Altoona Area School District board approves contracts, policies, personnel and program agreements; hears teacher and resident comments

The Altoona Area School District Board of Education approved a range of contracts, service agreements, personnel actions and program items during its meeting.

Finance and contracts: The board approved renewal of the preferred health-care administration agreement at $11.50 per enrolled employee for Third Party Administrator services; retroactive approval of a health stop‑loss quote from Vault Strategies (option 1) for 2025–26; renewal of an administrative support agreement with Preferred Benefits Specialist; a three‑year solicitor services agreement with Beard Legal Group; and a Mutual of Omaha basic term life and accidental death and dismemberment policy with an annual premium of $131,521.

Operations and facilities: The board approved the 2025–26 student transportation contract with Amtron and authorized payment obligations for June–August 2025. It approved a sole‑source, emergency procurement to replace fuel pumps at the district bus garage with Bulger Brothers at an estimated cost not to exceed $36,000, to be paid from the capital reserve fund. The board also reviewed repository bids and approved capital reserve payments listed in the packet.

Education, student services and programs: The board completed first readings of multiple policies (discrimination/harassment affecting students, discrimination/harassment affecting staff, pregnant/parenting/married students, professional conduct and discipline procedures, employee freedom of speech, and a policy on the use of generative artificial intelligence in education). It approved multiple education items, including preschool calendars, concussion protocol, retroactive travel requests, grants and applications for adult education and family support programs, and several memoranda and letters of agreement with community providers (Impact Counseling, Child Advocates of Blair County Inc., Pyramid Healthcare/Soaring Heights School). Administration also requested and the board approved an audit and program analysis from Andrew M. Klein for special education.

Personnel and labor: The board approved a substantial personnel slate including volunteer coaches and event workers. Under new business it approved the AFSCME special education aide collective bargaining agreement (effective 08/15/2025–08/14/2028), and approved central office and Act 93 compensation plans (07/01/2025–06/30/2029).

Student discipline and services: The board approved expulsions of two secondary students identified in the packet by number (student numbers 852297 and 851038) as outlined in disciplinary hearings. For student placement and health services the board approved an agreement with Pressley Ridge for an educational placement for a foster student and a supplemental staffing agreement with Interim Health Care for nursing substitutes, to be used only as an emergency resource.

Public comment and recognition: Jason Hatch, a junior-high math teacher, told the board about a student team’s participation in the Impact Project and described a May trip to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center that involved nearly 80 students and subsequent student presentations (a YouTube link was provided to the board). Resident Mary Flick spoke about field maintenance problems at Keith Ball Field, reporting damaged turf from unauthorized motorized vehicles, trash around rental areas, unfilled post holes from removed exercise equipment and concerns about liability; district staff said the property is district‑owned, that a lessee has responsibilities under its lease, and that district staff are addressing the items.

Votes at a glance: Multiple items in finance, education, personnel and operations were approved by the board (motions carried by voice or roll call as noted in the transcript). A summary of specific approvals appears in the board packet and the meeting transcript.

Why it matters: The contracts and staffing decisions affect operations and services for students (transportation, health care, special education supports, and extracurricular programming). Approving the AFSCME collective bargaining agreement and compensation plans will affect pay and staffing for the coming years.

Provenance: The meeting transcript records each of the listed approvals, the first readings, the expulsions and the public comments by Jason Hatch and Mary Flick.