Board tightens graduation requirements
MAPLETOWN – In a flurry of votes, the Southeastern Greene School Board proved that even though school is out, work for next year is ongoing. The board voted to change the high school graduation requirement policy, beginning with 2002-2003’s incoming freshman class, to require that students complete one additional credit in math. Seniors currently have to come up with 24 credits, with three of those credits coming from math.
Superintendent Phillip Savini said the move was made in response to the state’s new focus on standards.
“In order to compete in a global market, we have to keep moving the children to move forward,” he said.
Rick Hauger, acting principal for kindergarten through 12th grade, agreed. Part of the reason, he said, was because last year’s state tests showed that 75 percent of the seniors didn’t have a lot of needed credits.
To help facilitate this and future curriculum changes in the district, the board voted to create the position of curriculum coordinator and hired Annette Powelko for the job, at $56,550 a year.
Savini explained that much of the coordinator’s duties would be to focus on changes needed in the associated lesson structures and meet with staff members to see that the needed changes are incorporated, essentially much of what Savini did as assistant superintendent.
The position of curriculum coordinator would cost the district roughly $12,000 less than the position of assistant superintendent, a position Savini noted that wouldn’t be filled. In fact, he noted that the district is saving money in a number of places. His own position will cost less than his predecessor and a number of teachers at the top of the income scale retired and were replaced with entry salary costs.
Also under budgets, the board voted to approve the Greene County Vocational-Technical School budget for 2002-2003. The total secondary budget will be $2,208,071, with Southeastern Greene’s contribution at $189,658.34. The remaining $1,876,016 is funded by the other school districts in the county. Director Gary Moser noted that the final amount reflects a reduction from the tentative budget presented at the last meeting.
Moving to personnel, the board voted to hire Francie Marra as third-grade teacher and Fred Morecraft as fourth-grade teacher.
The board also approved the following: George Messich as weight trainer, Brian Lewandowski as head varsity volleyball coach, Kevin Pincavitch as assistant baseball coach and the seventh- and eighth-grade boys basketball coach, Michael Gresh as volunteer baseball coach, John Morecraft as assistant varsity softball coach and varsity boys basketball coach, Greg Hoone as head varsity golf coach, Larry Kraft as assistant girls varsity basketball coach and Matthew Moser as volunteer assistant coach for basketball season.
Also approved were the following football personnel: Fred Morecraft, John Morecraft, Bart Donley, Jay Donley and Chad Caldwell as assistant coaches, John Coss as volunteer assistant coach and Chris Bates and Eugene Latusek as volunteers to help with statistics and equipment.