The South Williamsport Area School District approved several items during its March meeting, including a land survey and appraisal in consideration of use options, including a possible sale of land behind the junior/senior high school.

The approved survey will be conducted by Larson Design at a cost of $6,500, while Reis Valuations will handle the appraisal at a cost of $2,800.

Prior to the votes, school resource officer Doug Hoffman offered insights into safety concerns should the property be sold off.

“When I initially heard about the land sale at the back of the property, I had serious concerns, because what I envisioned was basically all the woods gone, and there’d be no boundary at the top of the hill. That brought me great concern, because that opens up the back part of the school tremendously,” Hoffman said, adding that since that time, he learned the bulk of the property under consideration would be along the road at the top of the hill.

“That leaves about 40 to 50 yards to the back of the property, which I can roll with, but I still have to express my concern about the back of the property,” he said.

“Once we sell the property, we won’t have control over it anymore,” Hoffman said, noting that even trespassers are able to be handled by the district currently.

“I would only recommend that if we do sell that, that we look at a possible barrier between us and them, and more than a row of trees. We need something of substance,” Hoffman said.

While acknowledging that it was not his area of expertise, Hoffman stressed that with the district being very “landlocked,” new property will not be created.

Board President Todd Engel assured Hoffman and those in attendance that the vote was only to gather information at this point, and that Hoffman’s perspective would be taken into consideration when a decision is made.

In other financial matters, the board approved the financial statement audit

report, prepared by Baker Tilly U.S., LLP. The audit had no findings, and suggested the district make no modifications to its current financial statements; an amendment to the Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (GESA) agreement with Reynolds Energy Services Inc. for continued mechanical improvements at the Junior/Senior High School at a cost not to exceed $2,200,000; the purchase of technology equipment in the amount of $55,310 from Dell and $28,978 from Apple for the 2026-27 school year; a request for e Rate contract bids to update the district’s network equipment; the proposed BLaST IU17 general operations budget in the amount of $3,613,621 for the 2026-27 school year. The district is not assessed a fee for the budget, but instead pays a service-based fee; and a memorandum of understanding with Lycoming County Children & Youth Services to provide transportation services for foster care youth enrolled with the district.

In staffing, the board approved Sophia Kauffman and Mackayla Patterson as student teachers; Leah Steppe as a classified substitute; Tony Birch and Orlando-Marquez Kittrell as guest teachers; Kristen Myers as a softball volunteer; and Owen Bird as an off-season junior high football and wrestling volunteer.

The board also acknowledged the resignations of Jenna Barton, as food service worker/manager at Central Elementary, effective March 6; and the retirements of Emily Brumbach, as Elementary music teacher, effective Sept. 21, and Melissa Ogden, as elementary STEM instructor, RaeAnn Pardoe, as fourth grade teacher, Julie Pentico, as fourth grade teacher and Stephen Radulski, as High School social studies teacher, all effective June 5.

“Within the last two months, we’ve had nine teachers who have chosen to move forward and retire, and we had one resignation of a school counselor. You’ve seen the names. Those teachers have touched thousands and thousands of lives in a positive manner,” district Superintendent Dr. Eric Briggs said.

“We are not going to be able to replace everything they brought to the table in one summer, but we’re going to do the best we can,” he added.

“To all the teachers, both last month and this month, we wish them the best of luck and in retirement, and we will continue to move forward, but we are losing some great educators in this school district,” Briggs said.

The next board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 13.