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Hamburg Area School District board approves administrative, personnel actions and advances high school capital planning
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Summary
At its March 9 Committee of the Whole meeting the Hamburg Area School District board unanimously approved multiple administrative and licensed professional position descriptions, several policies, a homebound instruction request and personnel actions, and asked engineers to return with options for a high school capital project.
Hamburg Area School District President Ryan J. Gebely called the Committee of the Whole meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. on March 9 in the James A. Gilmartin Community Room. After roll call and the pledge, the board moved through a series of administrative and personnel items and discussed next steps for a high school capital project.
The board approved five administrative position descriptions — Chief Financial Officer; Chief Learning Officer; Chief Operations Officer; Director of Human Resources; and Director of Special Education & Student Services — on a motion by Director Tonia Krick, seconded by Director Thomas DeAngelo. The roll-call vote recorded eight yes votes and no opposition.
The board also approved two licensed professional position descriptions (MTSS Specialist and Title I Teacher) following a motion by Director Daniel Sarna, seconded by Director Toni McFadden; that motion carried unanimously.
Separately, the board granted homebound instruction for Student #302313 for the period Feb. 26, 2026 through March 25, 2026. Carson Adams moved approval, Thomas DeAngelo seconded, and the motion carried with eight yes votes.
Board members voted to adopt or revise five policies: Policy 200 (Enrollment of Students); Policy 202 (Eligibility of Nonresidential Students); Policy 217 (Graduation); Policy 222 (Tobacco and Vaping Products — Pupils); and Policy 323 (Tobacco and Vaping Products — Employees). The motion to approve the policies was made by Daniel Sarna, seconded by Toni McFadden, and passed unanimously.
The board also approved personnel actions that included resignations and assignments. The minutes list two resignations: Nicholas Adams, Sophomore Class Advisor, effective Feb. 27, 2026; and Allison Rizzo, Middle School English Language Arts teacher, effective June 5, 2026 or the last day of the 2025–26 school year. The board named Stephen Haegele Sophomore Class Advisor effective March 2, 2026 at a prorated stipend of $500 and approved a slate of building-level volunteers. The motion to approve the personnel slate was made by Tonia Krick, seconded by Carson Adams, and carried with eight yes votes.
On the high school capital project, board members including Gebely, Carson Adams, Laura “Lolly” Lesher, Thomas DeAngelo and Steven Gilbert asked questions and offered views about how to proceed. Superintendent Christopher Beissel and Business Manager Michele Zimmerman answered questions. The board agreed that “doing nothing is not an option” and asked Dr. Beissel to arrange for AEM and Consolidated Engineers to return and present options at the March 23, 2026 meeting.
Information items included the 2026–2027 Berks Career & Technology Center general fund operating budget for $21,218,929, of which Hamburg Area SD’s share is $856,713; a Middle School parking lot maintenance proposal from Brenneman Company for $28,000 funded from the Capital Reserve Fund; and the 2024–2025 General Fund Single Audit (Exhibit XXVIi-15). The board was also provided with enrollment information (Exhibit XXVIi-28) and calendar dates, including the next board meeting on March 23 at 6:30 p.m.
The meeting adjourned at 7:18 p.m. on a motion by Tonia Krick, seconded by Carson Adams.