Growing crowds prompts meeting venue change

BY STACI WILSON

With a growing number of Susquehanna Community teachers attending the monthly school directors meeting, the boardroom isn’t equipped to handle the crowd.

Superintendent Bronson Stone asked Susquehanna Community Education Association representative Kathleen Hinkley if she expected the turnout to board meetings to continue.

Board meetings are held in the conference room in the administration building, an office area with limited seating available. Most of the teachers in attendance stood for the meeting.

Hinkley said she does not know in advance of a meeting how many people plan to attend.

Stone said he, and the board, would like to hold the meetings where the board could face the audience, and where seating would be available for all who attend.

“I can speak on behalf of my members, they don’t mind standing,” Hinkley said.

Stone asked to board to consider moving the Wednesday business meetings to the high school cafeteria until further notice. The board approved the meeting venue change.

The superintendent also reported that some of the state funding had been released to the district. Stone advocated for the state legislature to adopt an “equitable funding formula” for school districts.

He noted that the state budget process has also prompted to “big changes” including a bill that was introduced that would delay the Keystone exam graduation requirements until the 2018-19 school year. He questioned the point of even having the tests when results would only be used to judge teachers and administrators.

Stone reported that the district’s strategic plan was approved at the state level. The three-year plan will go into effect on July 1.

Business Director Gary Kiernan said the 2014-15 audit report showed the district’s revenues and expenditures within $32,000 of each other.

He also noted the accounting procedure that now requires the district’s audit report to reflect its pension liabilities.

The board approved new and revised policies. Stone said the policies primarily about clearances.

He said that getting paperwork back from prior employers has been difficult, especially for applicants who have worked outside of Pennsylvania.

Employers in the state are required to submit the paperwork to districts upon request but there is no way to compel out-of-state employers to do so, he noted. Stone said there are about three people applying for substitute-type positions that are waiting on the mandated previous employer paperwork.

The board accepted resignations from Robin Carmody, financial assistant, effective April 4; and Mary Weaver, part-time maintenance, effective Dec. 31, 2015.

Both were thanked by the board for their time and service to the district.

The position held by Carmody will be reduced to a part-time position, with Stone, Kiernan and the office employees picking up some of the job duties.

The board also accepted the retirements of John Mann, part-time maintenance, effective March 18; and Cecilia Wayman, food service, effective Dec. 23, 2015. Stone and board members said both will be missed.

School director Ashley Depew was approved to serve as the Susquehanna Community School Board representative on the NEIU #19 board.

Stone noted Blue Ridge’s move to end the co-sponsorship for soccer. Players are the roster will be able to continue to play until they graduate, he noted.

He also said that the golf and football co-sponsorship will continue.

The district is in “desperate” need of substitute nurses, Stone said, asking for anyone qualified and interested in the position to apply.