Leechburg attorney and former mayor/school board director Chuck Pascal’s comments were met with several rounds of applause by the audience at last night’s Lenape Joint Operating Committee meeting. The committee voted to keep Lenape a full-day program, but explore a half-day optional alternative.
by David Croyle
The Lenape Joint Operating Committee (JOC) met last night in front of an audience of several hundred, decided to keep Lenape’s full day program, but explore options to add a half-day program as well.
JOC President Meredith Christy called the half-day session a “hybrid delivery system” where “parents and their student would decide what they wanted for their vo-tech education and not the school board.”
This unanimous vote directed Lenape administrators, along with superintendents, business managers, faculty and “others” (anyone else the administration felt they wanted to include) to discuss and report back to the JOC a plan for enhancing educational opportunities of Lenape while protecting the integrity of the full day program.
It was clear that three of the four school districts favored the full-day program.
“Our position is that under no circumstance do we want to eliminate a full-day program at Lenape. We support the full-day program,” Christy said, who also represents Freeport Area School District. “However, we would like to have the option of a half-day opportunity for those students who prefer to stay at Freeport but attend Lenape for only their vocational training.”
Ms. Terri Smith of Leechburg School District said her board was split. “Last night we had our meeting. We voted, with one absent and one abstaining, three for hybrid, and four for full day,” she reported. “I am for full day and Mr. Knepshield is voting for hybrid.”
“We are a split board,” Leechburg’s Terry Knepshield said. “We are interested in exploring a hybrid option. There was not an official majority for either issue.”
Apollo-Ridge School District reiterated their position made known at last month’s JOC meeting.
“With the information and comments that we have… Apollo-Ridge proposes that students attend Lenape utilizing a full-day program,” Sharon Jaworsky stated to the applause of the audience. “Under this format, we will continue to monitor a plan to support students and have a collaboration between Lenape and Apollo-Ridge School District.”
Administrative Director Dawn Kocher-Taylor explains her plan to facilitate a half-day session at Lenape Tech while JOC President Meredith Christy (left) and Armstrong School District Superintendent William Kerr look at the report she submitted last night.
Administrative Director Dawn Kocher-Taylor explained a report given to the JOC regarding half-day costs.
“What I would view this to look like is not one document as I am presenting to you, but several options for hybrid delivery. What you have here is strictly an estimate. Before you arrive at a cost, you have to arrive at a program. What we attempted to do was look at what a program might look like,” Kocher-Taylor said.
Included in her report was: retaining four academic teachers in English and Math, a blue print reader teacher, instructional aides in technical areas, and maintain operation of cafeteria because of space issues and transportation (she noted that the cafeteria is self-sustaining and is not funded through the general fund).
“We reduce dollar amount for academic areas for supplies, maintain cooperative education, and take homebound and detention back to home school. We would still have a guidance counselor, but may not need a librarian or program development person. We would reduce clerical support, maintain a nurse, and bus operations and facility – transportation is a variable,” she said.
In order to reduce loss of instructional time, Kocher-Taylor suggested students would be transported from home to Lenape for morning classes, then Lenape to home after afternoon classes concluded rather than back to sending schools.
“We believe this framework does not compromise the quality of our technical program. This particular scenario maintains the integrity of technical programs to a high degree.
Kocher-Taylor outlined costs for technology programs specifically, but did not give overall amounts to the public.
“This might not be the scenario you are looking at — slightly higher than what you are paying — but it is a different program than what you are purchasing now. There is a $1.2 million difference… about $2,683 per student difference. This is a half-day only high-quality program. If you look at what you currently pay, it would equate in full-day to a nickel for every dollar in your budget… or about 5% of every dollar.”
Superintendent of Record Dr. William Kerr collaborated Kocher-Taylor’s report.
“We insisted on maintaining work-based experience, internships and apprenticeships. We discussed the Life Skills program. There are eleven kids in the current program. It would not make sense to disrupt their day in a half-day program. It makes sense for those kids to stay here. The cafeteria here is part of the curriculum. We have a list of fourteen items… What about logistical issues? Health and Phys Ed… home school or here? There is complicated bus routing. Transportation costs of $1,828 was unchanged from full to half day because we need more time to study those numbers. We did make cuts. We looked at it from an educational standpoint understanding many variables yet to be explored,” Kerr added.
Armstrong School District Board member Joseph Close was skeptical of the JOC decision to embrace half-day sessions with full-day sessions.
“There is a strong desire to make this institution half day, all driven by costs,” he said. “I utmost would like to see kids have the most advantages. In back of my mind, I don’t want this hybrid program to be a backdoor to half-day. I don’t know how you could put parameters to stop it from happening. If people chose half-day, then it would compromise the current full-day program in the future.”
Lenape currently has 453 full-time students this year.
“If it got down the road and it look like it would undermine it, Freeport would not support it,” Christy said. “What if we maintain 450 students, and then another 300 want half-day… now we have 700 students coming to Lenape. It would show there are more people interested in vo-tech and it would becoming a booming institution. That is the plus side. If we focus on options that Ms. Kocher-Taylor talked about, and we are not going to sacrifice full-day program, then we should be okay for the Administration to work you this study.”
Kathy Vargo
Leechburg Board Vice-President Kathy Vargo, who randomly spoke out from her seat in the audience, made a formal request to allow the discussion of Lenape administration to include faculty and any others they need to have in discussion from sending schools. Christy agreed and said the motion provided for such input.
Jennifer Willyard
Ford City resident Jennifer Willyard asked if the interested persons could send letters or emails requesting to be involved. Kocher-Taylor said it could be accomplished with a local-connect phone call at a time when they would be soliciting for parent/student involvement.
“It could be students, select faculty members, state persons… Their input may be valuable and time saving for us,” Kocher-Taylor remarked.
Route 85 Kittanning resident Byron Bradigan was concerned about the Lenape administration not taking enough time to explore the half-day options.
Byron Bradigan from Route 85 in Kittanning was concerned about the JOC giving ample time in exploring half-day alternatives “to make sure there is no rush to judgment.” Christy said there was no time limit on the motion.
Following approval, Christy was optimistic. “I feel like we accomplished something here tonight and now the Administration can move in a direction to protect the full-day program and offer other opportunities to our students in one form or another.”
When general comments were permitted, Bob Podvorec of Manor Township questioned Armstrong Board Vice-President James Solak’s motives and told of interacting with children, both as a substitute at Lenape and coaching Lenape basketball.
“A lot are not happy with home schools and want to be here. They found themselves a place and they fit in. I talk to kids from other districts who have same opinion. They want to be here and that’s the way it is.
Solak defended his position to Podvorec. “I would not want anyone to hold me responsible for Mr. Markilinski’s comments. I am not in favor of just full-day. Everybody out there supports vocational opportunities for children. Mr. Christy said we could go from 400 to 700. If we exclude one student, that is wrong. At least it should be hybrid like 367 school districts across the state that offer non- full-day only. Only 90 offer full-day only. That is a four to one ratio. If your son or daughter wanted to go only here for vo-tech, you would want them to have that opportunity,” Solak said, stating that he taught at a half-day program for eight years during his teaching tenure.
Former Leechburg mayor and former school board member Chuck Pascal incited the crowd and paused for multiple applause.
“People from last month still in favor of full-time still feel that way. People who wanted half-day, are now for hybrid. I complement the Freeport Board because the discussion was based on decision of what was best for students. It is clear that political climate in this community for the last month has made it impossible to gain half-day program. I agree with Mr. Close… watch out for the Trojan horse! Politics won’t allow it to go to only half day right now. We are attempting to go through the back door by the maneuvering by people on some boards who say they are about hybrid tonight. Negotiating with certain people is like negotiating with Alkida. They will listen and come and still tear your buildings down!
Chuck Pascal from Leechburg accuses Armstrong School District of mixing the issue of Elderton and Lenape Tech.
“The Armstrong Board needs to stop mixing the issue of Elderton and Lenape. None of us [in other districts] care what you do about Elderton. We want you to leave Lenape alone while you play your games with Elderton.
“For Mr. Markilinski to insult students, teachers, and anybody with this school, it has to stop and I hope the Armstrong Board tries to control Mr. Markilinski. Until his tin-foil hat comes off, you won’t be able to do that,” Pascal concluded.
Comments continued with Lenape students and other community residents before adjourning.
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Lenape Tech | KP NewsDesk February 25, 2010 | 
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