[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6480815,"mediaKeyId","5576786-a1d3e0b0fb7a5b99a922dae6b972a71b","parentId",5576786,"title","Parent asks North Allegheny board to add parental appeal process to retention policy 2.15","audioSeconds",153,"startMs",1053000,"endMs",1206000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5576786-a1d3e0b0fb7a5b99a922dae6b972a71b&start=1053&end=1206","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5576786-a1d3e0b0fb7a5b99a922dae6b972a71b/thumbnail_1053000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6480815/Pennsylvania/Parent-asks-North-Allegheny-board-to-add-parental-appeal-process-to-retention-policy-215","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480815-8d4ea47b0aad24a27edce0bb55a3a84e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127114&Signature=b1xBL7QMpROPyqLstIRD2o5Rv5e0IKuMm7Wg4Lx4l5SJkqeCtTgZHrx93exlI64pg8NUAexvMv7EG2KTzJV82c1-N4I4cykQB42tLllT16Gg9i3XWnMVJmLH94XBTXVTGO~p6eJmX-Rb4NJzE1bdu9lRJLV4zSr66FChb4iygGXqxeneDDBn8S0~AlMQzqcU4gta1X0gEbsmm1KeUAuZOMVCmzZmk~ifcBWe1JzcIsGTWPYPUIoqjUTbdupDzMPWh1umMuyFym4uuyP6LU7nANxR7ZdcrrivnSVqAGtx8gQ1~gv-zc69eML1MSWw4NeoYa5KPUQC3oDPkqqDCoXl9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Allegheny School District","date","2025-08-07T11:34:36Z","article","A McCandless parent urged the North Allegheny School Board to revise policy 2.15 (promotion and retention) to give parents a formal role and an appeal path when retention is denied.

Ursula Lessek told the board she formally requested grade retention two years ago for her twin daughters and that the request was denied with no formal appeal process. \"Under the current policy, there was no formal process for appeal or collaborative review,\" Lessek said, describing the twins’ current placement in a small learning-support classroom for three of 10 classes.

Lessek proposed the district create a retention review team that would include parents, classroom teachers, a school counselor and the building principal, and she suggested that if the team could not reach consensus parents should be able to submit a written appeal to the assistant superintendent for final review. \"This change would ensure that the retention decisions are made with transparency, shared responsibility, and respect for the insights families bring to the table,\" Lessek said.

She left a recommended proposal with district staff at the meeting. The board did not take action on policy 2.15 at the session; Lessek asked the board to consider the amendment as part of aligning district practice with best practices and more collaborative decision-making.

The request illuminates a parent’s concern about the district’s retention process, the placement of students in learning-support settings and the role of family input. Board members did not discuss or vote on the proposed policy change during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","NASD School Board Regular Meeting—Wedesday, August 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A McCandless parent asked the board to revise policy 2.15 on promotion and retention to add a formal retention review team and an appeal route to the assistant superintendent.","taxTitle","North Allegheny SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania","taxId",78423,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6480819,"Residents tell North Allegheny board a district employee deliberately ran over protected geese; family and commenters dispute details",620,700000,1320000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5576786-a1d3e0b0fb7a5b99a922dae6b972a71b&start=700&end=1320","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5576786-a1d3e0b0fb7a5b99a922dae6b972a71b/thumbnail_700000.jpg","/articles/6480819/Pennsylvania/Residents-tell-North-Allegheny-board-a-district-employee-deliberately-ran-over-protected-geese-family-and-commenters-dispute-details","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480819-31f003005dc8a0557c1e4dfcd25c19d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127114&Signature=nO85ADw3hIrRczLuFp3QA7GJJYokyriOvbneh86qCbwW-Ajcr-yCI8ujytKHpaGWVBtxCzlCsova~r4iBIx~sEwZg4lwCAgzHVkZQlrpoTsdpJyMI4XKnAkCpW7hO59JfEMO1hMPrIZd~i~Ueu-tVxN~9~uJtRWsEFKQ2nz8U8XbHCIq7KJf-ZRaJ7oYTEzMTs9jUYPpCPm8DpWOMssYYExZDYR7eiCCNy7JwpibnpuHfu8NXVgi~Xwwsi-at5j0NQ9ApMPNezf6rmK6g8cLuOU2GLpbkjLoAfEdhaEqp7xxyZAHqaS~Un8q7BHv2VXpmCDa~ZIfTdUJbHeAbRl3bA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several residents addressed the North Allegheny School Board during public comment alleging that a district maintenance worker and part-time wrestling coach deliberately ran over a Canada goose and its goslings in May, a claim that prompted conflicting statements from the employee’s family and other members of the public.

\"I’m here to talk about an incident that occurred in May at about 9:07 p.m.,\" said Dr. Francis Kelly, who identified himself as a district resident. Kelly said a man in a black SUV struck a female Canada goose and her four goslings and that video of the event shows the driver did not brake or swerve. \"Two babies died,\" Kelly said. \"This tragic incident resulted in public outrage.\"

Witness Diane Bandy told the board she saw the event in the Pine Creek area on Blazer Drive. \"I was traumatized and deeply hurt by witnessing his cruel and senseless act,\" Bandy said, describing injured goslings and a distressed mother goose.

Speakers cited the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, with Kelly noting Canada geese are federally protected and saying killing one can be a felony. Several speakers said the episode attracted television coverage and widespread community reaction.

Those remarks were met by immediate rebuttal from the employee’s father, who identified himself as Steve Cassidy. \"He swerved,\" Cassidy said, and he told the board that police and the district attorney reviewed the matter and did not pursue charges. \"They found nothing wrong except this was just a mere accident,\" he said.

Another resident, Michelle Pepitone, urged the board to view the video footage she said was widely shared online and argued the behavior should disqualify the worker from being around minors. \"I really do think it's incumbent that you do so… I don't think my tax dollars should go to support that, and I don't think he should be around minors either,\" Pepitone said.

John Harrison, a parent and resident, urged the board to rely on the decisions of police and the district attorney. \"If the police department did not find anything and the DA did not find anything, then the school board should sit there and do the exact same thing,\" Harrison said.

Board members did not take formal action on the matter during the meeting. Board staff accepted documents from at least one speaker. The board did not announce any administrative personnel actions during the session.

The board heard multiple conflicting personal accounts; speakers on both sides referenced video recordings and communications with law enforcement. The assertions and the denials given to the board are on the public record from the meeting, but the board made no finding of culpability and did not move to alter the employee’s status during the session.","Multiple residents addressed the school board alleging a North Allegheny maintenance worker deliberately ran over a Canada goose and goslings in May. Speakers cited video evidence and federal law; the employee’s father and other commenters said authorities found the incident to be an accident.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6480823,"North Allegheny board approves consent agenda, ratifies paraprofessionals contract",120,480000,600000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5576786-a1d3e0b0fb7a5b99a922dae6b972a71b&start=480&end=600","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5576786-a1d3e0b0fb7a5b99a922dae6b972a71b/thumbnail_480000.jpg","/articles/6480823/Pennsylvania/North-Allegheny-board-approves-consent-agenda-ratifies-paraprofessionals-contract","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480823-79e99efb5d5828332fdba1e2a93fdbd0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127114&Signature=Xutjw8OeAWNXwBdeSrjjQHqefLpSDZTu~LcWLVXl5LMOtX0LGH~sM~IukVTHBFPm7uTEPCfXYLWJ8sbfC~gsRdJpSmBcMTNmHs7OTdrh~gWxG0vuMX3kBgzV~iT9CizHOOJ8GabOHagIP6vdNsJCvoMnPes9G5qp9ghovgDB9EfvvXu3LAqYWXMvd1N8f93ppbBOQc0SDq-5uvFvG~NjsnTRcILpxHnAUl7SHRB77xZkJCm~z1utASaFEsWNIYZ8JpRd1WNIGHkqq67x52gJVOrlZjK3qh1CFilq-rPxZls~0Z99yU~uKWYzfXkMvqrcvYsySza8vQRcNy8j6j8QbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The North Allegheny School Board voted unanimously at its August meeting to approve a consent agenda that included ratification of a collective bargaining agreement with the district’s paraprofessional unit and approval of minutes from the June 11, 2025, meeting.

Board members said the consent package also included new appointments, supplemental contracts, modest wage-status changes, removal of two Title 5 service agreements for now, and an update to the central administration server room air conditioning project. \"We have added some new appointments, some new supplemental contracts, minor changes to the wage status changes,\" a board member said while explaining the package.

Board member Robert McClure thanked Facilities Director Michael Chibala for revisiting options on the server-room cooling project, saying the estimate fell from about $46,000 to $39,000. \"Thank you, Mister Chibala, for revisiting the server room... from 46,000 is down to 39,000,\" McClure said.

Board members also singled out staff who worked on the paraprofessionals negotiation. \"I would just like to add my thanks to the Paraprofessionals Union for all the work they have done, working with us on this… and thank our HR team, and especially Miss Tracy and Doctor DeRaimo for all the work they put into these negotiations,\" one board member said.

After brief comment and no further questions from board members, the board voted to approve the June 11 minutes and the full consent agenda. The board clerk announced the votes were unanimous; later in the meeting a board member characterized the board’s vote on the paraprofessionals contract as a 9-0 result. \"I think, for the entire board, that it's 9-0,\" said Dr. Hyland.

The approvals leave the district with the new paraprofessionals agreement in place and several administrative items cleared for implementation. The district indicated two Title 5 agreements were removed from the consent agenda and are expected to return for consideration next month.

Board members closed the item and moved on to reports and public comment.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Approve minutes for the June 11, 2025 meeting. Moved by Missus Warner; second not specified. Outcome: approved (unanimous).
- Motion: Adopt consent agenda (includes paraprofessionals collective bargaining agreement, appointments, supplemental contracts, wage-status changes, server-room AC update). Mover and seconder: motion made and seconded on the floor. Outcome: approved (unanimous).","The North Allegheny School Board unanimously approved a consent agenda that included ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement for paraprofessionals, the minutes from the June meeting and several administrative updates.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Parent asks North Allegheny board to add parental appeal process to retention policy 2.15

Residents tell North Allegheny board a district employee deliberately ran over protected geese; family and commenters dispute details

North Allegheny board approves consent agenda, ratifies paraprofessionals contract