Albert Gallatin board considers projects
The Albert Gallatin Area School Board has put in motion a plan to air-condition several elementary schools, along with other construction projects. The board Wednesday approved preparation of specifications and bid advertisement for air conditioning at D. Ferd Swaney, Smithfield and Friendship Hill elementary schools; air conditioning for the high school gymnasium and auditorium; outdoor storage facilities for the elementary schools and central administration building; a performing arts addition to the high school stage; and a new running track and football field improvements at the high school.
“These are things the board has been considering for some time and now looking into them further as far as specifications and costs to determine if now is the right time to do them,” Superintendent Walter Vicinelly said afterward.
Vicinelly said the storage facilities at the elementary schools will be used for items like tractors, and the storage facility at the central administration building will house school district records. As for the high school stage, he said, the performing arts program has been expanding in recent years, and the addition to the stage would give students areas to work on their set designs and to practice. He said the football field improvements would concern the turf. Additionally, he said the school does not have proper facilities for the track and field team, and the community also could use a track.
The motion to pursue preparation of specifications and bid advertisement for the projects also included application to the state Department of Education for the work as a non-reimbursable construction project.
The board also hired Michael S. Molnar Associates as architects to prepare the specifications for the storage facilities and high school stage addition, at no cost to the school district, and for the air-conditioning work, at a fee of 6 percent of the project costs.
In employee-related matters, the school board accepted the retirements of Jacqueline Casini as high school librarian and James Dillow as a high school instructor.
The board took action on a few administrative positions, naming Candy Jordon as principal at Smithfield Elementary School at an unspecified salary, in accordance with the administrative compensation plan. She had been acting principal. They approved a transfer for Carl Bezjak, at his request, to principal at A.L. Wilson Elementary School, specifying his salary as $71,809.
The board last month agreed to post the A.L. Wilson principal position full time. Judith Psenciska was serving half-time in that capacity and half-time in the central administration office when the school board last month named her the full-time administrative assistant for curriculum and instruction. They authorized the superintendent Wednesday to advertise for applicants for the high school principal opening as well as the assistant high school principal, a post previously held in an acting capacity by Lara Bezjak.
The board named Mario Tiberi, administrative assistant for pupil services, as substitute assistant superintendent during the absence of Daniel Vidovich from the assistant superintendent’s position and specified a salary for Tiberi of $80,284.73.
The board further agreed to create and post a life skills position for Friendship Hill Elementary School and a speech position for D. Ferd and A.L. Wilson schools, combined.
In other business, Vicinelly announced the school district received a letter from the education department secretary that indicated the state audit for the fiscal years that ended June 30, 1999, and 2000 contained no findings or observations.
The school board will meet next on Monday, June 30, at 7 p.m. at the Plava school. They are expected to adopt a final 2003-2004 budget.