Alva Review-Courier -

At the Freedom Board of Education's regular meeting April 13, the board and Superintendent Bryant Weber talked about end-of-year activities and graduation. Weber said the plans are to post the senior PowerPoint, pictures, and the recorded baccalaureate to the District’s Facebook page.

He also informed the board that because all of the awards banquets have been canceled, the sponsors are required to get awards to students so that they are still recognized.

Also, Weber said he's in the process of getting refunds for activities and tickets related to the now-canceled senior trip.

State testing has been up in the air; Principal Michelle Shelite told the board that the state has received waivers from the federal government to cancel state testing this year due to COVID-19. Eighth graders will be able to get their driver’s permits without the eighth-grade reading test, she said.

The school's state accreditation audit has been canceled, Weber told the board. The State Department of Education canceled the accreditation audit for this year due to COVID-19. Freedom’s audit was scheduled for the Tuesday after Spring Break and the book was ready, Weber said, but the audit did not take place due to the cancellation.

Other Board Business

In other business, Pat Carroll (of Chas. W. Carroll, PA) was scheduled to present the school's annual financial audit to the board, but the audit was not ready by the meeting date, so the presentation was canceled and the board took no action on the agenda item.

The board approved the following:

• modifying the school calendar to make May 8, 2020, the last day of instruction.

• accepting the quote from BancCentral for 60 laptop computers in the amount of $25,181.40.

• accepting the quote from BancCentral for projectors, projector mounts, projector screens, HDMI cables, Apple TVs, Apple TV mounts, and wireless keys in the amount of $20,202.31.

• an amendment of the district’s American Fidelity Section 125 plan.

• the consent agenda consisting of minutes of previous meetings; the treasurer's report; encumbrances and warrants for the general, building and child nutrition funds; and activity fund expenditures.

Present at the meeting were board members Phillip Kirkpatrick, Robert Babcock and Russell Reed. Absent were Board President Shane Morris and Board Deputy Clerk Shan Wilson. Others present were Interim Superintendent Bryant Weber, Principal Michelle Shelite and Minutes Clerk Patricia Dauphin.