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Father presses Wyoming Valley West board to fix high school elevator, citing repeated failures
Summary
At the Feb. 5 Wyoming Valley West School District board meeting, a parent described repeated elevator failures that left his son trapped and voiced frustration at delays; the superintendent said the district is waiting on parts from the contractor and will seek updated delivery information for the full board.
At the Feb. 5 meeting of the Wyoming Valley West School District Board, a father alleged repeated breakdowns of the high school elevator and urged trustees to replace temporary repairs with a permanent fix, saying the malfunctioning equipment has caused fear and disrupted his son’s school day.
The father, James Sienkiewicz, described multiple incidents dating to October and said his son was trapped after the elevator failed. “I have been lied to,” Sienkiewicz said, describing repeated assurances that repairs or parts would arrive that did not materialize. He also told the board his son sometimes waits “almost 10 minutes” to use the elevator and that his wheelchair base weighs about 423 pounds, not counting the child’s body weight.
Why it matters: Board members said the elevator’s reliability is a student-safety issue that affects daily access for a student who requires a wheelchair. The superintendent and staff described interim steps taken, and trustees asked administration to obtain clearer timelines and parts-order information from the district’s elevator contractor.
Board members and staff provided a timeline and technical details during the public exchange. Superintendent Mr. Tosh said the district installed a camera after October 17 and that, apart from a recent incident caused when “a pencil got wedged in along the door on the track,” the elevator had not presented repeated problems since the camera’s installation. “We’re at the mercy of the elevator company when they come in with the parts,” Mr. Tosh told the board, adding that the district cannot complete certain repairs until replacement components arrive.
Board members confirmed the elevator is inspected by state inspectors (the board said the elevator “was just inspected in the past within the last month”) and said they consider safety and the certificate of inspection but also acknowledged that inspection and day-to-day reliability are separate concerns.
Trustees discussed crowding and regulation of elevator use. Several board members agreed the district needs a plan to limit unnecessary riders and better monitor pass use so the elevator is available when students who require it must travel between floors.
Next steps announced at the meeting: Superintendent Tosh said he would contact the district’s elevator vendor and Mr. Kortas (district staff) to request a specific delivery date for required parts and planned repairs, and he said he would share the contractor’s email response with the full board. A board member asked administration to provide the board with the vendor’s parts order history and expected arrival dates so “everybody would be on the same page.”
The father concluded his public comment saying he appreciated board attention and that he will continue to press for a permanent repair. The board did not vote on an immediate replacement at the meeting but directed staff to obtain vendor confirmation and to return with that information.
Ending: The superintendent committed to follow up with the contractor and to provide the board with parts and scheduling information; trustees also asked building-level staff to examine ways to better control elevator access until full repairs are completed.
