Nettle Creek Schools Superintendent Emily Schaeffer proposed an $11 million 2027 budget during the district’s Sept. 9 meeting and second public hearing.
Schaeffer reported estimates of $8M and $3M dollars for the district’s education and operation funds, respectively. Increases to the education fund include the school’s contribution to teacher retirement, tuition for vocational courses and special education co-op. Professional development, office supplies and summer school had funding decreased.
The district plans to save costs by using a health insurance trust, co-op bidding for supplies and sharing in a natural gas consortium. The operations fund saw no increase, but it reduced expenses in staff development and maintenance.
Schaeffer said that as enrollment trends downward — they have 24 fewer students compared with this time last fall due to departures and online school options — and there are minimal increases to cost per student, the district must educate the community on how state legislation and who they vote for impacts public education. Board member Sandi Schraub added the majority of students in Wayne County attend public schools and deserve funding for a quality education.
“My intent is not to tell people how to vote, but really consider who they are voting for, what that person supports and how their record impacts schools across the state,” said Schraub.
Schaeffer reviewed the school’s bus replacement and capital projects plans. Over six years, the district will replace their school buses through a bond. Schaeffer said this process is an improvement from the previous method. Over the next decade, it’ll address a list of projects costing $10,000 or more, including the high school parking lot and the elementary’s playground equipment.
The full budget is available on Nettle Creek Schools website at nettlecreekschools.com for public review before the Oct. 14 vote.
In other business
In other business, the school board:
- Opened a required public hearing on teacher compensation with no public testimony.
- Approved bond project resolutions.
- Heard a finance update showing lower expenditures from spring cost-saving measures.
- Received school updates on elementary and junior/senior high activities, staffing and athletics.
- Learned the district must make up one missed flood day after the state denied a waiver and that flood damage to athletic fields totaled about $374,000.
The next scheduled school board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 14, in the elementary school LGI room, 299 N. Sycamore St., Hagerstown. The public may attend.
A version of this article appeared in the September 16 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.
