Minutes

of the

KUTZTOWN AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Board of Directors Meeting

Monday, December 15, 2008, 7:30 p.m.

 

The Board of Directors of Kutztown Area School District met for the regular board meeting on Monday, December 15, 2008 at 7:30 p.m., in the library of the Senior High School pursuant to due notice to board members and the public.

 

Present            Dennis Ritter, Don Vymazal, Jo Stevens, Carl Ziegler, Pat Bealer, Dan Walter, Jasper Ho,

                        Michael Ramos

 

Absent            Al Darion, Student Representative – Amelia Mengel

 

Also                 Robert R. Gross III, Joseph Pugliese, Nick Lazo, Rikki Clark, David Miller, Jim Orwig,

Present             James Brown, Matthew Link, Rebecca Beidelman, Peter Miller, Barbara Richard, Randy Burch, Rita Schwalm, Lisa Fluck, Donald Kerchner, Richard Deskie, Tom Cansisano, Joann Buffum, Donna Keglovits, Ann Dietrich, Kristen Berk, Melissa Leiby, Bruce Graff, Michele Graff, Lisa Ott, Roz Ferenty, Charlene Sheetz, Melissa Blatt, Faith Wanner, Jane Kriss, Kurt Kanaskie, Abby Claypoole, Tom Capparell, Claire Kempes, Terry Guers, Natalie Way Loskosky, Joan Haring, Michele Diehl, Sara Brown, Jessica Almond, Renee Parella, Rachael Hill, Judy Heffley, Kerri Schegan, Beth Stump, Eric Diehl, Melissa Meyer, Cecilia Holt, Craig Cartalie, Kelly Ryan, Jennifer Ide, Karen Ashburn, Carl Goode

 

Call to Order            The meeting was called to order at 7:36 p.m. by President Vymazal.

 

Welcome            President Vymazal welcomed guests and opened the meeting with a moment of silence

                        and Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.  He asked everyone to sign the attendance book and mark the topic of comment next to his/her name.  He requested that anyone wishing to speak on an agenda item please raise his/her hand to be recognized. The meeting was tape-recorded.

 

Approval                        Motion made by Pat Bealer, seconded by Jo Stevens, to approve the minutes

Of Minutes       of the November 17, 2008 and December 2, 2008 school board meetings, and the December 2, 2008 Reorganization Meeting with attachments.

                        Roll call vote:  Yes  8                               No  0                              Absent  1 (Darion)         Abstain  1 (Ritter)

Motion carried.

 

Treasurer’s                        Motion made by Dennis Ritter, seconded by Pat Bealer, to accept the treasurer’s

Report                        report of the general fund.

                        Roll call vote:  Yes  8                              No  0                              Absent  1 (Darion)

                        Motion carried.

 

Ratification                        Motion made by Pat Bealer, seconded by Jo Stevens, to ratify for payment the

of General                        general account bills in the amount of $396,323.58.

Account Bills   Roll call vote:  Yes  8                              No  0                              Absent  1 (Darion)        

                        Motion carried.

 

Approval                        Motion made by Pat Bealer, seconded by Jo Stevens to approve for payment

of General                        the general account bills in the amount of $375,480.89.

Account Bills   Roll call vote:  Yes  8                               No  0                              Absent  1 (Darion)

                        Motion carried.

 

Supt’s            No Report.

Report             

                                   

Committee       EIT                        No report.

Reports            Pat Bealer       

                                

                        BCTC                        No report. 

Dennis Ritter 

           

                        ECC     Ms. Stevens reported Connect Ed did a test out, which was relatively successful.  

                        Jo Stevens         

                                                            

            BCIU            Mr. Ziegler reported the approval of the 2009-2010 budget, which represents

            Carl Ziegler a zero percent increase for contributing schools.

                                   

            PSBA        Ms. Bealer reported that the Governor is pushing for mandatory graduation

                        Pat Bealer    competency assessments that will be unfunded for school districts.

 

                                    She also reported that the budget has been pushed back since they are looking

                                    at a 1.6 billion dollar deficit.   

 

Policy & Curriculum   Mr. Walter reported that Mr. Gross presented the Keystone Awards

                        Dan Walter               from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

 

                                                The committee discussed the use of buildings as possible polling areas, however               

                                                there is a security concern.

 

                                                There was also a large discussion on class ranks.  The committee is currently

                                                learning towards an alternative, pending additional information from the

                                                administration.

 

Personnel            Motion made by Carl Ziegler, seconded by Pat Bealer, to approve the following personnel items:

1.       The approval of Barbara Richard as Assistant to the Superintendent for Human Resources and District Services, effective December 16, 2008, at a salary of $65,000, an increase of $6,900 from her current salary of $58,100.

2.       The approval of Cynthia Meyer as Director of Information Technology, effective January 6, 2009 or on agreed upon release date from current employer, at a salary of $84,250.  This is an Act 93 administrative position.

3.       The approval of Linda Piper as a preferred support staff substitute for 2008-2009, effective December 15, 2008, at the approved hourly rate of $10.10.

4.       The approval of Kelsey Tothero as twirling coach at the Middle School for 2008-2009 at a salary of $526.

5.       The approval of Jeff Saadi as assistant boys basketball coach at the Middle School for 2008-2009 at a salary of $2,204.

6.       The approval of the following substitute teachers for 2008-2009, effective December 16, 2008, at the approved substitute rate of $100 per day for days 1-20 and $110 per day for days 21-45:

Rachel Chambers (guest teacher)                        Lucas Morgan

Sarah Richter                                                            Rebeka Schaeffer

7.       The approval of Bonnie Hedegard as a Krapf driver for 2008-2009, effective December 15,         

2008.

Roll call vote:  Yes  8               No  0                   Absent  1 (Darion)          

                        Motion carried.

        All Personnel were Approved Pending the District's Receipt of All Mandated Credentials

 

Farmstead Motion made by Dennis Ritter, seconded by Pat Bealer, to approve a reimbursement of  

Exclusion            $184.48 to the taxpayer, PIN #45-5436-00-44-3217, for property located in Greenwich   

Payment            Township.  This reimbursement represents the farmstead tax relief exclusion for the 2008 tax year.  The exclusion was not included by the Berks County Assessment Office in the list of exclusions submitted to the school district for the reimbursement calculation on the July tax bills.

                        Roll call vote:  Yes 8                      No  0                   Absent 1 (Darion)

                        Motion carried.

                       

Bus Route            Motion made by Pat Bealer, seconded by Dan Walter, to approve the attached revised Revision            bus route for 2008-2009, effective December 15, 2008.

            Roll call vote:  Yes 8                  No  0                Absent 1 (Darion)

                        Motion carried.

 

 

 

Senior Class                        Motion made by Pat Bealer, seconded by Jo Stevens, to approve a senior class trip to New

Trip York City on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 per the attached itinerary and student cost schedule.  The school district will not incur any cost for this trip.

                        Roll call vote:  Yes 8                   No  0                   Absent 1 (Darion)

                        Motion carried.

 

Conference                        Motion made by Dennis Ritter, seconded by Pat Bealer, to approve the conference request

Request            for Amy Russo to attend the PA Educational Technology Expo and Conference to be held February 9-11, 2009 in Hershey, PA, at a cost of $443.00.

            Roll call vote:  Yes 8                  No  0                    Absent 1 (Darion)       

                        Motion carried.

 

Disposal of                        Motion made by Pat Bealer, seconded by Dan Walter, to approve the disposal of Van #5

Van #5                        (vin #1FBHE31H3NHB50966) through a public sale.

            Roll call vote:  Yes 8              No  0                    Absent 1 (Darion)

                        Motion carried.

                       

HS Stage                        Motion made by Pat Bealer, seconded by Dan Walter, to award the Stage Rigging/Curtain

Riggings            Replacement Contract for the Kutztown Area High School to the lowest responsible bidder, Pittsburg Stage, Inc., at a cost of $66,571.  Funds to pay for this work will come from the Construction Fund.

            Roll call vote:  Yes 8              No  0                    Absent 1 (Darion)

                        Motion carried.

                       

Discussion Telephone Service Cost Review – Utilitech, Inc.

Items Education Center – Relocation Options

                        Full-Day Kindergarten Options

                        Elementary Reconfiguration Options

 

Public The following community members stated their questions, comments, and concerns on the  

Comment            Education Center relocation options:  Cecilia Holt, Kurt Kanaskie, Randy Burch, Eric Diehl, Michele Diehl, Craig Cartalie.

 

                        The following community members stated their questions, comments, and concerns on full-day kindergarten and elementary reconfiguration options:  Melissa Leiby, Craig Cartalie, Kevin Leiby, Kelly Ryan, Kurt Kanaskie, Jennifer Ide, Faith Wanner, Roz Ferenty, Karen Ashburn, Renee Parella, Abby Claypoole, Dana Ide, Carl Goode.

 

                        Pat Bealer left at 10:31 p.m.

 

Adjournment Motion made by Jo Stevens, seconded by Dennis Ritter, to adjourn the meeting at 11:08 p.m.

                        Motion carried unanimously.

                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Respectfully submitted by,

 

 

 

 

                               Rikki L. Clark           

                               School Board Secretary