Central Greene fills many positions
WAYNESBURG – Faced with a record number of retirements at the end of the school year that just wrapped, the Central Greene School Board filled a number of professional positions during its meeting Tuesday night. Superintendent Dr. Jerome Bartley said the district lost 26 professional staff members to retirement at the end of the 2004-05 school year and all but two positions have been filled to date.
“We expect there will be just as many retirees next year,” he said. “But we’ve been fortunate that we’ve had some great candidates this time.”
He said this year will be a record year for hiring within the district.
At Waynesburg Central Elementary School (WCES), Melissa Brant, Michelle Lahew and Nicole Gasti were hired as kindergarten teachers, while Juliann Boyd, Amanda Wise and Chera Strelick were hired as first-grade teachers.
The board voted to hire Melanie Switalski as a third-grade teacher at WCES, and hired Robert Gibbons and Kelly Laughlin as fifth-grade teachers at WCES. Also at WCES, the board hired Lisa Kalsey for a part-time art position and Kellie Ann Maute as a life skills teacher.
Directors hired Alyssa Hugus as a gifted support teacher at WCES and Margaret Bell Miller (MBM) Middle School, Joey Rodavich as special education teacher at MBM, Jacquelyn Cavey as an English teacher at MBM, and Justin Stephenson as social studies teacher at the middle school.
Also hired were Matthew Anselmino as middle school guidance counselor, Michael Camilli as math teacher at Waynesburg Central High School, and Jesse Saunders as a high school business/accounting/computer education teacher.
Director Andrew Corfont said following the hirings that those who were passed over for jobs should meet with Bartley.
“We couldn’t hire everyone, but anyone who wasn’t hired should meet and go over your interview and listen to suggestions,” he said. “Please take the time to do that to improve yourselves and improve your interviews.”
Directors also accepted the resignations of John Lipscomb, special education teacher at the middle school, and Diane Kayla, special education teacher at WCES. Both were hired last month to fill administrative positions within the district.
The board also accepted the resignations of Amy Ankrom, second grade teacher at WCES, and Mark Stoner, varsity head boys’ basketball coach.
Among other business, the board approved a one-year agreement with Nutrition Inc. of West Newton to provide food service operations for the 2005-06 school year at a cost of $1.1425 per meal. Walter Stout, business manager, said the per meal cost is lower than the previous year.
The agreement is for one year with the board to decide to renew the pact for four more years, he said.
Directors also approved a salary increase for five staff members in the district’s central administration offices. The increases are either 3.5 percent or 80 cents more per hour, depending upon each employee’s length of service to the district.
Stout said the employees affected by the increase are the business office secretary, the superintendent’s secretary, payroll clerk, accounts payable clerk and the secretary to the director of curriculum and instruction.