Altoona board approves routine minutes, leases, calendars, contracts and grants

The board voted on a series of routine business items across finance, education, personnel and operations.

In finance, trustees approved payments and an agreement with Blair County to use district facilities for the 2026–2029 primary and general elections and to use a junior-high site as a polling location for a March 17 special election. Administration recommended extending the lease with Goodwill of the Southern Alleghenies, Inc. for 4,175 square feet at $12.25 per square foot (about $4,262 per month) for one year; trustees approved the extension.

Education items approved included revised 2025–26 calendars with weather adjustments, the 2026–27 calendars, a junior-high summer-school proposal and a new high-school book club; volunteer and field-trip lists were also approved. Administration requested retroactive approval to submit a preschool early-intervention application with potential awards of $10,000 and accepted two charitable donations totaling $1,500 for the Stevens Building care closet; trustees approved the items.

Personnel and contracts approved included an addendum to ESS Northeast LLC to add a retired-teacher rate for the substitute pool and a replacement hiring platform contract with Red Rover Technologies LLC to manage online interviewing, application intake and document uploads. Trustees also approved the revised Act 48 agreement with Nittany Learning Services and confirmed administration is using all six contracted seats.

All listed motions were approved by voice vote during the meeting.