LANSDALE- The NPSD Board of School Directors began their regularly scheduled action meeting on Thursday, March 16th with proclamations awarded to students from the North Montco Technical Career Center for their accomplishments at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Agricultural Education Horticulture Competition. North Montco students have been competing for ten years and have accumulated a number of prizes and placed in many categories over the years.

“We’re kind of the school to beat when we go out there,” laughed Ms. Patty Miller, the Horticulture instructor at the North Montco Technical Career Center.

Miller introduced five students who had placed in the competition, two of whom couldn’t attend the meeting. Students Kevin Blattner, Lynette Ferguson, Evelyn Hood, Yash Joshi, and Joyce Klaumenzer earned 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th places in categories related to plant entries and floral design.

When the Board opened the floor for comments from the audience of citizens, two frustrated community members voiced their concerns regarding the bids from Bonnett Associates for air conditioning in the district. Because the received bids were over the budget and there was no electrical bid, the district has decided to postpone the project.

One mother, who had spoken previously to the Board several times regarding the A.C. in the schools, prepared a list of questions in respect to the bids that were placed and how they were put out. Questions such as why the district didn’t receive any electrical bids and what the plans for the kids in the upcoming spring and summer are were addressed by Board President Vincent Sherpinsky. Sherpinsky admitted that because of the tight timeline of 60-90 days, it was difficult for contractors, who typically plan years in advance, to bid on the project. Sherpinsky also explained that Dr. Curt Dietrich, Superintendent of NPSD, is weighing the option of putting in makeshift units for students with medical conditions.

“If this would have been taken seriously back in September when I originally voiced my concerns, I don’t think we’d be standing here. I think the bids would have been gotten, and they’d be working.. It needs to be taken seriously and hopefully in 2017 major changes will take place,” articulated a NPSD parent and community member.

Another community member spoke up about how he was confused why nothing has been done about the air conditioning. Referring to how no companies had bid on the project and how the project is not currently underway although there is money allocated toward it, he said “it’s hard to believe that can happen.”

This prompted a back and forth argument-like scenario between the community member and Board member John Schilling. Schilling felt blame was being insinuated on both the Board and Bonnett, and he expressed that the situation was one in which nobody is at fault.

“I’ve been on the board twenty-two years. I’ve seen it happen before. We rushed the project, we tried to get it done, and it didn’t happen. It’s nobody’s fault,” Schilling declared.

After input from the community, community reports were given and the focus was shifted to the Superintendent’s Report. All eleven of the items on the Superintendent’s Report, which was given by Assistant Superintendent Diane Holben, were approved. Items included the expulsion of a student, a contract with Maillie LLP for completion of the school district audit for the years 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019, and the rejection of the bids for general constructional and HVAC for the HVAC replacement at three elementary schools.

Among other items, a contracts were awarded regarding roof replacements. These included a contract to D.A. Nolt, Inc. for the roof replacement at Penndale Middle School and the Northbridge School and a contract to Pro Com Roofing Corp. for Gwynedd Square Elementary School, Walton Farm Elementary School, and the Support Services Center.

After Mr. Steven Skrocki gave the finance report and both items were approved by the Board, Mr. Ed Diasio was nominated by the Board to the MCIU Unit #23 Board of Directors for a term of one year, which starts July 1st, 2017 and runs through June 30th, 2018.
The next meeting of the Board of School Directors is scheduled as a work session for April 4th at 7:30pm at the Educational Services Center.