ECASD Board of Directors Table Hiring of Head Football Coach for Special Meeting

Although the Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors, according to the agenda posted on the district’s website, was set to vote to hire a new head football coach during Monday’s meeting, a coach was ultimately not hired.

The 7 p.m. public meeting was delayed 50 minutes as the board held an executive session for interviews.

When the agenda item was up for a vote, the board tabled the vote for a special meeting to be held on Friday, February 20, at 6 p.m.

The board did hire Lilliana Scrima to fill a cafeteria worker position and also approved a list of spring coaches for the 2025-26 school year.

During the new business portion of the meeting, the board considered combining the committee meetings and regular meetings into one meeting per month where they would conduct all business with a willingness to schedule special meetings as needed. The motion was brought to the table by Director Jean Biehls, with support from fellow board members, Claire Fauzey, Jennifer Tomon, and Erica Gray. Board President Kathy Galbreath, Board Vice President Norman Boots, and Directors Nick Mancini, Kathy Tillia, and Kevin Boariu voted “No.”

Other motions passed:

• Motion to approve January 5, 2026, Committee Meeting Minutes and the January 12, 2026, Regular Meeting Minutes.
• Motion to approve Asbestos Abatement for third floor science wing at a cost of $414,300.00.
• Motion to accept the resignations of the following:
  • Dan Bradley, Head football and Head boys basketball coach effective at the end of the boys basketball season.
  • Ashley Boots, NS Cafeteria worker effective immediately. She will remain on the substitute list for the remainder of the 2025-26 school year.
  • Samantha Chapman, LHS Cafeteria worker effective immediately.
  • Karen Steilner, Head Varsity Cheer Sponsor, effective at the end of the 2025-26 season.
  • April Damato, Perry cafeteria worker effective Friday, February 13, 2026.
• Motion to approve the following substitutes for the 2025-26 school year:
  • Ashley Boots, Cafeteria Substitute.
  • Jeff McCullough, Cafeteria Substitute
  • Beth Duncan, Cafeteria Substitute
  • Teressa Jones-Wojton, Cafeteria Substitute
• Motion to approve the following FMLA Leaves for the 2025-26 school year in accordance with the Family Medical Leave Act and Policy #335.
  • Employee 0007 leave beginning January 5, 2026, to March 9, 2026.
  • Employee 0008 intermittent leave beginning January 1, 2026, to June 5, 2026.
• Approve the following Facility requests:
  • EC Amateur Baseball is requesting the LHS big gym and the LGI Room on Sunday, February 22, 2026, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. for their youth baseball tryouts.
  • ECLW Hoops is requesting the LHS small gym on Sunday, March 8, 2026, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with an alternate date of Sunday, March 1, 2026, to host a shoot a thon fundraiser for boys and girls teams in grades 3-6.
  • Ellwood City Football Boosters is requesting the Home Side Concession stand at Helling Stadium from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, for concessions during season and storage.
  • Ellwood City Football Boosters is requesting the Ewing Park School Grounds for parking fundraiser during the Ellwood City Arts and Crafts Festival from June 30, 2026, to July 6, 2026.
  • Ellwood City Amateur Baseball Federation is requesting the use of Freidhoff Field, batting cages, shot put area, grassy area between cages and field and the Ewing Park Property for Spring and Fall Baseball seasons from April 1, 2026, through November 15, 2026, daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Athletic Discretions discretion with school related events and practices taking precedence.
• Approve the following field trip/social event requests:
  • EC3 would like to take approximately 12 students ice skating at the UPMC Ice Rink at PPG Place on Friday, February 27, 2026. The district vans will depart at approximately 4:00 p.m. and return at approximately 11:00 p.m.
  • Lincoln High School Marching Blue Band would like to go to Nashville, Tennessee to perform from Wednesday, April 8, 2026, to Sunday, April 12, 2026. The bus would depart at 11:15 p.m. and return at approximately 10 p.m. on April 12.
  • 7th and 8th Grade Boys Basketball would like to go to a Robert Morris University Basketball game on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. The bus would depart at 5 p.m. and return at approximately 10 p.m.
• Motion to approve the following policies that have been on display since last meeting:
  • Policy #209.1 Lice and Bed Bug
  • Policy #816 District Social Media
• Motion to approve the following new/revised policies for first reading:
  • Policy #105.2 Exemption from Instruction
• Motion to approve the 2026-2027 School Calendar.
• Motion to approve School Services Agreement with Bright, Beginnings and Beyond to provide Occupational Therapy during the 2026-2027 school Year at an hourly rate of $80, a flat fee of $225 for evaluations and $175 for Re-evaluations, no change from last year.