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Punxsutawney Area SD board approves union contract, personnel slate and multiple consent items
Summary
At a regular meeting, the Punxsutawney Area School District board approved a new union contract, a block of personnel actions including tenure and a principal appointment, and multiple routine consent items including purchase orders and bills; the student handbook was tabled for a special August meeting.
The Punxsutawney Area School District Board of Education at a regular meeting approved a new collective bargaining agreement, a block of personnel appointments including several tenure grants and the appointment of an elementary principal, and a series of consent-agenda items ranging from athletic and transportation reports to purchase orders and payment of bills.
The approvals came as part of a single series of motions that the board handled largely by voice vote. Board members also agreed to table revisions to the student handbooks until a special meeting scheduled for August, and accepted several donations reported in the athletic and high school items.
Board members moved through routine agenda reports in succession. The board approved minutes from previous public meetings; accepted the athletic director's report, which included resignations, hires, purchase orders and a donation from Gelati Magical Empire and new jerseys for special nights; and approved transportation, buildings and maintenance, cafeteria and federal programs items presented by staff. The cafeteria report noted that some menu prices would remain the same as last year; a board member asked that a projected cafeteria budget be prepared for the year.
Superintendent Dr. Krainbacher acknowledged the bargaining team and recommended board approval of the union contract, thanking the negotiating team for its work: "a big achievement for, the bargaining team, which was made up of Chad and Didi and Doug. Hats off to them." The board voted to approve the contract and to exclude two personnel line items from the block approval where candidate names were not yet available.
In personnel actions the board approved substitute lists, resignations, support and professional staff appointments, supplemental positions and a block of personnel items subject to two specific line-item exclusions where names were missing; the board also granted tenure to the following staff members (names as provided in board materials): Shannon Carpenter, Nancy Forbes, Lexi Godo, Luke Perts Pertsenal, Brook Stello and Bobby Young. The board introduced and acknowledged a candidate, Gil (full name not specified in the record), who will serve as an elementary principal and will be formally considered as part of the personnel approvals.
The board accepted the recommendation to award an RFP for school specialists to "Claire" (last name not specified in the record). Staff indicated that two personnel items (3b and 4e in the personnel memo) were struck from the block because names were not listed; the board said those items will be revisited at a future meeting or the special August session when names are available.
The financial report and purchase orders were approved, and the board authorized payment of bills, including several larger invoices associated with a playground project that were included in the bills presented. A board member raised the district's ongoing concern about the cost impact of cyber schools and said the district would continue to pursue legislative relief; staff said they would look up related legislation and follow up.
Items the board tabled included identified sections of the student handbooks; the board directed the handbooks be edited and returned for consideration at a special August meeting. The board also announced a community mixer for Aug. 20 to welcome Dr. Kaye and Dr. Gaston to new positions; staff said the event is open to the community.
Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes (June 10 and June 17): motion carried by voice vote. - Athletic report items 1–5 (resignations, hires, purchase orders, donation from Gelati Magical Empire, jerseys): approved by voice vote. - Transportation report items 1–8: approved by voice vote. - Buildings & maintenance items 1–2 and related purchase orders: approved by voice vote. - Cafeteria items including menu pricing and purchase orders (including US Food Services): approved by voice vote; board requested a projected cafeteria budget. - Federal programs and curriculum items (purchase orders, schoolwide affirmation statement, Title I agreement, RFP): approved by voice vote; RFP for school specialists awarded to Claire (last name not specified). - Superintendent report items 1–7: approved by voice vote. - Personnel block (items 1–14) with two exclusions (3b, 4e) due to missing names: approved by voice vote. Tenure granted to Shannon Carpenter, Nancy Forbes, Lexi Godo, Luke Perts Pertsenal, Brook Stello and Bobby Young. - Payment of bills (items 1–3) including playground invoices: approved by voice vote.
No roll-call vote tallies or individual surnames were recorded in the public remarks; motions were handled by voice vote with the chair asking "All those in favor? Aye."
