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Board approves contracts, hires and facility expenditures; multiple personnel actions confirmed
Summary
At its July 21, 2025 meeting the Octorara Area School District board approved a series of contracts, purchases and personnel actions including a behavioral-health liaison agreement, furniture and HVAC purchases, an animal shed authorization, and multiple hires and pay changes.
The Octorara Area School District Board of School Directors on July 21 approved a package of contracts, purchases and personnel actions, including a one-year agreement for behavioral-health liaison services and several hiring and pay changes.
The board approved the treasurer's report for the period ending June 30, 2025, and authorized payment of bills for the July 2025 meeting: general fund $1,814,987.41; cafeteria fund $51,975.13; capital projects $859,789; total $2,726,751.54.
Board members approved a letter of agreement with Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health for student-assistance liaison services, effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The board also approved vendor quotes and purchase authorizations: STS Innovative Interiors for furniture in an additional autistic-support room ($17,592.70), Fry Lutz for a Fujitsu ductless heat pump system at the middle school ($8,425), and 3 B Services Incorporated for a variable frequency drive at the high school ($8,167.58). The board authorized the purchase of animal sheds not to exceed $25,000 to temporarily replace space lost in a building fire last fall.
Personnel actions approved included a sabbatical leave for David Heffner for the 2025–26 school year; acceptance with regret of Marsha Rapone’s resignation as yearbook advisor at Octorara Middle School, effective July 1, 2025; approval of a recommended termination of an employee identified as “Employee A,” effective June 30, 2025; and multiple new hires and summer appointments that are pending completion of required employee paperwork. New hires approved effective Aug. 12, 2025, include Daniel Soltes (health and physical education teacher, salary $65,237), Emily Viscaglia (fifth-grade teacher, $60,229), Nicole Norton (autistic-support teacher, $60,229), Rebecca Ahern (autistic-support teacher, $60,479), and Raven McCoy (autistic-support teacher, $60,229). The board approved Shelby Donovan as an instructional assistant effective Aug. 25, 2025, at $17 per hour for 5.75 hours per day, and Lori Whitman as a summer tutor at $30 per hour. The board also approved supplemental coaching contracts for Mallory Griffin (head cheerleading coach, $2,480) and Joshua Parker (varsity head wrestling coach, $6,200).
A change in salary for Robert Linenbal due to earning graduate credits was approved (from $75,739 to $77,970). Two other salary-change entries in the meeting record (for Renee Schenck and Maria Scarfo) contained figures that were not clearly recorded in the public transcript; the board approved the requested salary adjustments as presented, but the meeting record does not specify the completed dollar amounts.
All motions recorded in the public meeting transcript passed by voice vote. Where the transcript records only the board saying “Aye” and “Motion passes,” no roll-call tallies or named votes are provided in the public record.
Votes at a glance (selected items approved) - Treasurer’s report: approve general fund report for period ending 06/30/2025 — approved. - Pay the bills (July 2025): General $1,814,987.41; Cafeteria $51,975.13; Capital projects $859,789; Total $2,726,751.54 — approved. - Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: letter of agreement for student-assistance liaison services (07/01/2025–06/30/2026) — approved. - STS Innovative Interiors: furniture for autistic-support room — $17,592.70 — approved. - Fry Lutz: Fujitsu ductless heat pump system (middle school) — $8,425 — approved. - 3 B Services Incorporated: variable frequency drive (high school) — $8,167.58 — approved. - Animal sheds purchase authorization: not to exceed $25,000 — approved. - Diesel fuel tank pump quote (discussed in facilities report): Ferguson McCann quote $69,356 (discussion/committee level; quote noted) — no separate board-level vote recorded in the motions list beyond facilities’ routine reporting. - Personnel appointments, resignations, and supplemental contracts listed above — approved.
All formal actions recorded in the public portion of the transcript were approved by voice vote. Motions were typically moved and seconded with no roll-call vote published in the transcript.
Ending — The board adjourned after committee reports, announcements and a brief public-facing facilities and communications update. The board set committee and meeting dates for August and September as described in the meeting.
