Belle Vernon Area SD board approves multiple hires; waives nepotism policy for one candidate

The Belle Vernon Area School District board on June 23 approved multiple personnel hires for the 2026–27 school year and granted a waiver to the district's nepotism policy for one candidate.

Director Rasch moved to approve Krista Kramer as a third-grade teacher at MES and simultaneously asked the board to waive policy 304.1 (the district nepotism policy) because Kramer was described in the meeting record as a relative of a district administrator. Rasch said he was asking the board to "approve [the hire] and waive the policy." The motion was seconded and carried with an 8–0–1 outcome (one abstention recorded for the item set).

In the same series of consent and individual motions, the board also approved hires including Taylor Kovach (2nd grade), Ashlyn Ariesman (4th grade), Tammy Clymer (career and technology teacher), Tyler Catarino (special education), Donna Simone (special education), and Alyssa Lash (life skills teacher at the middle school). Most of these motions were approved as part of consent agendas or individual motions with the recorded result described as 8—/1 (one abstention) on multiple items.

Why it matters: personnel approvals set staffing for the coming school year and, in this case, required the board to consider a formal waiver of its nepotism policy before hiring a candidate who is related to a district administrator.

Policy and process: the board cited policy 304.1 when discussing the hire and the solicitor indicated that the policy can be waived by board action if appropriate. The superintendent said the effective start date would be set once required clearances, certifications and documentation were received.

Next steps: human-resources and the solicitor will complete any paperwork required by the waiver and the hires will proceed once pre-employment verification is complete.