Derry Area School District board approves minutes, contracts, capital items and several service agreements

The Derry Area School District board on Aug. 7 approved a series of routine and contract items, including minutes, financial reports, personnel actions, service agreements, capital purchases and two small change orders.

Key votes and approvals included:

- Minutes and routine records: Approved minutes of the regular meeting of June 26, 2025; special meeting minutes of June 30, 2025; and a special agenda prep meeting in July. Motions carried unanimously as recorded.

- Treasurer’s report: The board approved the treasurer’s report. The packet listed an ending balance of $33,940.27 as of June 30, 2025, with beginning balance and receipts and disbursements read into the record.

- Personnel and conferences: The board combined and approved multiple personnel employment motions (A–J) and approved employee #174 to attend the National Association of Agricultural Educators conference in Nashville, Tenn., in December 2025.

- Substitute and support pay rates: Approved substitute teacher and support‑staff daily/hourly rates for 2025–26 (day‑to‑day teacher $140/day; extended day‑to‑day $170/day; support staff day‑to‑day $11.50/hr; extended $12.25/hr; long‑term rates per DAEA contract).

- Agreements and renewals: Approved a 3‑year agreement with Westmoreland County Community College for college‑and‑high‑school programming (2025–26 through 2027–28); renewal of Bayada nursing services; renewal of agreements with Soaring Heights School and Meadows Psychiatric Center for specialized education services; approval of ASK Speech Therapy for services tied to Saint Vincent College’s Bearcat BEST program; and approval of Outside In for counseling services.

- Fellowship and partnerships: Approved an affiliation agreement with Saint Vincent College for one fellow for 2025–26 at $770/month to be paid by district funds (board approved the agreement despite no fellow being named at the meeting).

- Drone pilot: Approved participation in a CSinPA/PDE integrated drones pilot (one of six districts selected) for 2025–26 at no cost to the district; board members noted the program could bring training and equipment (speakers referenced multispectral drones and teacher training).

- Student activity accounts: Approved consolidation of several inactive high school student activity accounts into the general student activity account and authorized liquidation of Grandview primary and intermediate student activity funds effective July 1, 2025, with remaining funds (reported to be approximately $22,000) transferred to the district general fund and reserved for future building expenditures at the discretion of building principals.

- Capital and change orders: Approved change order No. 1 to Esqueda Masonry for Phase 3 EIFS in the amount of $1,900 (to cover about 260 sq. ft. missed in initial scope) and awarded a bid for a Grandview compactor to Reaction Distributing at $35,525 to be paid from the Capital Project Fund; board members noted the replacement was more cost‑effective than a major repair to a 14‑year‑old compactor.

- PDE‑363 form: The board approved the PDE‑363 form establishing district rates used for accounting and state reporting; figures were read in during the meeting (transcript contains the rate language and figures as recorded in the packet).

- Policies: Approved second/third readings of several revised policies including electronic attendance, electronic devices, conduct/discipline procedures, educator misconduct, employee freedom of speech, and service animals in schools.

All motions that were called to a voice vote were recorded in the meeting as carrying; where a recorded roll call or named yea/nay appeared in the transcript, motions were recorded as approved. No major opposition was recorded on the items summarized above.

For full text of motions, vendor agreements, and the treasurer’s report, see the meeting packet posted on the district website.