Whitehall‑Coplay board approves revised job descriptions, contracts and budget items; personnel hires acknowledged

The Whitehall‑Coplay School District Board of Education on June 9 approved several administrative and financial actions in a special session followed by committee meetings.

Key outcomes included: the board approved revised job descriptions (executive committee); the finance committee advanced a package that included adoption steps for the district’s 2025‑26 general fund and related resolutions; the operations committee approved contracts and investigation work for structural repairs at Steckel Elementary School; and the board acknowledged personnel items including new assistant principal hires.

Revised job descriptions: The executive committee asked for a motion to approve a set of revised job descriptions. The motion was seconded and carried on a roll call of 8–0. The board did not specify the mover on the record; a second was recorded. (Roll call recorded eight members present for the vote.)

Finance package: The finance committee presented four items for approval and moved them as a package: (a) approval of the qualifying tax rebate program; (b) final adoption actions related to the Whitehall‑Coplay School District 2025‑26 general fund budget; (c) adoption of the 2025‑26 Homestead and Farmstead resolution; and (d) a resolution permitting the collection of Whitehall Township real estate and per capita taxes by credit or debit card. The motion was moved and seconded in committee and carried on a roll call vote reported as 6 yes, 3 no. The committee discussion noted the district’s budgeted insurance figure of $552,000 for 2025‑26 (general liability, transportation and related coverage) and that the broker projected increases of a little less than 10 percent; the student accident insurance renewal was cited in committee as approximately $99,500 for the upcoming year.

Operations/repairs at Steckel Elementary: Committee members moved to approve contracts associated with a structural repair investigation and future repair work at Steckel Elementary School: a services contract with CAA Consultant Inc. and a necessary probing agreement with Stifel's Masonry LLC to investigate failing exterior lintels at seven locations on the building. The operations presentation said temporary shoring is installed and the next step is to remove core sections to determine root causes and develop a bid package for summer work; members approved the motion on an 8–0 roll call.

Personnel and appointments: The board moved to approve and acknowledge personnel items listed on the administrative report, and on the superintendent’s report the board congratulated the newly hired assistant principals, Ryan Johnson and Zach Garger, asking them to remain after the meeting. That personnel motion carried on an 8–0 roll call.

Other finance items discussed for later action included authorization for the business manager to make investment decisions with approved depositories, confirm payroll and expenses between meetings (to be ratified at the July meeting), authorization to appropriate fund balance beyond the 7.5 percent threshold if necessary after the audit, and the appointment of delinquent tax collectors (Portnoff for real estate and G.H. Harris for delinquent taxes). Those are scheduled for formal board action at the June 23 meeting or July confirmation votes as noted in committee.

No formal motions to adopt the 2025‑26 general fund budget were recorded as standalone board votes in the special session; the finance committee moved the four items as a package that carried in committee. Additional budget and a la carte lunch price items were discussed and will return for formal approval when final figures are available.

Votes at a glance: - Revised job descriptions — motion carried (roll call recorded 8 yes). - Finance package (qualifying tax rebate program; steps for final adoption of 2025‑26 general fund; Homestead & Farmstead resolution; card‑payment resolution) — committee vote reported as 6 yes, 3 no (motion carries in committee; final board confirmations scheduled as noted). - Steckel Elementary structural investigation contracts (CAA Consultant Inc.; Stifel's Masonry LLC) — approved, 8 yes. - Personnel items (listed administrative personnel actions; assistant principal hires Ryan Johnson and Zach Garger acknowledged) — approved, 8 yes.

The board’s next regular meeting is Monday, June 23, when committee recommendations and remaining finance items will be returned for final board action or confirmation.