ARIN IU 28 holds first convention in three years

SARVER — It could be called a sign that normalcy is returning following an extended COVID-19 pandemic.

For the first time since April 16, 2019, the ARIN Intermediate Unit 28 held what has normally been an annual convention of school directors from across Armstrong and Indiana counties, as well as some communities in Clearfield, Westmoreland and Butler counties.

The gathering at Freeport Area Middle School in the village of Sarver in Buffalo Township, Butler County, was, as unit Executive Director Dr. Brigette D. Matson said, “a good time to take stock of where ARIN is as a regional education service organization and to consider how we, as school board members, can begin to think about the legacy that we will leave, and how we can plan to assure that our efforts are good for our children and our society.”

It also was approximately 3½ hours jam-packed with music, conversation, awards and actions, including passage of a $3,323,887 general operating budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year for the White Township-based IU 28.

“On behalf of the ARIN Intermediate Unit Board and staff, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support of the IU General Operating Budget,” ARIN Board President Dr. Frank Prazenica Jr. of Freeport Area said, “and for your support of all programs and services provided by the Intermediate Unit to your local school districts.”

The budget had to be approved in each of the 11 member school districts — and, except for a handful of absentees, had the approval of every school director in Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Freeport Area, Homer-Center, Indiana Area, Leechburg Area, Marion Center, Penns Manor Area, Purchase Line, River Valley and United districts.

The convention approved the election of Prazenica, Rebecca Ross of Apollo-Ridge, Tamie Blank of Indiana Area, Molly Stiles of River Valley and Mark Somers of United to new three-year terms on the IU 28 board.

It also recognized Prazenica for being on ARIN board for 10 years as of December 2021; IU 28 Board Vice President Charles R. Glasser of Marion Center for being on the ARIN board for 10 years as of December 2019; Stiles for being on the ARIN board for five years as of December 2020; and Ross for being on the ARIN board for five years as of March 2021.

Matson also gave the Friend of Education Award to Cristine Kostiuk, a 1977 Leechburg Area High School graduate who has worked in a variety of jobs over the years, before spending 20 years as administrative assistant to the superintendent in the Apollo-Ridge School District.

Kostiuk also has served as president of the Apollo-Ridge Education Foundation.

“During her tenure,” Matson said, “she increased donations for the Apollo-Ridge Education Foundation to $250,000, which paid for vital equipment in the school’s technology education shop as well as other projects throughout the district.”

“Your efforts are so greatly appreciated,” Apollo-Ridge Superintendent Dr. Matt Curci said, in a video link from a conference he’s attending in Pittsburgh.

Matson also provided a State of the Unit address, summing up for instance the efforts of various programs overseen by the unit, from the Education and Youth Experiencing Homelessness program serving 55 Armstrong County and 53 Indiana County students, to the Family Focus program working with 57 families, to a Pregnant and Parenting Teen/ELECT Program serving 47 teen parents, and an Adult Education Program that has enrolled 67 students and from which 14 have completed their equivalency diplomas.

“During 2021-22, the business office managed 59 individual budgets totaling $26.9 million,” the unit executive director said. “The budgets were funded with federal state and local money.”

There were displays of school projects, performances by various Freeport Area student organizations, and a dinner prepared by The Nutrition Group that included Italian and Mexican dishes as well as turkey and roast beef platters.

When the board gathered after the convention adjourned, it approved a schedule of monthly meetings to be held in 2022-23 at the ARIN IU Central Office at 2895 West Pike in White Township, at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. The exception will be April 18, 2023, when the meeting will follow the unit’s 2023 convention, scheduled for Marion Center Area School District.

The unit also is planning to hold its 2024 convention in the Indiana Area School District.

In other business during the ARIN board meeting, the directors approved:

• Employment of Amanda Vresilovic for the next five years as ARIN director of finance.

• Assigning $102,077 in American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief funds for Homeless Children and Youth for the period from July 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2024.

• Employment of Emily Bugay as a full-time family educator; and Sheri Cunkelman as a full-time behavior support paraprofessional.

• Changing the employment of Jenna Burd from full-time behavior support professional to full-time permanent substitute.

• Bringing on Indiana University of Pennsylvania student Allison Brocious as a student volunteer for spring 2022.

• Having Danielle Boyer from IUP on for Spring 2022 as a student teacher working with Eric Misko of Homer-Center Life Skills.

• A memorandum of understanding regarding bonus payments with the ARIN Intermediate Unit 28 Education Support Professionals-PSEA union.

• Transfers of the $10,267.91 Excellence Foundation Money Market Account and $239.02 ARIN Excellence Foundation Checking Account to the ARIN Excellence Foundation, which now will operate as its own separate entity.

• An agreement with Penn Cambria School District for a teacher of students who are blind and visually impaired for the 2021-22 school year, at a rate of $92 per hour.

• An increase by $3,000 to $19,626 of the contract with Tri-County Workforce Investment Board Inc. for the ARIN Adult Education Program.

• A service agreement with Tri-County Workforce Investment Board where ARIN Center for Education staff will provide adult basic education and high school equivalency preparation classes for out-of-school youth in Indiana County between the ages of 17 and 24, for which IU 28 will receive $13,122.93 for 2022-23. There also is an option for two additional years.

• A contract with Silver Strong & Associates to provide on-site training of The Thoughtful Classroom Program to ARIN instructional coaches.

• A $400 match to an $800 matching Books for Ownership grant award from Reading Is Fundamental Inc. for 2022-23.

• A transportation consulting agreement with Freeport Area School District retroactive to April 14 and continuing through July 31, 2022.

• A lease agreement with Freeport Area School District for three classrooms, a work room and storage space at South Buffalo Elementary School for the ARIN Early Intervention Program, at a monthly rent of $2,000 for the period between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2024, with an option for a renewal for 12 additional months.

• A curriculum services agreement with Freeport Area School District to utilize ARIN Curriculum Specialist Stacie Isenberg for 65 days of work during the 2022-23 school year, for $32,000.

• Adjustment of the agreement with Barker Inc., Valley Lines and Shriver Contract Services to allow a fuel cost adjustment rate of 9 cents per mile during the 2021-22 fiscal year.