Beth-Center principal granted sabbatical
FREDERICKTOWN – The Bethlehem-Center School Board accepted a request from their high school principal for a medical sabbatical during their regular meeting Monday evening. Dr. Richard Martin said he will take a sabbatical for the 2006-07 school year, but plans to return for the 2007-08 school year. He requested the sabbatical for “reasons of health,” he said.
President Sandra Yohe said the school board plans to discuss the matter of replacing Martin for the year at an Aug. 7 committee meeting.
In other matters, business manager Joseph Nepa told the board that replacing the heating and air-conditioning systems through an energy performance contract could save the school district $96,696.
“Savings were way more than we thought,” Nepa said, adding that the estimated savings had come in at $40,000 to $55,000.
The savings would pay the cost of replacing the air-conditioning and heating systems, Yohe explained. Nepa noted that the board would vote on the matter at the continued regular meeting on Aug. 7.
In an unrelated matter, Superintendent Karen Downie said that she was pleased with the latest Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) results, including a 92 to 93 percent attendance rate at the elementary, junior and senior high schools.
“I’m very pleased with the results and I’m proud of the teachers and the students,” she said. “They worked very hard to get to these levels.”
The board also:
– Announced that Thursday would be the next day for physicals at the high school.
– Established tax levies for the 2006-07 school year – real estate: 98.2 mills; per capita 679: $5; per capita 511: $5; wage and earned income 511: 1 percent shared; and occupational privilege tax: $10.
– Voted down a bankruptcy settlement with Gateway Petroleum Company concerning gas wells on school property after the company requested the school settle for a rate less than what was owed.
– Continued the regular meeting until Aug. 7. A committee meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. the same day. The next planning meeting is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 28, at 6 p.m. with the regular meeting to follow at 7 p.m.