001Welcome to the Wattsburg Area School District where we are stu student centered and future focused for world-class education. I'll now call to order the board of education work session for Monday, June 8th, 2026th. Would you all please rise for the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> May I have a roll call, please? >> Mr. Blazer, >> Mr. Bumagen, >> present. >> Mrs. Heatherington, >> here. >> Mr. Morve, >> here. >> Dr. Pushchek, >> here. >> Mr. Snippert, >> Dr. Will >> here. >> Dr. Williams, >> Mr. Young >> present. >> Just to let everyone know, the board met in executive session prior to this evening's work
002session uh to discuss a legal matter, a personnel matter, and also school safety and security. Uh first on our agenda this evening uh and just a reminder to the public as well uh the purpose of our work session is to set the agenda for our regular voting meeting uh next Monday. So we'll be going through uh each of the departments that we cover here uh from a committee level uh to set that agenda. And first on that list would be school reports. Dr. Berlin, will we have a school report for next week's meeting? >> We don't have a school report for next week. >> All right. Thank you, Dr. Berlin. It's now time for guest and citizen comments. Do we have anyone sign up to speak with us this evening? And we do not. Next
003on the agenda will be to set the superintendent report. Dr. Bloom, will we have a superintendent report for next week? >> Yes, I will have a report. >> All right. Thank you, sir. Uh the chair will now recognize Mrs. Vind Vicky Bendig for the business administrator's report. >> Thank you, Mr. President. For tonight, I have the treasures reports. general fund as of May 31st, 2026 totaling 7,666,356.35. The year-to- date budget versus actual report will be ready for next week. Capital Projects has $1865 in that account. Cafeteria has $853,16045 as of the end of May. The profit and loss report will be ready for next week. And at the end of the school year, the student activities, well, not end of the school year, as of May 31st, student activities balance collectively in those accounts, $71,53062.
004Moving on to the bill lists, there is one list for checks already written that was between the last board meeting and the work session this evening. general fund. Those uh checks totaling $118,348.33. The rest of the bill lists will be ready for next week. And that is all I have. >> Thank you, Mrs. Bending. We'll look forward to seeing the remainder of the report for next week's meeting. Are there any questions for Mrs. Bending? >> Excellent. There are no items under legal advisement this evening to move over for next week. So, the chair will now recognize Dr. Andrew Pushjack for finance. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Uh June is a busy month for financial items and we have 10 currently to consider uh for next week's meeting. The first item is 7A which are the
005um monthly budgetary transfers from budget to actual. 7B is the engagement of the auditing services um with Bokeamonte Whipple and Boufetaro which we've used in the past. And then a big item 7C will be the adoption of the final general fund budget for 2627. And then in order to fund that budget, we have several resolutions. Uh 7D is the real property tax resolution. 7E is the per capita tax resolution. 7F is the act 511 per capita tax resolution. 7G is the earned income tax resolution. 7H is the realy transfer tax resolution. 7 I is the local services tax resolution. 7J is the act one homestead resolution. So we approve a budget which is our working plan and then these are the ways that we shall fund the budget. So at this time 10 items for
006the board's consideration next week. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you, Dr. Pushchack. Are there any questions on the 10 items under finance? >> Hearing none. Thank you, Dr. Pushchack. >> Thank you, Mr. President. >> Now, for buildings and grounds, uh we'll turn to Mr. Greg Breington. >> Uh for next week, uh Dr. Williams appears to have six items for the uh agenda. Underneath building and grounds, facility use request, uh St. convincing hospital security to use Senica High School auditorium classrooms on scheduled dates for training sessions. Uh there does appear in these six requests to have a bit of information still to be filled in as itemized cost is not there yet. Uh 8B campus paving to award the bid for campus paving and crack sealing to cross paving at a total c cost of
007$99,89924. Uh item 8 C boiler project to award the bid for the boiler project. Uh information forthcoming. Uh item 8 D campus concrete work to approve a contract for the campus concrete work as well. Uh information forthcoming on that too. Item E, snow removal to approve the snow removal agreement between Wattsburg Area School District and uh Helen Nelson Trucking uh as attached. And then item F, pavement seal coating to approve the agreement between Watsburg Area School District and the pave pavement care service for a two coat application of seal coat and crack filling of the pavement area surrounding the athletic complex at a cost of $5,350 from committed funds as attached. Next week, there should be those six items. >> All right. Are there any questions on those six? was excellent to see continued maintenance
008on these committed funds. This >> I would just like to add um some additional information. Um so the St. Vincent Hospital security um they are supposed to be submitting a facility use request form so that I have the exact dates and times so that I can come up with an estimate. >> We have not yet seen that. So >> put it on here as a placeholder in case that comes through between now and Friday. Um, but that's what where we're at with that. The boiler project, the bid opening is Wednesday, uh, day after tomorrow on the 10th at 10:00 a.m. That is a public bid opening. So, we're expecting to have bids for that project. The campus concrete work came in below the bid threshold, but above the threshold that requires us to get three
009quotes. So, Eric was on the phone, contacted four other companies to get us two more quotes, and somebody was in Las Vegas and just getting back today. And so, still keeping my fingers crossed that I'm going to have two more quotes so that we can award uh the concrete um project next week. So, that's why we have blanks. >> Appreciate the fill in. Thank you very much. That's what happens when we try to get all the work scheduled in June. Any others on those hearing? None. Thank you, Mr. Burmagen. Uh, the chair will now recognize Dr. Will for personnel. >> Thank you, Mr. President. There are eight agenda items under personnel um to move to the meeting next week. First, a appointments uh several appointments. Sandra Banano as an elementary teacher, Carrie Wasneski Sthon as
010a special education teacher, Adam Goshing as a custodian, and then a placeholder for an office secretary at the high school. Um, resignationwise, item B, Eric Duncan as a cafeteria aid and Eric Pierce as an elementary teacher. Item C, leave requests, FMLA for both Sarah McCall and FMLA for Eric Schultz. Uh D conference requests. Vicky Bendig to the Steel Eagle Leadership Institute. Justin Gman to the researchbased instruction supervision and evaluation strategies to improve student learning. And Susan Pebbles to the Bureau of Education and Research Practical Strategies for Dealing with Disrespectful and Disengaged Students. Under E, Administration and Travel Reimbursement for Attendance at meetings. um to approve the attendance and travel requirements for all PTE related meetings and other position related meetings for the 2627 school year as outlined below. Item F, the Dr. Girtu A. Barber
011Center Incorporated ESY one-on-one aid service agreement to approve the agreement between the Dr. Gertru A. Barber Center and the Wattsburg Area School District for one-on-one aid services July 6th through August 6th. G, we're looking at service substitute list additions for one person for the 2526 school year, Emily Campbell. And H, tuition reimbursement as attached. Um, and those would move over to the agenda next week. >> Excellent. Thank you. Are there any qu how many we have here? Eight. Any questions on these eight items under personnel? >> Question. >> Absolutely. Mr. President, >> statement, question, comment. I'm not sure which one it is, but I'm going to throw it out there. So today actually marks the 15th year that I've been out of education. In those nine years, I did change districts once. So I was
012part of a um new negotiated contract, if you will. Uh I guess my question is more around possibly unintended consequences of our renegotiated teachers um uh benefit package. So when I look at item nine uh a you know step 14 step 16 I realize when somebody get comes in they're coming in at it's a negotiate they can do whatever they they want but I guess my question is um what happens when we're bringing people in that are surpassing our current staff on steps and is that you know as an unintended consequence of the marketplace right if you have to negotiate to bring better people in I I get that but I am concerned about staff morale when we're bringing people in at higher levels. And again, I don't have all the data here, so I'm
013not sure, but I just see those high steps. So, I know I mentioned that one other time shortly after we did that. >> Uh, and so I just wanted to bring it to the forefront again. You know, I am concerned. We've had issues with staff leaving before. Uh, so just wanted to bring that to the forefront again. But we we we did talk about this during negotiations. It's a it's a byproduct of compacting the pay schedule and that's something that the teachers association very badly wanted and that is the number one priority of PSCA right now is to compact salary schedules. The I the idea being uh it shouldn't take you 35 years to get to the top. Um so now we are down to 16 steps. Uh so it only takes half that time
014and and that's pretty close to what uh most of the districts that have compacted around us that we're competing with are at. Um, so I would say that there's no surprise to the teachers association in my opinion based on our discussions. Uh, we did talk about the ramifications of compaction and I've been working here for three years, but now I'm going to get pushed down to year one. you know that was an adjustment that happens one time and then that bubble is going to move on but it takes it takes time. So that's what I can offer there is it was eyes wide open and agreed to by uh the teachers association. >> Yeah, >> thank you for that feedback. It's just a concern that when somebody comes in above where somebody else is, it's
015not typically good for morale. So yeah, just something to keep our fingers on. >> No, I agree. >> Thank you. >> Good point, Mr. Brunen. It it's an an internal equity issue that can get created for sure. >> Yeah, that's the unfortunate part is it takes time. >> Any others? >> I have. >> Yes. >> I would just like to say on the record that I am very sad to see Mr. Pierce leaving the district. I understand. But my girls had him this year and they absolutely loved him >> and uh had a very emotional last day of school. But I do appreciate him and um thank you for his service. >> Thank you, Miss Heatherington. Any others? >> All right. Hearing none. Thank you, Dr. Will, for presenting personnel this evening. The chair will
016now recognize Mr. Steven Morv for policy. >> Mr. Mr. President, currently there's one item uh under policy for next week on the agenda and that is the uh second reading of pol the updated policy 237 for electronic devices and that is currently what's on the agenda for next week. >> Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Morve. >> Yeah, I would can I add? >> Yeah, absolutely. Uh if you didn't see it uh last week, the well first of all the House Bill 1814 I believe it is originally authored by the Senate was in the House Education Committee uh under discussion and it was voted out of the committee and onto the floor. Um and it is there's very few changes to it from the the Senate version. So, it's highly likely that that is going to pass
017um almost guaranteed. So, it it does it will retain a a pretty nononsense, no phones permitted to be used during the day, recess, lunch, class time, hall pass time, all all of that. uh one of the only things districts uh are in charge of essentially with that policy would be to decide the logistics of it. Um what do the students do with the phones? That's up to us when you know when they're off or when they're here if they bring them. Uh and then of course the the discipline side of that but it is I mean it is coming so it it should uh make things a lot more uniform across schools. So and I hopefully that will uh level the field with how kids feel about that realize that this is a time for
018learning not for using electronic devices. Any others on the electronic devices policy? Second reading. All right. Hearing none, the chair will now recognize Mr. Mor again for curriculum. >> Mr. President, uh next week uh there are three items currently on the agenda for curriculum and that includes uh 11A the special education plan addition additions and that'll uh to approve the additions to the Wattsburg area school district education plan previously approved back on April. Second item is uh 11B the homebound instruction to approve homebound instruction of a Watsburg student as outlined. And then thirdly 11 C the ECTCS transition center operating agreement and that's to improve the agreement between the Erie County Technical School and Watsburg Area School District provide special education services from July to June as per the attachment. So those are the three
019items currently on the agenda for next week. >> Excellent. Thank you Mr. Morve. Are there any questions on the three items under curriculum? >> All right. Thank you very much, Mr. Morbe. >> Thank you, Mr. President. >> The chair will now recognize Mr. Greg Brumagen for technology. >> Mr. President, apparently all the money was already spent. There's nothing for technology. >> Thank you, Mr. Brumagen. Chair will now recognize Dr. Veronica Will for transportation. >> Thank you, Mr. President. There are no items under transportation for next week. >> Thank you, Dr. Will. Chair will now recognize M. Lee Heatherington for athletic and extracurricular. Thank you, Mr. President. I will have three items on the agenda for next week. Uh the first one being extracurricular appointments. Uh 14A and it is to approve extracurricular appointments that are
020listed in the attachment. Um 14B athletic appointments to approve athletic appointments for the fall um 2627 school year as listed in the attachment. And the final is 14 C volunteer list additions um to approve the additions of the volunteer listed on the agenda. >> Excellent. Thank you, Miss Heatherington. Any questions on those three items? >> Hearing none, we'll see those move over for next week. Thank you, Miss Heatherington. Uh for miscellaneous for next week for your consideration, uh we have a surplus items list of uh middle school surplus textbooks. Uh, does anyone have any questions about that list of surplus textbooks? Hearing none, that will also move over for next week. Uh, Mr. Morv, will we have an Erie County Technical School joint operating committee report for next week? >> Mr. President, yes, I will
021be able to report on the May um joint operating committee uh meeting that we had. And uh our June meeting uh is not until after our scheduled board meeting. that will not be reported until our August board meeting since we do not have one in July. >> Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Mo. Uh for the Northwest Tri County Intermediate Unit, will we have a report for next week? Dr. Pushcheek, >> Mr. President, it will be very brief as I did not attend the meeting due to the VOTE graduation for my daughter the same evening as the IU board meeting, but I will still have a very brief report. >> Excellent. Thank you, Dr. Pushcheek. >> Thank you. It's time for board correspondence and dialogue. Is there anything for the good of the order this evening? >>
022Um I would like to say one thing that we forgot to share at the love fest that we had last month. Um and that was uh I wanted to recognize and I told her this personally, but um Mrs. Pins offered her um being able to pivot when she had water day. Uh the weather was not cooperating for the day it was scheduled and it was going to be beautiful on Monday. So, she put in a ton of work, called made a ton of calls, and she made it happen. And it was the best water day yet cuz it was actually 85 degrees that day instead of 50 >> instead of 50. >> So, thank you to her for her ability to pivot and make things happen. >> Excellent. Thank you very much for those words,
023Miss Heatherington. Any others? >> Mr. President? >> Yes, Dr. Bush. I would just like to congratulate the class of 2026 and the administration for a wonderful commencement exercises uh held last week and um it was an honor to stand next to you to distribute diplomas. So, thank you for your leadership and uh what a wonderful community event. No tickets required. Fill up the stadium as full as we can. Um it was a very nice event. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Pekk. I have to work on my speech craft as our student speakers were well also including your daughter were excellent. Um she even cracked more jokes than me which was kind of obscure for me to be the one in the crowd trying to be serious but but in all sincerity our our class
024of 2026 I each year at graduation it continues to just blow me away how we continue to elevate the level that's leaving our buildings. Um the students were amazing this year as always and they continue to get better every year. Mr. Breton, >> uh quick comment. Um summer sendoff, uh what's such a great event. I think our community, um starves for community atmosphere and for gettogethers and it's been blessed with nice weather for the last few years. So, uh however, the concern is that sometimes all good things can come to an end. And it's a I guess maybe my question is is at some point in time it might outgrow its student leadership class that it came from because it's such a well attended community event security you know keeping ground kids in proper areas.
025Um I feel like maybe it needs to have more of a districtwide you know all hands on deck kind of atmosphere. um you know, seems to be that a lot of things are falling on one or two people's shoulders and uh and I don't know if it's really the sheriff's job to police our our entire grounds and the Robin Hood Forest and everything else that we have around here. Um but I think it's a great event. Uh I think our community needs stuff like that. Uh but definitely have concerns for the second year in a row that I've publicly stated about like security and and things like that. So, I do think that's gotten to the point where maybe we need to give it a little bit more attention because we can't let things like
026that stop. >> Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Bumagen. And it was I mean the nice weather, the attendance just continues to climb uh year after year and so does the need for parking. >> Yeah. Any others? >> Hearing none, I'll now entertain a motion to adjurnn. Move to adjurnn. Push check. >> Second. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. Nay. Motion carries and we are adjourned. Thank you.