Central Greene School Board hires assistant for superintendent job
WAYNESBURG – The Central Greene School Board did not have to look far for a new superintendent, hiring from within the administration. The board, on a unanimous vote Tuesday, named Dr. Jerome F. Bartley to replace Donald Painter, who is set to retire Sept. 20 after 11 years with the district.
Bartley is the current assistant superintendent.
“I feel really honored that the board has selected me to be superintendent of Central Greene School District. I feel in the past five years under Mr. Painter’s direction, he has allowed me to be involved in operations of the school district, and that has helped prepare me,” Bartley said after the meeting.
Bartley served four years as director of special education and pupil services and last year moved up to the position of assistant superintendent, curriculum and instruction. He was the lone candidate the school board considered for the job.
“I really appreciate their vote of confidence,” he said.
Bartley said the school district would soon begin to search for his successor.
The school board’s vote to hire Bartley included a contract to commence Sept. 21 and expire June 30, 2007, with a first-year salary of $81,000.
Bartley earned a bachelor of science degree in education from California University of Pennsylvania in 1975, a master’s degree in counseling from Cal U in 1981 and 30 graduate credits in science education from West Virginia University, Pennsylvania State University and Cal U.
He received his certificate of supervision in special education from University of Pittsburgh in 1997, superintendent’s letter of eligibility from Pitt in 2001 and his doctor of education degree in administration and policy studies from Pitt in November 2001.
He also has experience as an elementary, middle and high school special education teacher; gifted teacher and gifted program coordinator; and elementary guidance counselor/local education agency representative. He has also coached junior high and elementary basketball, girls’ softball and wrestling.
Of his plans for the district, Bartley said he is looking to update technology. He said that, as assistant superintendent, he began a grant-writing committee of administrators and teachers. He said there has always been a strong emphasis on the curriculum and that would continue, noting that high school students this year for the first time will be able to take college courses through the “Cal U in the high school” program.
Bartley also said he looks forward to working with the Central Greene staff, which he referred to as professional, dedicated and knowledgeable.
In other matters, the board gave business manager Walter Stout a 3 percent ($2,088) wage hike for the 2002-2003 year.
They transferred Tricia Kmetz from a part-time special education teaching position to a full-time fifth grade teaching position at Waynesburg Central Elementary School. The board also created a part-time Reading Recovery teacher position at Waynesburg Central.
Among hirings, the board approved Rachel Wolfe as a part-time art teacher at Waynesburg Central Elementary, Jeff Coss as a part-time special education teacher at Waynesburg Central Elementary and Christopher McCabe as a part-time physical education teacher at Waynesburg Central Elementary.
They voted 6-3 to hire Mark Willis as a technology education teacher at Margaret Bell Miller Middle School. Directors Joe Ayersman and Bill Hilverding and President George Scott voted no. They voted 5-4 to hire Scott Sakai as an elementary certified teacher at Margaret Bell Miller Middle School, with Ayersman, Hilverding, Scott and director Joanne Brookover voting no.
Under extracurricular staff, the board, on a 6-3 vote, turned down the hiring of Scott Rohrer as assistant boys’ varsity soccer coach. Those voting no were Scott, Ayersman, Brookover and directors Jane Owen, Twyla Haines and Ronald Jesso.
They gave a unanimous nod to Tracy Wilson as high school yearbook sponsor and school photographer; Marc Bellora as assistant girls’ varsity soccer coach; Cara Lemley as volunteer coach for the girls’ basketball program; and A.J. Johnson and Terry Burton as volunteers for the band program.
Meanwhile, the school board recently reopened the 2002-2003 budget and lowered taxes by half a mill.
The board last month adopted the budget at $21.175 million and raised the property tax rate by 6.5 mills to 87.5 mills.
They had banked on a 2-percent increase in state funding and actually received a 3-percent hike, making it necessary to account for the added funds. Stout explained that the board, at a July 16 meeting, agreed to reopen the budget and added in the extra $69,005 the district received from the state, with about $60,000 of that from the basic education subsidy and the rest as a cyber school reimbursement.
The state allowed three uses for the extra funds: lowering or rebating taxes, restoring educational items that had been cut and reducing debt.
The school board opted to lower taxes by one-half mill, leaving the new tax rate for 2002-2003 at 87 mills.