For the second year in a row, a teacher at the Penn’s Grove Middle School has been named as a recipient of the Citadel Heart of Learning Award.

Oxford Area School District superintendent David Woods congratulated Carol Weigner for receiving the honor at the May 10 Oxford School Board meeting. Wiegner is a seventh grade language arts teacher in the Penn’s Grove School. She has a total of 24 years of experience as a teacher, the last 15 at Penn’s Grove School. In addition to her classroom responsibilities, she is a member of the school’s Core Data Team, which develops strategies for meeting the academic needs of Penn’s Grove students.

“Carol is one example of the many stellar teachers in the district,” Woods said.

The Citadel Heart of Learning Award was established by Citadel and the Chester County Intermediate Unit to recognize and reward teachers in the county. Each winner receives the award and $1,500 to be used for classroom supplies and other instructional resources.

Woods said that there were approximately 2,800 nominations for the Heart of Learning Awards this year, and only three winners—one each at the elementary, middle school, and high school level were honored with the top prize. He thanked Citadel for recognizing the hard work of teachers, and said that it is very appropriate that the Citadel Heart of Learning Award is presented during National Educator Appreciation Week.

Woods also noted that this is the second year in a row that a teacher from Oxford has been a recipient of the Citadel Heart of Learning Award. In 2015, Julie Myers, a teacher of academically talented students, received the award for the middle school level.

The school board also received an update on the proposed budget for the 2016-2017 school year. Brian Cooney, the district's business administrator, said that the proposed $65.6 million spending plan is essentially the same as it was at this time last month.

“We have no material changes to the budget,” Cooney told the school board.

The $65,663,336 budget is increasing by about $2,269,456, or 3.58 percent, over the current school year. More than half of the increase can be attributed to PSERS contributions.

As of now, a one-percent tax increase is expected to balance the budget. A one-percent increase would hike the millage rate from 30.5347 mills to 30.84 mills. For the average taxpayer, that equates to a $40 increase in the tax bill. Cooney said that the average tax assessment in the district is approximately $130,000 of assessed value.

The school board will vote to adopt a final budget for 2016-2017 in June.

Cooney also talked about the student-participation fees for the 2016-2017 school year. The administration is recommending that the participation fees should remain the same for the next school year—there is a $50 participation fee for athletics at the Penn’s Grove School, a $75 participation fee for athletics at the high school, and a $75 fee for parking at the high school.