Some Tech School Participation On the Line in ASD Monday
School Superintendent Chris DeVivo said school directors have had preliminary discussions regarding the Lenape Tech part-time program, but he will get more information for school board directors before their vote Monday evening.
by Jonathan Weaver
Financial constraints could force Armstrong School District board directors to cut back participation in a local technical school.
School directors will vote Monday evening whether to continue allowing 10th grade students to attend Lenape Technical School in Manor Township part-time.
Superintendent Chris DeVivo said school directors have had internal discussions regarding the program.
“We’ve had discussions in terms of budget constraints and how we want to move forward in some of our educational programming – that was one of the things we wanted to take a look at,” DeVivo said.
DeVivo, the superintendent of record at Lenape Tech, said school directors have not discussed cutting back the full-time program for students
Superintendent DeVivo said will meet with Lenape Technical School administrators to discuss financial figures before Monday night’s vote.
Region III School Board Director Stan Berdell said he will probably vote for cutting the part-time participation.
“We’re looking at the numbers and how it will affect everybody,” Berdell said. “We think it will be more economical and efficient.”
Board Vice-President Chris Choncek led the meeting in Board President Joseph Close’s absence.
School directors will also vote on an addendum to the Source4Teachers agreement, the ARIN Intermediate Unit 28 2016-17 General Operating Budget and ratifying a new teacher contract.
The collective bargaining agreement has been discussed in board executive sessions – including before Thursday’s open caucus session.
According to Business Manager Sam Kirk, administrators will look to add “floating” positions at each school at the New Jersey-based company’s recommendation.
Armstrong School District | jweaver April 8, 2016
By jorn jensen, April 8, 2016 @ 7:31 AM
We can make high-end decisions on astro-turf versus real grass sports fields, but we can’t fund education - technical education?
By krazykrileys, April 8, 2016 @ 10:39 AM
As a parent of an young adult who is half day Lenape. She has excelled because of her achievements and learning style which her home school can not offer. God has blessed her with amazing leadership skills and Lenape encourages her to succeed in everything. The home school most faculty has an issue with 1/2 day Lenape students because they are unable to accommodate them like they do the home school students. This is our young adults futures. My daughter has learned an amazing amount of knowledge. She is already preparing to attend Penn State to become an Agriculture Educator. Would she know know this now? Will she continue her remainder years at Lenape Vo-Tech? Yes, she will to become a more versatile educator. How many more students will be suffering the consequences to the decision to eliminate 1/2 day program? Honestly, I would be voting for all day 10-12th if it were myself. This is how strongly I support the education at Lenape!
By elderman, April 8, 2016 @ 4:18 PM
From everything that I have read, I understand that the half day Lenape program has been very popular with students in that it allows them to see, first hand, if a technical school is right for them. However, from what is reported in the Kittanning Paper, it looks like the ASD board will probably do away with this program. If students and parents complain, the board can point out to them that while this educational program is being cut for economical reasons, they can console themselves knowing that ASD does have artificial turf on their new ball fields.
Adam Grafton
South Bend Township
By elderman, April 8, 2016 @ 7:16 PM
If the ASD board does indeed vote to end the half day Lenape program for economic reasons, then it certainly should end any chance that they will vote to donate or sell at a reduced price the closed Kittanning Junior High School parking lot to the Armstrong County Historical Society. Any ASD director with a whit of common sense would realize that dropping out of this popular Lenape program for “economic reasons” is counterintuitive to then turning around and giving away valuable ASD assets.
Stan Berdell has already indicated that he will probably vote to cut this popular educational program so Stan, I’m sure, will realize that ASD is in no financial situation to give away assets. Along with Stan, any ASD board member who votes to cut the educational program cannot, in fairness to students, parents, and taxpayers, vote to give away the parking lot. In fact, keeping the parking lot with the school property as an inducement for selling the property as a package actually makes the lot more valuable than as a standalone property.
So ASD board members, will you do the right thing for your constituents. Common sense should indicate to you that a vote to cut the educational program for economic reasons is a vote not to give away scarce assets. It is time that the residents of the district watch how these directors vote or we will end up with more cuts to educational programs while the directors throw away assets or unwisely spend on unneeded sports items like artificial turf.
Adam Grafton
By bob, April 11, 2016 @ 7:55 AM
@ elderman,
I agree that given the choice between artificial turf and the half day program at Lenape Vo-tech, the resources should be put into the half day program. Zero educational benefit with the turf. IMO, the new high school should have been built within walking distance to the Vo-tech in order to allow more flexibility with scheduling, allowing more students to take advantage of the programs offered.
By jorn jensen, April 11, 2016 @ 7:59 AM
I had the pleasure of sitting at dinner with a young man, a junior at Lenape, whose goal is to continue his education in electrical engineering at Penn State. He works part-time as a waiter in a restaurant, also.
Lenape Tech is a gem for our area - please fund it accordingly.
By jorn jensen, April 11, 2016 @ 9:11 AM
So, in looking at the numbers and how it will affect everybody, did the school board think it will be more economical and efficient to buy Astro Turf than supporting student choice education at Lenape Tech?
By elderman, April 11, 2016 @ 1:26 PM
I wonder if the writer who posted his comments on the Kittanning Paper article of March 24, 2016 “Decision on ownership of McCain House’s Front Lawn coming as soon as April” still thinks that the ASD board should donate the closed Kittanning Jr. High School parking lot to the Historical Society. Perhaps that writer has second thoughts after reading this article about the ASD board considering and probably ending the popular half day Lenape program for 10th grade students for “economic” reasons. I am of the opinion and the board should certainly be that if we are in a situation where we are cutting educational programs for economic reasons then we are in no position to give away assets. Because of unwise spending, the ASD board has only themselves to blame for being in a position where they will vote to end a popular program that allowed students to see firsthand if a technical school education was the right path for them. I thought that giving our students the best education possible was the goal of the board, not spending our tax dollars for frivolous items that they think makes the district “look good.” The ASD board should finally put the students first.
Another thought comes to mind. I thought that at some time, the ASD board would boast to the taxpayers the amount of money that had been saved by the consolidation. I would like to know how many positions; staff, teachers, administration, were eliminated through the much ballyhooed non duplication of services. In addition to numbers of employees, the monetary savings would be something that the board should publish. Of course these savings would be partially negated by the ongoing costs associated with the 3 closed buildings. If these savings materialized and were published, I must have missed it.
Adam Grafton
By Jerri, April 11, 2016 @ 1:44 PM
Once again, the ASD is showing all of us that education is the last thing they care about. This school board had no problem throwing away more money with more LERTA programs even though they’ve failed for more than a decade. They have no money but the “fields of dreams” are being built as we speak to cater to their top priority-the sports programs. Let’s not forget Snyder Stan Berdell. It wasn’t that long ago that he voted to sell Kittanning Township Elementary to his business partner (one simple google search of the two names will show you their business). The man so worried about money that he wants to vote against this educational program had no qualms about selling that school building for pennies on the dollar to his friend!
What happened to “build the new school and we will save money”? They closed five buildings. Five buildings! They also sold the old administration building to Sheetz. Where’s the money?
The Lenape tenth-grade program has been extremely successful. It helps the students in classes like cosmetology to get their required hours without having to go to summer school, it helps those that are undecided to have time to switch programs if they like without worrying about not having enough credits for graduation, it helps students that aren’t interested in the regular school classes to get excited about school before they drop out, and it is a great program for both college and career bound students, if that is what they’re interested in.
Shame on ASD for even thinking about this when they have no problem wasting money on their pet projects. Education should be first! President Joe Close’s son was in the first tenth-grade welding class and now his daughter will be graduating from Lenape this year. If the program was good enough to keep running for a school board director’s child, then why stop other students from having that opportunity?
Interesting that the teacher’s contract is being ratified as we speak. Take a look at this board and how many are related or married to teachers. Take a look at former teachers sitting there. Why doesn’t the local media do an indepth story providing details of that contract? Every salary in the district piggybacks off this agreement. Let the taxpayers know what we are paying for!
Another note is that Superintendent DeVivo said the board has been having internet discussions. What does that mean? Are they violating the Sunshine Law? It sure sounds like it! Did you know that PA has a Right to Know law? If they are using their computers for school board business, they must provide you with the content if you request it. Contact the administration building for the information.
If they vote for stopping this program, an inquiry should be made as to why they would give away the use of a parking lot, too. If they’re that broke, give always should not be happening and any plans for unnecessary athletic fields should stop immediately! Use the ones we already own.
By jorn jensen, April 11, 2016 @ 4:17 PM
Hey Dan Burk, why don’t you chime in on this conversation - you’re in the realty business - the value of the parking lot to the school real estate total versus giving it away to the museum and how that affects the school building value?