ELCO board approves policies for first reading, recognizes board members

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

At the Sept. 21 meeting, ELCO school board unanimously voted to approve five policies for first reading.

Policy 102 – Academic Standards was updated to reflect new requirements for instruction on personal finance and social media literacy.

Policy 105 – Curriculum was updated with minor changes to the legal references of the policy, while the substance of the policy remains unchanged.

Policy 204.1 – Virtual Attendance and Wellness Check is a new mandated policy requiring all full-time virtual students (currently 30) to participate in weekly wellness checks either via Zoom or in person. The policy outlines expectations and procedures for these wellness checks.

Policy 249 – Bullying/Cyberbullying was updated to expand the definition of bullying to include cyberbullying and AI-generated or -modified media. The policy outlines procedures for investigating reports of bullying.

Policy 325 – Dress and Grooming (Employees) was updated with the original form policy from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA). The policy outlines expectations for employees regarding dress and grooming.

Dr. Karen Nell presented certificates of recognition from PSBA to board president Rachel Moyer for five years of service, board vice president Ray Ondrusek for 15 years of service, and board member Bonnie Kantner for five years of service.

“These milestones represent much more than the number of years served. They reflect countless hours of time, thought, and dedication given to our students, our schools, and our community. We’re grateful for their continued service and commitment to ELCO,” said Nell.

The board unanimously voted to direct Lori Mosser, board secretary, to electronically cast the board’s vote for the following PSBA officers.

• President-elect (one-year term ending Dec. 31, 2027)
  • Matt Vannoy
• Vice president-elect (one-year term ending Dec. 31, 2027)
  • Kristy Bolte
• Treasurer-elect (three-year term ending Dec. 31, 2029)
  • David Hein
• PSBA Eastern Zone representative (one-year term ending Dec. 31, 2027)
  • Jason Mell
• PSBA Insurance trustees (three-year term ending Dec. 31, 2029)
  • Marianne Neel
  • Michael Faccinetto

Several school board members expressed their desire to choose from multiple candidates rather than a single candidate for each position.

During the CTC report, board member Jean Pierre Santos updated that ELCO is still waiting for Lebanon School District’s decision regarding the Lebanon County Career and Technology Center.

“It is frustrating that one school district out of the six is basically holding our hands tied and waiting,” the ELCO representative said. Moyer echoed this frustration in her recent letter to the editor.

In other news, board members unanimously voted to:

• Approve the Aug. 17 meeting minutes and the Aug. 31 treasurer’s report.
• Approve all personnel, curriculum, policy, general services, and finance items listed in the agenda.
  • Under personnel, the board unanimously voted to approve revised and/or new job descriptions for the positions of director of human resources, assistant director of pupil services, and building technology mentor.
  • Under curriculum, the board unanimously voted to approve the 2026-27 ELCO Agricultural Occupational Advisory Committee members and the creation of the Unified ELCO club, which connects students with and without intellectual disabilities, as part of being a Unified Champion School.
  • Under general services, the board unanimously voted to approve a proposal from RLPS Architects for a district-wide Feasibility Study at a cost of $18,500. One of the firm’s name partners previously served on the ELCO school board for several years.

During the director of athletics’ report, ELCO head football coach Bob Miller was recognized as the school’s all-time winningest coach, with 77 ELCO football victories.

ELCO school board will have its next regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 19, at 6 p.m., at 180 Elco Drive, Myerstown. People can also register to watch meetings over Zoom through the district website.