001We still got a little bit. So much better. Thank you. All right. At this time, we'll call to order McGuffy's special meeting this evening at 5:30 p.m. Um, Mr. Cyber. Roll call. >> Mr. Ball here. Miss Fry >> here. >> Mr. Grove >> here. >> Mr. Hoover >> here. >> Madison >> preser >> here. >> Mr. Barnett >> here. >> Present >> here. >> All right. We will now have the prayer. Um, with us this evening is Pastor Linda from East Buffalo Presbyterian Church. >> Good evening. >> I'm glad that you fing me for just a couple minutes since you're making that huge transition to come and go and all that today. That will begin with just a few moments of quiet. Quiet your mind, open your heart, and hear God's voice. Let us pray.
002God, we truly believe that it is you that has called each person that sits around this table this evening. Whether they be employees, whether they be volunteers serving, they all are servants in this time and place that you have called them. So we pray now God as they come together that you might speak to them. We all know that we are not of one mind and that is a gift. But we must remember when we have difficult discussion and decision that we need to be respectful that we need to listen well to others. So we pray God that you impart to us your so small voice that calls us to be caring and compassionate to others and that calls us to always be the best presence of you that we can be in this time
003and place that you've called us this evening. Be with us, guide us, and direct us. Your precious and holy name we pray. Amen. >> Amen. Thank you. >> Thank Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Let's stand for the pledge of >> 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. All right. The board held an executive session on January 22nd at 6 PM to discuss personnel. And we will now open the floor for public comment on agenda items. See if you want to do it from >> Yes. Madam President, we have two speakers. Is it Rob Phillips? Buffalo Township. >> All right. >> I don't think I need seven minutes, but for the
004couple people here that don't know me, uh, Coach Hoff, I've been coaching with the youth football teams for McGuffy for well since I play quit playing in 95. Um, [clears throat] basically I have to work with whoever you hire as AD because I I see them. We help hold help they help us book games, do everything like that. Get the security. Um, yeah, I I'm just here to see who you're picking basically. Um, the last one obviously was a mistake and yeah, you people are picking for a second time. You know, it wasn't your fault, I guess. Did you pick the Trinity guy? Yeah, >> but preferably pick a McGuffy one this time. And uh yeah, >> hopefully you guys picked wisely this time. Thank you. >> Thank you, Madam >> President. Next speaker, Tiffany
005Walker. >> Hi guys. Some of you know me, some of you don't, but I am a parent of an athlet athletic kid. Actually, two of them. And for whoever you pick, make sure they know all the sports. I think some of our sports get left behind, like our rifle that has a lot of awesome shooters on there. My daughter was one. She is no longer on there right now because of what's going on with that, which an athletic director needs to step up and see what's going on. Um, my kid plays football. Coach House has coached my kid and I feel that whoever you pick needs to know all sports and not going to be favoritism. I got word that there might be one and I don't think he should be the one. Um, it's
006not who's mentioned in the thing, but it was somebody else. If he can bully a parent, he can bully his students, too. So, I think that one needs to be off the table if that name ever comes about again. That's mainly why I'm here because I don't think he would be the best pick at all. I don't think we need any more bullies around here. I think we need to stop the bullying that's going on around here. And it's quite quite bullying lately. And I'm sorry. I had to deal with Dalton, too, when I grew up in Trinity. And can't believe you guys hired him, too. But here we are. So, hopefully he pick a better one this time. And coming from a parent, we really need another one to help our coaches. Definitely to
007help our coaches and not fight with our coaches. Our coaches know best. They deal with our players every day. They don't need to fight with somebody. They don't need somebody with think they got a big head and know what they're talking about. No, need somebody that communicate with everybody. And he does all sports, your soccer, your every every sport. He has to know every sport. I don't think it needs to be one person that just knows football because then all the other sports are going to suffer. We need to start bringing our sports back up because we don't really have good sports around here anymore. And I think it sucks for those kids. Think about the kids. The kids want to win. The kids want to go out and have fun. And I can tell
008you last year was not fun at all. At all. So think about that before you pick, please. Thank you. >> Thank you, Madam President. Last speaker, Vicky Jordan. Biggy Jordan, Buffalo Township. I really had a long spiel I was going to give you all tonight, but I emailed you all and you all know where I stand on the athletic director. I really don't want to stand up here and discredit one. You all have lived the history of that person. I don't think it's a candidate that would put a good face to the McGuffy School District. But from my speech I had written tonight. I will share this. I've spoken with Chad McGowan on multiple occasions and he might not have the same experience as the other candidate, but he has proven he is dedicated to
009the district sports program by spending the last six years as a site coordinator with little compensation. You only have to have one conversation with him to know his main priority is the students and the athletic department. It shouldn't be all about how well a candidate looks on paper. We need someone who can build relationships and work well with other ads. a person who can work with the community as a whole and mainly someone whose main priority is our student athletes and not their ego. I believe Mr. McGowan has the ability, managerial experience and knowledge to be a great leader for our district. He has a sound group of highly experienced ads surrounding him, people who will be there to answer questions and help him grow in this position and aid him in adding his name
010to the list of amazing ads that have preceded him. His willingness to utilize the expertise of others for the betterment of our sports program is a sign of ex exceptional character and I ask that you vote for him tonight. Thank you for listening. >> Thank you, >> Madam President. That's all for agenda items. >> Thank you. All right, we will move on to um our personnel item to hire Tad McGowan as athletic director for acceptance and exe execution of an athletic director agreement and pending receipt of all required clearances, medical exams, and act 168 verifications. I'll ask for a roll call. >> Um, we haven't had a motion. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Motion second. Thank you, >> Mr. Leisure. >> Second. >> And Mr. Hooper. Second. Okay. >> Is there any discussion? Um Michael,
011everybody can hear me. Okay. Um I prepared a little bit uh for this meeting as I do every meeting, but um I prepared a little bit of a statement that I would like to share with everyone as uh as I believe that we need to actually address this matter fully. Um I believe it's my duty as a schoolboard member. um not only to discuss this with my peers on the school board but with the community as I was a division 3 athlete and I saw what coaches had to go through every single day. They had to deal with students, academics, they had to deal with anything across the board, administration, they had to deal with we had problems outside of the classroom that he had to deal with. And I've seen it and all the
012students that I saw going to college, they had to deal with the same thing. And really, if I were to break it down, which I can, which I prepared here, while in college, I saw um coaches at the collegiate level endure not only to organize the schedule, but to build a practice plan, follow a strict budget, reschedule events around other teams, affirm both college and conference policies, champion student academics, and organize other coaches game plans around theirs. And truly, we only have one candidate that has these qualifications. Really, we do. And we're sitting here and arguing over somebody without anything of the sort. And to show how this job posting that we're arguing over, which is likely going to go 54 in our decision, uh, the job posting states exactly what I just said, a
013college coach endures on a day-to-day basis. And we're sitting here arguing about somebody who has that quality and has those. And we're arguing. And then on the opposite side, we don't have the other candidate which is in this room today doesn't have those qualities. And I think it's it's because of a political vendetta against an individual. And I think it's honestly predatory. I really do. And I've never seen this happen because I haven't sat in this room until just recently, but I really do think it's a political vendetta. I think it's predatory and discriminatory on all regards. And we chose out of the group to have the least qualified candidate sit here on our docket tonight. And it's sad because I've been a part of this community, the sports community for 20 plus years. And
014I've seen what sports what happens whenever bad management goes into sports. And I've seen when good management comes into sports. And this isn't good management. This is somebody who is not I am not saying that they wouldn't help us and not saying that he's not a good person because I think he's a great person but I really don't think his experience outweighs that because it doesn't. You have to have experience in the sports realm to have a sports job. And we're a group of nine people organizing a 30 plus million dollar organization and we're hiring an ex-ball coach to be our athletic director. Whenever it clearly states during in our job posting that the qualification should include experience in an athletic program administration or coaching at the secondary level, knowledge of PIA regulations and athletic
015safety protocols. And we are the one candidate outside of the one in this room now has those qualifications that we spoke about. And it's it's sad. It really is. And I I understand why the community can't trust us because of this because if we can't decide for the candidate that is the best one and it would he would be a good candidate at a college for not only a coaching position but for a secondary coaching position as an ad at a college. I looked up Mount Lebanon has a posting right now and he would be a good candidate for Mount Lebanon and we're sitting here chewing our thumbs, shoing our nails over this. We had four meetings over this and we can't decide on this whenever it's clear. It's really clear. I I don't understand
016it. I I really I've had a hard time myself understanding why we have such a tough decision and there's no way that we can decide on a candidate be decide to vote in a candidate without athletic experience to run an athletic program regardless if we decide to vote in a candidate tonight or not. I hope that we do, but I think that it should be somebody with athletic experience. And it's sad. And I think, like I said before, I think it's a vendetta against an individual because of it. And there's no way around it. We can't sit here and say that individuals that are voting against the candidate with the most experience in this situation has our best interest in mind as an as an organization or a community. And I really think that we
017need to look at it from an outside perspective rather than looking at ourselves and how the politics surrounding us just it might have a problem with another individual. Our we don't have to have we don't have to have the most sound political agenda up here, but we shouldn't have an agenda that takes the public out of I out of our lives. I mean, we got to understand what the public sees and how they reflect to us and having a candidate without athletic experience will not vote well. even outside of our school district. We whenever we're facing off against another school district and they have an athletic director that child 30 years of experience in sports and we hire somebody who doesn't have experience in sports, it I think they're going to look at us like
018we're we're we're little puppies that we're sad and that we're cheerleaders. I think that if we really want to hire somebody for this position to have the best chance at prosperity, we have to hire somebody with athletic experience. and we really only have one candidate that that has that. So that's my piece. >> Thank you for sharing that. >> Thank you. >> I'd like to speak to that only because I'm not sure where predatorium vindictive comes from. I know I've seen it and I've heard it quite >> I'm sorry I can't really hear you. Is your thing on? >> It is. It is on. >> Maybe you're not speaking in >> I apologize. >> Thank you. Um I I personally I'm not sure where predatory and vindictive comes from only I can't speak for everybody
019else but for me only personally I look at more than just qualifications on paper I do and the candidate that we do have has at least 15 years of experience as a manager who oversaw groups of people who dealt with delegating tasks and all of that. >> Athletes, >> not athletes. No. >> Okay. >> I don't Let's put it this way. When I went to school for something and I left school to go get another job, I wasn't quote unquote qualified on paper because I had just gotten out of school. >> Yeah. >> Somebody had to give me the foot in the door. >> I was qualified because I had transferable skills that allowed for me to succeed in the role that I was getting into. I had minimal training. It was an evening class
020for two months, but as soon as I got a foot in the door, I succeeded in that role because I had those transferable skills. I personally don't like holding people, anybody for any position to this is what it is on paper. They're the most qualified. I think qualifications comes more comes from more than just certificates, schooling, experience. It's not all just what looks good on paper if that makes sense. And I have used that to assist myself. Additionally, the feedback that I have received from community is the perception that there is somebody who potentially could have used their role to further themselves in the district. Did that happen? That's up for them to decide. I don't necessarily believe that. But I'm taking into consideration the feedback that I have received. Also the the taking into
021consideration the qualifications that our candidate does have that are transferable to this position. I understand and respect it's not in athletics. I just don't think that that's a point that should make him unqualified. I don't see that as unqualified. So, one question that I would have in response is that would you hire a principal that doesn't have any education experience because they've managed other individuals who are let's just say >> not in the education field. >> Yeah. Not in the education field. Would you hire a principal to manage and part of the school that's teachers? Would you without certifications, without experience in school, would you do so? >> Well, I believe principles require certain certifications. in the states to take the role to begin with. >> So let's say they have that. Madam President, >>
022if they didn't have any experience in education, would you hire this? >> I think it would depend on the individual in their background. >> I really don't think it would. Madam President, >> I think we've uh debated this issue um for a very very very very long time. >> Time to vote. If there's questions concerning it, I think we need to listen to them. But I don't hear questions. I I would like to be okay in response to to that conversation that took place. I find it I also have had >> feedback from community members. Um I find it interesting that you would mention training uh candidates with training and transferable skills because we have one of those as well. >> Yeah, we do. >> Um and we refused to look at him seriously. um
023he has the degree, he has the training, he has the transferable skills, but because he is young, um he doesn't have the experience and the majority of this board overlooked him as well. Um so it becomes clear that we're looking at a candidate who doesn't meet any of the qualifications simply because he has friends on this board. qualifications. Can I ask this executive session matter? It is not. We've we've already brought a candidate forth >> and and we're discussing him in front of him and his family and the public. It's not appropriate. >> We're allowed to the public's allowed to hear how we feel on this matter before we vote on it. >> At this point where you guys are starting to talk about qualifications of other candidates that the public didn't say that they
024were >> and that um was discussed in the closed door as it should be because of personnel. If we want to talk about the specific individual on the agenda this evening, that's fine. Um, but I'm hearing qualifications discussed about other individuals that are not before. >> Did we name them >> or you did not name them? But, uh, there's a point where the public knows who you're speaking about. I thought public comment was over. >> If we if we could we will have public comment public participation again. If you could hold your comments for then I would appreciate it so we can conduct our business. Um was there any further discussion? >> Yes. If we can't ask questions, then there isn't because if we want to ask questions about it or speak on this topic,
025discuss it in front of the public too. I guess we're not allowed to based on what >> said you're not allowed to. >> So, >> but we started having discussion about other candidates that put in resumes that are not on this agenda and >> for the position that we're trying to hire, >> right? And the public doesn't >> not know who those individuals are. We didn't say I didn't hear a name. >> Well, somehow it's out there. >> Somehow it's all over social media and somehow there's slandering back and forth going on. And I don't think it's that we should be sitting here feeding into that. If we're going to have a conversation, we need to have it behind closed doors if that's where we're headed. If not, we need to vote on the task
026at hand >> first specific individual. Okay. >> You wanted to call to end the debate. Call a question. >> I move to end the debate. And >> did you >> call the question? >> Second. Can we uh >> can we make a motion? >> There was a motion to end the debate and call the question on the floor. >> And the second. >> I snuck that in there when you were talking. and Mr. Laser will second. >> Yes. >> Before we vote on that, I'm just so I'm clear. So, the the choice is to vote yes and move on to the vote or what? We could have a motion to go to executive session. >> No, motion to vote. There's a motion to end this discussion. So there's first and a second. So right now
027the motion is to end the debate and vote on the item before us. >> And if we vote no for that, then we could vote to go to executive session. >> Yes. If the vote is no by everybody, then if that's what you would like, if you would like to do executive session. So to further clarify, if we vote no to this motion, it allows for further debate. >> Correct. >> And somebody could motion to go to executive session at that point. That is correct. >> If we vote yes to end the debate, somebody could not then motion to go to executive session or there is still that opportunity. >> No, I don't think there's not that opportunity. You're going to call actually this item on the agenda. >> Okay. So it would Okay. Okay.
028So, we have a first and a second to end the debate and to vote on the agenda item. Um, I'll ask for a roll call for that as well. >> Mr. Bil, >> no. >> Mr. Gro, >> Mr. Hooper, >> yes. >> Miss Jackson, >> no. >> Mr. Leer, >> yes. >> Mr. Barnett, >> yes. >> No. Mr. Thomas, >> just to be clear, this isn't to go to the executive session. This is for the higher >> This is to end the debate, the conversation we were having. >> If we vote If we vote no, we could then make a motion to go to executive session. If we vote yes, then don't get to go to executive session. >> I'm good to end the debate. >> Miss Yes. Okay. Um, recommended action hire cabinet Gowen
029as athletic director per acceptance and executive execution of an athletic director agreement and pending receipt of all required clearances, medical exams, and act 168 verifications. Again, I'll make a I'll ask for a roll call. >> So moved. >> Second, >> Mr. really sure is our first. We already had a first and second. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize we didn't have to. >> Okay. All right. So, again, roll call. >> Mr. Grove. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hoover. >> Yes. >> Miss Johnson. I would like to the records the minutes to reflect that I am voting no because the hiring of this candidate candidate violates our own job posting policies 303 303.2 827 and the PA ethics act specifically section 1103 >> Mr. Yes, >> Mr. Barnes. >> Yes, >> I would like the minutes
030to reflect that this is not personal. I like Mr. Gowen. He's a nice young man, but he is absolutely not qualified. And we had other people that were qualified. >> More than one that we just didn't look at. >> So, I'm voting no. >> Mr. Thomas, >> yes. >> Mr. Bal, >> no. Yes. Motion passes. >> Motion. Oh, motion to adjourn. >> At this point, we will open the floor again for public comment on non-aggenda >> and using him. Dr. Ober. >> Oh, I'm so sorry. Are we introducing? >> Yes. I would like to introduce Mr. McDonald [applause] >> school board director >> McGuffy school board directors got me now Dr. Goldberg administrators, faculty, community members here and at home. It is my honor and it is my privilege to officially be a part of
031the McGuffy community, the McGuffy family and a member of our team. I want to thank all all the uh supporters that I have in this room, even our community members. Thank you very much for the kind words. I appreciate appreciate it truly. Coach, I look forward to working with you. I look forward to working with all of our coaches. Uh it's just an honor and uh my supporters I intend to exceed all your expectations and my doubters. Another goal that I'm going to add to my chart to prove you wrong that I am a qualified candidate for this position. I appreciate all the kind words here today. Once again, thank you. >> Thank you. You're welcome. All right. Now, at this time, we will open the floor for public comment on um it agenda and
032non-aggenda. Sorry. Madam President, I call Tracy Moore, Wayne Township Center. Hi everyone. I actually just came just to be nosy to make sure you guys hired the right candidate. But since I was here, I just thought I would tell you that Mrs. Tilder from your um special education department and the uh pair of professionals that are with MC friends. I went to a birthday party on Saturday for Chloe. I have to tell you they are the most amazing group of women I have ever seen. Even Mrs. Sims who retired showed up on her own time. These paraprofessionals, I've watched them interact with these children and they were fantastic. Like you have a great group of special education teachers and pair professionals like Mrs. I mean, they're all I can't just say one was better than
033they were all so fantastic. I mean, I don't know if they get overlooked or not, but they were they know those kids to a tea. They it it was nice to see. It was So, you guys do have a great special education and mixed friends group running that. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, >> Madam President. Tiffany Walker, South Franklin Township. My up here is concerned about some of the teachers in this school between the high school and middle school. I don't know, elementary work cuz my kids aren't in it. But kids are expected to turn things in on time. Correct. Yes. Why aren't the teachers expected to turn the grades in on time? Do you know how much that affects those students? I know it affects my little boy because he's
034all about his grades. All about his grades. It's one thing I knock on wood. I am so glad he's about. I really am. But he has a teacher and this teacher's been here for years and my daughter had the same problem. The teacher does not turn in these grades in time. Why? So now my kid that has A's and B's and can't stand a C has a D because the teacher didn't turn the grades in in time. and the report cards. I don't like the email report cards. I don't know why we started this, but I'm not even getting half my kids' report cards through the email. I don't know why we can't bring that back to where the kids have to bring them back home or mail them to us because I I know
035I'm not getting one of mine. I have to go track hers down every semester, which ain't cool. Then on top of another thing, you have some AP teachers in here. Why is there options that if a student and a teacher are not getting together, getting along. They're always clashing. There's always a problem. And this teacher to the two students, she's not teaching, right? All she does is put up stuff on the board and you have to write it down and copy it. What are you teaching? You're not teaching nothing. You're teaching them to copy and paste. What are you teaching the students? If you're in the IP IEP teacher, you should be hands-on with them. You should be teaching them point each step. I know I have ADHD and I need each step. I need
036to be taught hands-on and everything. Yeah. Certain teachers. There's one teacher that my my four daughters had for three years now and it's been nothing but a fight. Now, this teacher's been even worse on her. She has an IEP, but this teacher wants to come at her. She's a math teacher in the high school. She wants to come after her during like SIG days or some other days when she actually has some time where she's allowed to get this work done. It's in her IEP. But this teacher wants to stay coming at her crazy and I can't change her teacher. Why? So my my daughter can succeed in that in that certain subject. Why can't I teach? Why can't I switch them? Why do we only have one? Why do we not have options? Especially
037for IEP kids. And why aren't teachers putting in their grades every nine weeks, every grade, every test that needs to be done? You have one teacher that's been doing it for years, never puts the grades in right, and it needs a stop because that's not fair. Do you not hand into the dirt reporter high honors and honors? My kid looks forward to that he ain't going to make it this nine weeks because this teacher didn't hand his stuff in and he proved that he handed all his stuff into me. >> And anytime I've emailed this teacher, I never get back from him. He never has ever emailed me back or will show up to any of the meetings. But I have two kids on IEP and I have a kid on a 504. Explain to
038me why we're we're not helping these kids. We don't. It needs to be It needs to be looked into. It's not fair. That is That's my non-aggenda thing because the these teachers need to if the students can hand it in, the teachers need to hand it in on time, too, as well. Cuz it's just not fair that my kid is upset. He's like, "I did the work. It's there. He'll admit when he's not doing good." that my youngest is the most honest, maybe sometimes too honest, but he'll admit when he's messed up or not, but he he's he's upset about this and it's a science. And then the other one's a math teacher. So, and I would love for my daughter on her last senior year next year to not have this teacher to let
039her relax and enjoy math for once in her life because she doesn't enjoy it at all. She don't understand it because all she says is all you do is copy it off of what she wrote on the board and we got to figure it out. That's not an IEP teacher. An IEP teacher is supposed to have more help than that. Supposed to be explained, supposed to be teaching. I could do that. I could be a teacher. Put me in there. I can write stuff and have my students put it down on there. Go ahead. We're just going to hire anybody like that. Go ahead. Candidate here. But I think I think we need to make sure our students are getting taught because they're not getting taught. And I think we need to look into that.
040>> Thank you, >> Madam President. Last speaker, Vicky Jordan. >> Thank you, >> Vicky Jordan, Buffalo Township. I just want to say I stand up here month after month and I beg for more transparency. And here I stand again forced to ask why. Why wasn't this special meeting posted on our Facebook page or website district website? You put it in the paper. You followed all the legalities, but you know, the majority of this community gets their information from either our Facebook page or our website. It really felt like there was a hidden agenda behind this. And I believe that part of that is what was displayed tonight in this meeting. And I think it's pretty sad that we had board members sit here tonight and lay out a lawsuit for the person who's already sued
041us once. And I think it's shameful behavior. I think you disrespected this gentleman and the public. And it should have not been conversations that were had here. We can do better. this board can do better. We're not always going to agree. Yes, it's your vote. I've always stood by that. It's your vote. But to publicly embarrass a gentleman in debates that you had to have had privately before you got to this point, it's sad. And you wonder the community, the trust with the community isn't about what happened in this instance tonight. It's about the picture that you all lay out meeting after meeting. And again, what you did to this gentleman tonight, I find it shameful. Whether I would have supported him or not, it should have never happened. And those of you who participated,
042you should apologize to him. >> Thank you. Thank you, >> Madam President. That concludes. >> Thank you. Motion to adjourn. >> Second. >> Motion and second. All those in favor. >> I I Any oppose? Motion carries. Motion adjourns at 6:09 p.m. Thank you.