Penn Hill School District’s technology department is the next to be evaluated as part of an overall financial recovery plan.

Board members voted 8-0 to approve an analysis by the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials at a cost not to exceed $5,000. Cathy Mowry was absent.

State-appointed financial recovery officer Dan Matsook said a PASBO team will be on-site for about two days to evaluate the department sometime next month.

“They’re going to look at the department in terms of our staffing and how they utilize the people in the dept, and how we use our technology systems,” Matsook said. “We’re going to see how efficient, or inefficient, we are in terms of how we use the staff and how efficient our management systems are. There might be some savings from some inefficiencies they clean up. I really don’t know what to expect.”

It’s unclear when a report would be complete. The evaluation is all part of ongoing efforts to improve the district’s operations.

“I think we need it to see what we can save and what we need,” board President Erin Vecchio said. “If we need improvements then we have to go for it because technology is the biggest thing going on in the world right now. That only helps the students.”

The district’s technology director is Russ Seibert. He took over for Roger Myers, who resigned from the district earlier this year after 13 years as its technology leader.

Current systems analyst is Chaobo Wang and technology coordinator is Barry Plowman.

Matsook said PASBO examined buildings and grounds and transportation departments September and October, also at costs not to exceed $5,000 each.

Those reports are expected sometime in November. All three evaluations are being paid for through a $1.3 million transitional loan fund through the state.

The state Department of Education placed Penn Hills in financial recovery in January after being in financial watch since 2017.

Matsook, former Wilkinsburg superintendent, was appointed as the school district’s financial recovery officer in February.

District officials approved a financial recovery plan June 29. State Department of Education officials did the same in mid-July. It’s available for review on the district’s website, phsd.k12.pa.us.

District documents indicate the debt could be paid in full in 2042 as long as Penn Hills does not incur additional debt.

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