Future is Bright for the BASD

In light of the recent election and board reorganization I think it’s a good time to assess the current state of the Bethlehem Area School District. 

There is still an overwhelming sense of financial disorder to the public as a result of mismanagement and swaps. I think this is true both within the BASD community, but even more so outside of Bethlehem and in Harrisburg. I can tell you without a doubt nothing could be farther from the truth.

Over the past 3 years the board and administration have worked very hard to stabilize the districts finances and position the BASD for the future. Just four years ago the BASD ended the 2007-08 school year with a -$3.196 million fund balance.  Today as we await the final numbers from the 2010-11 school year audit we are conservatively anticipating a fund balance in excess of $15 million. During this time the BASD has greatly reduced the risky variable rate debt and had eliminated all but 3 swaps. This, combined with finding better ways to streamline the operation, has resulted in an upgrade from Moody's Investors Service.  In a time when the majority of municipalities are struggling financially the BASD has defied the trend and continues to show strong improvement.

This is, of course, good news but the finances are just one part of the BASD. We are an organization charged with providing a top notch quality education to over 14,000 students each day. That includes all students who come to our doors regardless of background, academic ability, native language, family life, etc. Under the guidance of Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Jack Silva the district, for the first time in a long time, has established a clear path to academic success. This is evident in our Roadmap to Education Excellence and 2011-12 District Goals both of which are detailed on the BASD website with links to important data and information. It’s a small step to making as much information available to the public as possible. 

The BASD has also made school safety a top priority by reviewing and retraining all administrators and teaching staff on the Student Code of Conduct to ensure that students are disciplined fairly and uniformly. To compliment this, the district has entered into a partnership with the International Institute of Restorative Practices to help promote positive behavior and heed off conflict. This world renowned program has been instituted in our schools thanks to an extremely generous donation by the institute which is headquartered in Bethlehem.

Because of these steps taken our students continue to succeed whether the media and public choose to accept that or not. This year more students will take AP courses, more students will be inducted to the National Honor Society and be named National Merit Scholars than ever before. But that is only one group of students that we serve. There are many who will not go to college and we will continue to work with them to leave our schools as citizens ready to join the workforce and contribute to the local community.  

Finally it is important to note that we have continued to improve and move forward all while public education is under attack. The cuts to the BASD’s funding are over $10 million in the past two years alone. After school programs for at risk students, Pre-K programs, tutoring, staffing, teaming in middle schools, bus replacement, and many other crucial programs have been cut or scaled back. However, we have maintained our class sizes, diverse curricular offerings, technology, neighborhood schools, and extracurricular activities that make the BASD a great school district.    

Overall the BASD continues to move in the right direction. We educate over 14,000 students of all ability levels, ethnicities, and backgrounds. The district stands proud as one of the premier districts in the state of Pennsylvania and the future will only get better for our students.