Athletics Dominate Conversation at Clarion-Limestone School Board Meeting

Aly Delp

Aly Delp

Published October 18, 2019 4:35 am
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CLARION TWP., Pa. (EYT) – Issues with athletics dominated the conversation at Wednesday evening’s Clarion-Limestone School Board meeting.

While the agenda was full because of the cancellation of the September meeting due to a threat against the board, ongoing questions of athletics monopolized most of the meeting.

The agenda item that initiated the discussion was consideration for approval of an amendment to the Junior High Football Cooperative Sponsorship starting with the 2019 season, which had been discussed at the August meeting.

Board member David Schirmer moved to table the issue until the board could review data on the cost of the program this year in comparison to the projected cost for the program if it had not been a co-op.

“We already discussed this and agreed that if they would do it for the price that they’ve agreed to do it for, we were okay with it,” board member Mike Meals said — pointing out that it was discussed during the August session public meeting.

The motion to table was then seconded by board member Jamie Mahle.

A roll call vote was taken, and the motion was defeated in a 5-3 vote with board members Schirmer, Mahle, and Roger Powell voting to table the motion, and board member Terry Leadbetter abstaining due to not being present at the August meeting in which the issue was previously discussed.

A motion was then made to approve the amendment.

“I don’t remember anything about this, and I’m sorry if it was discussed in August, but if somebody could refresh my memory I’d appreciate it,” Schirmer stated.

School Board President Molly Greenawalt then read the amendment aloud for the board members and those in attendance.

The agreement includes a flat rate of $7,500.00 per season starting with 2019 which will remain in effect for three years, ending with the 2021 season, at which time the cost will be reviewed. The amendment extends the total length of the agreement to extend to the 2024 season which aligns with the varsity co-op sponsorship agreement.

The discussion went on to note that with the current number of players, the amendment containing the flat rate would allow the school to pay less this year than the previous per-player agreement, although depending on the number of players, that could change in the future.

“According to the numbers we had, we’re getting a deal on that. It’s going to be about $9,500.00 for this year, and so it was a win for us in this case. Then according to the contract, it would be looked at in two more years,” Superintendent Amy Glasl noted.

“So, if we approve the $7,500.00 tonight, that covers this year? It saves us $2,000.00 over the $9,500.00?” Schirmer asked.

“Yes. It does,” Glasl said, noting whether or not the flat rate will continue to be a better deal for the school could vary from year to year depending on how many players they field.

“There’s a recalibration period after three years,” noted Meals. “In three years, if we only had two kids, well, that’s pretty steep to pay per athlete, so it allows a chance to see the numbers, and see if it’s still a fair deal.”

The discussion then took a turn away from football and began to center around another athletic issue.

“I’m going to be honest. I’m a little disturbed about the article I read in the paper,” Schirmer said. “I do remember we gave them a figure for track. I think the co-op has to be decided by nine people that were elected here, but we’re a couple of miles down the road, but in the track we gave them a number, and I thought that would be discussed, talked about like the football was for almost a year, and maybe negotiated. The next thing I read in the paper is there’s going to be a co-op with North Clarion, which is fine, but where were we in that picture.

“It seems to me that everyone is fine with taking our money for football but what about the track thing? Couldn’t we have talked about that or come up with something on that? We did give them a number that Stephanie calculated what our costs would be, but this is business, and negotiations happen, and was there any negotiating with us on that?”

“Yes. We met a couple of times with the AD’s and superintendents, per your approval, and then we talked about it in the August meeting,” Glasl said.

“We talked about $30,000.00 that it cost us, and that was the number that was going to be taken to them for track,” Schirmer said.

“We did give it to them. They declined it,” Glasl said.

“My perception from that at our meeting was ‘This is what we’re charging, you can take it or leave it,'” Meals noted, and many other board members noted their agreement.

“That was not my perception at all,” Schirmer said. “It’s a business decision, and it should be negotiated like any other business decision.”

“Their board did vote on the hard number they got, and our number was too high even after discussions. I think that’s what it boiled down to,” Greenawalt said. “They accepted North Clarion’s deal and not ours.”

The discussion then turned back around to the amendment to the Junior High Football Cooperative Sponsorship, and following clarification that the agreement will be reviewed every year, the amendment came to a vote. It passed in a 7-2 vote, with Mahle and Powell voting against the motion.

Courtyard Project

Elementary principal Kristie Taylor shared a courtyard project that is being planned for Clarion-Limestone Elementary School.

According to Taylor, a committee has begun working on a three-year transformation of an unused courtyard area at the elementary school to turn it into a learning environment that will focus on science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM). The committee is working with an architect out of Indiana, PA, to plan and develop the project.

“The committee, with C-L’s Scholastic Foundation, has teamed up to shift from dreams and plans to a reality,” Taylor said.

According to Taylor, they believe the project has the potential to greatly impact learning for all of the students in the district, at both the elementary school and the high school, and could open doors for vocational learning in such areas as stone masonry, horticulture, excavation, and other hands-on vocational areas.

They also intend to involve Clarion County Career and Technical students in the planning and construction phases and create opportunities for STEAM educators in training from the region’s universities.

A scale replica of Helen Furnace as a functional pizza oven is just one interesting aspect of the plan.

“We do hope to make global connections with the use of digital tools such as Google Expedition. This means that our local courtyard could become a model for outdoor STEAM learning for other school nationwide.”

The plan calls for the project to be funded primarily through a combination of grants and private donations.

Contract Negotiations

Board member Mike Meals requested an update on the current status of the contract negotiations with support staff.

Board president Molly Greenawalt stated there had been “some pretty good progress,” and noted that a meeting is scheduled for later in the month.

“It is moving ahead,” Greenawalt said.

In other business, the board:

  • Approved the following day-to-day substitutes for the 2019-2020 school year pending receipt of all required legal documentation: Carol Elliot, Guest Teacher, and Connie Shreckengost, Clerical & Aide.
  • Approved a supplemental contract in the amount of $3,530.00 for Ron Wiser as Head Girls Varsity Track Coach for the 2019-2020 school year, pending receipt of all required legal documentation.
  • Approved 2019-2020 transportation daily rates.
  • Approved bus/van drivers for the 2019-2020 school and and approved substitute drivers for other bus contractors, pending receipt of all required legal documentation and subject to a final review of all criminal record checks for all non-automatically disqualifying offenses.
  • Approved Richard Sherman as the Interim Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds at a per diem rate of $212.05 beginning effective October 8, 2019, through the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, if needed.
  • Approved the contract with Catapult Learning, LLC to provide 2019-2020 Title 1 services to non-public school student at an approximate cost of $3,253.82.
  • Approved the use of Capital Project Funds in the amount of $7,768.76 for the purchase of a compressor and air dryer from Stiners Compressor and Supply.
  • Approved donation of the October 1, 2019 Volleyball Pink game gate proceeds to the Clarion Hospital Cancer Center.
  • Approved adding an Assistant Cheer Coach supplemental position to the Clarion-Limestone Area Education Association Contract, pending a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to the contract.
  • Approved a senior class trip (at no cost to the school district) to Washington, D.C. on April 5-8, 2020.
  • Approved four sections of the district Comprehensive Plan due by November 30, 2019 as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and to be displayed int he district for 30 days.
  • Approved a Use of Facilities Agreement with the Dancer’s Studio, LLC/Amanda Gallagher for April 3-4, 2020.
  • Approved Nick Schwabenbauer and Joyce Overly as school/athletics volunteers for the 2019-2020 school year, pending receipt of all required legal documentation.
  • Approved School Wellness Committee members in accordance with Policy #264.
  • Approved the second and final reading of revisions to a number of policies.
  • Approved entering a discussion with the Union Township Board of Supervisors regarding passing a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act (LERTA) Resolution for the means of attracting new business and growth for the school district and municipality.

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