department employee’s devoted service to the students who ride school district buses on a daily basis.

Karen Halstead, a former school board member said, “The 77 square mile U-CF school district is the largest geographic district in Chester County. No other district incurs the number of bus miles per student. The school district also must provide more transportation services to private schools than other Chester County districts.”

Several board members including, Corrine Sweeney, Holly Manzone, Timotha Trigg, Frank Murphy, Jeff Leiser, and Jeff Hellrung said there are many intangible benefits including safety to be considered.

Board Director Keith Knauss, said there will be budget hearings beginning 7 p.m. on May 2, 3, and 4, with a final budget work session on May 9 and a vote on the spending plan held during the June 20 board meeting at Unionville High School.

There will also be a special work session on Tuesday, March 29 at the Unionville High School District Large Conference Room to further study updated financial information for the proposed 2011–2012 district budget.

Trigg commented on the governor’s proposed budget cuts. “While the U-CF 2011 – 2012 budget is difficult, we are fortunate not to have the major state school funding cuts Gov. Corbett has proposed for many of Pennsylvania’s less affluent school districts,” she said.

Other business

• School Board Director Frank Murphy gave an update on the negotiations with the teachers saying, “I appreciate the hard work and dedication our teachers have provided to the give and take spirited contract negotiations. We all benefit from being level headed and trying to be part of the solution.”

• School Board Director Dr. Paul Price announced he won’t run for reelection.

• The annual Family Pasta Dinner Night to benefit the United Way sponsored by the UCF School District will be held Saturday, April 9 from 5–9 p.m. at the Unionville High School cafeteria. The prices at the door will be $30 family pass, $10 adults, $5 children, $8 seniors. For more information and online tickets (saving $2 - $5 off door prices), please visit www.unitedwayscc.org.

The Pasta Dinner Night activities will include a silent auction, bake sale, musical entertainment, carnival games, movies for youngsters, $5 family photos. Proceeds benefit the United Way of Southern Chester County.