BVIU Board Notes #469 3 February 25, 2015

School Board Notes

The Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit Board of Directors held their regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at 7:30 P.M.

Members Present: Mr. Angus, Mr. Bovalino, Ms. Cook, Mr. Ross, Mr. Gilarno, Mr. Bufalini, Ms. Pennington, Mr. Antonini, Mr. Carver, Ms. Robbins and Mr. McGeehan

Members Absent: Mr. Henderson and Mrs. Acon

Others Present: Dr. Rosendale, Ms. Weldon, Attorney Al Steff, Mrs. Deitch, Mrs. Murtha, Mrs. Harmotto, Mrs. Niedbala, Mrs. LeDonne, Mrs. Ceremuga and Mrs. Ference

Action Taken:

1.  The bids for the 2015-2016 Joint Purchasing Program were opened, recorded and

turned over to the Joint Purchasing Committee for a meeting to be held on March 18, 2015, to determine bid award recommendations which will be submitted to the Board for consideration at the March 25, 2015, meeting.

Bid Category / Returned
General / 12
Art / 6
Janitorial / 14
AV/Computer Supplies / 6
Athletic Medical / 3
Athletic Equipment / 4
Science Supplies / 2
Dual Purpose Paper / 4
Total / 51

2.  The Board employed Mrs. Melissa Niedbala as the Supervisor at New Horizon School.

3.  The Board approved Ms. Melissa Ziegler, Beaver Falls, PA as an addition to the 2014-2015 Teacher Aide Substitute List.

4.  The BVIU’s General Operating Budget was defeated. An additional Board meeting was scheduled to consider a Budget.

5.  The Board approved Mrs. Renee Wrzesniewski, New Horizon School Nurse, to attend the PA Association of School Nurses Annual Conference.

6.  The Board approved an internship placement from Geneva College for one day per week between February 6 and May 1, 2015. Placement will be as follows:

Intern Teacher

Ms. Megan Sweyer Mr. Zachary Huwar – Elementary Multiple Disabilities Support

Addendum Items

7.  The Board employed Miss April Hartman, Beaver, as a Special Education Teacher in the Early Intervention Program, effective March 9, 2015.

8.  Due to the cancellation of school on February 19 and 20, 2015, the Board approved the following days as make up days to complete 180 days of instruction:

Friday, March 6, 2015

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Correspondence – The following correspondence was reviewed:

a.  A letter from Representative Matzie regarding the Basic Education Funding.

b.  A letter from Mr. Bob Staver, PDE stating that the BVIU’s comprehensive plan has been accepted.

Executive Director’s Report

A. Legislative Action Council Meeting – Save the Date

The Superintendents’ Advisory Council Subsidy and Legislative Sub-committee is planning to hold a Legislative Action Council Meeting on April 24, 2015. The event will be held at the BVIU in Conference Room 107 at 10:00 AM. Please mark your calendar to save the date. Additional details will be forthcoming.

B. Financial Audit Presentation

Our financial audit of the 2013-2014 school year was recently completed by Mr. Mark Turnley, CPA. Mr. Turnley will present the audit report at our regularly scheduled March 25, 2015 Board of Directors’ Meeting.

C. Text Dependent Analysis Online Course

Attached is a brochure announcing a Text Dependent Analysis Online Workshop offered by the BVIU. This program started Thursday, February 19, 2015 and will run until March 6, 2015. As the content is critical to the success of our students in grades 4-8 with respect to the English Language Arts PSSA test, we have a tremendous response from the field. We are currently teaching 147 educators across the state and will have earned $7,700 for the Intermediate Unit in just the one offering. We will be offering a second wave of this program beginning on March 7, 2015.

D. The Penguins Foundation

The Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit (BVIU) is working with the Penguin’s Foundation and the Beaver County Educational Trust (BCET) to purchase a Double Robotics robot. Geoff Craven, of the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, created the Double Robotics robot, which is an iPad mounted on a Segway-type base. It allows medically fragile students to remotely control the robot via an iPhone, iPad or laptop using a Chrome web browser. In Geoff’s own words, “Students facing serious health issues can now attend school. These devices are truly a life-changing event for everybody that is involved. Students get to be with their friends and classmates, attend and participate in classes that simply would not be possible through a home bound instructor.”

E. Dates to Remember

February

26 - Beaver County CTC Joint Committee Meeting – 7:30 PM Conference Room

March

25 - BVIU Board of Directors’ Meeting – 7:30 PM – Conference room 211

26 - Beaver County CTC Joint Committee Meeting – 7:30 PM - Conference room

April

3 & 6 – BVIU Administrative Office closed

22 – BVIU Board of Directors’ Meeting – 7:30 PM – Conference room 211

23 – Beaver County CTC Joint Committee Meeting – 7:30 PM - Conference room

24 – Legislative Action Council Meeting – Conference room 107 – 10:00 AM

Solicitor’s Report – Mr. Steff stated that the contract for the unit ventilators has been prepared and

sent out for signature. He also stated that the bonds have been submitted.

We will not be entering into a contract with Dr. Benjamin Kleifgen of First Step Pediatrics, Beaver, PA, for student physicals. The coordination of care will be utilized through the family doctor, as it has been done in the past.

Mr. Steff explained the Memorandum of Understanding for the three Collective Bargaining Units. He

stated that Option C will be extended through December 31, 2015.

Other Business – Mrs. Niedbala thanked the Board and stated that it is an honor and pleasure to be

the new Supervisor at New Horizon School.

Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Eric G. Rosendale

Executive Director

EGR/cbf