Brownsville school officials mull departure of two administrators
BROWNSVILLE – With the district’s superintendent and director of buildings and grounds both retiring this month, many people are wondering who will be minding pressing matters in the district when they are gone. Both Superintendent Dr. Gerry Grant and Buildings and Grounds Director Bart Verbanic are retiring this month. Some are worried that there will be no one to “mind the store” as the district embarks on a $23 million renovation project, including a $1.4 million summer renovation project to begin soon.
“I hope and I ask if you will have those positions filled before these public meetings,” said Nena Kaminsky, a former board member. “Who will be minding the store, so to speak?”
Last month the board agreed to re-advertise for the superintendent position but said they would still consider applicants that were already hired.
Grant said Thursday that June 27 is the cutoff date. She said the board hopes to hire a superintendent in July and plans to hire an interim superintendent in the meantime, if needed.
She said that interviews for the buildings and grounds director will be scheduled June 25, and the board is hoping to hire someone by June 30.
Director Francine Pavone asked Grant for a listing of scheduled vacations for janitors and administrators.
“You are leaving, and we don’t want total chaos,” Pavone said.
Grant agreed.
She said that the district is “moving ahead” on its renovation project, which is expected to begin in November.
The board will hold a special meeting at 1 p.m. Monday to approve PlanCon D and E forms for the building project to submit to the state Department of Education for approval.
At 3 p.m. that same day the board will open bids for the summer renovation grant projects.
Jay Paroda of Maccabee Industrial Inc. said he was pleased that 25 bids were received for four jobs. The summer renovation project includes asbestos abatement, roof repairs, pyrite removal, handrail replacements and elevator renovation.
The summer renovations will be paid for with a $1.4 million grant the district has to spend by Oct. 30.
Grant said that after PlanCon D and E forms are approved, the next step is to get PlanCon F approved, which will allow for designs and bidding for the entire project to begin.
Grant said that many people doubted that the district would follow through on plans for renovation, but she assured the small crowd that the money is there and the project is expected to be completed in two years.
She added that the new gymnasium and some additions to the high school/middle school should be completed by the end of the next school year.
In other business, Grant said 60 students received a certificate from the state for achieving advanced status on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) test.
“The achievements of students have gone up, and teachers have much higher expectations of the students, which is causing them to perform better,” Grant said.
She said that all seniors who needed to retake the test in order to graduate also passed the district’s equivalency test and graduated with their class. She said all seniors completed and did well on their senior project, which included an oral presentation.
In April and May, students complained that they didn’t have enough time to work on their projects and were given the requirements too late. The district also received complaints about a high number of students who did not pass the PSSAs.
“Everyone passed the assessment tests. Some took the test more than once, but they passed. We will continue tutoring for students who do not do well on the test or who need help,” Grant said.