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Curwensville school district may review energy contract Monday
Saturday, March 13, 2010
By Dianne Byers Staff Writer
CURWENSVILLE - At Monday's meeting, Curwensville Area School Board will consider a number of items, among them may be a contract for an energy purchasing consulting service.
Paul Carr, district business manager, told the board he hopes to have a contract from Premiere Power Services for it to consider.
He said a consortium of Clearfield County schools that purchase electricity from Penelec will be asking for a reduced rate in response to costs associated with the termination of electricity rate caps. There is also a possibility schools from Jefferson County will join the group if there is a probability of getting an even less expensive rate, he said. Carr noted schools are considered to be comparable users since they have like needs for energy and are open at similar times.
He said a revised contract with the company had been reviewed by Carl Beard, district solicitor, and sent back to Premiere Power Services for consideration. If it is received back by Monday, the board will consider it at Monday evening's meeting, Carr said.
The board will also be asked to accept a finding and a corrective action plan from the state's auditor general's office concerning the 2004-05 and 2005-06 school year audits. Carr said the district reported students who were foster children as non-district residents when some of them were district residents. As a result it received a higher reimbursement rate totaling $59,000 over the two-year period. The CAP has already been put into place, he said.
He said he first presented the finding to the board in the fall but it has taken several months for paperwork from the auditor general's office to arrive.
Carr also reported the first series of bonds totaling $13.5 million to finance the district's renovation project would be released for sale in April. He said the remaining series of bond amounts will be adjusted depending on the amount of money still needed to pay for the project.
In a renovation-related matter, the board will consider submitting Plan Con G to the state Department of Education. Carr said the document breaks down the bids to show how the money will be spent and what categories it should be listed under.
Also on Monday, the board would consider a draft of the 2010-11 school year calendar. The first student day is Sept. 1 and the last student day and graduation are set for June 10.
During the administrative report, Donna Hayward, supervisor of special education, reported Monday she would present the board an agreement to continue a contract with Clear-Care to provide occupational therapist services. The current contract expires at the end of this year.
Hayward said the current hourly rate is $60 and was the lowest price of other area providers that submitted quotes. She said approximately 50 students monthly receive one-hour sessions.
Susan Wingard, elementary principal, reported kindergarten registration is set for Thursday and Friday. Parents of eligible preschoolers who have not received information should contact the elementary office at 236-1411.
She also noted Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams will be given to elementary students in April. Students in grades three through six will take reading and mathematics tests April 13. Fifth-graders will complete the four-part writing assessment April 20 and fourth-grade students will participate in science testing April 27-28.
Wingard noted Easter vacation will be April 2 and 5. School will be in session April 1 and 6 to make up days missed because of inclement weather. A one-hour early dismissal for students will be held April 1.
William Hayward, secondary principal, reported junior high and high school PSSA tests will also be taken in April. Students in grades seven, eight and 11 will take reading and math exams April 7-14. Students in grades eight and 11 will complete writing and science exams on April 19-22 and April 26-28, respectively.
Michael Harper, assistant principal, told the board about the latest round of 4-Sight reading and math tests. He said the high school had overall positive growth for both tests of 7 percent in reading and 16 percent in math. He said the numbers are "significant" and "as impressive as they look."
He attributed the increase both to instructional strategies used by the staff and an ice cream social incentive for students who scored proficient or higher on the tests or those who showed a 10 percent or higher overall gain in their test scores.
A written report from Ronald Matchock, supervisor of curriculum and instruction, noted the school district has received notification of an award of a $50,000 enhancing education through technology grant. The money would be used to expand the Classrooms of the Future model used by the district into specialty instruction such as art, music and foreign language through the installation of interactive whiteboards, mounted projectors, laptops for teachers and students and professional development for instructors and staff.
The report also noted the district has been awarded $25,000 to continue the technology coaching initiative it began in the 2007-08 school year with the original award of the Classrooms of the Future grant.
The funding would allow the district to provide additional technology support services to staff during the school year and offer multiple training classes during the summer months and before or after school.
The board will meet Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the boardroom in the district's administrative offices.
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