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<p>DALLAS &#8212; Parents questioned the safety policy of the Dallas School Board on Monday night, following two evacuations of school buildings due to bomb threats in late May.</p><p>&#8220;It took three hours to get people off campus. You never drilled teachers and you never drilled bus drivers,&#8221; Jane Tolomello said during public comment.</p><p>Wayne Marhelski told the board it was his understanding that there were children outside of school buildings for an extended period during the evacuations.</p><p>&#8220;You need to simplify your safety policy,&#8221; he told the board. &#8220;When stress goes up, the capacity for decision making goes down. Safety needs to be simple.&#8221;</p><p>He also encouraged the board to come up with a plan in which the board could consistently communicate with teachers during a crisis.</p><p>Superintendent Thomas Duffy said, &#8220;We can communicate with 177 teachers inside the building. Outside the building, its gets a little bit tricky.&#8221;</p><p>Duffy assured over two dozen parents gathered that the district was not cavalier about the safety of its students.</p><p>He said the district planned to train teachers on safety and evacuation over the summer, a plan that he said had been in place well before May&#8217;s evacuations.</p><p>He also said he was willing to meet with parents on the issue and was requesting input from school staff.</p><p>Duffy said the administration was looking into an updated automated system of communication, as well as using Facebook and Twitter to get information out as quickly as possible.</p><p><strong>Budget passed</strong></p><p>In another matter, the school passed their 2016-2017 budget in the amount of $37,015,881, with a millage of 13.14 mills. The budget reflects a 4.05 percent increase over last year.</p><p>The district is also levying a per capita tax of $10, an earned income tax of 1 percent, and an emergency municipal services tax of $52.</p><p>Finance Director James Gattuso said the tax increase was the result of an increased pension burden and the need to set aside funds for its elementary school building, noting that it was in disrepair.</p><p>Board member Patrick Musto agreed.</p><p>&#8220;The only reason that I can vote for this budget is because there is a capital fund included for Dallas Elementary,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Gattuso said there will be no change in curriculum or programs as part of the new budget.</p><p>Board member Sherri Newell, the sole &#8220;no&#8221; vote, said she believed more could have been done to hold down the tax rate.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m reluctant to transfer this burden to taxpayers,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Board President Colleen Slocum emphasized Dallas Elementary was safe at this time.</p><p>&#8220;It might become unsafe at some point,&#8221; she said.</p><p>In another matter, the board voted to fill a secondary math position due to a retirement.</p><p>Board member Kathy Wega who voted &#8220;no&#8221; to filling the position said she did so because of budgetary concerns.</p><p>Musto said he felt any deficit in math education would put students at a disadvantage as they entered college.</p><p>The next meeting of the Dallas School Board is scheduled for July 11 at 7 p.m.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Duffy </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_duffy-tom.jpg</photo0><caption0>Duffy </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Dallas School Board questioned on safety/evacuation policies