Pleasant Valley revises meeting agendas for greater transparency
In an effort to increase transparency and provide more information to the public during school board meetings, the Pleasant Valley School District has made changes to its meeting agendas. The new agendas list dates, times and location of upcoming meetings as well as much greater detail on all hirings.
The revised human resources section of the agenda now includes resume information and previous work experience for new hires for professional staff and substitutes/long-term substitutes.
New hires for full-time support staff include the name of the person whose position is being replaced. All new hires have their salary and start dates included in the agenda.
“We are making these changes in an effort to improve transparency going forward,” board President Len Peeters said. “There is a new look to our agenda and all the information is now right there for the public who attends the meetings to see.”
Peeters pointed out that the packets are now the same as what board directors receive, with the exception of detailed financial and confidential personnel information.
Superintendent David Piperato commented after the meeting that the board is considering other changes to the meetings to make them more productive. One such change would be to keep the “good news” and building reports to one meeting per month.
Tax law impact
District solicitor Daniel Corveleyn informed the directors that under the new tax law, changes were made to the deductions permitted for investing in 529 plans.
In the past a 529 plan allowed a family to invest, tax free, money in a savings plan for college education expenses. Corveleyn said the new tax plan has provisions which would allow families to save tax free for private elementary and high school tuitions.
Corveleyn pointed out that the threat to public education would come from possibly fewer children attending public schools and less after-tax income to be taxed for public education.
Special education
Christine Preston has been hired as a special-education teacher for the high school. Preston is a graduate of Bloomsburg and Kutztown universities and has a M.Ed. degree from East Stroudsburg University. She will start on Tuesday earning a salary of $58,475 per year.
Dana Abdelnaby, Michael Horvath, Ashley Gutzeit and Denise Hopely were added to the substitute list.
The district also approved affiliation agreements with Northampton Community College and Slippery Rock University. Under the agreements, high school students can earn college credits at both institutions.
It was also announced that 61 students will take part in the Future Business Leaders of America state leadership conference in Hershey in April.
