Minutes - April 12, 2023 COW/Voting Meeting
HOLLIDAYSBURG AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
MINUTES
The Hollidaysburg Area School Board met Wednesday, April 12, 2023 for a Committee of the Whole/Voting Meeting in the Senior High Library, 1510 N. Montgomery Street, Hollidaysburg. Dr. Sommer called the meeting to order at 7:06p.m. and opened the meeting with the pledge to the flag.
Roll call was taken by Mrs. Fiscus with eight members present. Attending were Dr. Sommer, President, Ms. Frye, Mr. Snyder, Mr. Nichols, Mr. Brenneman, Mr. Stephens, Ms. Costanza and Ms. Bilek. Ms. Hartman was absent.
Also present were Dr. Gildea, Superintendent, Dr. Palazzi, Director of Curriculum, Mrs. Koehle, Director of Special Education, Mrs. Fiscus, Business Manager/Board Secretary, Mrs. Thomas, Director of Accounting Operations, Mr. Caldwell, Director of Human Resource/Transportation, Mrs. Summerville, Data Management Administrator, Mr. Nihart, Director of Physical Plant, Attorney Beard, Sr., Solicitor, Mr. Bonanno, Mr. Harrington, Mr. McCall, Mr. Hartline, Mr. DeLattre, Mr. Keagy, Dr. Letcher, Mr. Madden and Mr. Krott.
Public Comment
Trish Haight and Michael Eardley commented on the controversy surrounding implementation and enforcement of Policy 321.
Student Representative Report
Per Board Policy 004.2-Student Representatives to the Board, Senior Representatives, Regan Farringer and Riley Hensley and Junior Representatives, Connor Owen and Jacob Ott presented their monthly report to the board.
Business Office Report / Mrs. Fiscus
The board met in executive session Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 6:00p.m. for policy discussion, Monday, March 27, 2023 at 5:30p.m. in reference to impact bargaining, and Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 6:00p.m. for personnel and impact bargaining.
Meetings for May, 2023:
Special Voting Meeting (Proposed Budget Adoption)
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Time: 7:00p.m.
Hollidaysburg Area Senior High Library
1510 N. Montgomery Street
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
Committee of the Whole (Budget Discussion Only) immediately following the Special Voting Meeting
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Curriculum Committee
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Time: 5:00p.m.
Hollidaysburg Area Senior High Library
1510 N. Montgomery Street
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
Committee of the Whole/Voting
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Time: 7:00p.m.
Hollidaysburg Area Senior High Library
1510 N. Montgomery Street
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
Alternative Funding Committee
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Time: 5:00p.m
Hollidaysburg Area Senior High Library
1510 N. Montgomery Street
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
Committee of the Whole - Budget Discussion
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Time: 6:00p.m.
Hollidaysburg Area Senior High Library
1510 N. Montgomery Street
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
All board meeting agendas are available for public viewing (3) days prior to each meeting date on BoardDocs. BoardDocs web address is https://www.boarddocs.com/pa/hasd/Board.nsf. Interested parties should enter the public site.
On motion of Mr. Snyder, seconded by Mr. Brenneman, Per Board Policy 006 Meetings, the board approved the minutes of the March 8, 2023 Athletic Committee Meeting and March 8, 2023 Committee of the Whole/Voting meetings with corrections. Mr. Stephens corrected the March 8, 2023 Committee of the Whole Meeting to change his vote on the financial reports from a yes vote to an abstention on the Financial Reports - List of Payments, due to a conflict of interest. Ms. Costanza noted an error in the roll call portion of the minutes. Mr. Nichols was present but his name wasn’t reflected in the roll call portion of the minutes. The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes.
Ms. Frye initiated a motion, seconded by Ms. Bilek to approve financial reports for March, 2023. The reports included Treasurer’s Report, List of Payments, Investment Portfolio, YTD Expenditures/Revenues, Budget Transfers, Food Service for February, 2023 and Senior High Student Store for February, 2023. The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 1
Presentation
Ms. Hannah Barrick, Executive Director and Dr. Timothy Shrom, Director of Research of PASBO gave a presentation on basic education state funding.
Mr. Stephens initiated a motion, seconded by Mr. Brenneman, Per Board Policy 006 Meetings, to approve the following contracts/agreements:
Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8 - Substitute Teacher Consortium Participation for the 2023-2024 school year Cost: $500 Exhibit 2
Letter of Agreement with The Meadows Psychiatric Center effective July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025 for educational services Cost: $70/day Exhibit 3
Agreement with South Hills School of Business & Technology effective April 1, 2023 through March 30, 2028 for an IT intern No Cost Exhibit 4
Agreement for Disposal/Recycling of Surplus Computer and Electronic Equipment with Computer Systems Asset Disposal effective April 12, 2023 through April 11, 2024 for recycling and disposing of obsolete computer equipment No Cost Exhibit 5
Contract with Scenario Learning, LLC. d/b/a Vector Solutions effective July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 to provide Vector Training Platforms for HASD staff - Special Education Edition, Educator Essentials PA, Employee Safety and Compliance Library. This is a renewal and revision to reflect new billing terms and service dates Cost: $5,741.41 Exhibit 6
Letter of Agreement with The Healing Patch effective April 12, 2023 through May 31, 2024 to provide in-school grief support services to students No Cost Exhibit 7
Software as a Service Agreement with Tyler Technologies effective April 12, 2023 through April 11, 2024 for annual software renewal and for cloud migration Cost: $32,877 Exhibit 8
Contract with Link Computer effective June 29, 2023 through June 28, 2024 for renewal of Google Workspace for Education Cost: $16,975 Exhibit 9
Auction Sales Contract with "Col." K. R. Miller, Jr., Auctioneer for Auction (date to be determined) at Cross Keys Auction Center for an auction of school district obsolete equipment, including a vehicle, kitchen equipment, cardio and weight room equipment, and other miscellaneous items. Cost: 10% of vehicle sales; 15% of miscellaneous sales Exhibit 10
The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes.
Ms. Frye initiated a motion, seconded by Mr. Nichols to authorize the administration to bid the following items for the Food Service Department:
(3) Milk coolers
(1) warmer
(2) ovens
(1) pass thru cooler
The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes.
Mr. Brenneman initiated a motion, seconded by Mr. Stephens, to approve the Petition of Blair County Tax Claim Bureau to Sell Properties at Judicial Sale free of tax liens. The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 11
For informational purposes, the board was presented with information on Blair County Tax Assessment Appeal Settlement - US Foodservice - Order of Settlement and Discontinuance of the Tax Assessment appeal filed to Blair County Court of Common Pleas Docket Nos. 2021 GN 3385 & 3386 by US Foodservice.
On motion of Ms. Bilek, seconded by Mr. Brenneman, the board approved the following 2022-2023 Capital Reserve Projects:
• Tiger Stadium Track Resurfacing - $166,000 which includes 100 square yards of track replacement. Any additional replacement will cost $45.00 per square yard.
• CW Longer Elementary fire alarm panel replacement - $22,000
The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 12
Tiger Paw Path Repaving
On motion of Ms. Frye, seconded by Mr. Stephens, the board approved the administration’s request to use $22,499 of the Budgetary Reserve for the repaving of Tiger Paw Path. At the January 11, 2023 Voting Meeting, the board approved transferring $40,000 from the budgetary reserve to be used for the insurance deductible for the water damage at CWL and Junior High Schools. However, the insurance carrier put both buildings under one claim and the district only had to pay one deductible in the amount of $20,000. Therefore, there is currently $20,000 that was transferred from the budgetary reserve that we are requesting be reassigned to the repaving of Tiger Paw Path and an additional $2,499 would need to be transferred from the budgetary reserve to cover the cost of the project. This would allow the repaving to be completed in time for the senior class to complete their project of repainting the tiger paws on the entire Tiger Paw Path. The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 13
On motion of Ms. Bilek, seconded by Mr. Nichols, Per Board Policy 706.1 Disposal of Surplus Property/Textbooks/Supplies, the board approved the disposal of various obsolete equipment and books. The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 14
Superintendent’s Report / Dr. Gildea
Ms. Bilek initiated a motion, seconded by Mr. Stephens, to approve the following course name changes:
Course Name Changes:
New Name Previous Name
PH Literary Studies 8 (1 credit) PH Literary Studies 8 (.5 credit)
CB Literary Studies 8 (1 credit) CB Literary Studies 8 (.5 credit)
The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes and zero no votes.
Exhibit 15
Curriculum Updates:
Dr. Palazzi submitted the following working draft curriculum map for Board approval. This map will then be open for this school year in order for teachers to make minor tweaks to the curriculum, such as pacing, and will come back to the Board next year for final approval.
• 8th Grade Literary Studies
Dr. Palazzi submitted the following curriculum map for final board approval:
• Puberty Lesson for Boys
On motion of Ms. Frye, seconded by Ms. Bilek, the board approved the draft and final curriculum maps as presented. The motion carried on a roll call vote with seven yes votes and one no vote. Ms. Costanza cast the dissenting vote. Exhibit 16
Ms. Bilek initiated a motion, seconded by Mr. Stephens, to approve a New Course Proposal for Social Skills – JH. The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 17
On motion of Ms. Frye, seconded by Ms. Bilek, Per Board Policy 108, Adoption of Textbooks, the following textbook will be on display from April 13, 2023 through May 18, 2023 at the administrative office and can be reviewed by appointment by calling 696-4454, ext. 1123. The textbook will be voted upon at the May 17, 2023 Voting Meeting:
Proposed Textbook:
Course: K-6 Elementary Mathematics
Title: Ready and i-Ready Classroom Mathematics
Publisher: Curriculum Associates
Copyright: 2023
Annual Cost: $63,120/yr.
Year 1 paid by ESSER funds
Years 2 through 6 out of the Curriculum Budget
The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes.
Exhibit 18
Per Board Policy 217 Graduation, Mr. Nichols initiated a motion, seconded by Mr. Brenneman, to approve the list of 2022-2023 candidates for the award of a diploma. The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 19
On motion of Mr. Snyder, seconded by Ms. Bilek, Per Board Policy 614 Payroll Authorizations, the board approved personnel items 1 through 142 dated 4/12/2022 REV 4/11/2023 at 2:26p.m. The motion carried on a roll call vote with eight yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 20
There being no new business to be brought before the board, Dr. Sommer declared the meeting adjourned at 8:29p.m.
Autumn Fiscus
Board Secretary