New technology coordinator begins work at school
MAPLETOWN – Southeastern Greene School District’s new technology coordinator starts work today. The school board Wednesday hired Leo Douglas Leichter for the newly created position, at a pro-rated salary of $35,000 for the first year.
The school district has a computer network in place, but this would be the first time the network would be overseen by a full-time person of the district’s employ.
Superintendent Dr. Philip Savini Jr. said the duties have gone to a teacher at times scheduled throughout the day or to the technology coordinator that the Greene County school districts share through a 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, which is nearing its end.
Leichter, 28, a graduate of West Greene High School and 1997 computer science graduate of Waynesburg College, has performed contract work for Westinghouse and last served as the system administrator for Washington County.
Savini said the technology coordinator will maintain the district’s technology system, do research on new technology for the district, train staff, maintain the equipment and manage the district’s substantial software library.
Now that the position is in place, Savini said a project for the technology coordinator will be to develop a Web site for Southeastern Greene. He said the district has maintained a Web site through the other county school districts at the Greene County Vocational-Technical School. He said the independent Web site would allow expanded communications among students, teachers and parents.
Meanwhile, Savini said the district is working with the Team Pennsylvania Foundation in Pittsburgh on a career-development program for students in seventh through 12th grades that may be incorporated into the new Web site. He said the foundation Web site has extensive information on career choices and post-secondary education choices that could be linked to the district’s Web site for students’ use.
The vote to hire Leichter was 7-1, with director Terry Ganocy casting the lone no vote. Director Darlene Beswick was absent.
Ganocy questioned part of the motion that stated the compensation was per the Act 93 administrators’ agreement, which remains in effect for four more years. The board met in a brief executive session on Ganocy’s inquiry but returned from the private discussion to take the vote, with no further comments.
Savini verified afterward that the technology coordinator would be part of the administrators’ agreement for at least the four years of the contract.
In other business, principal Richard Hauger said the third-, fifth-, eighth- and 11th-grade students are scheduled to begin taking the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests in math and reading April 3.
In response to a question by director Gary Moser, Hauger said school officials will send notices home with the students to stress to parents the importance of the tests and will visit the classrooms to talk to students.
Savini said pep rallies are held the day before the tests start, to get students motivated. He said distractions are kept at a minimum on tests days, with no bells rung in the schools. He said traffic is cut back and restroom breaks are scheduled. He said snacks and juices are kept handy in the elementary rooms, and breaks are scheduled for the high school students, while everyone gets breakfast in school on test days.
Director George Rice asked if the school board should set up some type of reward system for students who do well, and he advocated individual rewards. Savini said groups of students have been rewarded in the past, but he would like to do individual recognition.
In further matters, business manager Leonard Corazzi announced the school district received a $88,179.44 rebate from the Intermediate Unit 1 health care consortium. He said the amount represents an 11 percent refund on the district’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield coverage.
The school board approved revised policies on public records and relations with parents/guardians. They accepted field trips for each elementary school grade and accepted the resignation of Chris Bates as seventh- and eighth-grade girls’ basketball coach.
They also approved a contract with NovaCare Outpatient Rehabilitation for athletic training services. The cost was quoted as $11,000 for 2003-2004, $12,000 for 2004-2005 and $13,000 for 2005-2006.