001I pledge allegiance period of silent meditation. 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. >> Um All portions of this meeting may be live streamed, recorded, or posted on the district's YouTube channel for the purpose of public broadcasting and according to board policy. The district disclaims any responsibility or liability for any defamation or slanderous statements expressed by any member of the public. Any unauthorized recording or rebroadcasting this video, audio, or still image of this meeting is strictly forbidden without the written permission of the board or superintendent. We don't have anybody speaking. So, we'll get right into the agenda. Oh, I'm sorry. We have Didi on the phone and three members are
002excused. Uh We have no student reports. And no presentation or unfinished business. Uh Request approval for item number six, minutes approval request for the minutes for the May 12th, 2026 voting meeting. >> I'll make a motion. >> Who Alan and Kelly? Athletic reports. Is there any discussion on >> We need to vote. That was the motion and the second. >> Oh, okay. All in favor? >> Aye. >> Any opposed? >> Aye. >> Motion passes. Athletic report, we have uh items number uh one through one through three. Is there any discussion on those items? Request a motion for approval. >> Motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Transportation, we have two items in transportation. Any discussion on those items? Motion for approval. >> Motion. >> Second. >> All in
003favor? >> Aye. >> Any objections? Motion approved. Passes. Item C, building maintenance, we have nothing under that. Cafeteria, we have five items under cafeteria per requests. Can I get a motion? Is there any discussion on any of those items? Can I get a motion to approve? >> Motion. >> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> So approved. Federal programs and curriculum under Dr. Gasta. Dr. Gasta, do you have something you wanted to discuss in this? >> Yes. Um, over the last couple of days, um, I've been having some conversation with Phil Shankel, who teaches our AP Gov classes. Um, he'd proposed making some adjustments to the length of the AP Gov class so that it's a semester and doubling that up with Econ, which provides the personal finance class that our students are required to
004take. AP Gov can be taken or offered in a year or semester length. Content doesn't change, structure doesn't change. Um, pairing that with Econ allows those students who would have lost the opportunity to take other semester courses in their, um, in that span of time. Uh, that wouldn't have been an available option for them. Um, Mr. Shankel further explained that he thinks the combination of Econ and Gov together provides a natural opportunity to discuss some of the historical, um, topics in fuller depth because he can compare the economic, um, I'm not sure how you would phrase that, moments in history that are that are based in that that economic, um, situation and how that impacted the issues, um, in government. So it's not much of a change, they're already scheduled out for a year, it's
005just breaking that up into two semester courses to get them the personal finance piece that required to have but also give them that flexibility to explore some some other things in their schedule. >> Is that a curriculum change that needs to be put on the agenda for approval? >> It doesn't really change what they're required to take. It's It's just the structure of it. >> Okay. >> Um the AP or sorry, the college board provided him that feedback of what that needs to look like. So, I don't believe that there's any structural change to credits. There's not a structural change to the courses they're required to take. It's more of just how we're offering it. So, we wanted to make sure that we got that information to all of you um in the event that
006you had some concerns or questions. >> That's nice nice for the kids. >> Yeah, that was our thought as well. Um Mr. Schenkel did a lot of work uh in the background >> Mhm. >> to make sure he had details that he could present to us in their entirety. >> Very good. Do you have any further discussion on that? On uh item E in the federal programs and curriculum. I've got I've got Is there a motion to approve the items on the federal curriculum? >> Motion. >> Second, please. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Superintendent has um 11 items there for approval. Any discussion on any of those items? Can I get a motion to approve? >> Motion. >> Second. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Uh
007any opposed? Motion passes. >> If I could have a moment to do my informational piece here. Um we just had a of retirees in the district and I just wanted to take a moment to publicly thank them. So, um uh let me go through our list real quickly here and then I'll say a few words about them. So, uh we have Susan Laney who uh was a teacher with us for 33 years. Um, Barbie Javadoni uh is a teacher with us for 33 years as well. Carolyn Zambory was part of our support staff for 24 years. Ruth Wren was part of our support staff for 16 years. Christine Burkett, part of our support staff for 13 years. Sherry Huber, um support staff for 8 years. Shirley Baker, support staff for 15 years. And Patty Filera,
008support staff for 33 years. So, I I just wanted to say that um whether um you are a teacher, support staff, um all positions are critical to our operations and whether it was 8 years or 33 years, um what we know is that student lives were positively influenced. It could have been a kind, quiet gesture, um a word of encouragement, um or an inspiring instructional style. Um, but what we do know is that educating a child is an all hands-on deck effort and everyone um has certainly had a hand uh in in educating and influencing in the lives of our kids. So, on behalf of um our administrative team and our board, we wanted to thank you for your service to the Punxsutawney Area School District and wish you well in your next chapter and
009endeavors. >> Absolutely. >> Um, I wanted to share just a few things. Um, I uh put a little communication out to um our retirees, gave them the option if there were some things that they wanted me to expand on and share about them. Some preferred yes, some uh did not prefer that. So, I'll share with you those who who did um have a few things and I thought it was just a nice way to highlight them. So, uh first Susan Laney, she was a science teacher with us from 1993 on until present. She has taught Earth Science, General Science, Principles of Technology, Physical Science, Life Sciences, and Physics. She was a Science Department Head for a number of years, Student Government Advisor, Class Officer Advisor, and Student Council Advisor. She was a graduate of the
010Quakertown Area School District and she just wanted to share that she greatly enjoyed the opportunity to work with the teachers who once taught her and as a student, their encouragement was um uh their encouragement, especially from science teachers, inspired her to pursue a career in teaching. So, uh nice message there. That's certainly what we all strive to do um as as we work daily. Um Barbie Devidoney, she has has been a math teacher with us for 33 years. She currently teaches Academic Algebra 1, Pre-Calc, and she is the Math Department Chair. And one of the things she wanted to share is that she was a mentor for four exceptional teachers who are currently teaching at the high school. And she also wanted me to share that she wanted to personally thank the others the students,
011faculty, and staff for their support uh during a recent illness. And she said that she has the best students in the world and she works with the best best people. And then finally, Sherry Huber has been a special ed instructional assistant in the emotional support classroom for eight years. And she was inspired by the teacher that she's worked with, Tammy Rush. She taught her how to be patient, adjust to um the different nuances of uh, the students and the days. And she lives by a quote that's inspired her that it's better to be kind than it is to be right. So, um, I thank all three of them and all of those who were mentioned for their service to our school. >> Thank you. Yeah, I think that goes for everybody. Greatly appreciate their service.
012You know, some of them personally have known for a long time. Some of them graduated with me, so it's really cool to see them having spent 33 years in this institution giving their all. Okay. Um, building principals, am I in the right place here? >> Yes. >> Building principals, um, uh, elementary school, I'm sorry. There's nothing under, um, elementary school. Um, high school has five items under Dr. Smelko. Can I get a Is there any discussion on those items? Can I get a motion to approve? >> Motion. >> Any second? >> I'll second that. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> I. >> Any Sorry, Didi. Any opposed? Motion passes. Financial. Susan has uh, five items under there. Any discussion for those five items under financial? >> There's seven. >> I'm sorry?
013>> There's seven with the motions for the budget unless you want to do them separate. >> Oh, no. Okay. Yeah. Seven items. >> I just want to say, um, thank you to the administration for making budget process yet again another year relatively painless for us. Um, they worked really hard on it, and Susan she's a whiz with those numbers. I mean, it's it Any question you have, she's got an answer. And if she doesn't have it right at the fingertips, she gets it right back to you, and it's it's definitely um work that could be extremely arduous and painful for us, and I know you guys put a lot of time into it, and I appreciate it. >> Thank you so much. >> And if we didn't have you to explain it, most of us
014wouldn't know what >> Exactly. [laughter] >> the hell it was about. Which is really helpful. You can break it down so even I can understand it. >> Yes. That's what we like. >> Any further discussion under financial reports? Did we already put it on the uh >> We did not know. >> Motion to approve? >> Motion. >> Second? >> I'll second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. >> Okay. >> Let's give them this one on personnel next. >> No. >> What are these? Oh, I skipped it. Okay. Under personnel, we have um five items under item number five. B has been removed if you're still looking at the old uh agenda. So, there's eight items under under personnel. Any discussion there? Motion to approve? >> Motion. >> Second, please. >>
015I'll second it. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. >> And just to confirm, that was with 5 B being excluded. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Wait, which was it? >> 5 B. >> We're not voting principal tonight. >> Oh, no. >> Yeah. We already got special reports from Jeff Tech and I 6. Nothing communications. Under payment of the bills, there's three items. Any discussion on these three items? General funds presented, cafeteria funds presented. Can I get a motion to approve? >> Motion. Second. >> Okay. Um All All in favor. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Under new business, we have approval requested for the meeting for the scuba and swim swim lessons and swim rates. Any discussion on those two items? >> We still need to have some further
016discussion and I don't I have not had new uh proposal resolved yet for um the options for the the price of this. So, I would ask if we could um move that one to our next meeting if possible. >> So, we're going to remove item two? >> Yes, please. >> Table two. >> So, we're not going to have swim lessons this summer at all? >> No, we will. What the concern was at last meeting is that they the um prices as per presented were um presented in to um not leave a deficit and and there was uncertainty about how many participants that there would be. That being said, we have to have a an instructor and a guard. And so, uh that seemed to be sensible. However, it was inconsistent with other communities on our
017um you know, surrounding border and how they're handling that. So, I think we It It needs further exploration as to the, you know, proper rate that we can charge. >> So, we'll have lessons. We'll just retroactively approve the rate. Is that what you're saying or >> I'm not certain. Do we when they're starting? Was that the agreement? >> I assume June, June, July, and then part of August. I mean, I'm fine with that. I just don't I mean, since we're finally going to do it, I would like to see us actually let the kids get in there and really learn. >> So, we approve what we have and then retroactively adjust it. >> my question I was going to ask. >> I just don't know how that will work cuz if people start taking the
018lessons and they're going to pay or the lessons will be done and they will not have paid. >> The intention was to adjust it. >> down. Is that Is that correct? >> Correct. >> Yeah. So, if they pay this up front if they start now and pay the current as listed on there and that gets changed or reduced, I can't imagine anybody having a problem. >> Is there a refund? >> Yeah. >> Partial refund. >> Right. >> Or credit towards more >> Adjusted. Adjusted. >> More classes. Fine with that. >> Okay. >> So, we want to Okay. Approve it as presented with the possibility of a retro change in July. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> That sounds good. >> Any further discussion on one and two under new business? Motion to
019approve. >> Motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? The motion is approved. Is there any further discussion before we close the meeting? Okay, thank you for all of you here. The motion I'm sorry. >> Motion in a second to adjourn. >> I'm sorry, motion to adjourn? >> Motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> Motion is adjourned. Have a good night. >> Thank you.