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Board hears about high-school pump repairs, funds D.A.R.E. from general fund; students honored for "Back of the Blue" event
Summary
The McKeesport Area School District board discussed rebuilding hot-water circulation pumps at the high school to save costs compared with replacement and noted an approximate per-pump cost; the board also said it used general-fund dollars to continue D.A.R.E. for fifth graders and recognized students who organized an event for first responders.
During the Feb. 6 special meeting, the McKeesport Area School District Board of Directors discussed facilities work at the high school and funding for student programming.
A board member reported that the hot-water circulation pumps at the high school need repair and that the district planned to rebuild the pumps at a lower cost than full replacement. The speaker said rebuilding would save “a significant amount of money” and indicated an amount of about $39,000 "per pump" in the exchange recorded in the public meeting.
On programming, the board noted that the long-running D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program, which serves fifth-grade students at Twin Rivers and Francis Accord, had previously relied on an external grant that is no longer available. The board said it located funds in the district general fund to continue the D.A.R.E. program so that Officer Marty could keep delivering the curriculum. The meeting transcript states that the D.A.R.E. program has been in place for "over 20 years." The transcript does not specify the dollar amount moved from the general fund.
The board also recognized a recent "Back of the Blue" event for first responders, saying the district hosted a breakfast and that students helped organize signage and support. Two students named in the meeting were Taylor Lewis and Elijah Alford; the board thanked them for organizing the event and thanked area first responders.
These facilities and program items were presented as part of consent or routine agenda sections; the transcript indicates the board sought motions to approve related consent agenda items for facilities, contracts and curriculum at an upcoming regular meeting (02/13/2025). No separate contested votes on the pump repairs or D.A.R.E. funding were recorded in the Feb. 6 public transcript.
Provenance: Facilities remarks and the D.A.R.E. funding note appear in the transcript in remarks about agenda sections (timestamps ~961.04 to ~1046.47); student recognition appears later in the meeting record (timestamps ~1119.06 to ~1177.36).
