MCSD works to prevent student injuries

Board of Directors respond to incident with school bus Thursday morning

LEWISTOWN -- An incident that occurred Thursday morning prompted administrators at Mifflin County School District to be proactive in preventing student and staff injuries.

Chief Operations Officer Vance Varner described to the district's board of directors, during its regular voting meeting, an incident that occurred on a school bus in which an elementary student was taken to the hospital after a fire extinguisher was accidentally engaged and emptied.

After emergency crews arrived on scene, they found the pin of the fire extinguisher had wiggled loose and that the extinguisher did not have a plastic retaining strap to hold the pin in place.

Varner said plastic safety locks were ordered and other fire extinguishers will be checked as a preventative measure.

Varner reported that the student was taken to the hospital as a precaution due to some eye irritation, and when released from the hospital, "asked to go back to school."

Chief Academic Officer Kevin O'Donnell explained that schools are in the middle of Pennsylvania System of School Assessment testing.

O'Donnell recognized students and staff for their efforts.

"It's a high anxiety time for a lot of our students and staff members," he said. "It's a challenging time to say the least.

Regarding PSSA testing, Superintendent James Estep said he responded to a survey from the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators regarding his opinion about having students perform PSSA testing during a pandemic.

"I do not believe it is in the best interest of the children right now to do high-stakes testing. I do not believe it's going t be a useful tool. It just stresses them out at a time when they're already at max stress level, along with everyone else."

In other news, the board shot down a motion to update the district's Health and Safety plan in a 5-1 vote.

Board members in agreeal with the plan were Frederick Nickel, Kristen Sharp, Terry Styers and Julie Maidens. John Knepp opposed the motion.

The action failed because votes require that five members of the nine-member board approve an item in order for it to pass.

Knepp said he doesn't agree with the state's influence on the plan.

Varner explained that updates to the Health and Safety Plan would allow community, athletic and theater programs to use the Mifflin County sports fields and gymnasiums for practices while maintaining social distancing.

The item will be added to the agenda for the special meeting held on May 6.

The board also took the following action:

¯Exonerated Rebecca Ganoe, Mifflin County Tax Claim Bureau Director, from collecting delinquent supplemental taxes on a parcel.

¯Approved offers on a repository for three unsold properties in the amount of $201.

¯Approved an offer on repository for unsold properties in the amount of $1,010.

¯Approved an offer on repository for unsold properties in the amount of 1,200.

¯Approved the 2021-22 employee pay schedule.

¯Approved The Retirement Advantage Inc to perform a GASB 75 valuation for fiscal years 6/30/22 and 6/30/23 at a cost of $4,500. This valuation is a required component of the school's annual financial audit report.

¯Approved George Buchanan to serve as a bus driver for Fisher Brothers for the 2020-21 school year.

¯Approved Nicholas Knable as full-time floating custodian.

¯Approved Greg Whitsel as full-time custodian at Mifflin County Junior High School.

¯Approved the transfer of Scott Kennedy, full-time custodian at MCJHS to lead custodian at MCJHS

¯Approved the resignation of Lee Osman, full-time custodian at MCJHS due to other employment.

¯Approved the transfer of Craig Bickel, full-time custodian at East Derry Elementary School to MCJHS.

¯Approved Phyllis Varner as 3-hour part-time cafeteria server and dishwasher at MCJHS.

¯Approved the transfer of Jennie Snyder, 3-hour part-time cafeteria server/dishwasher at Lewistown Elementary School to a 5-hour part-time cafeteria cashier for breakfast and lunch at LES.

¯Approved the resignation of Douglas Smith, 5-hour part-time food service van/truck driver at Mifflin County Middle School due to personal reasons. He will be placed on the cafeteria substitute list.

¯Approved the transfer of Shaylene small, substitute cafeteria worker to 3-hour part-time cafeteria server-dishwasher at MCJHS.

¯Approved Roseann Gordon as substitute cafeteria worker, effective pending completion of pre-employment paperwork at clearances.

¯Approved Dana Shank, 3-hour part-time cafeteria/server/dishwasher at Mifflin Couty High School, effective pending completion of pre-employment paperwork and clearances.

¯Approved the resignation of Robert Sealy as boy's basketball coach.

¯Approved the resignation of Lydia Pauchnik, speech/language therapist at MCMS.

¯Approved the transfer of Trey Hartsock, math teacher at Alpha to math teacher at MCHS.

¯Approved Kelli John son as event staff for the 2020-21 school year.

¯Approved the transfer of Julie Yerger as learning support teacher at EDES to first grade teacher at LES.

¯Approved a one-year extension for the collective bargaining agreement between MCSD and MCSA-ESPA-PSEP-NEA. Employees shall receive a 50 cent/hour wage increase for the 2022-23 fiscal year. This contract will expire June 30, 2023.

¯Approved the career pathways facilitator job description.

¯Authorized Thomas G. White, Jr to award successful bids for HVAC/Controls/Windows replacement at LES. Bids will be open May 5, 2021.

¯Approved Noah Myers as bus driver at Fisher Brothers, Inc., for the 20-2021 school year.

¯Approved Mark Hesketh as full-time custodian at MCJHS and LES.

¯Approved Wade Curry as head boys' basketball coach for the 2021-22 season.

¯Approved the transfer of Clay Ruble, full-time custodian from LES to MCJHS.

¯Approved the resignation of Andrea Ziegler, HRA at Lewistown Intermediate School/Strodes Mills Elementary School due to retirement.

¯Approved the transfer of Phyllis Varner from 3-hour part-time cafe/cashier-lunch at MCJHS to 3-hour part-time cafe/server/dishwasher at LES.

¯Approved Quinn Swineford as substitute cafeteria worker, effective pending completion of pre-employment paperwork and clearances.

¯Approved the resignation of Danielle Williams as 3-hour cafe/cashier at LES, due to other employment. She will be placed on the cafeteria substitute list.

¯Approved the transfer of Daniel Lichtenwalner, MC online teacher at Alpha to ESL Specialist at MCJHS/MCHS.

¯Approved Wynter Adams, first grade teacher at EDES at a salary of $45,860, effective the start of the 2021-22 school year, pending completion of preemployment paperwork and clearances.

¯Approved Carolyn Kline as fourth grade teacher at LIS at a salary of $45,010, effective for 2021-22 school year, pending completion of pre-employment paperwork and clearances.

¯Approved Ali Herto, fourth grade teacher at LIS at a salary of $45,010.

¯Approved Mariah Brubaker, fifth grade teacher at LIS at a salary of $40,010, effective the start of the 2021-2022 school year pending completion of pre-employment paperwork and certification.

¯Approved Aaron Specht, technology education teacher at MCHS at a salary of $48,600, effective the start of the 2021-22 school year, pending completion of pre-employment paperwork and clearances.

¯Approved of transfer of Kevin Reigle, technology education teacher at MCJHS to technology education teacher (Traditional Wood Shop) at MCHS, effective the start of the 2021-22 school year, pending completion of pre-employment paperwork and clearances.

¯Transferred Melissa Carpenter, Mifflin County Online teacher to first grade teacher SMES, effective the start of the 2021-22 school year.