The Warren County school board is being asked to approve hiring an additional school social worker to replace a position that was formerly paid for with federal ESSER funding.

The board will meet tonight at 6 p.m. in the Central Administrative Offices in Russell.

The district’s school mental health team currently consists of two social workers. Since 2018, according to the new position request form filed as part of the board’s agenda for tonight’s meeting, the school district has delivered behavioral health services to 818 students. It established its first mental health team in the 2018-19 school year by hiring a school psychologist to provide counseling services and a school social worker. In 2019-20, a second school social worker was added. Collectively, these three providers served more than 4,400 students.

In 2021-22, the district made mental health initiatives a priority and used ESSER funds to expand the team from three members to five members by adding a second school psychologist and a third school social worker. ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds are temporary federal pandemic relief, totaling roughly $190 billion across three rounds (CARES, CRRSA, ARP), designed to help K-12 schools reopen, address learning loss, and support student health.

“However, following the expiration of ESSER funding, the team was reduced to two school social workers,” the request form states. “This reduction significantly limited access to behavioral health services for students without disabilities.”

In 2022-23, nearly 50% of students receiving services were students without disabilities. That percentage decreased to 12.5% in 2022-23. School administrators are proposing the school board approve using Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) School Safety and Security Committee grant funding to add a school social worker to the mental health team and bring staffing up to three team members.

“This expansion will ensure equitable access to behavioral health services for students without disabilities and strengthen the district’s capacity to meet the social-emotional needs of all students.”

The agenda also includes a resolution stating the district’s intent to avoid using existing state law to amend its published meeting agenda except under “truly extraordinary circumstances and where doing so is necessary to promote the best interests of the Warren County School District.” The resolution also states the school board will support state legislative action to amend the state’s Sunshine Law to rescind the section of the Sunshine Law that has become an issue after the state Supreme Court’s decision in Coleman v. Parkland School District.

A first reading of Policy Number 2310 dealing with meeting notices and additions to the meeting agenda will also be discussed. The policy will be voted on during the board’s April meeting.

Board members will also vote on the appointment of Knox McLaughlin Gornall and Sennett P.C. as the district’s solicitor, with attorney Rachael Glasoe serving as the district’s general solicitor. The contract calls for the district to pay $205 an hour for general solicitor services, $250 an hour for litigation services, $250 an hour for tax assessment appeals, $250 an hour for business services, $125 an hour for paralegal services if any of those services are performed by a shareholder/counsel. Associate rates range from $190 an hour to $200 an hour.

In other business on the agenda:

– the board will be asked to approve a $934,382.59 contract with Vollmer Paving Inc. for paving work at Youngsville, Sheffield and Warren Area High schools. The contract states the work has to be substantially completed by Aug. 14, 2026.

– the board is being asked to approve a $1.374 million Public School Facility Improvement grant application from the Commonwealth Financing Authority for facility improvements.

– the board is being asked to approve the formation of the Beaty-Warren Middle School Youth Leadership Club.

– the board is being asked to approve a new agreement with the Warren County Education Association.