OFFICIAL MINUTES
WEST BRANCH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
MORRISDALE, PA February 25, 2008
The regular meeting of the West Branch Area School District Board of Directors was held February 25, 2008, at 7:05 p.m. in the high school library.
Members present: Tim Eyerly; Ron Mollura; Larry Cowder; Larry Allen; Don Yontosh; Gerald Coble; Mary Ann Couteret; Joe Kovalcin; Tom Veres
Paul J. Monella II; Kim Eyerly; Jeff Ennis; Annie Lynn; Holly Michael; Jeff Eyet; Holly Petriskey; Taylor Thomas; George Stratton; Lester Smeal; David L. Williamson; John Milliron; Brady English; Steven Bell; Trey English; Jeremy Kanouff; Chris Beveridge; Tylan English; Kristine Kolesar; Mindy Kolesar; Laura Coble; Preston Raymond; Trent Yarrison; Laurie Josephson; Lynn Brewer; Allison Koleno; Alvin Hubler; Becky Hubler; Nancy M. Smeal; Dave Nelson; Shelly Milliron.
Student Reports: None
Presentations:
Taylor Thomas, a student in Joe Matson’s eighth grade civics class, apprised the board of the award that a team of eight students received. They are one of 16 teams nationwide to win a cash prize at the Lexus Challenge. The eight students will share the prize of $2,500 and Mr. Matson will receive $500 for the school to use on the project. The team received two composting units from Susan Alexander, The Penn State University Cooperative Extension. The project is set to begin on March 3 with the students using unused food from the cafeteria.
Trent Yarrison, President of WBEA, filling teacher positions left vacant by retirements.
Don Yontosh motioned, Tom Veres seconded, to approve the minutes of January 28, 2008 as presented. Motion carried.
Don Yontosh motioned, Larry Allen seconded, to approve the following motions:
Motion carried.
Tim Eyerly motioned to seek proposals from firms interested in providing food service management services in West Branch Area School District. Motion died for lack of a second.
Don Yontosh motioned, Mary Ann Couteret seconded, to approve the following motions:
Accept the resignation for retirement purposes of Janice Walker, Grade 1 Teacher, effective upon the completion of the day after the last day of school of the 2007-2008 school year. Mrs. Walker has been a teacher in West Branch for 37 years.
Accept the resignation for retirement purposes of William Gabel, Secondary Band Instructor, effective at the conclusion of the 2007-2008 school year. Mr. Gabel has been a teacher in West Branch for 30 years.
Accept the resignation for retirement purposes of Adele Williams, Elementary Learning Support Teacher, effective upon the completion of the last day of school for the 2007-2008 school year. Ms. Williams has been a teacher in West Branch for 36 years.
Approve, as presented, the following volunteers. All paperwork has been received.
Brenda Holt – District Volunteer
William Owens – District Volunteer
Dorothy Webster – District Volunteer
Michele Raymond – District Volunteer
Elaine Dixson – District Volunteer
Dennis Dixson – District Volunteer
Gwen Dukeman – District Volunteer
Rhonda Brilla – District Volunteer
Dave Harmic, Rachel Carr, Andy Brickley, Andy Bowen, Ryan Bickel – Track/Field
John White, Dennis Arnold, Doug Cole – Softball
Jon Wooster, William Myers – Baseball
Judy Carlson – District Volunteer
Approve Gerald White as Assistant Varsity Softball Coach.
Approve Ron Henry as Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach.
Approve Kelly Woodling as Junior High Head Softball Coach.
Approve the following substitutes. All paperwork has been received.
Karen Thomas – Elementary Secretarial
Amy Godin – Secretarial, Cafeteria
Dale Read – Custodial
Mary Sheroke – Cafeteria
Ruth Flaharty – Cafeteria
Approve Leave Without Pay for Barbara Spencer; Grade 3 Teacher, for March 7, 2008.
Approve, as presented, the conference requests listed below:
Jennifer Brickley, Social Studies/Enrichment Teacher, to Coraopolis, PA on May 12, 2008 to attend Strengthening Instruction for Gifted Students Through Differentiated Teaching Strategies, with all costs, $280.00, to be paid with Title II funding ($195.00 for registration and $85.00 for a substitute teacher for one day).
Cindy Gormont, High School Secretary, to Clearfield County Career and Technology Center on April 3, 2008 to attend the Child Labor Law Seminar, with costs to the district not to exceed $29.00 for a substitute.
Sarah Ewing, Elementary Learning Support Teacher, to Central Intermediate Unit on February 19, 2008 to attend the PASA Make-N-Take Workshop, with all costs, $85.00, to be paid with Title II funding ($85.00 for a substitute teacher for one day).
Doug Sankey, High School Guidance Counselor, to Central Intermediate Unit on February 29, 2008 to attend 2008 PSSA Administrator Training, with no cost to the district.
Van Johnson, Elementary Guidance Counselor, to Central Intermediate Unit on March 4, 2008 to attend 2008 PSSA Administrator Training Session, with no cost to the district.
Bruce George, Elementary Teacher, to Tuscarora IU #11 on February 6, 2008, to attend ELL Data Management and Title III Requirements and Responsibilities, with all costs, $146.00, to be paid with Title II funding ($61.00 for mileage if the driver’s education car is not available and $85.00 for a substitute for one day).
Holly Michael, Elementary Librarian, to State College to attend What’s New in Children’s Literature, with all costs, $280.00, to be paid with Title II funding ($195.00 registration and $85.00 for a substitute for one day).
Tom Partner and Ronda Hanslovan, English teachers, and Betty Fry and Michael Hughes, Math Teachers, on a date to be announced, to attend Out of Box Training, with all costs, $340.00, to be paid with Title II funding ($340.00 for four substitute teachers for one day).
William Hayward, Elementary Principal and Federal Programs Coordinator, to Hershey Lodge & Convention Center, on April 13-16, 2008 to attend the PA Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference, with costs not to exceed $894.00 to be paid with Title I funding ($360.00 registration, $486.00 lodging, and $48.00 meals).
Wendy Fernburg, Supervisor of Special Education, Mars, PA, on March 10-12, 2008 to attend the School Leaders inclusive Practices Symposium and Annual PEAL Conference, with costs not to exceed $499.00 to be paid by the district ($125.00 registration, $294.00 motel and $80.00 meals).
Amanda Harris, Speech/Language Therapist, to CIU on March 19, 2008 to attend the Meeting the Needs of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Conference, with cost to the district not to exceed $30 for registration.
Sean Wechtenhiser, Secondary Principal, to Pittsburgh, PA on March 26, 2008 to attend the 2008 PSSA Informational Sessions/Understanding AYP Conference, with no costs to the district.
INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES:
Joe Kovalcin motioned, Don Yontosh seconded, to approve, as presented, the field trip requests listed below:
Jennifer Brickley, Enrichment teacher, to take ten Enrichment students to Odyssey of the Mind Competition in St. Mary’s, PA with all costs, $550.00 registration to be paid by the district. The school van will also be needed.
Jessica Frank and Ronda Hanslovan, English Teachers, to take twenty Honors English Grade 10 students to J.H. Philips Café’ and Gift Shop, with all costs, $85.00 for two substitutes teachers for one half day. Two school vans will also be needed.
Trent Yarrison, Elementary Band Teacher, to take twelve students to Glendale High School for Band Fest on May 16, 2008, with all costs, $85.00, to be paid by the district. ($85.00 for a substitute for one teacher). Four student helpers and two aides will also chaperone.
Joe Matson, Civics Teacher and Adam Carr, Social Studies Teacher, to take fifty students to Teen Court, Clearfield County Courthouse, on March 18, 2008, with all costs, $320.00, to be paid by the district. ($170.00 for substitute teachers and $150.00 for bus transportation).
Kim Hunter, Secondary English Teacher, and a team of Grade 10 students to the Light Your World/Second Mile Leadership Institute in State College on March 30-April 2, 2008, with costs to the district not to exceed $255 for a substitute teacher for three days and the use of the school van.
Motion carried.
Elementary Report – Mr. Hayward
Secondary Report – Mr. Wechtenhiser
District Report – Dr. Lukasavich
1. A costly buy out of the previous superintendent’s contract because of the wording of the employment contract.
2. Ethics forms violation.
3. Membership information was not available for 05-06 and therefore 7 million dollars of subsidies and reimbursements is in question.
4. Non-compliance with the Sunshine Law.
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS:
Joe Kovalcin motioned, Larry Allen seconded, to approve the request submitted by the Graham Township Neighborhood Watch Organization to use the high school auditorium on a date in March for a community presentation on Burglary Prevention. The date is to be coordinated with the school administration to ensure no conflicts with school activities. Motion carried.
The Board reviewed the information presented by Linda Miller of PPL for Phase Two of the energy conservation building renovations. Upgrades will include new high school gym lighting, elementary roof replacement, skylight removal, window replacement in the rear and courtyard, high school door replacement, new elementary visitor entrance and asbestos tile replacement.
Joe Kovalcin motioned, Mary Ann Couteret seconded, to approve proceeding with selected energy conservation building renovations specified in Phase Two of the PPL Energy Services Program. Motion carried.
Maintenance Report – None
Joe Kovalcin motioned, Larry Allen seconded, to approve the following motion:
Resolved that special counsel for the district is authorized to settle the claims of Allied Mechanical & Electrical, Inc. and DeGol arising from the 2006 construction and remodeling project for not more than the limits agreed upon with him. If one or both settlements are made, the Board President is authorized to sign the agreements on behalf of the Board and the Business Manager is to make payroll within 30 days after the date of the agreement from the remaining construction fund. Motion carried.
TRANSPORTATION: None
MISCELLANEOUS:
Career Center Report: Joe Kovalcin, alternate member, reported that the CCCTC is working on a preliminary budget.
Intermediate Unit Report: None
Committee Reports / Committee Items for Consideration: None
Correspondence: The Education Law Seminar will be held in Altoona, PA on March 26 for any board member who wants to attend for the cost of $40.00.
Business Manager – Paul Carr
· The district was approved to serve a free lunch over the summer because of our numbers of free and reduced students.
RECOGNITION OF VISITORS:
Lester Smeal – Graham Township: Mr. Smeal is a taxpayer and registered voter and questioned the Board why they would put a former board member back on the board when the public had voted him out and had voted for change. Allen Levin, School Solicitor, responded that the appointed to the vacancy was done in accordance with school code.
George Stratton: Mr. Stratton would like to see the cheerleading squad under the supervision of the athletic director. The head cheerleader advisor does not have an email address and is not readily accessable. The cheerleaders are governed by their own handbook, no accountability of advisors, cheerleaders not required to have a physical and the discipline is not applied consistently. He would like to have Mr. Williamson’s role expanded to include supervision of the Tennis Club, Ski Club and Athletic Clubs.
Brady English – Graham Township: Mr. English presented the Board with petitions to open the position of head coach and hire Lester Smeal. 250 people have signed the petition.
New Business: None
Old Business: None
An executive session will be held following the meeting for Personnel and Contractual.
Don Yontosh motioned, Tom Veres seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Miriam Ennis
Board Secretary