Aug 28, 2018 3 min read

Four Belle Vernon School Board members briefly walked out at the start of Monday’s meeting after Director Daniel Sepesky hung a handmade sign in front of the board table reading “BVA Witch Hunt.”

The sign listed the names of four former district employees – Kyle DeGregorio, basketball coach; John Wilkinson, superintendent; Dayna Sikora, school psychologist, and Kerri Horrell, a furloughed history teacher who is still cheerleading coach – who Sepesky believes were targeted by members of the school board. The sign also included the number 5 and several question marks.

The sign was protested by board members Gloria Yuschak, Kathleen Forte, Joel Whitek and Michelle Callaway-Rodriguez, resulting in the board not having a quorum at first. Director John Nusser was absent. The four rejoined the board after Sepesky removed the sign.

“This all goes back to May, when I had asked our solicitor for information regarding Dr. Wilkinson and the allegations against him. At that point all I asked for was proof,” Sepesky said. Wilkinson resigned in the spring, and board members and the solicitor have not commented on the reasons for him leaving.

Sepesky said he has still not received any proof of any allegations brought against Wilkinson. “I just want to see the evidence and the proof of the accusations,” he said.

Sikora resigned at the end of the 2017-18 school year, and DiGregorio resigned following last season. Horrell was among several staff members furloughed due to budget problems.

Board President Lou Rood said he was shocked and surprised by the sign.

“I didn’t really think it was the proper place or time. I think it could have been addressed in a different manner,” Rood. He said he understands Sepesky has concerns, but believes issues where personnel is involved should be handled internally. Rood said he and Sepesky spoke before the meeting and Sepesky agreed to take the sign down so the meeting could move forward.

The board voted unanimously to approve a joint resolution with Washington Township to apply for a state Department of Education Safe School Grant to hire a school resource officer at a cost to the district not to exceed $30,000. Acting Superintendent Michele Dowell said the next step is for Washington Township supervisors to pass a resolution.

She said she hopes for a decision on the grant by mid-October. Dowell said because the district works with two different townships within the district, Rostraver and Washington, it had to apply separately for a grant with each township.

“I think we need to do more with safety in this day and age. That’s just the bottom line, so I’m very excited about these two situations. I think we’re moving forward in the right direction,” Dowell said.

At a special meeting earlier this month, the board approved a joint resolution with Rostraver Township to apply for a Safe School Grant to hire a school resource officer to cover Rostraver Elementary and the high school.

“We agreed to still do the position regardless of the grant, so Rostraver Township is in the process of filling that position. It’s just not a fast process. they have to go through all their hiring and training all of those things so they are working as quickly as they can,” Dowell said.

In other business, by a 6-2 vote the board passed a labor negotiations service proposal with Weiss, Burkhardt, Kramer LLC at an hourly rate of $125 an hour with Director Aaron Bialon and Sepesky voting no.