Altoona Area School District board approves tax opt-out, personnel and contract measures; multiple consent items cleared

The Altoona Area School District Board of Directors voted Wednesday to certify an accelerated Act 1 opt-out resolution that limits any future referendum to increase the district tax rate above the Act 1 index of 5.8 percent.

The board approved the resolution by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript. Trustees also approved multiple consent items covering minutes, finance disbursements, personnel actions, educational program approvals and business operations matters under single motions.

Why it matters: Certifying an Act 1 opt-out signals the district will not seek voter approval to raise its millage rate above the statutory Act 1 index threshold (5.8 percent) at the time of the vote. The board’s routine approvals also authorized contracts, property actions and personnel settlements that affect spending and operations.

Key actions approved (voice votes recorded in meeting): - Accelerated Act 1 opt-out resolution (certifying tax rate will not exceed 5.8%). Outcome: approved. - Approval of minutes from November 12, 2024; reorganization meeting and regular minutes from December 2, 2024; and Committee of the Whole minutes from December 16, 2024. Outcome: approved. - Finance items including honorarium payments from the drama student activity account (Ashley Cover $600; Lindsay Smith $600; Lucy Craig $300). Outcome: approved. - Consent education package (items 8A–I) including two requested expulsions (student IDs cited in the agenda), a memorandum of understanding with Wilkes University for University District Certification Preparation, staff attendance at the NCEA conference (costs not to exceed $2,000 from nonpublic Title II funds), extended school year (Chapter 14) implementation for summer 2025, secondary field trips, Altoona Area High School TSI Non-Title I plan for 2024–25, graduate-credit reimbursements under contract, and volunteer approvals. Outcome: approved. - Personnel items including a confidential separation and release agreement (employee ID 3953), effective Nov. 4, 2024, and authorizations for the board president and superintendent to execute related documents. Outcome: approved. - Business operations items: approval of a transportation contract for a parent/guardian (Sparkle Lewis), waiver of 2024 real estate taxes for property owned by Catalyst Church at 2510–2512 4th Avenue (face amount $984.48; penalty and interest $98.45; total $1,082.93 as of Dec. 2024), acquisition of 108 4th Street for the Altoona Redevelopment Authority/Land Bank (purchase price $1,000; associated title/recording costs not to exceed $1,000), a $5,000 change order to install two rows of snow guards at Pleasant Valley Elementary (to be paid from an existing $12,300 contingency), capital reserve payments and capital-project payments. Outcome: approved. - Facilities maintenance: contract awarded to Pyramid Engineering to perform a districtwide HVAC feasibility study, cost not to exceed $20,000, to be paid from the capital reserve fund. Outcome: approved. - New business: Red Cross request to use the Altoona Area Junior High School fieldhouse for a blood drive on July 15 (fees waived; certificate of insurance to be provided); the meeting transcript reports the event is scheduled 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Outcome: approved.

Meeting procedure and voting: Most approvals were taken as consolidated motions or by voice vote; the transcript does not show individual vote tallies or recorded no/abstain votes for the listed items.

What the board did not decide tonight: No additional tax increases or referendums were proposed; the Act 1 certification is a commitment about how the district will proceed if a tax-rate change is considered.

For reference, several agenda items (such as personnel separation and expulsions) were identified in the agenda by ID numbers; specific student names and personnel names were not read into the public record in the transcript.