Frewsburg Central School District Board of Education Member Jason Ruhlman speaks to district parents and students gathered Thursday in the middle-high school library. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

FREWSBURG – Several Frewsburg Central School District parents and students voiced their support Thursday for Joshua Gilevski.

The school board placed Gilevski on administrative leave in September.

“He’s not charged with anything,” said Board President Michael LeBaron. “We’re investigating something that pertains to his position in the district.”

According to frewsburgcsd.org, Gilevski serves as the coordinator of student affairs.

Jade LaCross, a student within the district said Gilevski helped her brother during some difficult times.

“He listened to my brother when no one else did,” Jade LaCross said. “He helped him get organized, catch up on grades and stay in school. … I know my brother is not the only student Mr. Gilevski has helped like this. He goes above and beyond for all of us.”

Kim LaCross, Jade’s parent, expanded on her daughter’s thoughts.

“I’m here as a parent who has seen firsthand the difference a good educator can make in a child’s life. I’m speaking tonight because I believe our school and our community need Mr. Josh Gilevski back where he belongs – with our kids,” Kim LaCross said.

Board member Jason Ruhlman thanked students and parents for coming to the meeting that was held in the middle-high school library, 26 Institute St. Ruhlman added that the board is conducting an investigation, so it can make the right choice about Gilevski.

“What we’re trying to do is an independent investigation on a situation, so that we get all the information, so that we make the right choice,” Ruhlman said. “We’re trying to protect everybody involved in a situation like this, and when we get that information to us, we will make the best decision for our school, our students, (and) our community, and we just want and hope that you guys can trust us with that information that we get and the decision we make after that, because we do understand how much Josh means to the community.”

Recently the board has held many executive sessions pertaining to district matters, and LeBaron wanted to clarify to district residents, parents, and students that because of education law, members can’t divulge any information discussed in an executive session.

“We’re bound by law to remain confidential, and we also want to remain confidential, to protect all the people involved, too – to be fair to everybody,” LeBaron said.

LeBaron echoed Ruhlman and stated that he would rather have a lengthy investigation and make the correct decision, than to be hurried and make a wrong decision.

In a related matter, the investigation into the suspension of the superintendent is continuing.

“We’re hoping a resolution is near,” LeBaron said.

In June, the school board suspended, with pay, Dr. Danielle Cook. Board Vice President Polly Hanson also said on Sept. 26 that the board is still investigating Cook and no new information was available.

Cook came to Frewsburg after being superintendent of the Randolph Academy Union Free School District, and a principal at Panama Central School.

A graduate of Penn State Behrend, Cook earned her B.A. in psychology and earned a M.Ed. in Educational Psychology, and Ed.S. in School Psychology from Edinboro University, now known as Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro.

Also in June, Tiffany Frederes was appointed acting superintendent and continues in that role.

In other business:

The district received a clean audit conducted by certified public accountants Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.

In a prepared statement, BWB noted one instance of noncompliance. The district’s fund balance amounted to $3,377,000 or 14.3 percent of the 205-26 district budget. BWB said the fund balance violated New York State Education law which limits school districts from retaining an unassigned fund balance not greater than 4 percent of the subsequent year’s budget.

BWB recommended that the district should continue to monitor fund balance throughout the year and continue to review its options with regards to reservation and designation of fund balance.

The district, in a statement, said it realizes that its unassigned fund balance as of June 30, 2025 was in excess of the NYS mandated 4 percent level, and the district has and will continue to review its options with regards to reservation and designation of fund balance.