The Loyalsock Township School Board approved several financial and staffing matters at its January meeting Wednesday night.

The board began by approving the calendar for the 2025-2026 school year. The first day of class will be Aug. 21 and students, staff and faculty will see an extended Thanksgiving break period through the removal of several half days, with the last day of class taking place on June 5.

In financial matters, the board approved the Act 93 Administrative Personnel Compensation Plan between Loyalsock Township School and the Act 93 Administrative Personnel. This will extend current retirement incentives for one year; an agreement for mental health counseling services with Diakon, Child, Family and Community Ministries, Topton. “Diakon has been with us for probaby seven to eight years now. This is going to allow more of our students to get some counselling with Diakon as they are in with us each and every week. That’s going to be of great service to many of our families,” said Superintendent Gerald McLaughlin; and awarded Abacus, Lancaster, a bid for the replacement of the Donald E. Schick Elementary School multipurpose room floor at a cost of $110,316.00. The work will include a 25 year warrant, which includes labor and material, Dan Egly, business manager and board secretary said.

In personnel matters, the board approved the transfer from part-time to full-time for Michael Ludenslauger, custodial employee, effective Jan. 27, 2025 and Julie Sparks, paraprofessional, effective Dec. 4, 2024, respectively; Jamie Diemer as full-time high school secretary at an hourly rate of $15.15, effective Jan. 27, 2025; Aiden Lewis as full-time maintenance employee at an hourly rate of $15.75; and acknowledged the retirements/resignations of Amanda Haney as music teacher, effective Feb. 7, 2025; and Jacob Maronski, as custodial employee, effective Jan. 8, 2025.

A change to the bidding threshold issued by the Department of Labor was announced by Egly.

Under the new bidding thresholds, anything under $12,900 does not require a formal bidding process for written or telephonic quotations. Anything between $12,900 and $23,800 requires three written or telephonic quotations. For bids exceeding $23,800, a formal bidding process is required.

Two township parks will be receiving AED devices, announced board member Robert Leidhecker announced during an update on the Recreation Board.

One will be located in Heshbon Park due to the soccer activity there and the other in James Short Park, near the pickle ball courts, Leidhecker specified in an email to the Sun-Gazette. He added the goal is to acquire at least two more devices.

Leidecker also confirmed that the concession stand at the north end of James Short Park, next to the softball field, will be completed by the spring. The stand will include team changing rooms, he said.

Metal detectors have been purchased for use at select extracurricular and athletic events, McLaughlin announced.

“The district, in consultation with Mike Knight, school safety coordinator, have been continuing to look at ways to layer our safety,” the superintendent said.

“We will be using them just as another layer of safety and security,” McLaughlin explained.

The addition of archery and Junior ROTC programs are also in the works, he said.

The district’s application for the archery program is currently filed with the state Game Commission and there is grant money that will be sought, according to McLaughlin.

It will most likely begin at the high school, eventually moving down to the middle school, he said.

The ROTC program is close at hand, McLaughlin said, adding that it is expected to be a year-long session.

“Hopefully that’s another avenue that our kids can participate and another offering for our high school students,” he said

The next board meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5.