Maffei takes CASD board seat as Campbell, Mammel resign

Board adds new member, terminates contracts with former Solicitor Ellison By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times Michele Maffei takes the oath of office Tuesday after being appointed to the Coatesville Area School District Board of Education. Image courtesy Facebook. CALN – Michele Maffei was elected to fill the spot left vacant after board member Kimberly Mammel’s resignation at Tuesday’s...

CASD board emphatically denies D.A.’s accusations

It calls Hogan’s allegations of obstruction ‘blistering and inaccurate’ By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Following an executive session Friday night, the Coatesville Area School District (CASD) Board of Education emphatically denied “a blistering and inaccurate press statement” by the Chester County District Attorney that it has impeded his investigation into...

D.A. rips CASD, Ellison on investigation obstruction

Hogan suggests actions against Romaniello may ‘undermine’ him as witness By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Tensions between law enforcement officials and the Coatesville Area School District (CASD), its Board of Education and its solicitor are escalating, according to District Attorney Tom Hogan, who issued a statement Thursday that disputed the district’s contention...

CASD retains two more lawyers; Rainbow students honored

Duo to represent board and staff; Ellison’s engagement letter approved By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times Rainbow Elementary School fifth grader Jonathon Thomas is honored for his work collecting school supplies to be donated to a school in Haiti, during Tuesday night’s Coatesville Area School Board meeting. CALN – The Coatesville Area School Board voted to retain two attorneys...

Rehiring Ellison begs a lot of questions

Why just tops the list of explanations needed by CASD board By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times As you probably know, we do get our share of reader comments. Many are supportive, encouraging and enlightening. Some are nasty and pointless (we tend to remove those without editorial or commentary value) and some are humorous. Once in a great while, even when clearly wearing a troll hat, a commentator will...

Ellison is out and so is the Tea Party

One — the former Democratic power-broker — knows he’s done, the other is oblivious By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times As we head into the holiday season — and hopefully, a couple of weeks of relative quiet — a few notes and thoughts on local political stuff and other news items. Maybe the topline item this morning is that James Ellison is out at Rhoads & Sinon — meaning he will no...

Attorney calls for Romaniello, Ellison to be ousted

Rep. for Hawa claims he was forced to ignore orders from DA Updated, 4:25 p.m.: adds comment from Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan By Mike McGann and Kathleen Brady Shea, The Times Acting Coatesville Area School District Superintendent Angelo Romaniello (right) is facing allegations that he countermanded directives from Chester Couynty District Attorney Tom Hogan to keep the school district’s...

School board has duty to break its silence

Members comfortable with hiding should resign  Folks who are new to the Coatesville Area School District (CASD) may be wondering why the abrupt exit of the superintendent and the athletic director during the first week of school has spawned so much negative speculation: Regrettably, long-term residents have become accustomed to sudden departures shrouded in secrecy. In 1999, former superintendent...

Appellate court to hear argument on charter school

Graystone Academy wants charter reinstated while it appeals revocation By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court has scheduled argument in the long-running case involving Graystone Academy Charter School on Tuesday. As promised, the charter school appealed the July 30 ruling by the Pennsylvania Charter School Appeals Board, a decision that upheld the Coatesville...

State board revokes Graystone Academy’s charter

School vows to appeal, stay open; district readies for influx of displaced students By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times The back-to-school routine for students at the Graystone Academy Charter School has been upended – at least temporarily — by a decision of the Pennsylvania Charter School Appeals Board to revoke the school’s charter this week. Capping a year-and-a-half-long process,...