Recent Stories

Ellwood City Area School District

February 14, 2022

ECASD Board of Directors Hires Track Coaches

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors hired Alan Marsh and Nathan Brown to serve as co-head varsity track coaches during its February 10 meeting. Historically, the track team had one head coach and four assistant coaches. Because of the hiring of co-head coaches, the team will have only three assistants this year, according to ECASD Superintendent Dr. Wesley Shipley. Volleyball The board also voted to classify Middle School Volleyball as a sport and an eighth grade coach and seventh grade coach fall under the guise of the Head Volleyball Coach and under the pay matrix with all…

February 7, 2022

Ellwood City Wolves Club To Give “The Pro Bono Publico” Community Service Award

Mike DeOtto, President of the Ellwood City Wolves Club Den 2, announced this week that the Club will be giving an outstanding community service award to a local individual, student, or group who resides in the Ellwood City Area School District or the Riverside Beaver County School District. The award is called “The Pro Bono Publico Award” which means for the good of the public. The Wolves Club has appreciated the support that both communities have given in their various fundraising projects throughout the year, such as; the food booth at the Fourth of July Festival, the Fall Festival and…

January 13, 2022

ECASD Hires Head Football Coach; Approves COVID Health and Safety Plan

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors hired Daniel Bradley to serve as head coach of varsity football. Bradley received unanimous support from the board. He will be paid $7,000. “The students are elated,” said Brian Partridge, football boosters president, who was in attendance at the meeting. Bradley has a decade of experience serving as head coach. During that time, he has a 80-33 record. He has appeared in four WPIAL title games, with a winning title in 2018. His career includes: 2012-2013: Sto-Rocks, 23-3, 2 WPIAL title games (2012, 2013) 2014-2015: Ambridge, 8-11, 1 playoff appearance (2015)…

December 21, 2021

Ellwood City Area School District Hires Law Firm to Collect Delinquent Accounts

According to a press release made available by the Ellwood City School District, Portnoff Law Associates has been hired to collect its delinquent accounts. In an effort to maximize the collection of its unpaid school real estate taxes, Ellwood City Area School District has hired the law firm of Portnoff Law Associates, Ltd. to collect its delinquent accounts. Representing over 160 municipalities and school districts across Pennsylvania, Portnoff utilizes state law that allows for the costs of collection to be imposed upon the delinquent property owner, creating immediate incentive to make payment and reducing the burden of collection costs on…

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 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…

October 15, 2021

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…

September 9, 2021

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…