Superintendent: state Opportunity-Scholarship notice going to families; campus operations updates

Superintendent Dr. Sofo told the Sto-Rox board that the district will send a state-required Opportunity Scholarship notice to families next week and briefed members on compliance and operational items affecting the 2025–26 school year.

On Opportunity Scholarships, Dr. Sofo said the notice is “required by law” and that the state provides the letter; the district cannot alter the text. He said staff will distribute the letter to families and share copies with the board.

Dr. Sofo reported staff are working to complete outstanding 2023–24 teacher and principal evaluations and preparing for likely Title I monitoring visits this spring. He said the district arranged a local mentor for the new special-education director, Carly Wise, and expects on-site support from the Allegheny Intermediate Unit.

The superintendent said a draft 2025–26 school calendar will be circulated to the board and to the union for input, and he raised start-time adjustments as a potential tool to improve high-school attendance, noting research supports later start times. He described a proposal to consider shifting junior–senior high start times closer to 8:00 a.m. (from about 7:15 a.m.) while weighing bus scheduling and elementary impacts.

Dr. Sofo also described a proposed looping pilot to keep teachers with the same cohort of students for multiple years to strengthen relationships and continuity; the board asked staff to return with more details. He said there is no immediate crisis but highlighted these items as part of the district’s ongoing recovery and improvement work.

The meeting included no formal votes on these operational items; staff will return with details and drafts for future action.