Athens Area SD board reorganizes leadership, approves routine contracts and budget benchmark

The Athens Area School District Board of Directors completed its annual reorganization and approved routine governance, financial and operations items at its December meeting.

In the reorganization, Michael Owen was elected board president by a paper ballot (Michael Owen 5 votes; Kathy Jo Minnick 4 votes). Kathy Jo Minnick was later approved as vice president by voice vote. The board also appointed Natalie Smart as the district’s PSBA liaison and named Cindy Cooper as the Northern Tier Career Center primary representative; Smart was approved as the Career Center alternate. The board did not nominate representatives for IU 17; those positions remained vacant for 2025.

Board members voted unanimously on a set of standard agenda items: approval of the Nov. 12 minutes, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Athens Area Education Association concerning the district’s online academies (the “Willow MOU” as referenced in the meeting), routine financial business including an Act 1 resolution included in the district’s 2025–26 budgeting timeline, personnel actions, and two contracts: an E-rate services agreement with Questec and an interim support-services agreement with Pasmo. The superintendent said the Pasmo hourly rate in the contract is $81 per hour (hourly billing, not daily).

Board members also approved overnight field-trip requests for high school and middle school Science Olympiad travel and authorized three new school bus drivers; the drivers’ S endorsements were noted as being scheduled for testing this week. No visitor comments were recorded on the board-action items that evening, and no contractual award to an outside meteorology vendor was taken during the meeting (a separate presentation by a local meteorologist was informational only).

Votes at a glance - Temporary appointment: motion to appoint Mr. Barrett as temporary presiding officer — approved by roll call (unanimous). - President (paper ballot): Michael Owen — elected (Michael Owen 5, Kathy Jo Minnick 4). - Vice president (voice vote): Kathy Jo Minnick — elected (unanimous by voice vote). - PSBA liaison: Natalie Smart — approved (unanimous). - Northern Tier Career Center primary representative: Cindy Cooper — approved (unanimous). - Northern Tier Career Center alternate representative: Natalie Smart — approved (unanimous). - IU 17 primary/alternate representatives: positions left vacant for 2025. - Minutes (Nov. 12): approved by unanimous consent. - Memorandum of understanding (Willow MOU) with Athens Area Education Association: approved (unanimous). - Financial business and Act 1 resolution: approved (unanimous). Superintendent said the recommended Act 1 resolution would keep any tax increase at or below the Act 1 index. - Personnel list (resignations, support contracts, supplemental coaching, volunteers): approved (unanimous). - Contracts: E-rate agreement with Questec; interim services agreement with Pasmo (hourly rate listed at $81) — approved (unanimous). - Curriculum: overnight Science Olympiad field trips (high school and middle school) — approved (unanimous). - Transportation: three new drivers approved; S-endorsement testing scheduled — approved (unanimous).

No formal appeals, layoffs, or contested procurement awards were recorded. The board adjourned after closing items and set a January meeting date.