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Board approves minutes, contracts and program renewals including summer meal program and school agreements
Summary
After public comment the Altoona Area School District board approved meeting minutes and a series of routine finance, education, personnel and business items including Madison National benefit renewals, a dual-enrollment agreement, summer food service dates and Jostens yearbook contract.
Following public comment the Altoona Area School District board moved through its consent and action agenda, approving minutes and multiple administrative contracts, agreements and program renewals.
The board voted to approve the regular meeting minutes from March 17, 2025, and the committee-of-the-whole minutes from March 31, 2025. Under finance, the board approved renewal of Madison National voluntary disability coverage for 2025–26 and a COBRA administration services agreement with UPMC Benefit Management Services at $1,100 per year; the board also approved an $800 honorarium to Kelly Detwiler from the drama student activity account for the spring musical.
Education items approved included an ESL consortium agreement with AIU8 not to exceed $5,000, authorization to submit and administer federal and state grants for 2025–26, a cooperative dual-enrollment agreement with Mount Aloysius College for the 2025–26 school year, retention of Terry Despoy, Esquire as hearing officer at $175 per hour, and several student-services and counseling contracts effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
Personnel actions included approval of the personnel agenda and an addendum to the contract with ESS Northeast LLC; the board also rescinded consideration of a secondary music instructor appointment (personnel item d3) at the request of administration. Business and operations approvals covered a dental insurance renewal with the Pennsylvania State Education Association Health and Welfare Fund (noted premium rates), acceptance of repository bids, clearance-contingent hiring of bus and Amtrak drivers, and several contracts and bids including a Jostens yearbook contract at $85 per book and a photography services agreement with a 20% commission package.
Under new business, the board approved renewals for flexible spending and health savings account administration with UPMC, a joint administration agreement with Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, acceptance of a proposal from Covet Health Inc. for medical-plan administrative services, and facility-use renewals allowing local Little League programs to use district fields. The approved summer food service program will run June 9 through Aug. 1, 2025 (closed July 4) with sites at Altoona Area Junior High School, McAuliffe Heights, Juniata and Pleasant Valley elementary schools, serving 11 a.m.–1 p.m. daily.
All motions on the consent and action agenda reported in the meeting were approved without recorded opposition. The meeting later included routine reports from the superintendent and solicitor and concluded after recognitions of student performing-arts achievements.
