Saint Mary's Area School District board approves appointments, contracts, purchases and personnel items

The Saint Mary's Area School District Board of Directors voted through a slate of routine business during its May 12, 2025, regular meeting, approving appointments, service contracts, vendor purchases and multiple personnel and labor agreements.

Key approvals included renewing Richard R. Brown Jr. as solicitor for the 2025-26 school year; appointing Ginger Williams as board secretary for a four-year term beginning July 1, 2025; appointing Amy Dippoldt as board treasurer for one year beginning July 1, 2025; and appointing Bobby Ginther as assistant board secretary for one year beginning July 1, 2025.

Contracts and vendor approvals included a school-van purchase from Myers Equipment Corp for $79,924 (lowest qualified bid) for student transportation; track maintenance cleaning and restriping agreements with Chance APFS/Chance ATFS; a support-services contract and board resolution with Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit 9 for 2025-26; and multiple agreements with Dickinson Center Incorporated covering a mental-health specialist, LIFE program letter of agreement, Student Assistance Program and Signs of Suicide prevention program, and elementary student-assistance services. The board also approved a partial-hospitalization program agreement with Dickinson Center and a linked agreement to support the program’s student lunch costs.

Additional contracted services and affiliations approved by the board included an educational services agreement with New Story Educational Services for 2025-26, a teacher-education affiliation agreement with Pennsylvania Western University for five years, and a D9 North basketball assigner contract for officiating arrangements in 2025-26. The board approved participation in the Guidance Center’s Project Report Certification program, which the board described as “the program that helps our expecting mothers and fathers.”

Personnel and labor actions approved included the district’s provisional employment recommendations (pending preemployment conditions and Act 151 clearances), a memorandum of agreement with the Saint Mary’s Area Education Support Professionals Association (PSEA/NEA) effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028, and a memorandum of agreement with the Saint Mary's Area Education Association. The board recorded at least one abstention on a salary item (item 15j) and otherwise approved personnel recommendations.

Other business approved by voice vote included payment of bills across funds (general, athletics, food service, payroll and board checks), the treasurer’s report for March 2025, approval to proceed with a request for proposals for cafeteria tables, approval of procurement methods using state cooperative contracts for consumable supplies and equipment, approval of reserve fund budgets, a homestead and farmstead exclusion resolution, a budgetary transfer authorization pending final audit, permission for a five-student Envirothon field trip to Winber Park May 20–21, 2025, new bus stops at 111 Cuneo Road, Kersey, PA and 137 Sarah Road, Saint Marys, PA, and a schedule of athletic passes and ticket prices.

Votes at a glance (selected items as recorded in the meeting): - Renew solicitor Richard R. Brown Jr.: approved (voice vote). - Appoint Ginger Williams, board secretary (07/01/2025–06/30/2029): approved (voice vote). - Appoint Amy Dippoldt, board treasurer (07/01/2025–06/30/2026): approved (voice vote). - Appoint Bobby Ginther, assistant board secretary (07/01/2025–06/30/2026): approved (voice vote). - Purchase school van — Myers Equipment Corp — $79,924: approved (voice vote). - Chance APFS/ATFS track cleaning and restriping agreements: approved (voice vote). - Seneca Highlands IU9 support services contract: approved (voice vote). - Dickinson Center contracts (mental health; LIFE program; SAP/Signs of Suicide; elementary SAP): approved (voice vote). - Partial hospitalization program agreements and lunch-support agreement with Dickinson Center: approved (voice vote). - New Story Educational Services agreement: approved (voice vote). - Teacher education affiliation with Pennsylvania Western University (5 years): approved (voice vote). - D9 North basketball assigner contract: approved (voice vote). - Saint Mary's Area Education Support Professionals Association contract (07/01/2025–06/30/2028): approved (voice vote).

Why it matters: the approvals cover legal counsel, financial officers, student support services, transportation assets and personnel terms that will affect district operations in 2025-26. The Dickinson Center and Seneca Highlands IU9 contracts provide behavioral-health and specialized support services used by students; the van purchase and track maintenance affect student transportation and facilities; and the labor agreements set terms for support staff and teachers going into the next school year.

Procedural notes: most items were approved by voice vote with the board chair or presiding member calling for “all in favor” and the meeting recording “Aye” followed by “Motion carries.” Where a member abstained (salary item 15j), the transcript records the abstention but does not attribute it to a named member in the audio excerpt provided.