GVSD Board Meeting at a Glance

Monday night's meeting of the Great Valley Board of School Directors ran more than two-and-a-half hours. Here's a quick look at what happened:

• The board voted 5-4 in favor of retaining the option to apply for exceptions to the Act 1 tax increase cap of 1.7 percent for the 2012-13 school year. Bruce Chambers and other members contended that the letter of the law precludes Great Valley from filing for the exceptions, as the district can use its reserve funds to balance the budget. Other members said they haven't decided to vote for the increase in June but want to keep the option open. Each member of the board weighed in, in some cases multiple times.
  
  
• Superintendent Alan Lonoconus read a statement regarding the situation with Matthew Lewis, a member of the technology staff who was with indecent assault and child endangerment. He announced a public meeting with the district solicitor scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m. at [see editor's note below]. Roughly 12 members of the public stepped to the podium to voice disapproval of what they saw as a disregard for their children's safety in adherence to legal restrictions.
  One parent, Gary Taiariol, said that, after hearing about the charges, he asked his sons if they knew Lewis, and they replied "Oh yeah, I know that guy. He’s in the bathroom all the time, using the urinals."
  Another father, John Gillespie, said he once went to one of the schools, and the Raptor screening system wasn't processing his ID properly. He said it was ironic that Matthew Lewis was the person called to fix it.
  Several members of the audience requested the meeting time be moved to a bigger venue and the time pushed to non-work hours, so more parents could attend. The board members indicated they would consider the suggestion and send a mass e-mail to inform the public of the details.
  
  
• After a long and confused discussion, the board made no changes to the existing system of allowing schools to function as polling places. Dr. Lonoconus indicated he felt security could be maintained during election days, but was examining ways to make busy election dates in-service days.
  
  
• Ellen Behrle, Jennifer Armstrong and Ted Leisenring volunteered to serve on a new facilities committee. The committee will help provide guidance to Rich Krumrine, the district's building and grounds supervisor, on capital expenditures.

Check back for a more detailed article to follow.

Editor's note: The superintendent changed the date and location of the meeting with the district solicitor to allow more parents to attend. The article was edited on 12-20-11 at 8 p.m. to reflects those changes.