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Education

December 10, 2021

Biehls, Rozanski to Lead ECASD Board; Pitrelli Appointed to Vacant Seat

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors held its reorganization and regular voting meeting Thursday night. Current Board President Jean Biehls was again named president in a unanimous vote as was Board Vice President Gary Rozanski. They will lead the board in 2022. Kathy McCommons and Norman Boots were relected and will continue their efforts along with Claire Fauzy and newcomer Kathy Tillia. The four directors were sworn in by Biehls. The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors appointed Claire Fauzy during the August 5, 2021 committee/voting meeting to fill the position left vacant after the…

December 9, 2021

ECASD Announces Plans for Flexible Instruction Days (FIDs)

Ellwood City Area School District recently released a letter to families announcing Flexible Instruction Days (FIDs). FIDs allow the district to conduct remote learning when the weather prohibits safe travel to in person learning at the school facilities. According to Superintendent Dr. Wesley Shipley, the district has been approved to use up to five FIDS during inclement weather conditions. When weather prohibits the safe transportation of students, the District may announce that school is “CLOSED-Flexible Instruction Day.” “This means that schools will operate remotely as we learned to do during the pandemic closures,” Shipley said. “When an FID is called,…

December 8, 2021

ECASD to Move to Remote Learning for Three Days

Ellwood City Area School will temporarily move to remote learning for the three days leading up to the Christmas Break. The days include Dec. 20, 21, and 22. Teachers and Instructional aides will work remotely with students for a full day on Monday and Tuesday and a half-day on Wednesday. “This is an effort to reduce exposure to COVID prior to the holidays,” said Superintendent Dr. Wesley Shipley. He said although the case number is low, the decision was based on many factors including: The district currently has over 70 students out on quarantine due to community contacts—this would provide…

November 24, 2021

Community Helps BC3 Create, Distribute 45 Meals for Thanksgiving

(Butler, PA) “We were helping out a young person last week,” Jennifer Taylor begins, “and she didn’t know anything about the turkey dinners.” The student at Butler County Community College, a 22-year-old separated mother of boys ages 3 and 1, was gathering cereal, apple juice, and canned vegetables and beans from BC3’s Pioneer Pantry. “I told her, ‘I am going to send you an email,’” Taylor said. ‘“I want you to sign up to get a free turkey dinner.’ “And it was like we had given her gold.” This November is the third in which BC3’s Pioneer Pantry has distributed…

November 12, 2021

ECASD: Mask Requirement to Continue

Although Governor Tom Wolf announced a possible end to the mask mandate in schools, the filing of an appeal has forced the Ellwood City Area School District to stay the course and require masks to be worn. During Thursday evening’s board of directors meeting, Superintendent Wesley Shipley said that appeal locked the mandate back in place. “Until January 17 the mask mandate will stay in place,” he said. Solicitor Jennifer Dambeck said for now, until any formal official end of the mandate the school is advised to comply. “We are in a waiting pattern once again,” she said. Governor Tom…

November 12, 2021

Ellwood City Native Neupauer To Become BC3’s Longest-Serving President On November 15

(Butler, PA) Dr. Nick Neupauer next week will become the longest-serving president in the history of western Pennsylvania’s first community college. Neupauer, Butler County Community College’s eighth president, on Nov. 15 will pass the tenure of Dr. Thomas Ten Hoeve, the college’s second president. Ten Hoeve was named BC3’s president in May 1970, five years after the institution of higher education was founded, and served 5,219 days to September 1984. Neupauer began Aug. 1, 2007. Neupauer’s current 14-year-plus tenure as president at the same institution is more than double the recent national average of 6.5 years. It is also longer…

November 9, 2021

Parents Demand Change for Football Program

A group of parents urged the Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors to consider naming a new head coach for the football program. The parents place the blame for three seasons in a row with a losing streak to current head coach Joe Lamenza. The main complaint expressed was a lack of inspiration and encouragement. The parents claim that the environment of losing has had a severe impact on the mental health of the players and that it is preventing future generations of players from wanting to play. Lamenza, a 1996 graduate of Lincoln High School, was named…

November 9, 2021

ECASD: Nationwide Shortages Impact School Lunches

If you have noticed empty shelves at the grocery store, you are not alone and the trend is starting to impact local school districts. During the most recent meeting of Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors, Superintendent Wesley Shipley reported that the district is only receiving 60 percent of its normal inventory. He said items in shortage include trays and cutlery as well as food in general. According to Shipley, the district serves portions that are larger than the national average but have had to cutback because of the pandemic. In order to address the shortage, he said…

November 8, 2021

Gov. Wolf: State Anticipates Returning K-12 School Mask Requirement to Local Leaders January 2022

Governor Tom Wolf today announced the intention to return the commonwealth’s K-12 school mask requirement to local leaders on January 17, 2022. Upon the expiration of the statewide mandate, local school officials will again be able to implement mitigation efforts at the local level. At that time, schools may continue requiring mask-wearing based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance. “The school mask order has been critical in ensuring Pennsylvania’s children could safely learn and grow in an in-person classroom setting at the beginning of the school year,” said Gov. Wolf. “During the announcement, my administration made clear that we would continue to reevaluate the status of the school…

October 27, 2021

NOTICE: Ellwood City School Board of Directors Special Meeting

In a notice made available by the Ellwood City Area School District this week, the Board of Directors have scheduled a Special Meeting on Friday, October 29, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. The Special Meeting will be pertaining to Delinquent Real Estate Taxes. This meeting will be held virtually. A link will be provided on the school district website the day of the meeting.  The school district website can be found at, www.ellwood.k12.pa.us.