Lampeter-Strasburg board approves personnel items, change order and MOUs; appoints PSBA voting delegate

At a May 18 workshop meeting, the Lampeter-Strasburg School District Board approved a slate of routine personnel and administrative items, a construction change order for the Martin Milan Middle School renovation, and several memoranda of understanding.

The board approved consent agenda items 2–8 on a voice vote. The consent package covered three support‑staff resignations, employment of six professional staff, one professional change of status, one support-staff leave of absence, one kickoff-to-kindergarten instructor appointment, summer custodial hires (two positions), and two emergency-certified substitute approvals. The motion was made by Susie and carried after the chair called for the voice vote.

In business and finance, the board approved a change order for the Martin Milan Middle School renovation to add steel to create ceiling storage for wrestling mat hoists. Administration described the requested change order as "nearly $17,000." The board approved the request on a voice vote. "We had talked about this during buildings and grounds... it's a request from the owner for additional steel," administration said.

The academic committee’s three‑year application for flexible instruction days—filed with the state to allow the district to use designated flexible instruction days if needed—was approved after committee recommendation.

The board also approved a memorandum of understanding with Penn State University to place an agriculture student in the high-school ag program for a second‑semester placement next school year. Administration said the MOU came in late and, if approved, would allow a student from Penn State’s main campus to participate in local programming.

Under miscellaneous business, the board approved an addendum to its MOU with the Westland Peter Township Police Department to add language required by Act 47 of 2025 concerning threat-assessment teams. Administration said the chief preferred an addendum approach and that the district must submit the document to the Pennsylvania Department of Education by June 30 to satisfy the statutory timeline. "It did not change our practice," administration said, noting existing partnerships with local officers.

The board approved a foreign‑student placement recommended for next school year; administration said the student meets board policy requirements and will be hosted by the same family that hosted one this year. Finally, the board appointed Kristen as its PSBA voting delegate for the in‑person event at Cumberland Valley; PSBA eliminated a virtual-attendance option this year.

All listed approvals at the workshop were taken by voice vote and were announced as carried; the public portion of the meeting then adjourned to an executive session on a personnel evaluation matter.

Votes at a glance (workshop approvals): • Consent agenda (items 2–8): approved (motion: Susie; second: Mister Rock; voice vote; individual tallies not specified). • Change order — Martin Milan Middle School (item 9): approved (cost presented as nearly $17,000; motion acknowledged; voice vote). • Flexible instruction days application (item 10): approved (three‑year application; voice vote). • Penn State MOU for ag-student placement (item 11): approved (MOU to permit second‑semester placement; voice vote). • MOU addendum with Westland Peter Township Police Department (item 12): approved (addendum to incorporate Act 47 of 2025 language; must be submitted to PDE by June 30; voice vote). • Foreign-student placement (item 13): approved (meets board policy; voice vote). • PSBA voting delegate appointment (item 15): approved (Kristen appointed; voice vote).

What’s next: The board will reconvene after a short executive session to adjourn; the AI policy and several other updated policies remain at first reading and are scheduled for a second reading at the June meeting.