Public Meeting Agenda: August 19, 2026 at 7:00 PM - Board Meeting

1. Call to Order

Speaker(s): Board President

Description: The Board President will call the meeting to order.

2. Roll Call

Speaker(s): Ms. McNett

Description: Roll Call to document the attendance of the Board.

Board Members

Name	Title	Representing
Ms. Lori Baer	President	Williamsport Area School District
Ms. Arica Jennings	Vice-President	Canton Area School District
Ms. Debra Agnew	Treasurer	Sayre Area School District
Mr. Randy Holmes		East Lycoming School District
Ms. Jessie Edwards		Jersey Shore Area School District
Mr. Michael Zicolello		Loyalsock Township School District
Vacant		Montgomery Area School District
Ms. Sharon Meyer		Montoursville Area School District
Ms. Krista McMonigle		Muncy School District
Mrs. Debra Hicks		Northeast Bradford School District
Ms. Julie Preston		Northern Tioga School District
Mr. Chad Riley		Southern Tioga School District
Ms. Cathy Bachman		South Williamsport Area School District
Ms. Mary Elise Nolan		Sullivan County School District
Mr. Brady Finogle		Towanda Area School District
Ms. LuAnn Knapp		Troy Area School District
Mr. Jerry Curreri		Wellsboro Area School District
Mr. Duane Naugle		Wyalusing Area School District

3. Introductions

Speaker(s): Ms. McNett

Description: Guest introductions will be made.

4. Public Comment:

Speaker(s): Ms. McNett

Description: This time is set aside for any public comments.

5. Approval of Board Minutes from the June 17, 2026 meeting of the Board.

Speaker(s): Ms. McNett

Description: This time is for the Board to review, request amendments or vote to accept the minutes of the previous meeting.

Attachments: (1)

June 17, 2026 Board Minutes

6. Finance

Speaker(s): Ms. McNett

6.A. Approval of Bills

Speaker(s): Ms. McNett

Description: Bills from June 11, 2026 through August 12, 2026 for General Operations, Special Education, and Capital Project Fund are enclosed.

6.B. 2026-2027 Budgets & Investment of Funds

Speaker(s): Ms. McNett

Description: The 2026-2027 budgets can be viewed online at www.iu17.org, click on About BLaST, then click on the Board of Directors link and the new budgets are listed under Board Documents.

Investment of Funds

A memorandum from the Department of Education dated February 9, 1983, stated:

It is both permissible and desirable for the school board to adopt a resolution extending blanket authority to the treasurer or other designated and qualified official to invest, redeem and reinvest funds of the district. Such investments are subject to those limitations and restrictions set forth in the School Code and other law, including provisions for assignment of Federal securities adequate to protect the investment. Requiring specific action on each transaction results in costly delays and resultant loss of income.

The State auditors have recommended that the Board adopt the following resolution each year:

The First Citizens Community Bank, Canton Branch, as depository for IU 17, is authorized, after consultation with the IU 17 administrative staff, to invest, redeem and reinvest funds, subject to those limitations and restrictions set forth in the School Code, for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

The administration recommends that the Board adopt this resolution.

7. Personnel

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

7.A. Resignations and Retirements

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

Description:

Retirements & Resignations

Name	Position	Effective Date
Faith Callahan	Itinerant Speech-Language Pathologist	June 29, 2026
Stephen Trevino	Special Education Teacher	July 7, 2026
Ashley Heckrote	(BCBA)/Special Education Supervisor	Sept. 11, 2026
Cassidy Probst	Special Education Teacher	Aug. 13, 2026
James Rinehimer	Training and Consulting	Sept. 19, 2026
Danielle Vitella	Life Skills Support	Sept. 28, 2026
Emily Walter	Speech Therapist	Oct. 8, 2026
Claudia Hamilton	Retirement-Paraprofessional	Aug. 31, 2026

7.B. Establishment of New Positions, New Programs, and/or Program Revisions

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

Description:

Establishment of New Positions

Position	Funding Source	Speaker
Instructional Designer	District Contracts	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed, Dr. Segraves
Front Desk/Student Support Assistant	District Contracts	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

7.C. Employments, Temporary Professional and/or Professional

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

Description:

Professional/Temporary Professional New Hires

Name	Position	Compensation	Effective Date	Replacing
Ashley Tubach	Special Education Teacher	$67,805, Master's Step 4, 190 days	August 3, 2026	Heather Bower
Torey Van Sickle	Special Education Teacher	$62,175, Bachelor's Step 1, 190 days	August 3, 2026	Stephen Trevino
Megan Myers	Special Education Teacher	$62,175, Bachelor's Step 1, 190 days	August 3, 2026	New position created 4/15/26
Jayme Emerson	Educational Consultant/Professional Development Personnel/TaC	$79,805, Masters Step 12, 190 Days	August 3, 2026	Nisa Kshir
Emily Eckerd	Special Education Teacher	$70,530, Master’s +15 Step 5, 190 days	August 10, 2026	Cassidy Probst

7.D. Employments, Staff

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

Description:

Staff New Hires

Name	Position	Compensation	Effective Date	Replacing
Lacey Laylon	Administrative Assistant of Educational Planning	$40,000	August 17, 2026	Jennifer Deifenderfer

7.E. Change of Work Assignments

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

Description:

Change of Work Assignments

Name	Position	Compensation	Effective Date	Replacing
Jessica Schwenk	Lead Autistic Support Teacher	$2,000 stipend	26-27 school year
Alexander Bloss	Special Education Teacher	no change in salary	August 10, 2026
Jennifer Diefenderfer	Technical Assistant PennData Liaison	$47,000/yr	August 17, 2026	Renee Peluso

7.F. Substitute Teachers and Substitute Teacher Aides

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

Description: Lists of the substitute teachers and teacher aides are presented as attached.

Attachments: (2)

7.G. Request for Internship, Observations or Student Teaching

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

Description:

Name	School	Effective Date
Caroline Colucci	Lycoming College	Aug. 31, 2026-Dec. 4, 2026
Shiloh Miller	Commonwealth University Bloomsburg	Aug. 24, 2026-Dec. 11, 2026
Grace Carson	Commonwealth University Bloomsburg	Aug. 24, 2026-Dec. 11, 2027
Devorah Schneider	Commonwealth University Bloomsburg	Aug. 24, 2026-Dec. 11, 2028
Rylee Doebler	Commonwealth University Bloomsburg	Aug. 24, 2026-Dec. 11, 2029

7.H. Mentor Teachers/Supervisors

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

Description:

First Year Inductees’ Mentors

Amber Hildebrand		Meg Ralston
Jessica DeSantis		Tanya Kuhl
Heather Stanton		Brandy Lair
Danielle Pardoe		Tracy Whitehead
Heather Ace		Lindsay Andrus
Jessica Schwenk		Julia Kepler
Heather Carlin

8. Items Requiring Routine Formal Action by the Board

Description: All contracts presented for approval have been shared online to the Board for their review prior to the meeting.

8.A. Transportation Drivers

Speaker(s): Ms. McNett

Description: Transportation drivers for the 26-27 school year are attached.

Attachments: (1)

26-27 Bus Drivers

8.B. Contracts

Speaker(s): Dr. Segraves

Description:

Vendor	Begin Date	End Date	Service	Cost	Funding/Budgets	Speaker
Dr. Beth Scheiderman	8/20/26	6/30/27	Psychological Evaluations	NTE $86,450	District Contracts	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed
River Valley YMCA	8/1/26	7/31/27	Classroom Space	NTE $59,568	EI/ELECT	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed
UPMC-Williamsport	7/1/2026	6/30/2027	PT-Lycoming Co.	NTE $145,000	District Contracts	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed
UPMC-Wellsboro	7/1/2026	6/30/2027	PT-Tioga Co.	NTE $75,000	District Contracts	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed
Imagine Learning	7/1/2026	6/30/2027	Educational Platform	$750/yr	Ed. Planning/eQuip	Dr. Segraves
IDEA_B			Policies & Procedures			Ms. McNett
Geisinger Medical Center	7/1/26	6/30/27	Order Reviews	$200/hour	Student Services	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed
Capital Area IU	7/1/26	6/30/27	Professional development	NTE $2197	Student Services	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed
Rockower LLC	9/1/26	8/31/27	Psychiatric Consultation Srv.	$15,000/month Sept. - May, $7,500/month June - August	Medical ACCESS & District Contracts	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed
Amergis Healthcare Staffing	7/29/26	6/30/27	BCBA and other related srv.	$100/hr, NTE $50,000	PHP Budget & District Contracts	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed
Central Susquehanna IU	7/1/26	6/30/27	oreientation & mobility srv., Lycoming County	$175/hr, NTE $94,500	District Contracts	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed
Education Insights	7/1/26	6/30/27	Superintendent & Administrative Team Mentorship	Superintendents - $150/hr, Admin. Team - $125/hr, Interim Superintendent Srv. - $700/day	District Contracts	Dr. Steinbacher-Reed
Personnel Handbooks			support & paraprofessionals			Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

8.C. Increment Increases

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

Description:

Increment Increases

Employee	Position	Increment
Emily Bixler	Special Education Teacher	Masters'
Megan Millard	School Nurse	Masters'
Faith Foster	Speech Language Pathologist	Masters' +15
Amanda Kline	Speech Language Pathologist	Masters' +15
Melissa Lundy	Hearing Impaired Teacher	Masters' +15

Funds to support this contract are available from districts’ contracts.

8.D. Professional Contract Award

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

Description:

Employee	Position			Award
Jessica Pepper	Speech Therapist-3 year satisfactory rating			Professional Contract

9. Administrative Reports

9.A. Report of Investments

Speaker(s): Ms. McNett

Description: The record of investments dated (date) is presented as follows:

Year-to-Date Earnings on Investments is $32,381.60 (3.63% Cash Management Account), First Citizens Community Bank, Canton.

Year-to-Date Earnings on Project Fund is $7,793.17 (3.63% Capital Fund Account), First Citizens Community Bank, Canton.

9.B. Student Services

Speaker(s): Dr. Spalding

9.C. Technology Update

Speaker(s): Mr. Confer

9.D. Educational Planning Update

Speaker(s): Dr. Segraves

9.E. Executive Director Update

Speaker(s): Dr. Steinbacher-Reed

Description: 2026-2027 State of the Unit Report

10. Other Items Raised by the Board and/or Staff

11. Adjournment

August 19, 2026 at 7:00 PM - Board Meeting

Web Viewer