Solanco SD board approves education planning guide, CTC assessment and several contracts; rejects high‑school hot‑water bids

The Solanco School District Board of School Directors on Jan. 6 approved a series of routine and project items, including adoption of the 2025–26 educational planning guide, acceptance of the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center (CTC) budget assessment, contracts for architectural and athletic‑facility design services, personnel actions, and a discipline waiver resulting from an earlier executive session. The board also voted to reject all bids for the high‑school water‑heating replacement and directed staff to re-scope the project.

Why it matters: together these votes set the district’s instructional offerings for 2025–26, commit district assessments to a multi‑district technical‑education budget, and move several capital projects into the design or procurement phases.

Most significant actions

- Educational planning guide: The board approved the district’s 2025–26 educational planning guide, which the administration said will move to an electronic format to save publishing costs and add new course offerings including Italian 3, AP French and child development 2, plus a jewelry‑making course. The guide had been presented previously; the board voted to approve it as presented.

- Lancaster County CTC budget: The board approved Solanco’s share of the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center budget for fiscal year 2025–26. The total CTC budget presented was $25,974,990, an increase of $1,020,810 from the prior year; the presenter said member school districts will fund approximately 67.4% of the budget through assessments.

- Tennis courts design and oversight: The board approved an agreement for design services and construction oversight for tennis‑court replacement and renovation at the high school. The administration said the professional services estimate for the design and oversight work is just under $20,000 and that the project is budgeted in the district’s capital projects fund.

- High‑school water‑heating project: After reviewing three bids, the administration recommended—and the board voted to—reject all bids for the high‑school hot‑water/heating replacement. The administration said staff will reexamine the project scope and may pursue quotes instead of a formal rebid.

- Architectural/engineering agreement: The board approved an architectural engineering services agreement with Dillow and Associates for work at the high school.

- Personnel report: The board approved the personnel report, which includes new hires and retirements; the administration called particular attention to Alicia Fleming (new autistic‑support teacher) and to the retirement of Emily Ritholds after about 28–29 years of service.

- Discipline waiver: Following an executive session on student discipline, the board approved the administration’s recommended waiver for student 2024‑2025501.

Votes at a glance (outcome: unanimous unless noted)

1) Approve early graduation of two students — approved (aye, no opposition). 2) Approve 2025–26 educational planning guide — approved (aye, no opposition). 3) Approve Lancaster County CTC budget assessment ($25,974,990 total budget presented) — approved (aye, no opposition). 4) Approve agreement for tennis‑court design and construction oversight (estimate just under $20,000) — approved (aye, no opposition). 5) Reject all bids for high‑school water‑heating replacement (bid closed; three bids received) — approved (motion to reject passed; aye, no opposition). 6) Approve architectural/engineering agreement with Dillow and Associates for high‑school work — approved (aye, no opposition). 7) Approve personnel report (hires/retirements as listed) — approved (aye, no opposition). 8) Approve recommended discipline waiver for student 2024‑2025501 (result of executive session) — approved (aye, no opposition).

What the votes do not do: Minutes and motions reflect approvals and rejections as recorded in the public meeting; where the administration indicated further steps (for example re‑scoping the hot‑water project or taking design documents to bid for the tennis courts), those next steps were described as staff recommendations rather than completed procurements.

The board also set dates and announced a planned building‑committee meeting for Jan. 21 and reminded the public of an in‑service day (no students) Jan. 20 and the regular board meeting Jan. 27.

Ending: The meeting concluded after the votes and brief board comments celebrating recent graduate acceptances and local athletics results.