The Bellwood-Antis School Board met last evening under the direction of Board President Kenneth Loucks and Board Vice President Donna Tyler to discuss and decide upon issued within the school district.
The minutes were accepted, approved and filed for the August 6th and 13th board meetings as presented.
B-A School Board members accepted policy changes to update the policies with regard to the use of ‘electronic signatures’ on checks for the school district. Previous policy numbers 608, 616 and 618 show revisions from the old policies.
Policy number 608 added the following: “All disbursements by check shall contain the signatures of at least three of the following officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, The use of facsimile and/or electronic signatures is authorized. The secretary shall secure the electronic signature file.”
Policy number 616 added: “The next to last paragraph needs to have the following added, ‘or an electronic file.’”
Policy number 618 has been revised to include: “Lines 13 & 14 on page one of two needs to have the following revisions, ‘designated principals who shall sign all check requests drawn upon them.’ Line 31 & 32 on page two of two needs to be deleted, ‘All checks shall be signed by the person authorized to approve such disbursements.’”
Bellwood-Antis School District Business Manager, Ken Swanson, commented on the policy changes regarding electronic signature use, “We’re beginning to utilize digital signatures on checks. Those are our old policies with those revisions to update so that by using the electronic signature our policies will be in compliance.”
Swanson added, “There’s tighter control with electronic signatures because now somebody simply can’t fake a signature on a check. They’re going to come on there and then we’re going to have autotrails.”
The school board also discussed ‘Act 57 Energy Savings.’ Legislature passed a law to allow schools to enter into ‘performance contracts,’ where a company comes in, evaluates the school and areas where there can be energy savings, such as light retro-fits. By doing those improvements, the school will recognize a savings under utility bills.
Swanson commented, “They (B-A School District) take the money saved from the utility bills and use it for the improvements. It’s called ‘budget zero.” He added, “The board is in the middle of evaluating the two proposals we received.”
B-A School Board received quotations for the installations of a sewer line from South 2nd Street and Lowther Street to the restrooms attached to the bus garage. The quotations came from Messner Plumbing ($9,450), McCloskey Plumbing ($29,487) and Decker ($9,550).
“We have a septic system over there and its been installed since the early 1970’s and we’d like to have that tapped into the borough sewer line,” said Swanson. “Those cost proposals were for a four inch line instead of a six inch line, and along with other issues related, we need to get more information and then report back to the board.”
The board reviewed and discussed policies 108 (Adoption of Textbooks), 109 (Library Collection), 112 (Guidance Counseling), 113 (Special Education), and 114 (Programs for Gifted Pupils). The policies are still being reviewed. Once the school board goes from review to ‘first reading,’ the policies will be presented for the public comment. Within the following month the board will take action to approve.
B-A School Board reviewed the ‘Pest Management Proposal,’ which has been moved for first reading. The school district has to have a Pest Management Plan in place by January 1, 2003 by state law.
Board presented a ‘Student Transportation Update’ that was designed to eliminate a take home run “D5” for grades 5-12, but were also able to eliminate the morning run “D5” for grades 5-12. The school district still has the vacancy for D6P that is a one and a half hour per day take home run. The board would like to monitor these changes for a month and report back at the October meeting.
Chairperson Rhonda Hocutt and board members approved a PSSA Re-Test policy that would require all 12th grade students who did not attain a proficiency or advanced level on the 11th grade PSSA tests, take the state-sponsored re-take test in October of each year. This policy would exclude the special needs students who will be required to pass a locally designed assessment test later this spring.
Board approved the finance committee submission of the Safe and Drug Free Schools application for $10,085 to cover security personnel, security cameras and SAP attendance monitoring.
Bellwood-Antis School District approved their substitutes teachers for the 2002-03 school year. The board also approved the ‘Strategic Plan’ for the period of 2002-2008.
Board approved modifying the elementary greeter schedule by adding one half hour per day making the start time 8:30 a.m. rather than 9 a.m.
Elementary Principal Terri Harpster declared the Myers Elementary has an enrollment of 494 students officially. High School Principal Michael Sakash reported an official 430 students enrolled, which is lower than in recent years.
Superintendent Dr. Rodney Kuhns noted at last evening school board meeting that the board needs to start architect selection for the renovation of the auditorium and set a date to do so.
