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N. Schuylkill OKs voluntary transfers
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FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — Any parent of a Ringtown Elementary School student may voluntarily transfer their child to North Schuylkill Elementary for the start of the 2008-09 school year.
During Thursday’s North Schuylkill school board meeting, members voted 6-1 to offer the opportunity to parents.
Board member Edward Balkiewicz voted against the idea.
According to Mark Semanchik, the district’s interim superintendent/solicitor, parents who want to transfer their children must notify the North Schuylkill Elementary Office by Aug. 1.
“If the choice is made for the student to come for the school year, the student is there for the school year,” Semanchik said. “They cannot try it out for a while and decide to go back.”
A member of the public attending the meeting asked if any parent in the district would also have the opportunity to transfer their child from North Schuylkill Elementary to Ringtown.
Semanchik said this was not discussed.
He also said this item was separate and independent of any action regarding the possible closing of Ringtown Elementary.
In a motion May 8, 2008, the board voted that “all children currently enrolled in Ringtown Elementary and recently enrolled effective the new school year will be attending North Schuylkill Elementary.”
That decision came after the school board rescinded a motion made in 2004 that banned such a move.
In response to a lawsuit filed by 10 Ringtown Elementary supporters, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin issued an injunction June 19 that prevented the board from closing the school under the terms of a May 8 vote. The injunction did allow the North Schuylkill school board to consider closing the school as long as it complies with the state school code. The code requires the board to hold a public hearing on closing a school, advertise it at least 15 days before it occurs and not vote on the closure until at least 90 days afterward.
In other business, the board accepted the resignation of elementary Principal Keith Yarger during a special meeting July 10.
Prompted by the resignation, the board decided to reorganize administrative assignments.
At the March 13 meeting, the board voted to eliminate the positions of elementary principal and assistant principal and go with a K-3 principal, a position held by Neall Jones and 4-6 principal, Yarger’s previous position.
Because of the reorganization, the positions will go back to principal and assistant principal.
The board voted to appoint Jones as principal at a salary of $75,000 per year, effective Aug. 1, and to advertise the position of assistant principal.
Also, the board voted to approve the cafeteria budget for the 2008-09 school year with a 10-cent increase in lunch prices.
According to district business manager Thomas Kowalonek, the elementary lunch will increase from $1.50 to $1.60 and the high school lunch will increase from $1.75 to $1.85.
Also, security monitors were given a pay increase to $10.60 per hour.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, a parent asked if the uniform policy is a dead issue for the upcoming school year.
Semanchik said a special meeting to approve the district handbook would be held and the handbook would dictate the dress code.
He said as of now, the uniform policy is not in place but is being considered for another time.
In addition to Yarger, the following staff members submitted resignations: Lilia Alvarez, Spanish teacher; Bridget Kroh, site coordinator for the after-school tutoring program; Joel Geisinger, science teacher; Kevin Riotto, learning support teacher; and Nicole Anthony, part-time special education aide.
The following appointments were made: Nicole Anthony, Frackville, to substitute special education aide; Ryan McGurl, Pine Grove, as weightlifting coach at a salary of $3,000 pending clearances and as volunteer football coach; Michelle Misiewicz, Ashland, as volunteer cross country coach; and Ron Billie, Frackville, and Tim Merwine, Ashland, both as volunteer boys’ soccer coaches.
The following contracts were awarded: Blaschak Coal, Mahanoy City, for coal for the 2008-09 school year at $185 per ton; Waste Management of Eastern PA, for trash removal, with a service contract of $15,820 for 2008-09, $16,453 for 2009-10 and $17,111 for 2010-2011; and Ernie’s Photography, Frackville, for school pictures at no cost to the district.
During Thursday’s North Schuylkill school board meeting, members voted 6-1 to offer the opportunity to parents.
Board member Edward Balkiewicz voted against the idea.
According to Mark Semanchik, the district’s interim superintendent/solicitor, parents who want to transfer their children must notify the North Schuylkill Elementary Office by Aug. 1.
“If the choice is made for the student to come for the school year, the student is there for the school year,” Semanchik said. “They cannot try it out for a while and decide to go back.”
A member of the public attending the meeting asked if any parent in the district would also have the opportunity to transfer their child from North Schuylkill Elementary to Ringtown.
Semanchik said this was not discussed.
He also said this item was separate and independent of any action regarding the possible closing of Ringtown Elementary.
In a motion May 8, 2008, the board voted that “all children currently enrolled in Ringtown Elementary and recently enrolled effective the new school year will be attending North Schuylkill Elementary.”
That decision came after the school board rescinded a motion made in 2004 that banned such a move.
In response to a lawsuit filed by 10 Ringtown Elementary supporters, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin issued an injunction June 19 that prevented the board from closing the school under the terms of a May 8 vote. The injunction did allow the North Schuylkill school board to consider closing the school as long as it complies with the state school code. The code requires the board to hold a public hearing on closing a school, advertise it at least 15 days before it occurs and not vote on the closure until at least 90 days afterward.
In other business, the board accepted the resignation of elementary Principal Keith Yarger during a special meeting July 10.
Prompted by the resignation, the board decided to reorganize administrative assignments.
At the March 13 meeting, the board voted to eliminate the positions of elementary principal and assistant principal and go with a K-3 principal, a position held by Neall Jones and 4-6 principal, Yarger’s previous position.
Because of the reorganization, the positions will go back to principal and assistant principal.
The board voted to appoint Jones as principal at a salary of $75,000 per year, effective Aug. 1, and to advertise the position of assistant principal.
Also, the board voted to approve the cafeteria budget for the 2008-09 school year with a 10-cent increase in lunch prices.
According to district business manager Thomas Kowalonek, the elementary lunch will increase from $1.50 to $1.60 and the high school lunch will increase from $1.75 to $1.85.
Also, security monitors were given a pay increase to $10.60 per hour.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, a parent asked if the uniform policy is a dead issue for the upcoming school year.
Semanchik said a special meeting to approve the district handbook would be held and the handbook would dictate the dress code.
He said as of now, the uniform policy is not in place but is being considered for another time.
In addition to Yarger, the following staff members submitted resignations: Lilia Alvarez, Spanish teacher; Bridget Kroh, site coordinator for the after-school tutoring program; Joel Geisinger, science teacher; Kevin Riotto, learning support teacher; and Nicole Anthony, part-time special education aide.
The following appointments were made: Nicole Anthony, Frackville, to substitute special education aide; Ryan McGurl, Pine Grove, as weightlifting coach at a salary of $3,000 pending clearances and as volunteer football coach; Michelle Misiewicz, Ashland, as volunteer cross country coach; and Ron Billie, Frackville, and Tim Merwine, Ashland, both as volunteer boys’ soccer coaches.
The following contracts were awarded: Blaschak Coal, Mahanoy City, for coal for the 2008-09 school year at $185 per ton; Waste Management of Eastern PA, for trash removal, with a service contract of $15,820 for 2008-09, $16,453 for 2009-10 and $17,111 for 2010-2011; and Ernie’s Photography, Frackville, for school pictures at no cost to the district.
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