PASD approves steady millage, president resigns, coach comments continue

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

Update: Since this article was first published, two more members of the Palmyra Area School District Board have resigned. Find their resignation letters below.

The Palmyra school board voted 5-4 to approve a 2026-27 budget with a steady millage rate during the June 11 meeting.

Board members Larry Geib, Sue Gilligan, Dave Laudermilch, and Christine Fisher voted no. Jill Martin, Corey Andrew, Seth Steinmetz, Alicia Haldeman, and Cynthia Spondello voted in favor of the budget.

Superintendent Bernie Kepler said the budget is consistent with the draft approved last month. The proposed budget is available in its entirety below.

It outlines $74,897,725 in estimated revenue and expenses for the year. The millage rate will remain at 18.1532 mills.

Explaining his vote, Laudermilch said the budget has “deficiencies” and doesn’t include a clear plan for the future, even with revenue and expenses growing from last year.

“There no investment in the future, there’s no investment in our infrastructure, there’s no investment in our educational opportunities,” he said. “I’m just disappointed that none of that is addressed in this budget in the race to get to a 0% tax increase.”

He said he believes the district will have “oversized tax increases” in future years to offset the “lack of vision in addressing issues this year.”

Geib and Gilligan said they agreed, and Gilligan said they should consider a small tax increase when there are still issues in the district to be addressed.

Steinmetz said this disagreement was only voiced in the last two meetings when the budget was already put together.

“I also agree with you, Mr. Laudermilch. I think we should be looking toward the future,” he said. “We should be looking at a three- to five-year plan, so I hope that next year when we start going into the budget season that you’d also support looking at projected budgets at that three to five-year mark so that we’re not wondering what the future looks like.”

Board president announces resignation

Friday morning, Martin sent an email to the district administration and fellow board members announcing her resignation, effective immediately. She forwarded the message to LebTown.

“It has been a privilege to serve this community. However, I can no longer support the direction the district has taken on certain issues, and therefore I believe it is appropriate for me to step aside,” she wrote. “I am grateful that during my service this year we were able to adopt a zero-percent tax increase budget, thanks in large part to greatly increased state funding and creative cost saving measures, and reach a collective bargaining agreement with our teachers, accomplishments that reflect the hard work and dedication of many individuals.”

Martin thanked the community for the opportunity to serve and wished the district “continued success moving forward.” She said she will not be checking her district email after sending the message.

In her email to LebTown, Martin said has no comment beyond the provided statement.

Martin’s resignation follows a public exchange of letters last week in which some board members sought Andrew’s resignation.

Public comments supporting wrestling coaches continue

Public comments regarding the nonrenewal of the high school wrestling coach contracts continued for another meeting. At the May 14 meeting, a five-member board majority approved a list of winter wrestling coaches without head coach Jonathan Regets and assistant coach Josh Weidman included.

Community members — including wrestlers and parents — attended the May 14 and May 28 meetings to request the coaches’ reinstatement. Those requests continued Thursday, though the athletes and Regets were at a wrestling event at the time.

The board previously stated the nonrenewal was due to several policy violations, but they did not specify which policies. A letter shared by Regets’ legal representation in May outlined some of the alleged violations. It’s available in its entirety below.

Angie Foltz, a parent of a wrestler, said she supports the reinstatement of Regets and that the best thing for students is that the district moves through the coaching staff hiring process quickly.

“The uncertainty is affecting them,” she said. “We’ve heard the boys discussing plans for next year, and they don’t know what to do. The uncertainty is definitely impacting them, and regardless of how anyone feels about what happened in the past, I think most of us agree that prolonged uncertainty is not good for our kids.”

The contract nonrenewal came after the coaches were suspended in December. 

Regets previously told LebTown the suspension came immediately after a wrestler who habitually violated the code of conduct for years was disciplined at a December match. Neither the board nor the coaches identified the student at the time, but speakers during public comment on Jan. 8 mentioned one of Andrew’s sons by name.

The suspension was later lifted, and the coaches returned to finish the season.

Weidman spoke during public comment about Andrew, alleging a pattern of making false reports to law enforcement and district officials. Weidman said he had a friendly relationship with Andrew initially, but Andrew had not liked Regets for several years.

Weidman said he “exposed his abuse of power” on the board in an email sent following Regets’ suspension, and then Andrew alleged Weidman assaulted a student, leading to his suspension.

Later, Weidman said he told Andrew he should hide his face in shame when he attended an event, which allegedly prompted further complaints with authorities.

The next day, Weidman said he received a call from South Londonderry Police, who were looking into a claim that someone — either Weidman or “someone in his direction” — visited Andrew’s house and verbally assaulted his wife. Weidman said the allegation was that someone “appeared on the family property and yelled menacing and threatening remarks at Mrs. Andrew, which put her in fear of imminent bodily harm.”

“There’s a big problem here. First, it’s not in my character to do something like this, and he knows it,” Weidman said. “Second, and most importantly, I was at State College on Sunday morning, two hours away, with witnesses and physical proof.”

LebTown reached out to Andrew for comment and did not receive a response at the time of publication.

In other business, the school board:

• Announced there was an executive session prior to the meeting to discuss a confidential personnel matter regarding the investigation of a staff member.
• Heard a report from Martin that the administration building is set to be completed in July rather than the previous completion date of June 15.
• Recognized Anne Hoover, principal of Pine Street Elementary School, for 32 years of service to the district.
• Approved several change orders for the Buck Swank Stadium project. Increases of $2,744 and $18,516.36 were approved, along with a credit of $21,094.18.
• Voted 5-4 for the second reading of Board Policy 603 – Budget Preparation. Geib, Gilligan, Laudermilch, and Fisher voted no. The policy would allow the finance chair to sit in on building budget presentations. Steinmetz said this would not include any additional voting power and would be an oversight position. Board members who voted against it said it would give the chair additional power.
• Renewed the food service management contract with The Nutrition Group for the 2026-27 school year with no increase in lunch prices. Elementary lunches will cost $2.40, and secondary lunches will cost $2.50. Breakfast will be free.
• Approved an agreement with Boyer and Ritter for audit services. The amount for 2026 will be $42,745, 2027 will be $43,033, 2028 will be $45,320, 2029 will be $46,350, and 2030 will be $47,280.
• Unanimously approved the second reading of Board Policy 903 – Public Comment in Board Meetings.
• Approved the finance consent agenda and the staffing and administration consent agenda. The staffing and administration agenda was approved 6-3, with Geib, Gilligan, and Laudermilch opposing because it did not include the wrestling coaches.

The Palmyra school board will meet next at Lingle Avenue Elementary School on June 25 at 6 p.m. Meetings can also be attended via Zoom.

(Update) Additional resignation

Update Friday, 8:45 p.m – Board member Alicia Haldeman also announced her resignation in an email to LebTown and other board members. Her resignation note is included below.

Dear PASD School Board Directors and Administration,

Consider this my formal resignation. I appreciate those who voted for me & entrusted me to represent them. As a result of the decisions I have made as a school board member, my children have been bullied & ostracized. It’s a sad state of affairs when parents drag my young children into this. I have reached the point where this volunteer position is not worth the stress that it puts on me & my family. I simply refuse to allow my family & I to be a target of the hate in this community any longer.

Respectfully, Alicia Haldeman

(Update) Third board member resigns

Update Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – Board member Cynthia Spondello announced her resignation in an email to LebTown. Her resignation is included below.

On June 12th, I submitted my formal resignation from the Palmyra Area School Board of Directors. I wish the Palmyra district community success despite the divisiveness, total dysfunction and vitriol from several members of the board. I am saddened because I am stepping away from serving on a board that I hoped would be diverse, yet unified. A board with a team of 9, each with their own special talents, who would work together to best serve the students, teachers, and community. I was so hopeful that the new school board would be able to work cohesively regardless of opposing opinions. Rather, several members created a great divide that no matter what, unification would be impossible to attain and therefore was not working for the betterment of the community and the district. I, however, remain proud that we passed a budget with a 0% tax increase and I am also pleased with the successful negotiation of the teachers’ contract. I wish the teachers continued success with their careers and the best for the student body at large. I have no further comments.