Board of Education Meeting

The Moon Area Board of Education met August 25, 2014, at 7:00 p.m., with the president presiding and nine directors present. The board approved the August financial report, covering payments across the General, Activities, Food Service, and Investment accounts. It approved a services agreement with Wesley Spectrum Services for 2014-2015 and awarded music-supply bids across eight firms, including J.R. Judd Violins and Volkwein Brothers. It also approved staff conferences, with two employees attending a conference in Baltimore.

The board accepted several resignations, approved leaves for two employees, and hired multiple custodians, a tradesman-plumber, an HVAC tradesman, a building manager, and a teacher-playground assistant, while granting tenure to three teachers. It approved extensive extra-duty pay, fall and winter coaching staff, substitutes, remediation facilitators, mentors, and sixth-class assignments.

The meeting's main dispute concerned appointing MM Architects, Inc. for the Elementary Capital Improvement Program. A motion to award both design and construction administration to one firm passed, but after discussion, a motion to table it until the board reviewed the firm's financials failed 7-2, with two directors in favor. A motion to call the question passed except for one director. One director questioned why the district chose a firm from another city over local options like The Hayes Group. An amended motion to approve the appointment and authorize negotiations passed 8-1, with one director dissenting. The board approved a third-reading graduation-requirements policy. The business meeting adjourned at 7:52 p.m., with committee meetings ending at 8:15 p.m.