Laurel board tackles personnel matters
Laurel Highlands School Board hired a few new employees during a special meeting Monday. The board gave no unanimous votes on the hirings with the first motion made to fill the vacancy of the itinerant elementary librarian. The board named Kerry Rice to the position on five yes votes. Directors Mary Conway and Angelo Giachetti passed on voting and Director Judy Browell abstained from voting while Director Shirley Kefover was absent.
They had two high school special education positions to fill and President Edward S. George commented the board had six “of the best candidates we ever had” for the openings.
They hired Matt Kalich and Janine Lemansky as the new special education teachers. The candidates garnered seven yes votes, while Giachetti passed on voting. Directors Tom Vernon and Beverly Beal at first passed on voting but changed their votes to yes on the final count.
For the vacancy of assistant to the high school principal, the board named Bill Elias with seven yes votes. Giachetti passed on voting. Superintendent Dr. Ronald Sheba in stating the administration’s recommendation said Elias, who was the drivers’ education teacher, served previously in that capacity.
Otherwise, the board voted in favor of placing Palmer Sabatine Jr. in a long-term substitute position. The move received five yes votes. Director Palmer Sabatine abstained from voting and Giachetti and Director Julia Ciarrocchi passed on voting.
The board called an executive session prior to the hirings to discuss the candidates and held the private session for about an hour.
The board also during the special meeting accepted the retirements of Maureen C. Lulich as elementary librarian at Clark and Hutchinson schools after 35 years of service, Carol Galvin as a second grade teacher at Hatfield Elementary School after 36 years of service and Verna Harenza as a first grade teacher at Marshall Elementary School after 31 years of service.
The board granted Bernadette Ptak, second grade teacher at Hutchinson Elementary School, a sabbatical leave for medical reasons for the first semester of the 2002-2003 school year.
In other matters, John Over of construction project manager Sleighter Engineering Co. said the state Department of Labor and Industry is scheduled to inspect the junior high school on Wednesday to determine whether an occupancy permit may be issued in time for the start of school next Monday. Over said he expects no problems with the inspection and contractors have been working extended shifts to get the building ready for the first day of school.