The Montgomery Area School District will see the addition of a before and after school childcare program following a vote of approval by the board at its July meeting.

The agreement with KCE Champions LLC will set up shop in the multipurpose room at the elementary school from 6:30 a.m. until the beginning of the school day, with their afternoon session ending around 5:30 p.m., according to Superintendent Dr. Joseph Stout.

“It doesn’t cost the district anything other than space. There is a cost to parents that are going to utilize that child care service,” he said, noting that Champions has made the district aware of financing options available to parents who meet the criteria.

“They do operate a summer school program too, if we want them to do that next summer,” Stout added.

In other financial matters, the board approved a proposal from Dave Gutelius Inc. for asphalt paving repairs to the bus loop and parking lot in the total amount of $12,596. The repairs will get the school through the current school year, when more permanent repairs will be needed; quotes from Braim’s Refrigeration & Air Conditioning for walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer units for the Junior/Senior High School in the total amounts of $17,000 and $21,800, respectively. This will replace a current unit that current operates both amid concerns that all the school’s refrigerated food could be lost if the current unit goes down; and a resolution giving Superintendent Dr. Joseph Stoudt authorization and direction to sign any and all contracts, agreements, grants and/or licenses with the state Department of Education.

Prior to a vote approving the 2025-26 District Level Goals, board member Holly Wertz inquired about a rumored loss of Title I reading programs.

“At this point, the state notified school districts that there’s been a freeze in federal funds for specific title grants,” Stout explained.

The two Titles that will affect the district will be Title II, which is aimed at class size reduction and Title IV, which includes some academic programming.

“My understanding is that they will be made available. But right now it’s frozen at the federal level, getting to the states. So the states have frozen handing it out to the school districts,” Stout said.

“We’re not losing any programs. We’re just losing funding on certain areas,” he said.

In relation to staffing, the board approved Lisa Anderson as a part-time secondary special education paraprofessional; Trey Fox as marching band director at a stipend of $4,727.61; Maddie Solano-Laforme, as a volunteer assistant director; Zachary Lepley as drumline instructor at a stipend of $1,141.15; Benjamin Kutay as a volunteer assistant drumline instructor; and Alexis Boyer and Layla Hessler as co-band front instructors, each with a stipend of $525; Hannah Lounsbury as volunteer assistant girls varsity soccer coach; Sean Walker, as assistant girls varsity basketball coach at a stipend of $2,550; Lanessa Taylor and Michelle Everetts as assistant junior high girls basketball coaches, each with a stipend of $2,137.13; and Donny Smith and Jared Myers as assistant junior high boys basketball coaches, each with a stipend of $2,050.

The next board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19.