Sep 16, 2005 By Patty Yauger 3 min read

PERRYOPOLIS – Higher fuel costs will not halt scheduled travel to area workshops, conventions or field trips for Frazier School District students and staff. However, board members have determined to scrutinize long distance travel. Directors Thursday took no official action to curb travel, but indicated that gasoline prices will dictate whether groups will be permitted to secure buses or vans for trips in the future.

District business manager Tom Shetterly said that while contracts are in place with bus companies, he anticipates costs are going to rise.

At the current rate, the district pays about $190 for a bus to travel to the Pittsburgh area, he added.

District Superintendent Dr. Dennis M. Spinella said future travel will have to be scrutinized by administrators and the board.

“(Costs) are going to be exorbitant,” he said.

“We’re going to have to take each (trip) as it comes to the board.”

Spinella said following the meeting that he does not anticipate costs to escalate to the point that the board would consider moving to a four-day school week as proposed by the Brownsville Area School District, nor would he advocate such action at the present time.

The Brownsville administrators have contacted the state Department of Education to determine if approval would be granted to the local district for such a schedule change.

Spinella said that cutting back on the number of days students are in school would have “serious implications” for pupils and their parents and that there has been no discussion by the board in the matter.

“It would be something that would have to be weighed very seriously,” he said.

Spinella was recently hired by the board to replace Dr. Frederick Smeigh, who retired after 12 years with the district.

Although a newcomer to the district, he has served three decades in the education field. His current goal for Frazier, he said, is to maintain the high standards that have been achieved by teachers, students, parents and administrators.

“The infrastructure here is very strong,” he said. “The parents support the teachers, the teachers support the school district and the board supports the teachers and parents.

“When you have that mix, you will be successful.”

In other action, the board also conducted the following business:

– Awarded a contract to McKee Asphalt for the Perry Elementary School bus turnaround project at a cost of $114,599.01

– Approved supplemental contracts with William Henderson as girls softball coach; Darrin Belsick, girls softball assistant coach; Loretta Williams, Rod Staggers, Michael Premus as co-sponsors of media equipment and stage crew; Ed Keebler as Middle School boys assistant basketball coach and Vickey Kremposky as sophomore class sponsor.

– Hired Melissa Trevellini as a secondary Spanish teacher.

– Hired Joyce Nicholls as a three-hour per day cafeteria monitor/aide at Perry Elementary School and Lourie Logoyda as a two- and one-half hour per day cafeteria monitor/aide at the elementary school.

– Approved Mandy Hartman as a volunteer assistant coach for the high school girls’ volleyball team.

– Hired Cindy Rehe to serve as a one-on-one aide for an elementary special education student.