At its May meeting the board approved an $88,750 employee settlement, passed the preliminary budget, re‑elected Missus Smart as treasurer and approved routine personnel, contracts (with one subcontract tabled) and asset disposal items; roll‑call votes were recorded as unanimous where listed.
Coaches presented on the TeamBuilder app, program schedule, capacity and safety concerns, and powerlifting successes including state records and national qualification; coaches requested more facility time and budget for summer clinics and team sessions.
The board approved a preliminary 2025–26 budget that trims an initial $4.3 million deficit to about $2.75 million through a 3.14‑mill increase to the Act 1 index, five staff positions cut via attrition, and temporary use of assigned fund balances; final adoption is scheduled for June 17.
Coaches described a rapidly expanding strength-and-conditioning program using a TeamBuilder app, capacity and safety limits in the weight room, plans for summer clinics focused on Olympic lifts, and recent success by the high-school powerlifting team at state meets.
Superintendent and business manager told the board the district started with an approximately $4.3 million deficit and reduced it to about $2.755 million through staff attrition, spending adjustments and a proposed millage increase; the board voted to place the preliminary budget on public display and to raise millage to the Act 1 index.
The Athens Area School District board approved routine financial reports, personnel actions, three vendor contracts (including a lawn-mowing contract), nine policies to move to second read, the 2025–26 school calendar corrections and trip requests, and an updated transportation driver list.
At its April meeting, the Athens Area School District board heard a demonstration by the Athens Middle FFA, approved three contracts and several policy and personnel items, and approved a revised 2025–26 calendar; the district solicitor reported a Lowe’s property offer and a tentative lawsuit settlement.
Superintendent Dr. Sage reported Athens teams advancing to the Odyssey of the Mind world finals and flagged reporting from Ed Votes PA about heavy online advertising spending by some cyber charter schools, warning of local tax impacts.
Athens Area School District middle school FFA executive team performed for the school board and the student membership motion to provide updates to the board was amended from yearly to biannually and approved by the student chapter.
The district solicitor told the board the district received an offer from Lowe’s on a previously appraised property and reported a tentative settlement in a separate lawsuit; both matters require final review and administrative steps before completion.