11-12-07 Board Meeting Notes
Board of School Directors Meeting Notes 11/12/07
The board recognized the following students for their achievements in national and state Technology Student Association competitions:
High School
State - Christian Blandford, Andrew Colwell, Alexander Jaffe, Benjamin Pipenberg, Austin Shears, Eric Margusity, Sean McPherson, Brady Ripka, Zachary Rhoads
National (State High had more first place winners than any other school in PA.) - Adam Jones, William Lesieutre, William Ross, Adam Zydney, Karen Alley, Chloe Alpert.
Middle School
National - Akos Albert, Joshua Bram, Russell Burkhard, Matt Lee, Alex Warner
Ron Shealer, advisor, and the middle school team were featured on PA Inside Out on WPSU-TV in June.
The board also recognized Ron Shealer, middle school technology education teacher. Ron was named the Technology Education Association of Pennsylvania's Middle School Teacher of the Year for 2007.
Students Andy Colwell and Christian Blandford the miniature vehicle they designed and built for the competition. It is the size of a fingernail, fully remote controlled and has full mobility.
The board approved three new members of the Career and Technical Center General Advisory Committee: Bob Conn, Ray Chambers, and Frank Harden.
The board approved the personnel report including the appointment of Barry W. King to the position of director of the Career and Technical Center at the high school to replace Carolyn Foust on her retirement.
On second reading, the board approved the revisions to selected Section 400 Professional Employee Policies.
Following advertisement of their intention to do so, the board approved changing the Emergency and Municipal Services Tax to the Local Services Tax per Act 7 of 2007 as well as amending the income exemption from $1,000 to $0.00 per employee per year beginning January 1, 2008.
The board approved a request to bid replacement of three buses for the school year 2008-09.
The board voted to extend the effective date to 12/1/2010 on the swap transaction of the general obligation bonds of 4/25/2006 in the amount of $58,050,000. It was originally entered into as a forward starting interest rate management agreement with the effective date of Dec. 1, 2007.
Course changes for the High School and Career and Technical Center Program were presented and will be considered for approval at the Dec. 3 board meeting.
Paul Heasley, high school agriculture teacher, and Bill Van der Sluys, high school chemistry teacher, presented a PowerPoint on the exciting biodiesel fuel project they have developed with their students. A cooperative effort of CTC programs and the science department, students use fryer oil from the high school food service department to make biodiesel fuel, which they then use to fuel their Gator and tractor. A grant from PDE enabled the purchase a diesel engine and dynamometer, and a grant from the Dept. of Ag Rural Youth program provided the biodiesel reactor and supplies. The two teachers developed alternative fuels lesson plans, written for the Market Place for the Mind Web site, part of the PA Dept. of Ag. Education Web site, that have been chosen by the National Agriculture Education Association to be presented at their national conference. Besides hands-on learning of applied chemistry, students have also presented biodiesel demonstrations at the Farm Show and at an exhibit at Grange Fair.
The meeting ended with a discussion on school safety with Police Chief Tom King and Superintendent Patricia Best regarding the threat of violence at the high school today Monday 11/12/07. School will resume on Tuesday, Nov. 13. The district has increased police presence, and every effort is being made to identify the person or persons responsible for this threat.
