Southern Columbia Area SD board completes reorganization, approves consent blocks and hears updates on staffing, cyber risks and solar project

The Southern Columbia Area School District Board held a reorganization and special meeting in which members completed leadership elections for the agenda meeting, approved minutes and several consent blocks, and heard staff reports on hiring, online-course attendance risks and the status of a campus solar array.

Board action and votes at a glance: The board completed its reorganization: nominations were taken and the board approved leadership for the agenda meeting; a motion to approve minutes and multiple consent blocks (fiscal, personnel, policy and programs) were each moved, seconded and carried by voice vote. The board also approved a transfer from a district financial activities fund to support the FBLA student club’s state-conference request and voted to remove the district’s SIPI CTE accounting program due to lack of enrollment.

Why it matters: The personnel and fiscal approvals clear routine business and funding transfers so programs and staff hiring can proceed. The district’s report that dozens of cyber courses are at risk and that the district is finalizing solar interconnection and reimbursement paperwork point to operational and fiscal issues that may affect students and district finances in the coming months.

What the meeting covered

Reorganization and routine approvals The Chair opened the reorganization portion and sought nominations for president pro tempore and vice president for the agenda meeting; nominations were seconded and approved by voice vote. The board moved and approved the minutes and accepted fiscal items A and B as a block; personnel items A–F and policy/program items A–C were also approved as blocks by voice votes. The board thanked an anonymous donor for a student lunch pass donation noted during the fiscal items discussion.

FBLA funding and CTE program removal A staff member reported the Future Business Leaders of America club requested $6,500 for state conference participation; the district indicated funds are available in a financial activities account and will be transferred to the FBLA club account. The same presenter announced the district will delete the SIPI accounting CTE program, citing no current enrollments and insufficient interest to sustain the class.

Student supports and staffing A district administrator said the district aims to hire a sixth-grade ELA teacher before the holiday break and emphasized the need to staff an elementary autistic support position; the administrator noted challenges around certification for that role. An elementary staffer announced a new third- and fourth-grade tutoring/homework program to run on Wednesdays through 4:30 p.m., with parents responsible for transportation. The district also outlined a tentative March timeframe for kindergarten registration.

Cyber program: courses and students at risk Dr. Krakowski reported the district has 35 cyber courses at risk of failure because of pacing or attendance issues, affecting roughly 20 students, including five who receive special-education services. "We have 35 courses at risk of failure due to pacing or attendance issues," he said. He described current interventions: weekly progress reports, teacher and content-teacher outreach to families, documentation in the student information system, a success coach focused on outreach, and more-targeted interventions for students not making progress. Board members asked whether IEP teams should reconvene for the five special-education students; Dr. Krakowski said staff and support teams were already contacting families and teachers.

Technology and safety systems The technology office reported it has installed a new touchscreen sign-in/out system in the three main school offices and is training middle-school staff on an electronic hall-pass system beginning with seventh grade; the tech office said it will continue to work out initial system kinks.

Solar project timeline and reimbursements Board members heard detailed updates on the campus solar array: panels and fencing are in place and trenching/wiring work is ongoing. Staff said the district is coordinating with the contractor and the utility, PPL, and has set a hard target of June 30 as the date by which interconnection and final payment should be completed so the district can receive reimbursements. Officials said they have completed the paperwork and are ready to submit rebate filings but that the fence cost will not qualify for rebate inclusion. Staff emphasized the timeline remains contingent on receipt of switchgear and the utility’s connection schedule.

Next steps and adjournment There were no online public comments. The board moved to adjourn the special meeting and the motion carried by voice vote.

Quotes and attributions "We should be hiring a sixth grade ELA teacher, before the holiday break," a district administrator said during the personnel update. Dr. Krakowski said, "We have 35 courses at risk of failure due to pacing or attendance issues," describing the district’s outreach and monitoring steps. District staff also summarized the solar project timeline and said the district has completed rebate paperwork and is coordinating with PPL on final connection steps.

Ending The board concluded the session after approving the listed blocks and hearing staff reports; elected leadership will serve for the agenda meeting and staff will return with follow-up details on substitute pay proposals, hiring progress and the solar interconnection schedule as needed.