Frazier School Board members approve name for new school
PERRYOPOLIS — Directors of the Frazier School Board approved Thursday a name for a new $21 million middle/elementary school that should be completed for the 2015-16 school year.
Board member Stacey Erdely made a motion to name the new school the Frederick L. Smeigh Education Center. Smeigh, who died in April at age 71, served as Frazier superintendent from 1991 to 2005.
“He was the one who turned this district around,” Erdely said. “He advocated for a new elementary and middle school.”
After leaving the Frazier School District, Smeigh became a distinguished educator with the Pennsylvania Department of Education, serving there for six years. He joined Pittsburgh-based educational management system OnHands Schools in 2011, serving the organization until his death.
“He was in charge of the district when Frazier went from being just another school district to one of the top districts in the state,” board solicitor John Purcell said. “He was a great man.”
In other business, the board gave permission for three high school students to wrestle independently this school year and approved the creation of a high school wrestling team for the 2015-16 school year.
The board also approved a change order totaling $3,779 requested by Massaro Construction Group to aid in construction of the Frederick L. Smeigh Education Center. The change order will allow Massaro to dig out a small section of installed pipe, install a reducer underground and a new section of two-inch pipe.
Later, the board approved a request from superintendent William Henderson to submit a comprehensive plan for the district for July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018 to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, pending no changes to the plan following a 30-day review period.