ECASD Board of Directors Approve Changes to High School Curriculum; Face More Feedback from CEPP Group

Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors approved requested changes to the High School Curriculum during the February 8, 2024 regular meeting.

The changes were requested by Lincoln High School Principals, Mike Garvin and John Sovich. Garvin spoke previously at the committee meeting saying that the changes would benefit the students and have been a long time coming. One of the big changes is the addition of a Communications requirement, which will help students communicate in today’s ever changing, technology fueled world.

Some of the changes requested included:

• A newly revised AP Course Policy
• Offering the required high school Health course in the summer—Bringing back Driver’s Ed/CPR & First Aid to offset the students who take the Health course in the summer
• An increase in the graduation credits from 24 to 25 due to the addition of the Communications course requirement
• Changes to the Science/Technology credit requirements—Students previously were required to take 4 Science + 1 Technology or 3 Science + 2 Technology. Now students are requred 4.5 Science + 1 Technology or 3.5 Science + 2 Technology. Changes are due to adding the ½ credit lab to Biology 1
• The addition of the course Transition 12—This is due to adding the Communications requirement. Currently the district only offers Transition in grades 10 and 11. Adding it in 12th grade allows for additional time to satisfy the Communications requirement.

The board was also faced with the recently formed Citizens for Ewing Park Preservation (CEPP), who continue to regularly attend meetings and voice their thoughts on the proposed girls softball field during the visitors section of the meetings.

Emily Denome, Wood Street resident, repeated a question to the board that she has asked before.

“Would any of you want that in your front yard?”

Denome, who was met with silence, said she and her husband bought their home in the Ewing Park neighborhood 54 years ago and that the board is ruining the lives of the residents in the area with this plan. However, Denome said the fight against the plan is not over.

“You all think you have this tied up with a little red bow … you don’t”

Other motions passed:

• Motion to approve January 8, 2024 Committee Meeting Minutes,January 11, 2024 Regular Meeting Minutes and January 24, 2024 Special Board Meeting Minutes.
• Motion to Approve General Fund Treasurer’s Report as follows:
  • WesBanco Checking $ 1,300,657.71
  • Tax Accounts $ 4,476,327.37
  • PLGIT GF Prine/Term $ 26,873,966.63
  • PA Invest $ 403.02
  • PSDLAF $1,453.01
  • Total Cash & Investments $ 32,652,807.70
• Motion to approve the General Fund Accounts Payable Report.
• Motion to ratify the Board’s action taken at the Emergency Special Meeting on January 24, 2024 and to reaffirm approval of Act 1 Opt Out Resolution not to exceed the Act Index of 7.5% with regard to property tax for 2024-2025.
• Motion to approve the Resolution to appoint Scott Korba as the District Pennsylvania OPEB Trust Liaison.
• Motion to approve Spring Coaches for the 2023-24 school year.
• Motion to approve additional substitutes for the 2024 school year. Cafeteria, Carol McCandless; Clerical, Lynn Leavens.
• Motion to approve the following for FMLA leaves in accordance with the Family Medical Leave Act and Policy #335:
  • Francine Hunter, North Side building clerk, for an intermittent leave from February 1, 2024 through the end of the school year.
  • Stacy Sprague, Perry third grade teacher, for leave from February 21, 2024 until April 2, 2024.
• Motion to accept the following resignations: Derek Ramano, interim coach; Daren Morella, 6^th grade teacher for purposes of retirement.
• Motion to approve William Latimer as a driver for EC Transit.
• Motion to approve Mykkia Daufen to replace Ceirra Orelli as Junior High Cheerleading Sponsor from March 2024 through the following 2024-25 school year.
• Motion to approve Cassie Hulick to serve as the mentor for Evan Brochinsky during the second semester of the 2023-2024 school year.
• Motion to approve Memorandum of Understanding with Ellwood Area Education Association.
• Motion to hire Joellen Eichler as four (4) hour cafeteria worker in accordance with the current SEIU 32 BJ Bargaining Unit Agreement effective February 5, 2024.
• Motion to approve the following facility requests:
  • EC Varsity Wrestling Coach, for the Wrecking Crew Wrestling Club is requesting the use of the small gym or cafeteria from March 1 through May 31, 2024 for a wrestling club from 5:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays to develop a freestyle and greco style wrestling.
  • EC Football Boosters is requesting the Ewing Park property to be used for parking during the annual Arts and Crafts Festival.
  • The American Red Cross is requesting the use of the Lincoln High School building as shelter in the case of a disaster.
  • EC Little Wolverine Cheerleaders are requesting to use the field at Helling Stadium on June 2, 2024 or June 9, 2024 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. for pictures.
  • Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, Foods and Entertainment Festival is requesting the use of the LHS parking lot for shuttle service and the Joffre Street parking lot for parking for the festival on Friday, June 28, Saturday, June 29, and Sunday, June 30, 2024.
• Motion to approve the following field trip/Social Event: LHS Marching Blue Band to travel by charter bus on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. The bus would depart at 7:45 a.m. and return at approximately 2:15 p.m.
• Motion to approve the AMCA Systems, LLC proposal of $2850 for a software license for employee reporting and filing requirements for the 2022 tax year.
• Motion for the following new/revised policies to be put on display for review until the next board meeting and then be recommended for approval:
  • Policy #200 Enrollment of Students
  • Policy #202 Eligibility of Nonresident Students
  • Policy #217 Graduation
  • Policy #254 Educational Opportunity for Military Children
  • Policy #610 Purchases Subject to Bid Quotation
  • Policy #611 Purchases Budgeted
  • Policy #810 Transportation
• Motion to approve the 2024-2025 School Calendar recommended by administration and EAEA.
• Motion to approve EC Cross Country and Track and Field Boosters as a booster organization.
• Motion to approve disposal of old cheerleading uniforms and broken steamer from the LHS kitchen in accordance with Policy #706.1.
• Motion to enter into a contract with Mark Voytik to provide Clerk of the Works services for the Lincoln Jr. Sr. High School renovation project at a cost of $10,500 per month pending solicitor review of contract. Work is expected to take approximately 30 months.