Octorara Area School Board hears finance update, approves multiple contracts, leaves and policy first readings

The Octorara Area School District Board of School Directors received a finance update and approved a series of contracts, personnel leaves and policy first readings at its recent meeting.

The board’s finance committee reported that the district is expected to be owed approximately $4,000,000 by the state at the end of the month. The committee also said a conversion to new finance software produced technical difficulties that delayed the full monthly report; the committee said the district expects to provide a corrected report in September after the software issues are resolved.

The board then approved a series of routine agenda items and contracts. The board approved the recommended actions from items a through q, including a reported salary change listed for Melissa Friedman. The transcript lists the change as: “from bachelor’s, $60,729 to bachelor’s plus $1,563,564 dollars step 15 to max.” The board record as presented at the meeting was unclear on the exact numeric intent for the salary change; the transcript text is included in the meeting minutes as read aloud.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes and recommended action items (items a–q), including the salary item for Melissa Friedman (amounts as read aloud in the meeting transcript; numeric wording in the transcript was unclear). Outcome: approved. - Approval of a proposal from Chester County Fencing for a playground fence at the intermediate school, $23,124.13, and a field hockey fence at the (recorded as “primary learning center”) $9,074.60. During discussion a board member noted the agenda wording should refer to the intermediate school for the second fence; the board proceeded to approve the item. Outcome: approved. - Approval of a CoStars quote with King Swings for playground equipment at the intermediate school, $99,365.27. Outcome: approved. - Approval of a quote with TranSystems Corporation for engineering services to evaluate the building frame at the Primary Learning Center to support a new roof chiller unit, $2,850. Outcome: approved. - Approval of fuel pump depot work with a total project cost quoted at $133,761.61, with individual quotes listed in the transcript (Wayne Pine $4,210; Chester County Fencing $21,595.61; Ferguson and McCann $69,356; Ferguson and McCann Electric $9,800; Mendenhall Concrete $28,800). Outcome: approved. - Approval of a CoStars quote with Fry Lutz for HVAC repairs at the intermediate school, $21,639. Outcome: approved. - Approval of an amended contract with Campus Services Group for evening custodial services, $800,514.84. Outcome: approved. - Approval of an addendum to a contract related to the district superintendent that, as read in the meeting, included a curtailed payment of $250,000 to be used for a middle school HVAC project. The transcript wording of this motion was not fully clear; the board approved the addendum as read. Outcome: approved. - Personnel and leave approvals: unpaid family medical leave for an employee identified as “employee A” from Sept. 25, 2025, through Oct. 17, 2025 (approved); unpaid leave for an employee identified as “employee D,” effective September 2025 (dates not specified in the transcript; approved); approval of intermittent unpaid family leave for an employee identified as “employee C” for the 2025–26 school year (the transcript used the phrase “family mental leave” in one place; the record also uses “family medical leave” earlier — the district minute text indicates leave was approved and the exact statutory designation should be confirmed in the official personnel file). Outcome: all approved. - Employment and pay: approval of Megan Patton as a food service worker, effective Aug. 25, 2025, at $15 per hour; the transcript also references “plus 5 hours” without further detail; the board approved the hire. Outcome: approved. - Approval of lists of supplemental coaching positions and volunteer coaching positions for the 2025–26 school year (lists were approved; individual positions were not read into the transcript). Outcome: approved. - Policy committee items and first readings: the board approved the first reading of several policies as reported by the policy committee, including Policy 113 (special education), Policy 626.1 (travel reimbursement—staff/federal programs), and Policy 827 (conflict of interest). The policy committee also reported planned wording changes for Policy 108 (adoption of primary resources), Policy 109 (adoption of secondary resources), Policy 110 (instructional supplies), Policy 111 (lesson plans) and recommended changing Policy 112’s title from “guidance counseling” to “school counseling.” The committee noted suggested wording updates that will return for first reading next month where indicated. Outcome: first readings/approvals as reported.

During the meeting the board received routine reports from administrators. An unnamed administrator thanked clerical and maintenance staff for summer work preparing buildings for the school year, saying, “It truly takes a village,” and reported that a Primary Learning Center parent engagement event drew about 50 families. The administrator also recognized new PTO officers and named Kelly Lenaris as PTO president in the meeting record. A staff or administrator reported meeting earlier with student leaders to discuss college-prep and tutoring programs, a community service day, lunch seating and back-to-school night activities.

Board business and committee staffing were also discussed. The board noted two open positions on the finance committee and one open position on the education committee following recent resignations; board members asked for volunteers to fill short-term assignments. The finance report noted the district’s current financial situation was “pretty good” but reiterated the state receivable estimate and the upcoming corrected report in September.

The board announced an executive session for personnel matters after the meeting and listed upcoming committee and board meeting dates in August and September as recorded in the meeting agenda.

The meeting record contains multiple instances of short-form references and a few unclear numeric transcriptions (notably one salary line and one contractual addendum wording). Those lines are reported here as read in the transcript; the district’s official minutes and personnel/contract records should be consulted for precise figures and contract language.