Six weeks into the new school year and multiple students in the Pleasant Valley Cyber Academy have not yet begun school.

Again, the parents pleaded with the school board members and the superintendent at the board’s meeting Thursday night to resolve the issues concerning the cyber academy. Several parents reported that their children are still waiting to get their books, supplies and login information.

“So many children, including my own, still have received nothing at all from the cyber school,” said Christina Philhower of Kunkletown. “What am I supposed to do? Does anyone care about the cyber students that are not in school right now, the stress they feel, the stress the families feel?”

Philhower said she and others have repeatedly called the district for information and emailed the superintendent and school board members, but they get no response.

“Why isn’t my child being educated? If this was your child, any of your children, you would be doing something about it. We are trying to do something about it with no response. This is not fair to us. We pay taxes. Our children deserve an education. When will we get answers?” she said.

School Director Susan Kresge broke rank and said, “This is breaking my heart, guys. We need to take her phone number and one of our administrators needs to call her tomorrow.”

The district’s policy is to allow the public to comment on agenda items only in the beginning of the meeting, and then agenda and non-agenda items at the end of the meeting. The key word here is comment. The public can ask questions, but the policy doesn’t allow the school board directors or anyone in the administration to answer their questions. The purpose is for the school board and the administration to listen to the comments, but not to be drawn into a public discussion.

Following the public comment period, school board President Donna Yozwiak asked Superintendent Lee Lesisko if he wanted to make a comment about the status of the cyber academy.

“We know the cyber school is a mess,” Lesisko said, and explained that they expected 228 students and got 1,019. “Do we want to improve? Absolutely. We are doing everything we can to get all of the kids in.”

He went on to say that the district is working on a plan to have its own teachers teach the classes in the cyber academy and they are working with the teachers’ union to make that happen. Currently, teachers in the cyber academy work for VLN Partners, which sells a product to school districts that includes books, Chromebooks, technical support, and teachers to establish cyber academies within the school district.

Once the current issues are resolved, Lesisko said he would like to have a town hall meeting to discuss the cyber academy. As far as the current situation, he turned it over to the newly hired technical director, Charles Tomori. Earlier in the meeting, the school board approved the job description for the technology coordinator position and hired Tomori for it at a salary of $70,000 (prorated). He was the district’s information systems technician. The technology coordinator position used to be called the director of the Pleasant Valley Cyber Academy. Lesisko held that position before being hired as the superintendent.

Replacing Tomori in his former position as information systems technician is Andrew Krock at a salary of $43,666 (prorated). His hiring was also approved Thursday evening at the meeting. He was a maintenance technician prior to this appointment.

Tomori told the school board and the public that part of the problem in the cyber academy is the licenses. Right now, there are 223 students with a seat license for the program, but everyone has to be converted over to a full license. The families have not been contacted with an acceptance letter and login information, because they would have to be contacted again once the conversion is complete.

School board Director Laura Jecker asked Tomori if a call could be made to these families to update them on the status and explain why they haven’t been given their supplies. She doesn’t want them to feel like they are being ignored.

“It’s better to have somebody say, ‘We’re not ready for you but we know you’re still there waiting for this and we’re working hard to get that for you,’?” she said.

Tomori said attention really has to be given to getting these licenses converted, but a ConnectEd call to update was planned for Friday. He also said there are about 45 bundles that families have not picked up.

Mark Fitzgerald, the school district’s solicitor, suggested that the district get a dedicated telephone number for the cyber academy. Lesisko said parents can call extension 4040, which rings at four different phones and someone will answer.

Other suggestions included getting more people to help answer parents’ questions and to make calls with updates, and placing updates on the district’s website.

“All of us care,” said school board Director Dan Wunder.

He wants communication improved, because this situation makes the school board look like they don’t care. He said the public understands the delays, but they need answers.

“We are attentive listeners. We are digesting what the community is saying and we are going to take action just from this discourse here,” Yozwiak said. “It’s a process and unfortunately, it’s a long process but we are listening.”