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Parents press Kiski Area SD to fill boys soccer coach vacancy and fix vacation-approval process
Summary
At the April Kiski Area School District board meeting parents urged the board to immediately address a vacant boys soccer coach position and to revise vacation-request procedures after a parent said an approved vacation would cause a student to miss PSSA tests and dozens of days of school.
Mandy Beck, president of the boys soccer boosters and a Washington Township parent, told the Kiski Area School District board that the boys soccer head coach resigned March 7 and, despite an application window that closed March 24, the district had not posted or filled the position. "We need a qualified coach now," Beck said, noting nine returning seniors and that the lack of a coach prevents planning for summer practices and camps.
The board responded that members appreciated the concern and would look into the hiring status. A trustee said the delay has put the team another month behind and urged staff to provide an update sooner than the next regular meeting.
Later in public comment Melanie Laughlin of Vandergrift described a school-approved vacation request she said would cause her child to miss 56 class days, including two of three PSSA statewide tests, and asserted the vacation was approved without both parents' input and contrary to a custody order. "This vacation was approved without my involvement or consideration," Laughlin said, and she asked the board to revise the vacation-request form to require both parents' approvals or clear custody verification.
Board members acknowledged Laughlin's concerns and said the district would review the current form and procedures. One trustee said the issue "deserves some scrutiny" while another said administrators should clarify how the form is processed and whether custody orders are being checked before approval. No formal action or vote on policy changes occurred at this meeting.
The board also heard brief follow-up remarks: trustees congratulated National Honor Society inductees and asked staff to report back on both the athletic hiring timeline and any proposed updates to the vacation-request process at a future meeting.
