The Canton Area School District Board of Education held its January meeting with President Jared Wilcox, Directors Ryan Allen, Judy Sourbeer, Dennis Sourbeer, William Holland and Melony Taylor, Superintendent of School Matt Gordon, Elementary principal John Rimmer, High School Principal Craig Coleman, Business Manager Mark Jannone, Special Education Supervisor Dan Coran, Solicitor Richard Sheetz, and an audience of eight.
The minutes of the December meeting were approved.
Mr. Wilcox announced that the Board Committees and chairmen will be unchanged from last year. The representatives to the NTCC, BLaST and PSBA also are unchanged.
The minutes of the December meeting were approved.
Mr. Wilcox announced that the Board Committees and chairmen will be unchanged from last year. The representatives to the NTCC, BLaST and PSBA also are unchanged.
Administrators gave their reports. In recognition of School Board recognition month, Mr. Gordon presented certificates from the PSBA to each of the directors. Each director also received a CASD windbreaker.
Mr. Gordon noted that the district has a goal of improved writing across the district. "The students and staff are working hard," he said, and writing is being promoted in every classroom.
The 2014 Giving Tree Program was successful. Mr. Gordon was grateful for "the generous support from the staff and the community, for donations and time, as well as wrapping gifts. Sixty-two children were served by the Giving Tree, with thirty-eight of them "adopted" by benefactors and volunteers shopped for gifts for the other twenty-four. "It was very overwhelming," Mr. Gordon said. Each of the recipients received a personalized Christmas stocking"stuffed with goodies." Mr. Gordon had special thanks for Mr. Wynne "and his little elves" in the National Honor Society and the Student Government for their part in making the District's inaugural year as Giving Tree sponsor so successful.
Mr. Gordon said he was pleased that the Education Association and the Schol Board came together and approved an Early Bird contract proposal. "The students and the taxpayers will reap benefits" from the proposal. he said.
Mr. Gordon noted that there had been some postponements and other inconveniences due to winter weather, and he expressed appreciation to the contractors, drivers and staff and students for their cooperation in dealing with winter in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Mr. Rimmer announced that January 19 will be a snow-make up day, and Jan. 22 will be the end of the second marking period. There will be early dismissal on January 23 and report cards will be issued on the 29th. Enrollment is down two to 535.
Mr. Coleman proudly noted that the girls varsity basketball team snapped a fifty-five game consecutive losing streak on Wednesday night with a victory. "They have turned the corner," he said. The boys team is seeking its first victory of the season.
Mr. Coleman thanked the Buildings and Grounds staff for doing such a good job in keeping the buildings clean of winter cinders.
Mr. Coran said that nine Canton students took part in Special Olympics bowling at Terrace Lanes in Troy earlier today. Pen-Pal correspondence has started with some writing students and residents of a personal care home in Dallas.
Mr. Coran is organizing a transition event for early intervention for students entering Kindergarten next year. This will involve seven children presently in Early Intervention though the Intermediate Unit.
Mr. Jannone said that a study of Technological and Mechanical assets of the school, through Hunt Engineering, will be a valuable tool and will provide a centralized database.
The budget process is underway but because the board has determined the district will not exceed the Act 1 index, much of the budget decisions can wait until April, when state funding will be more certain.
Mr. Jannone also thanked the contractors and rivers for keeping their vehicles on the road and their windows clear and their lights working during the harsh winter weather. "Even though it is cold, students still have to be [at the bus stops] on time," he said.
The Treasurer’s Report, the Bills lists and the list of Tax Adds, Exemptions, Exonerations were approved. The board authorized advertising of bids related to the 2015/2016 school year and accepted the local audit for 2013/2014 school year, and approved an authorization for expenditure for a Building Condition Survey from Hunt Engineering in the amount of $9,360.
The board accepted the Act 1 resolution for 2015/2016 budget year, which states that taxes will not be increased beyond the Act 1 index.
A Physical Therapy Contract between the school district and Memorial Hospital was approved, effective January 5, 2015 through December 14, 2015.
Under Personnel items, these spring sports coaches for the 2014/2015 season were approved:
Bob Rockwell, Baseball head coach;
Lyle Wesneski, Baseball assistant coach;
Jill Ward, Softball head coach;
Jake Shaffer, Softball assistant coach;
Barry Morgan, Boys Track head coach;
Katie Steever, Girls Track head coach;
Casey Aylesworth, Track assistant coach.
These names were added to the volunteer list, pending completion of all paperwork:
Softball - Nicole Siedhof, Janelle VanNoy, Angie Schoonover, Chelsea Apker, Terilyn Anderson.
Baseball - Jay Perry, Mark Cordeiro, Craig Route, Brian Peterson.
These additions were made to the substitute list, pending completion of all paperwork:
Madeline Morse, elementary ed and special ed K-8
Patrick Cioffi, elementary ed
Orinda Ackley, cafeteria and custodian
Geoff VanGorder, paraprofessional
Christopher Mulno, custodian and cafeteria
Andrea Kapichok, van/bus driver
The board Approved an Early Bird Proposal contract with the Canton Area Education Association, which runs through June 0, 2018.
The Support Staff Evaluation/Observation Procedure was approved.
The first reading was given to revised policies No. 004 – Local Board Procedures; No. 204 – Attendance; No. 222 – Tobacco Use; No. 302 – Employment of Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent; No. 806 – Child Abuse; No. 818 – Contracted Services;
And the first reading of these new policies was approved:
No. 304 – Employment of District Staff; No. 305 – Employment of Substitutes; No. 306 – Employment of Summer School Staff; No. 307 – Student Teachers/Interns; No. 309 – Assignment and Transfer; No. 317 – Conduct/Disciplinary Procedures; No. 317.1 – Educator Misconduct
The Central Treasury second quarter report was approved.
It was announced that an executive meeting of the Negotiations and Personnel Committees was held on January 6, 2015.
The board also held an executive session to discuss personnel issues prior to tonight's meeting.