Personnel committee schedules interviews for five school security candidates

The Keystone Central School District personnel committee met June 9 and confirmed interviews for five new applicants for school police/security positions, committee members were told.

Justin, a district staff member, said, “we have five applicants that we were planning to interview tomorrow,” and clarified these were a new set of candidates, not repeats from an earlier round. He added that the applicants currently hold Act 235 credentials and that “one candidate…[may have] some additional training toward that Act 120,” pending evaluation.

The committee noted two security vacancies remain to be filled — one for the high school and one for the middle school — and members confirmed they would participate in upcoming interviews. Bill said he planned to join the interview process.

Members discussed timing for other hires, agreeing that most administrator-level postings (for example, the director of curriculum and innovative technology) should wait until the incoming superintendent is in place, while time-sensitive classroom and special-education roles and security positions should proceed so schools are staffed for the start of the term. As one member put it, “we have to be ready to go” when school opens.

The committee also heard that specialized roles in special education are a small candidate pool and that interim solutions — such as contracting through the intermediate unit — can be more costly than hiring directly. Staff said the district will continue recruitment and prepare candidates for the scheduled interviews.

The committee adjourned after confirming participation and next steps; interview schedules were not altered during the meeting.