Board advances multiple contracts and forwards agenda items to Sept. 23; two immediate staffing agreements approved

At its Sept. 9 Committee of the Whole meeting the Harrisburg City School District administration presented multiple contract, MOU, grant and procurement items; most were advanced to the Sept. 23 board meeting for formal approval, and two immediate staffing items were approved by roll call.

Approved by roll call (immediate action items)

- Emeritus Healthcare staffing agreement (immediate action). Motion carried on roll call: 9 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain. Roll call responses recorded: Miss Anderson (yes); Brian Carter (yes); Miss Copeland (yes); Miss Hughes (yes); Miss Johnson (yes); Miss Ratcliffe (yes); Miss Robinson (yes); Mister Roy (yes); Mister Thompson Leader (yes). The agreement covers temporary school health services and related special education staffing through the 2025–26 school year. The motion was moved and seconded during the meeting and recorded as an immediate action item.

- General Healthcare Resources LLC (GHR Education) addendum to the staffing agreement (immediate action). Motion carried on roll call: 9 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain. The item was described as an addendum to a prior agreement (07/01/2024) and extends district staffing support and fee schedules for 09/01/2025–06/30/2026 to address paraprofessional vacancies and special‑education coverage across the district.

Items forwarded to Sept. 23 agenda for approval (not final at this meeting)

The administration introduced and the board agreed to forward the following items to the board’s Sept. 23 general meeting for consideration and vote. (Descriptions are taken from the administration’s summary at the Sept. 9 meeting.)

- Agreement with Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf: off‑campus interpreting services for two students, amount $50,000 (transportation costs and interpreting services appear as related items). (Forwarded to 09/23/2025.)

- Transportation agreement with Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf: estimated $9,000 to transport three students. (Forwarded.)

- State Street Academy of Music agreement: music instruction for Saint Stephen (Title funding / equitable services), amount $93.60. (Forwarded.)

- Evolve Youth Trade Academy: pre‑apprenticeship training at $1,800 per student per marking period; attendance capped at 30 students. (Forwarded.)

- MOU with Bridal Future Learning Center to promote early childhood education at no cost to the district. (Forwarded.)

- MOU with Penn State University to participate in basic clinical trial recruiting (no cost to the district). (Forwarded.)

- Navigate360 PBIS subscriptions and PBIS rewards quotes for multiple schools (Ben Franklin, Melrose). (Forwarded.)

- Time‑away professional development requests. (Forwarded.)

- Updated 2025–26 district calendar (updated to remove one professional development day to meet teacher contract requirements). (Forwarded.)

- Personnel agenda items (creation/elimination of positions, job descriptions). (Forwarded.)

- Contract ratification for Emeritus Healthcare and the GHR addendum (these were also the immediate items approved). (Ratified/approved as noted above.)

- Agreement with Transportation Resource Group (TRG) for PennDOT approval and grant documentation for 15 mph flashing school zone lights at multiple schools; total cost shown as not to exceed $660,000 for four schools if grant not awarded. TRG will also assist with PennDOT grant documentation. (Forwarded.)

- Agreement with Don’s Towing to provide towing services at no cost to the district; the district will request tows only after district approvals; signage provided by contractor. (Forwarded.)

- Element Environmental lead water testing for 2025–26 school year: estimated cost $5,775. (Forwarded.)

- Craft bus driver runs and special‑education van runs for 2025–26. (Forwarded.)

- Ratification of participation in Pennsylvania Department of Education Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and acceptance of grants totaling $227,780 across district schools (grant award amounts enumerated in the administration summary). (Forwarded.)

- Diligent board.pro upgrade (board management software) for $11,500 (pending solicitor review). (Forwarded.)

- Software renewals (Delta Math, Securly Classroom) and other subscriptions listed in the administration packet. (Forwarded.)

- Treasurer’s report, check register and payroll ratifications for August 2025. (Forwarded.)

- Exoneration requests for property tax exemptions (Mount Olive Baptist Church; Living Christian Church Ministry) and associated amounts to be struck from delinquent collections due to restored tax‑exempt status. (Forwarded.)

What happened in the meeting

Board members sought operational details on specific items before final approval on Sept. 23: questions included whether interpreters are shared for multiple students (the administration said one interpreter can serve two students in the same location), source of Title and federal funds for nonpublic equitable services, transportation and scheduling for apprenticeship programs, credit and transportation arrangements for pre‑apprenticeship students, and whether towing contracts include safeguards to prevent predatory towing (administration said tows would be performed only after district approval and that signage and an approval list would be provided). Several items were described as pending solicitor review or subject to grant awards.

Ending

Most items presented on Sept. 9 were forwarded to the Sept. 23 meeting for formal votes and final approval. Two staffing‑related contract actions were adopted as immediate actions and approved by roll call at this meeting.