Scranton board tables purchase of Operations Hero work‑order system; approves elevator service, grounds equipment, band uniforms and Aramark food contract

The Scranton School District Board of Education on May 5 tabled a proposal to buy a districtwide work‑order and facilities‑management system and approved a series of separate contracts and change orders, including a five‑year elevator service contract, groundskeeping equipment and a food‑service management contract.

The board paused the purchase of Operations Hero — a commercial work‑order/inventory/event automation platform the administration recommended — after extensive questions about cost, overlap with existing systems and which staff would use the software. Louann Heenehan, president of the Scranton chapter of union 32BJ, told the board the district needs a reliable system and “We need the tools to do our job.” The board voted 6–3 to table the purchase and asked administration to return with written answers about modules, pricing and how the platform would interoperate with systems the district already owns.

Why it matters: administrators and custodial staff said the district lacks a reliable system to track work orders, preventive maintenance and inventory; several board members said they needed documents and clearer ownership before committing. Administration said Operations Hero’s quoted implementation cost is $14,883.65 and the vendor’s full package would carry an annual cost of $34,041.60; the stand‑alone work‑order module was listed at $7,441 per year in the presentation materials.

Board action and other approvals - The board approved a five‑year elevator service agreement with Otis Elevators to begin Nov. 15, 2025. The annual price quoted was $7.80 per month per unit (the motion summarized as $9,360 annually); the board approved an amendment that captures a 5% early‑signing discount, revising the five‑year total to $44,460. The contract includes coverage for routine parts and consumables, with major repairs handled as time‑and‑materials per the contract exclusions.

- The board approved a purchase of groundskeeping equipment for $49,043.05 (vote 5–4). Some members urged the administration to confirm whether the city or other agencies already had compatible equipment before buying; administration said the district contract with the city assigns field maintenance responsibility to the district and that the equipment would also be used on district‑owned practice fields.

- The board approved band uniform purchases for West Scranton and Scranton High School under a TIPS cooperative contract, moving approximately $80,268.50 from reserve funds to student activities accounts to cover the cost.

- The board approved a district food‑service management contract with Aramark Education Services, LLC for the 2025–26 school year. The negotiated total shown in the packet was $4,955,253.11, with a guaranteed profit figure reported at $1,500,000.00.

- The board approved multiple construction change orders and related items for the West Grama Intermediate renovation project, including ceiling and flooring change orders (combined financial impact for a flooring change to quartz tile: $134,305.21) and smaller design/administration fees.

- The board voted to reject the epoxy floor bids (motion passed) and separately approved the quartz tile change order described above.

- The board approved legal invoices for independent counsel engaged during the legal RFP process and several personnel and special‑education settlement items; one special‑education settlement vote carried 8–1.

What the board discussed but did not decide - Early childhood: Administration announced three Head Start preschool classrooms for next year (one each at Charles Sumner, McNichols Plaza and John Adams School), 17 children per classroom. The administration said it will post registration procedures on the district website; Superintendent Dr. Keating and other staff said they hope to add more sessions in future years under Head Start but provided no binding guarantee.

- Special education capacity and space: Special education staff reported rising demand for early intervention and autism support. The district said it will open six elementary autistic‑support classrooms, one center‑based autistic‑support classroom, one elementary emotional‑support classroom, one ages‑19‑to‑21 transitional life‑skills classroom and one high‑school autistic‑support classroom. Staff reported roughly 300 students enrolled in autistic life‑skills and emotional‑support programs this year and said early‑intervention counts rose from about 91 to 166 over the prior year. Board members pressed for clarity on space and safety: state liaison inspections (Gina Giovini was named by staff) use a per‑child square‑foot requirement (staff cited 27.5 square feet per child) and the district said new rooms are measured by the state before they are opened.

- Curriculum and testing updates: The board heard plans to roll out K–8 science curriculum pilots and a districtwide “science of reading” professional‑development program paid with Title II funds; district staff reminded the board that the state has mandated the science of reading work. Testing updates noted completion of PSSA administrations and upcoming Keystone and AP exams; the superintendent thanked teachers and IT staff for supporting online testing.

Quotes “Right now, we will have 3 preschool classes next year within the school district,” said Mr. O’Donnell during the preschool update. “We need the tools to do our job,” said Luann Heenehan, president of Local 32BJ’s Scranton chapter, urging the board to keep a modern work‑order system in place for building staff. “We finished the PSSAs… it is really a team effort to get these done,” Superintendent Dr. Keating said, thanking staff after the district’s testing window.

What’s next Administration was directed to supply written answers and pricing breakdowns about Operations Hero’s modules, to summarize which Frontline/asset‑management modules the district currently subscribes to and who uses them, and to ask the vendor for any short extension of the demo so the board can consider the purchase at the June meeting. Several procurement votes approved tonight will move forward under solicitor review and with the contract vendors named in the board packet.

Ending note Board members offered condolences at the meeting to families of two longtime district employees and community figures and adjourned after routine personnel and vendor votes.