Recent Stories

Ellwood City Area School District

February 14, 2020

Ellwood City Area School Board Meetings to Include Police Presence

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board voted 8-1 during Thursday’s meeting to implement a police presence at future school director meetings. Board President Renee Pitrelli motioned for the vote stating that the way the world is today, she feels it necessary. She added that with topics such as negotiations coming up, adding a police presence is the right thing to do. Board Director Jennifer Tomon voted “No.” “I don’t think the public should be paying for it,” she said. Ellwood City School District Police Officer Matt Smock was in attendance at last night’s meeting.

January 24, 2020

Ellwood City School District Board Collides Over Ethics

Ellwood City School Board Directors passed a Board Resolution: “Principles for Governance and Leadership” during their recent meeting but not without a discussion regarding ethics. Part of those principles, set by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA), encourage board directors to “Act Ethically.” Director Jennifer Tomon challenged whether fellow board members appointed to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Negotiation Committee have a conflict of interest when it comes to their duties. The PSBA Resolution, in its section regarding ethics, states that board members should “act to avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest.” According to Tomon, the three directors…

January 23, 2020

Ellwood City Area School District Directors Recognized

In honor of school board’s commitment to students, schools and communities, January is once again designated School Director Recognition Month. As part of this recognition, Ellwood City Area School District Directors Renee Pitrelli, Gary Rozanski, Jean Biehls, Leroy Cortez, Jennifer Tomon, Kathleen McCommons, Erica Gray, Barbara Wilson, and Norman Boots were praised during Tuesday night’s school board meeting. Each board member was given a certificate of appreciation by Superintendent Joseph Mancini. “We appreciate everything you do for this district,” Mancini said. According to a press release from the Ellwood City Area School District, Pennsylvania public schools educate nearly 2 million…

January 14, 2020

Ellwood City School Board to Vote on Kindergarten Admission Policy

The Ellwood City Area School District Board is set to vote on whether to make changes to Policy 201 during its Tuesday, January 21st meeting. At the December 5th meeting the board voted to have administration review the policy, which pertains to kindergarten admission at Ellwood City Area Schools after a parent spoke out at the board’s November 14th meeting. New parent to the district Megan Jones said she was disappointed to learn that her child who has already invested two years into preschool would not make the August 15 cutoff for kindergarten registration. She said her daughter will turn…

December 12, 2019

EC Student Reaches Goal for Water Filling Stations

Makena Hall, Lincoln High School junior, has succeeded in her mission “to come together to create a better tomorrow.” Hall led a thriving fundraiser to implement the installation of water bottle filling stations at Lincoln. She had a goal to raise $5,000 which is enough to cover three of the stations. Her motto: “One school, one community, one planet” has a two-fold motivation. One is filtered, good tasting water to keep students hydrated and the second is less plastic bogging down our environment. Hall attended the December 5th school board meeting to announce that she raised $3,547 to implement the…

December 11, 2019

Administration Directed to Review Kindergarten Admission Policy for Ellwood City Area School District

The Ellwood City Area School District Board during its December 5th meeting voted to have administration review Policy 201, which pertains to kindergarten admission at Ellwood City Area Schools. During the board’s November 14th meeting, new parent to the district Megan Jones spoke during the visitor’s section. Jones said she was disappointed to learn that her child who has already invested two years into preschool would not make the August 15 cutoff for kindergarten registration. The board voted to amend the policy in July. She said her daughter will turn 5 on August 23, just days after the cutoff. Jones…

December 10, 2019

Rozanski to Stay as Head Coach of Wolverine Softball

Gary Rozanski Jr. will remain the head coach of the girls varsity softball team at Lincoln High School. During the November 14th Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors meeting, a group of parents—many of whose children are involved in a youth program not affiliated with the district and have not been coached by Rozanski—demanded consideration of a new varsity softball coach. It was announced at the December 5 directors meeting that Rozanski will stay on as coach. Board President, Jennifer Tomon made the announcement. “We don’t discuss personnel,” she said, after visitor Bill Garroway questioned the board’s decision,…

December 6, 2019

Ellwood City Area School Board Holds Reorganization Meeting

Ellwood City School Board swore in newly elected directors and reorganized Thursday evening during its combined meeting. Jean Biehls and Gary Rozanski were sworn in with current directors Leroy Cortez, Erica Gray, and Jennifer Tomon. Renee Pitrelli was elected board president with the support of current board members Kathleen McCommons, Barbara Wilson along with newcomers Rozanski and Biehls. Cortez, Tomon, and Gray voted no. Rozanski was voted vice president with the support of all board members except for Tomon. Two outgoing members thanked their fellow board members, administrators, and the community. Michael Neupauer spoke about the great administration at Ellwood…

November 19, 2019

Ellwood City School Police Department Receives Rural King Donation

Ellwood City Area School District Police Department received an $800 donation from the Rural King in Monaca. “A special thanks to store manager Art Barnett and his district manager Larry Cagliuso who were instrumental in working with the Ellwood City School Police Force to obtain a sizeable donation that will impact the safety and security of all students and staff in the school district,” said  John Sovich, Ellwood School Safety/Security Coordinator. Because of the donation, the school will be able to obtain multiple, electronic, heavy duty safes that will be used to store protective gear and any evidence collected across…

November 18, 2019

Ellwood City Area School District Board Could Revisit Kindergarten Admission Policy

The Ellwood City Area School District Board could revisit Policy 201, which pertains to kindergarten admission at Ellwood City Area Schools. During the board’s November 14th meeting, new parent to the district Megan Jones spoke during the visitor’s section. Jones said she was disappointed to learn that her child who has already invested two years into preschool would not make the August 15 cutoff for kindergarten registration. The board voted to amend the policy in July. She said her daughter will turn 5 on August 23, just days after the cutoff. Jones said that she called other school districts in…