DuBois Area School Board meeting Feb. 28, 2019
Despite having two of its regular members absent, the DuBois Area School Board went ahead with its agenda and disposed of many routine items. With Board members Mark Gilga and president Larry Salone absent, the vice president, Jeff Mattinger, chaired the meeting.
Before going on with the agenda, the Board heard presentations from a number of students from Jeff Tech, the school in Reynoldsville that includes students from DuBois, Brockway, Brookvile and Punxsutawney. These students, introduced by the school’s principal Melissa Mowrey, explained what they learn in a number of classes ranging from drafting and design to cosmetology and culinary arts. In addition to explaining what they study in the classes, a number of students told the board that thanks to what they have learned, some of their students have won competitions in their fields with some advancing to district and state competitions.
Another student from the DuBois High School explained what he termed a privacy issue with restroom use at the high school. He said the administration told him the school did not have a policy regarding restroom usage and he said he was present asking the Board to institute a policy in this area.
The Board then went ahead with the regular agenda. One of the items on that agenda regarded the school calendar. Substitute superintendent Wendy Benton said that following the work session a week ago, she contacted elementary teachers to get their view on using a make-up day scheduled for the middle school and high school as a day to make up lost time in the elementary schools. Benton said 84 of the teachers favored using that day while 24 were opposed. With that in mind she said she would recommend changing the calendar to reflect that day, Monday, April 22, as a make up day for the elementary schools and the Board approved that change,
Later in the meeting, Benton said she also wanted to compliment all the teachers and staff involved when the students from Wasson Elementary were faced with a situation where their school did not have power following a recent storm. She said since the initial report was that power would be restored, the students and teachers all reported, but upon learning the power would not be on, all students were transported to the middle school where they had lunch and carried on in groups in that school. She said it was a tribute to the teachers, the maintenance staff, cafeteria workers, transportation people and administrators that the transfer was carried out smoothly to protect the safety and welfare of this children for that day.
The Board also approved the Eagle Scout project for Hayden Sweet to refurbish and restore the Rockton School bell, The bell will be taken to a Rescar shop where it will be cleaned and sandblasted before being returned to its location in front of the Administratice Center on Liberty Boulevard.
A motion to grant exemption eligibility (LERTA) to Steven and Ann Irvine for a building at 49 Washington Avenue in Falls Creek was defeated by a vote of 6 to 1.
The Board also voted to give the the substitute superintendent, Oklahoma school principal and senior high school principal authority to sign an agreement with the DuBois Continuum of Care Community, Inc. to provide emergency temporary shelter for DCCCI residents at their schools.
In other action the Board voted so approve a five year agreement with Seton Hill University for student teachers from that university.
In one final motion, the Board agreed to sell two vehicles which had been put out for bids, a 2003 Ford F350 and a 2000 Chevy 2500. Both were sold as is with no warranties expressed or implied. The Ford went to Randy Caldwell for $4525, and the Chevy went to Gilbert Barker for $3950. Board member Barker abstained from the vote on this motion.
by Glenn Schuckers
