Greencastle-Antrim School Board approves personnel, contracts and invoices; hears reports on bonds, roofing and accounting software

The Greencastle-Antrim School District Board of School Directors on Aug. 7 approved a slate of routine business including personnel actions, contracts and invoices while hearing reports on longer-term capital planning and software conversion.

Board members voted to approve personnel items A through N, then separately approved item O after an abstention was recorded. The board also approved annual memberships and contracts that the administration asked the board to ratify for the 2025–26 school year, and accepted the treasurer’s report for the month ending June 30, 2025.

The superintendent asked the board to approve the district’s annual membership to Action Driven Education at a cost of $950 for use by the special education department in developing individualized education programs. The board approved the membership by roll call, with all seven voting in favor.

The board approved a two-year contract for River Rock Academy covering 2025–26 and 2026–27 by roll call, with all seven members voting yes.

The district’s business manager reported the invoices presented for payment included a general fund total “a little over $6,100,000” and student activity funds totaling “a little over $5,900.” The board approved payment of the invoices by roll call.

During the meeting the board discussed three items of prospective or emerging capital work and finance strategy:

- Bond planning: The district’s financial advisor has recommended issuing bonds in approximately $10 million increments to remain bank-qualified. For fiscal 2025, after deducting leases on the books, the advisor indicated the district could issue $8,885,000. The administration said the financial advisor (Jamie Doyle of Public Financial Management) will present details, including projected costs and draw schedules, at an upcoming meeting or the meeting after that.

- Career center roof overrun: The administration said the career center roofing project required a change to a tapered roof after wetness was discovered, increasing the district’s cost by $111,000. The Joint Operating Committee (JOC) has already approved the change; the administration said it expects to cover the overrun using subsidy funds and budget favorable variances but asked the board to note the budget impact.

- Track resurfacing: The administration recommended pursuing a resurfacing of the district track using a “flood and chip” method in June 2026. The estimated total cost, including replacement of a damaged section and adding a javelin runway, was approximately $340,000. Bidding, consulting and project oversight through the recommended vendor (Turf, Track and Field) were estimated at about $19,009.85; the administration proposed using funds set aside from prior field projects to cover half the cost and planned to put the project out to bid in January.

On finance systems, the board heard a report about converting the district’s accounting software. The district’s current vendor, Harris Computing, will offer a new package with a reported one-time conversion cost of $25,000 and an annual cost thereafter of $25,000 — roughly $3,000 more than the district’s current annual expense and substantially less than some alternative systems that the administration said could cost as much as $90,000 per year. The administration recommended scheduling an April conversion to align with reporting and tax cycles and said it would present more detail at a future meeting.

Other approved business included board authorization of monthly phone stipends and clarification of transportation and E-rate items:

- The board approved a monthly $75 phone stipend for the superintendent and assistant superintendent, consistent with the CFO contract; ownership and maintenance of devices will remain the responsibility of the superintendent and assistant superintendent.

- The board approved the 2025–26 pupil transportation bus stop schedules and the contracted transportation drivers for 2025–26.

- The administration said it will ask at a future meeting to retroactively approve E-rate support services for funding years 2024–25 and 2025–26 and to approve 2026–27 going forward; the administration said prior agenda wording had used “fiscal year” rather than the correct “funding year” and wants the record corrected for audit purposes.

The board also approved the architect-of-record agreement and Amendment 1, which define the scope of work and allow for future amendments as project draw schedules and scopes evolve.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: General approval of agenda; Outcome: Passed (voice/roll call). 7–0. - Motion: Approval of minutes (June 5 and June 19, 2025); Outcome: Passed (voice/roll call). 7–0. - Motion: Approval of treasurer’s reports (month ending June 30, 2025); Outcome: Passed (roll call). 7–0. - Motion: Approve annual membership to Action Driven Education ($950); Outcome: Passed (roll call). 7–0. - Motion: Approve River Rock Academy contract (2025–26, 2026–27); Outcome: Passed (roll call). 7–0. - Motion: Approve phone stipend ($75/month) for superintendent and assistant superintendent; Outcome: Passed (roll call). 7–0. - Motion: Approve personnel items A–N; Outcome: Passed (roll call). 7–0 (one member recorded as abstaining on roll call but subsequently voted). - Motion: Approve personnel item O; Outcome: Passed (roll call). 6–0–1 (one abstention recorded). - Motion: Approve payment of invoices (general fund ~ $6,100,000; student activity funds ~ $5,900); Outcome: Passed (roll call). 7–0. - Motion: Approve 2025–26 pupil transportation bus stop schedules; Outcome: Passed (roll call). 7–0. - Motion: Approve contracted transportation drivers for 2025–26; Outcome: Passed (roll call). 7–0. - Motion: Approve architect of record agreement and Amendment 1; Outcome: Passed (roll call). 7–0.

What’s next

The board scheduled a voting meeting and an executive session for Aug. 21 (executive session at 5:05 p.m., board meeting at 6:00 p.m.). The administration said it will present school improvement plans tied to the district comprehensive plan for board approval at the next meeting and must submit those plans to the state by Sept. 1 because the district is moving from targeted Title I K–5 to schoolwide Title I status for affected schools.

The administration indicated it will bring more detailed materials on the bond issuance plan, accounting software conversion, track resurfacing bids and any additional budget amendments at one of the next meetings.