Board of Education Meeting

The Moon Area Board of Education held its December 4, 2023 business meeting at 7:18 p.m., called to order by the president, with nine directors present and four officials in attendance, including the superintendent and the solicitor. The board approved the November 20 minutes and a suite of December financial reports, then authorized payment of the monthly bills across the General, Activity, and Food Service funds. It committed a portion of the unassigned General Fund balance toward future assessment appeals and passed three resolutions: accepting the Act 1 Index taxpayer relief resolution to hold taxes below a 6.4% index for 2024-2025, approving an E-rate service-order agreement with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit for regional WAN and internet services, and joining the AIU joint purchasing program for the 2024-2025 year. The board also approved the 2023-2024 daily field trip schedule.

On personnel, the board approved an extended sabbatical for a teacher, a medical leave for a custodian, three internal movements, a roster of coaches for the school year, two event workers retroactive to August 28, a substitute custodian, and authorized the superintendent to fill positions including LTS Spanish and Grade 6 teachers, cafeteria and paraeducator roles, custodians, bus drivers, and a special education administrative assistant ahead of the January 8 meeting. Conferences were approved, including PASBO and HTS events.

The meeting's substantive discussion centered on the gymnastics program. Residents raised concerns about severing the district's connection to gymnastics, the rushed nature of prior decisions, the absence of coaches as the season approached, and the single-coach safety concern for 34 girls. The president clarified that only one coach had been approved based on administrative recommendation, that no terminations had occurred, and that the youth and high school programs are separate entities, while declining to disclose personnel details. The board adjourned at 8:39 p.m.