CLEARFIELD- Clearfield Area School Board said goodbye to a long-time board member Monday night as Mary Anne Jackson will be stepping away from her seat on the board after nearly two decades of service.
Superintendent Terry Struble thanked Jackson for her years of service, noting that she often was able to help the board think through difficult issues and had been part of many changes and challenges.
“It’s always been about what is best for our children,” he said.
Jackson thanked all of the board members as well as the staff for all their hard work over the years, saying it wasn’t just her, but everyone working together for the students. “You are all wonderful people,” she said.
The board also received a report from Business Manager Sam Maney regarding the district’s financial position.
He reported they had a much better financial year than originally anticipated and released a statement for the media:
“The Clearfield Area School District ended the 2024-2025 school year with a $118,020 deficit in its general fund. The district originally projected a $5,827,399 deficit for the 2024-2025 school year. The favorable results can be attributed to increases in local tax revenues and investment income over projected amounts, as well as state subsidy payments that were not originally budgeted coupled with considerable savings in major expense categories such as personnel, tuition, and budgetary reserve. The district’s general fund balance as of June 30, 2025, was $16,342,358 and included $2,870,443 of reserves restricted for debt service obligations, $7,015,111 committed for employee benefit costs and charter-cyber tuition increases, and $3,277,542 assigned for real estate tax appeals, curriculum license renewals, technology replacements, and contractual obligations.
“The food service department of the Clearfield Area School District experienced a $389,794 surplus for the 2024-2025 school year. The district originally anticipated a $121,366 surplus. The additional surplus can be attributed to increases in investment income and state and federal meal subsidies as well as savings in projected food costs. The fund balance of the food service fund was $1,666,019 as of June 30, 2024.”
Maney said that when creating the budget he had been as conservative as possible with the numbers and was surprised and pleased when some of the income numbers were better than he had projected.
Additionally, the state gave districts an allotment for cyber-charter schools, which is new and was not part of the budget Maney created.
Struble also informed the boad that director Timothy Duke won the election for both the four year and two year seats on the board, and Duke chose to serve the four year term.
As a result, the district will advertise the two-year seat and letters of interest will be accepted until Dec. 8. A special meeting will be held Dec. 15 to choose a new board member and also to address any other business that would come before the board by that date.
