COAL TOWNSHIP - The Shamokin Area School Board voted Tuesday to take over the regular education program at Northwestern Academy next school year.
A separate vote to renew its contract with a food service contractor failed in a 4-4 tie.
The school board voted 7-1 to begin negotiating with the academy's parent company, Northwestern Human Services, on an arrangement for regular education.
Jim Zack, district superintendent, didn't have further information on estimates on the potential length, value and terms of a contract, although he acknowledged these topics have been discussed by the board.
Voting in favor were directors Ed Griffiths, Treina Mariano, Ron McElwee, Brian Persing, Charles Shuey, Bernie Sosnoskie and Tracy Witmer. Jeff Kashner was opposed, and Bob Getchey was absent.
Zack said there are 26 teachers in the academy's regular education program, all of whom are required to have private school certification and a bachelor's degree. If they are to have a teaching job with the district, they must obtain public school certification.
Four district staff members who remain on furlough would have priority on potential openings available at Northwestern Academy, Zack said.
The district has an existing $1.3 million lease agreement with NHS after it took over special education services at the academy this school year. There are approximately 20 district staff and administrators already working there.
The move is an about face from last year, when contentious debate and a split vote was had approving the takeover of the academy's special education program.
McElwee and Shuey, both of whom opposed the special education move, said fears of personal safety at the academy have calmed and the environment has mostly been positive for the district employees working there, persuading to vote in favor this time around.
Kashner voted last year in favor of the special education move. He was in opposition Tuesday night, saying is concerned about the future solvency of the academy since it receives substantial payments from juvenile offender's home public schools.
Shamokin Area is reimbursed just over $100 a day for Northwestern Academy students receiving special education, former Business Manager Steve Curran said last year. At the time, he estimated the reimbursement rate for regular education at about $7,000 flat.
While reimbursement charges for special education must be exact, Curran said last year that the operating entity of a juvenile facility's regular education program can charge 150 percent of a student's tuition rate.
Food service
The failed vote to renew a contract with food service provider The Nutrition Group won't bring an end to the topic.
Persing said he will call a special meeting to again vote on the matter, and he expects to have the necessary five votes to approve the renewal.
"We have it. We will call a special meeting," Persing said after Tuesday's meeting to Nancy Kohl, the firm's regional vice president.
Voting in favor Tuesday were Griffiths, Kashner, Mariano and Persing. Opposed were McElwee, Shuey, Sosnoskie and Witmer. Getchey, who was the swing vote in last year's 5-4 decision to privatize cafeteria services, proved again to be the deciding vote Tuesday even in his absence.
Getchey was expected to vote by phone Tuesday, Persing said, as he was attending the playoffs of the Shamokin Youth Girls Basketball League, a league that he helms. However, he could not be reached when Zack attempted to call during the meeting.
When the one-year contract was approved last summer, it terminated the existing union contract with district cafeteria employees, all of whom were offered employment with The Nutrition Group. Despite the offer, it wasn't exactly favorable among many of the now former district employees.
The Nutrition Group guaranteed a return of up to $175,000 at the time the contract was approved. To date, Persing said it has made the district a profit of $117,200.68, and there remains just under two months in the school year.
Shuey said the firm's lunch prices are too high, and said the rate on delinquent accounts has risen from the "$100s to the $1,000s." He said he believes the district can run a food services program for less and that's why he's opposed.
Kohl said after the meeting that a 5 cent rise annually in lunch costs is board policy, one she said she recommended the board avoid last school year.
While Shuey said the district has paid $1.2 million to the firm, Kohl put the number at $704,000. That cost is for labor and food, paid for by the district and subsequently reimbursed, she said.