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Board debates grade-level curriculum coordinators, cell-phone limits and Title IX policy revisions
Summary
Board members discussed a proposal to use multiple grade-level curriculum coordinators (stipends for teachers) rather than hiring a $120,000-plus curriculum director, with supporters citing cost savings and continuity and opponents warning of teacher workload and lost classroom time; the policy committee also reported Title IX-related policy revisions and public commenters urged stricter cell-phone rules and budget scrutiny.
Montoursville Area School District board members spent a substantial portion of their July 9 meeting debating how to manage curriculum oversight and whether to hire a single curriculum director or instead designate several grade-level curriculum coordinators who would receive stipends.
Supporters said multiple grade-level coordinators would be more customized and cheaper than hiring a full-time director. One board member framed the idea as a way to reward teachers and preserve instructional continuity without adding the benefits and pension costs of an additional full-time administrator. "It saves a considerable amount of money," a proponent said when describing stipend-based coordinators.
Opponents and some administrators cautioned that the approach could overload teachers and pull them from classrooms. Board members asked for a clear job description, estimates of required days or hours, and pilot details before committing. Superintendent Mr T told the board that a full-time curriculum director in the budget had been estimated at about $120,000 plus benefits and suggested the district could first pilot teacher-led curriculum work funded with existing budgets and stipends rather than hiring immediately.
The policy committee reported that the state and federal Title IX interpretation changes have prompted legal challenges; the committee representative (identified in the meeting as Mrs M) said several federal injunctions are in place and urged the board to adopt written local policies. Mrs M expressed concern about the potential impact on girls' sports and described the proposed federal changes as, in her words, "reverse discrimination." She asked that policy revisions be presented for review and first-reading action in August so the district has a local stance in place.
During public comment, residents urged fiscal caution and recommended a stricter cell-phone policy in school (suggestions included locker-based storage or numbered shoe-style systems). One resident urged reopening the budget if state revenue exceeds the estimates used to set this year's tax increase.
Actions taken at the meeting included voice votes approving combined consent items 6.1–6.5 and the personnel addition of a coach (item 7.1). No formal decision was made on the curriculum-coordinator proposal; board members asked administration to return with more detailed proposals, cost estimates and possible pilot plans.
Next steps: administration will gather job descriptions, pilot scenarios and cost estimates for the curriculum-coordinator option and will prepare policy drafts for the Title IX–related updates for the August meeting.
