GASD reaffirms team room decision, changes committee structure

After months of debate and two votes, the Gettysburg Area School District Board of Directors voted 5-3 to include a viewing platform and roof access path on the new Warrior Stadium team room. The vote reaffirms a decision the board made in October 2025 when several other citizens served on the governing body.

The project is estimated to cost $2.1 million. If the board chose to remove the roof access path and viewing platform, the cost would have been $1.89 million.

Board President Alice Broadway said the board, which welcomed four new members in December, was able to revisit the project due to permit delays. Superintendent Jeffrey Matzner repeated a concern he expressed in October about the platform’s safety and security.

Ryan Kerney, Mike Dickerson, Tim Seigman, Kathleen Pratt, and Broadway voted for the option that included the viewing platform and roof access path. Dave Sites, Donna Harrison, and Justine Sieg voted for the less expensive option. Al Moyer was absent.

Request for more diverse staff

During the public comment portion of the meeting, residents Janet Riggs and Nancy Lilley of the Pathways to Racial Justice group asked the board to form a task force or adopt a clear action plan aimed to recruit, hire, and retain more African American and Hispanic teachers and administrators. Other group members submitted a similar request last month.

“We believe that diversity among our educators strengthens learning, broadens perspectives, and helps every student feel seen and valued,” Lilley said. 

Broadway thanked Riggs and Lilley for their time. Later in the meeting, she said the board could discuss their request at an upcoming meeting. 

Committees Changing

Beginning in March, the board will transition from having a Finance and Facilities and Policy committees to a Committee of the Whole, which will include all nine elected board members. The Committee of the Whole will meet the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m., which is currently a voting meeting. The board will have one monthly voting meeting on the third Monday of the month at 7 p.m.

Broadway said the structure will allow more board members to attend committee meetings. Several local school districts, including Upper Adams, Bermudian Springs, and Fairfield, follow a similar structure.