Minutes - April 9, 2025 Committee of the Whole/Voting (ADA Compliant)
HOLLIDAYSBURG AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
MINUTES
The Hollidaysburg Area School Board met Wednesday, April 9, 2025 for a Committee of the Whole/Voting Meeting in the Senior High Library, 1510 N. Montgomery Street, Hollidaysburg. Ms. Bilek called the meeting to order at 7:04p.m. and opened the meeting with the pledge to the flag.
Roll Call was taken by Mrs. Fiscus with nine members present. Attending were Ms. Bilek, President, Dr. Sommer, Ms. Sullivan, Dr. Li, Mr. Snyder, Ms. Luther, Mr. Brenneman, and Dr. Wells. Ms. Costanza, Vice-President participated virtually. Also present were Mr. Whitesel, Superintendent, Mrs. Prosser, Director of Special Education, Mrs. Fiscus, Business Manager/Board Secretary, Mrs. Bell, Director of Accounting Operations, Mr. Caldwell, Director of Human Resource/Transportation, Mr. Nihart, Director of Physical Plant, Mr. Arthur, Director of Technology, Dr. Letcher, Mrs. Cerully and an Altoona Mirror Representative.
Student Representative Report
Per Board Policy 004.2-Student Representatives to the Board, Senior Representative Madison McLaurin and Junior Representative Alice Haslam presented their monthly report to the Board.
Public CommentRachel Lockard, 1304 Allegheny Street, Hollidaysburg addressed the board regarding the 3rd grade class size at Chares W. Longer Elementary School.
Business Office Report / Mrs. Fiscus
Announcements: The board met in executive session Wednesday, April 9, 2025 for personnel.
Meetings for May, 2025:
COW/Budget Discussion - Finance
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Time: 5:00p.m.
Senior High Library
1510 N. Montgomery Street
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
Physical Plant Committee
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Time: 4:00p.m
Senior High Library
1510 N. Montgomery Street
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
Policy Committee
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Time: 5:00p.m.
Hollidaysburg Area Senior High Library
1510 N. Montgomery Street
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
COW/Voting - Proposed Budget Adoption
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Time: 7:00p.m.
Hollidaysburg Area Senior High Library
1510 N. Montgomery Street
Hollidaysburg PA 16648
COW - Budget Discussion * If Needed
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
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 Ms. Sullivan, seconded by Dr. Li, Per Board Policy 006 Meetings, the board approved the minutes of the following meetings:
March 19, 2025 Athletic Committee
March 19, 2025 Finance Committee
March 19, 2025 Committee of the Whole/Voting
The motion carried on a voice vote with nine yes votes and zero no votes.
On motion of Dr. Wells, seconded by Mr. Brenneman, the board approved Financial Reports for March, 2025, items 1 through 8. The report included Treasurer’s Report, List of Payments, Investment Portfolio, YTD Expenditures/Revenues, FY Projections, Budget Transfers, Food Service for February, 2025 and Senior High Student Store for February, 2025. The motion carried on a voice vote with nine yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 1
Ms. Sullivan initiated a motion, seconded by Dr. Sommer, Per Board Policy 006 Meetings, to approve the following contracts/agreements:
Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8 - Substitute Teacher Consortium Participation for the 2025-2026 school year Cost: $500 (Budgeted) Exhibit 2
Contract with AJ Technology Group effective April 24, 2025 (63 months) for JH and SH postage machines Cost: $135/month (Budgeted-No Increase) Exhibit 3
Letter of Agreement with Simply Speech Therapy, LLC. retroactive to March 13, 2025 through June 1, 2025 for speech therapy services to two homebound students Cost: $55 per 1/2 hr or $27.50 per 15 min unit for up to 3 hrs/wk for direct and indirect services (Budgeted) Exhibit 4
Letter of Agreement with Extended Family Programs, Inc. effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 for day treatment and educational services for enrolled students Cost: $108 per student per day (Budgeted) Exhibit 5
Emergency Shelter Agreement with Blair Township Supervisors effective April 9, 2025 through April 9, 2030 for Blair Township to use Frankstown Elementary as an Emergency Shelter No Cost Exhibit 6
Affiliation Agreement with Pennsylvania State University effective March 12, 2025 through March 12, 2030 for qualified students to participate in the practicum or student teaching experience No Cost Exhibit 7
Contract with Scholastic Book Fairs - (FKS) effective April 9, 2025 through October 14, 2025 for the purchase of books and educational products (Fair Dates: October 6, 2025 through October 13, 2025) No Cost - Parent/Student Paid Exhibit 8
Contract with Scholastic Book Fairs - (CWL) effective April 9, 2025 through October 14, 2025 for the purchase of books and educational products (Fair Dates: October 6, 2025 through October 13, 2025) No Cost - Parent/Student Paid Exhibit 9
Contract with Scholastic Book Fairs - (FOT) effective April 9, 2025 through October 14, 2025 for the purchase of books and educational products (Fair Dates: October 6, 2025 through October 13, 2025) No Cost - Parent/Student Paid Exhibit 10
Contract with Music Theatre International effective March 20, 2025 through December 1, 2025 for royalty, materials and shipping fees for a Junior High theatre production Cost: $3,775 ($400 paid from Student Activities Account for HARP (#61) and $3375 paid from the Fine Arts Budget for HARP in 25-26) The $400 deposit will be refunded upon return of materials (Budgeted) Exhibit 11
Contract with Link Computer Corporation effective April 10, 2025 through April 9, 2026 for Wasabi Cloud Storage Cost: $7,268 (Budgeted) Exhibit 12
Contract with Link Computer Corporation effective April 10, 2025 through April 9, 2026 for Acronis Cloud Storage Subscription Cost: $12,766 (Budgeted) Exhibit 13
The motion carried on a voice vote with nine yes votes and zero no votes.
Dr. Sommer initiated a motion, seconded by Ms. Luther to approve the 2025-2026 Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center Budget. The motion carried on a roll call vote with nine yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 14
Mrs. Fiscus reminded board members to complete their GACTC Budget Ballot and return it to her before the end of the meeting.
Ms. Luther initiated a motion, seconded by Ms. Costanza, to approve the following:
Blair County Tax Claim Bureau Repository Bids:
Reject bid from Rhoderick Alexcander Williams for Map# 08.00-15D.-054.00.000 for $800.0
Accept bid from Jaydn Dane Lemin for Map# 08.00-15D.-054.00.000 for $1,000
and Per Board Policy 702, Gifts, Grants, and Donations, a donation from the Frankstown PTO for funds for upgrades to the Frankstown walking track.
The motion carried on a voice vote with nine yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 15
Superintendent’s Report / Mr. Whitesel
On motion of Ms. Costanza, seconded by Dr. Sommer, Per Board Policy 217 Graduation, the board approved the list of 2025-2026 candidates for the award of a diploma. The motion carried on a voice vote with nine yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 16
Mr. Whitesel announced that there was a Change in course length from Semester to Year for both Engineering Design and Computer Aided Engineering.
On motion of Ms. Luther, seconded by Dr. Wells, the board approved Items 3 and 4 as follows:
The addition to the following web-based resource that requires student accounts.
Addition:
Site: Google Earth
URL: https://earth.google.com/
Grade levels: K-12
GACTC Summer Mini Camps
M-Th, AM
Week of June 9th, Bus Transportation
For students in Grades 4-8
Costs covered by a grant
The motion carried on a voice vote with nine yes votes and zero no votes.
Mr. Whitesel announced that the Books on Wheels Program will be implemented in the summer for students in Grades K-6 using the Special Education Van and books found in the CW Longer Elementary Basement on the following dates:
One Day the Week of June 9th
One Day the Week of June 23rd
One Day the Week of July 7th
One Day the Week of July 21st
Ms. Costanza initiated a motion, seconded by Mr. Brenneman, to approve items 6 and 7:
HASD Kindergarten Camp - August 2025
Per Board Policy 614 Payroll Authorizations, personnel actions 1 through 96
The motion carried on a voice vote with nine yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 17 and 18
President’s Report / Mrs. Bilek
Ms. Luther initiated a motion, seconded by Dr. Wells, to approve items 1 and 2 as follows:
Statement of Rights, Waiver of Hearing and Agreement in the case of student ID# ending in 03 and Per Board Policy 000 Board Policy/Procedure/Administrative Regulations, the first and second reading of Policy 011, Principles for Governance and Leadership. The motion carried on a voice vote with nine yes votes and zero no votes. Exhibit 19
There being no, further business, Ms. Bilek declared the meeting adjourned at 7:22p.m.
Autumn Fiscus, Board Secretary