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Newport Board of School Directors elects officers, swears in members and appoints 2026 committee chairs
Summary
At its Dec. 4, 2025 reorganization meeting, the Newport Board of School Directors elected Robert Folk Jr. as board president and Patrick Shull as vice president, swore in newly elected members, appointed committee chairs and approved the 2026 meeting schedule before adjourning at 6:43 p.m.
The Newport Board of School Directors met Dec. 4, 2025, in the high school media center for its annual reorganization meeting. President Robert Folk Jr. called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. The meeting’s purpose was to swear in new or reelected board members and organize leadership and committee assignments for 2026.
Pat Dorman nominated Autumn Gehr-Shope to serve as temporary president; Daniel Barlup seconded the nomination, and the board voted to approve her as temporary president. Jamison Magaro, Board Secretary, then read the Certificates of Election for Daniel Barlup, David Cook, Larry Davis and Autumn Gehr-Shope. Mrs. Gehr-Shope administered the Oaths of Office, which were notarized by Kimberly Savercool.
Patrick Shull nominated Robert Folk Jr. for board president. With no other nominations, the board voted to elect Folk as 2026 Board President. For vice president, Pat Dorman nominated Patrick Shull; the board elected Shull as 2026 Board Vice President. "Both Mr. Folk and Mr. Shull put a lot of extra time in and it is appreciated by us all," Superintendent Ryan Neuhard said.
President Folk reviewed and appointed committee chairs and alternates for 2026. Notable assignments included Contracts/Agreements/Finance (Chair: Patrick Shull; Alternate: Pat Dorman), Education (Chair: David Cook; Alternate: Daniel Barlup), Personnel (Chair: Pat Dorman; Alternate: Patrick Shull), Policy (Chair: Larry Davis; Alternate: Patrick Shull), Safety (Chair: Patrick Shull; Alternate: David Cook), and Transportation, Property & Supply (Chair: Thomas Hartley; Alternate: Timothy Matoushek). The board also designated representatives to outside bodies, including the Capital Area Intermediate Unit (Patrick Shull, alternate Pat Dorman) and the Cumberland/Perry Area Career & Technical Center (Autumn Gehr-Shope, alternate Daniel Barlup).
A formal motion by Patrick Shull to approve the 2026 Board meeting schedule, seconded by Pat Dorman, carried with all voting Aye. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn by Patrick Shull, seconded by Pat Dorman; the board adjourned at 6:43 p.m.
The session record lists six members present and three absent; the minutes record votes as "carried, all voting Aye" when taken. No formal controversies, amendments, or public comments were recorded during the reorganization meeting.
