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Board approves routine minutes, finance, facilities, curriculum and human-resources packages; teacher contract set to take effect next year
Summary
At its June 16 meeting the Bethlehem Area School District board approved a series of consent items including minutes, finance, facilities, curriculum and human resources packages. The board also approved a new teachers’ contract that will take effect next school year and appointed an assistant principal.
The Bethlehem Area School District board approved a series of routine agenda packages and personnel actions during its June 16 regular meeting, voting unanimously on motions that covered minutes, finance, facilities, curriculum and human-resources items.
The board voted to approve minutes for several prior meetings, accepted the financial report and payment of bills listed as agenda items 701–704, and approved packages reported out of the facilities (11.01–11.11), curriculum (12.01–12.14), finance (13.01–13.29) and human resources (14.01–14.08) committees. All roll-call votes on those packages recorded six affirmative votes and no dissenting votes.
The human-resources package included a new collective-bargaining agreement with the district’s teachers’ association (agenda item 14.03). Board members said the agreement will not take effect until next year but described it in discussion as providing salary increases and giving the district and teachers predictability in budgeting. "We have a new agreement with our teachers that does not go into effect till next year, but gives them some peace of mind going forward as well as some well deserved pay increases," a board member said during closing remarks after that item passed.
Also included in human resources approvals was the appointment of Chris D'Amelio, a master teacher at Liberty High School, as assistant principal at a middle school (noted on the agenda as Bridal Middle School). The meeting record shows the superintendent recommended D'Amelio following the district application and approval process and the board approved the recommendation as part of the human-resources consent items.
The board also approved a two-year agreement for the district business manager and several committee minutes. The motions approving the packages were typically made and seconded by board members (for example, motions on minutes were moved by Dr. White and seconded by Dr. Shively) and were carried by unanimous roll call.
No items in the packages were pulled for separate debate during the meeting. The board held an executive session before the public meeting to discuss personnel; no formal report followed that session.
Votes at a glance: - Approve minutes (June 9 special; May 19 regular; May 12 special; April 28 regular): approved (moved: Dr. White; second: Dr. Shively). Vote: 6–0. - Approve committee minutes (various dates listed on agenda): approved. Vote: 6–0. - Approve financial report and payment of bills (items 701–704): approved (moved: Mrs. Schenkel; second: Dr. White). Vote: 6–0. - Facilities items (11.01–11.11): approved (moved: Dr. Bagpoli; second: Dr. Schaible). Vote: 6–0. - Curriculum items (12.01–12.14): approved (moved: Dr. Schaible; second: Dr. White). Vote: 6–0. - Finance items (13.01–13.29): approved (moved: Dr. Schaible; second: Mr. O'Lozzi). Vote: 6–0. - Human-resources items (14.01–14.08), including teachers’ agreement (14.03), appointment of assistant principal, and business-manager agreement: approved (moved: Dr. Shively; second: Mrs. Schenkel). Vote: 6–0.
Board members and administrators highlighted that the teacher agreement should help with budgeting and teacher retention, and thanked district negotiators and the teachers’ association for the process. The board adjourned following the listed agenda items and a short period of reports and public comment scheduling.
