Following procedural disputes over whether the 2026 calendar was properly before the board, members voted to table the calendar 5–4, then moved to add a Jan. 20, 2026 meeting and directed administration to prepare a two-meetings-per-month calendar beginning in February; public commenters urged restoring two meetings for transparency.
At its Dec. 2 reorganization meeting the Southmoreland School District board administered the oath of office to four newly elected directors and completed nominations and appointments for several officer roles; formal roll-call and voice votes were used for temporary chair, officer slots and liaison appointments.
A WIU representative told the Southmoreland board the Intermediate Unit borrowed $5 million and later an additional $2 million to bridge budget delays and could sustain operations only into January 2026; the IU outlined potential layoffs and suspended programs if funds are not released.
Members of the public told the Southmoreland board ending live streaming will limit transparency and risk edited recordings being used to censor or mislead; the board acknowledged receiving letters and said it had heard constituents' concerns.
The Southmoreland board approved a $160,594.92 purchase of roughly 459 Chromebooks as part of a technology refresh. Board members questioned budgeting and device counts; Business Manager Pam Mondock said the district had budgeted $109,000 and would use multiple line items to cover the purchase.
At a resumed Oct. 21, 2025 meeting, the WIU board voted 6-2 to remove Dr. Catherine Fike from the board "in accordance with the board's statement of charges." The item was added to the agenda during the session; public commenters criticized the process and raised broader community health concerns.
The board placed a new broadcasting policy on first read Oct. 21 to stop live streaming and post meeting videos within 24 hours with limited editing to remove unauthorized disclosures of student and staff confidential information.
After debate about whether Dr. Catherine Fike had requested a due-process hearing, the Southmoreland School Board voted to issue a statement of charges and notice of hearing regarding her WIU appointment and recessed the meeting to hold a public vote after the hearing.
Southmoreland Middle School was recognized as one of 13 Commonwealth Blue Ribbon schools for 2025; principal cited multi-year academic gains, large drops in discipline referrals and improved teacher attendance as evidence of sustained progress.
Business manager reported the district can operate for roughly three months without a Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) but will prepare TAN paperwork in November if the state budget remains unresolved; the board approved a resolution to withhold cyber charter payments until state funding is restored.
