The Pottsville Area school board on Wednesday voted to support Schuylkill Women in Crisis, Pottsville, in its bid to become the state-appointed provider for sexual assault prevention services for Schuykill County for the next five years.
"As part of our application, we are looking for letters of support from various entities. And because prevention of sexual and intimate partner violence is so important for school districts, we approached the Pottsville Area School District for a letter of support," said Sarah T. "Sally" Casey, SWIC's executive director.
Casey gave a presentation to the school board at its February workshop meeting Wednesday night.
SWIC will apply to the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, Enola, Cumberland County, in an effort to make a bid for the position.
The current state designated provider of these services in the county is The Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center of Schuylkill County, Pottsville.
In other matters at the board's meeting Wednesday, the board voted to appoint board member Scott Thomas as its representative on the board of directors of the Pottsville Free Public Library.
At the start of the meeting, the school board held a 25-minute executive session to address the concerns of Cheryl Gibson, a parent of a high school sophomore. She wanted to know what steps the school took to notify parents if a student is having trouble in a class.
"Basically, it's the 100 percent responsibility of myself and my daughter to ask for extra help if it's needed. The teachers are not required to contact their parents if the student is struggling or having problems. And the teachers are not required or expected to approach the struggling student," Gibson said after the meeting.
Gibson preferred not to mention her daughter's name or the class in question.
Following the meeting, district solicitor Richard A. Thornburg said the session was informational and no further action was taken.