Ellwood City Area School District Board of Directors

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…


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.


ECASD Changes Date of December Board Meeting

In a notice made available Monday afternoon, the Ellwood City Area School Board of Directors have changed the date of their December board meeting. According to the notice, the December board meeting that was originally scheduled for December 2, 2021 has been moved to December 9, 2021. The re-organization meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. and the Combined Committee Meeting and Regular Meeting will immediately follow. The meeting will be held in the Board Room at the Lincoln Jr./Sr. High School.


NOTICE: ECASD Board of Directors Schedules Special Meeting Friday

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 22, 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.  


ECASD Names New Solicitor

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors voted Thursday evening to name Tucker Arensberg as the new law firm to represent the district. The name of the associate that will serve at the meetings was not announced, but the decision comes following the resignation of the district’s current solicitor, Jennifer Dambeck, of the Beard Legal Group. Dambeck resignation is effective Dec. 2. She said the decision is not a personal one, and that Beard Legal Group plans to represent school districts that are closer to its office in Altoona. Dambeck was appointed solicitor in August of 2020, following…


ECASD Superintendent Addresses Mask Mandate Enforcement; Bed Bug Outbreak

Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors passed the district’s health and safety plan Thursday evening, which included wording that the district would follow Pennsylvania State Health Department Guidelines when it comes to the pandemic. Superintendent Dr. Wesley Shipley said that he is still awaiting guidance on how to enforce the recently announced mask mandate in the district’s schools. According to Shipley, for students to be exempt from the mandate parents must provide a letter stating that their child is unable to wear a mask for medical reasons. He said at this time, the district is not requiring an…


ECASD to Enforce State’s Mask Mandate

Although the Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors didn’t take any formal action Thursday evening regarding an announcement on August 31 from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf that masks are required in schools, the district does plan to enforce the mandate. Wolf announced the secretary of health’s order mandating masks in the state for all schools and licensed child care centers. The new requirement will take effect on Tuesday, September 7 and requires students, teachers and staff to wear masks when inside school buildings. The new mandate will not apply to school sports or outdoor activities. “The science is clear. The Delta variant…


ECASD Board Makes Masks in School Optional, Required on Buses

Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors voted Thursday night to leave the decision regarding wearing masks in school up to families. Masks will however be required on the buses. District Superintendent Dr. Wesley Shipley said he is encouraging families to do what they feel is best. “If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, we encourage it,” he said. Although the school will not be mandating masks (other than on the buses), Shipley reminded the board and visitors that should a mandate come down from the state or federal government, that could change. Masks on buses is based…


Fauzy Appointed to fill ECASD Board Seat

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors appointed Claire Fauzy during Thursday evening’s committee/voting meeting to fill the position left vacant after the July resignation of former Board Director Matt Morella. ECASD’s Superintendent Dr. Wesley Shipley suggested that the board appoint Fauzy because of her obvious pull with voters. Fauzy was already set to join the board after earning the most votes of any candidate in the May 2021 Primary Election. Shipley said following a discussion with the Board President Jean Biehls, he was solid in his support of Fauzy joining the board early to fill the vacancy….


ECASD Board Director Resigns

Ellwood City Area School District Board Director Matt Morella has resigned from his board seat. In a letter to the board submitted on July 14, Morella stated, “I have relocated outside of the Ellwood City Area School District and no longer meet the residency requirement.” Morella said he relocated to be closer to his job at Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky Attorneys at Law in Pittsburgh. Morella joined the board on July 3, 2020 when he replaced former Director Leroy Cortez, who passed away in June of 2020. He also had served on the board from 2013 to 2017 and…