Franklin School Board members approved a contract at their meeting Monday with the Warren County School District Virtual Academy to once again provide a cyber school option for Franklin students for this school year.
This will be the second year that Franklin First Learning Academy has partnered with the Warren County School District Virtual Academy to use Warren’s cyber school curriculum.
Tuition will remain at $3,200 for a full-time student.
In other curriculum matters, board member Andy Boland asked Monday if there was any update on the district’s search for funding for a potential district-provided preschool program.
The district received news last month that it did not qualify for a Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts grant to start its own in-house preschool program.
“Nobody did,” Thomas said after the meeting. “They just added additional seats [to existing programs].”
Thomas told the board the district is “still seeking funding,” but “we have a tentative second source. We hope to report to the board in the near future,” he added.
For children who wish to attend preschool, there are other area programs they can attend free of charge, he added, and board member Erin Leccia noted there are currently open seats at some of those programs.
However, Thomas said in addition to the preschool, the district is looking to take programming it currently outsources, such as programs helping students transition into kindergarten, and eventually bring them in-house as well, since those additional programs are outsourced at a cost to the district.
In other business Monday, the board approved an educational services agreement with Catapult Learning LLC to provide Title I instructional services to non-public schools for the 2023-24 school year.
The cost of $1,464 will be funded through part of the district’s Title I grant allocation.
Two grant agreements with Riverview Intermediate Unit 6 were also approved for the use of Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) funds.
The grants, $528,943.44 and $4,983, will go toward special education services.
The board approved three retirements.
High school math teacher Tammi Clark will retire in January after more than 36 years with the district, high school physics and mid-level science teacher Matthew Jones will retire in December after 35 years, and high school personal care aide Rose Adams is retiring in December after 12 years of service.
“That’s a lot of institutional knowledge that is retiring,” board president Sabrina Backer said.
The panel also approved some resignations, including that of William Keely Jr. as head girls track coach.
The board also approved the immediate employment termination of Sandycreek custodian Kenneth Whitton.
Shelby Anderson was approved as a full-time building substitute for the high school for the 2023-24 school year, and Amanda Brentzel was approved as a long-term substitute at Central Elementary for 2023-2024.
Several supplemental, substitute and volunteer contracts were also approved.
And the board was told that Central Elementary second-grade teacher Sarah Kulling has transferred to a STEM position at Central.
Next month, the board will hold both its monthly work session and formal business meeting on Monday, Oct. 23, at the high school library. The meetings are at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
