Financial constraints limit Connellsville hirings
CONNELLSVILLE – A financial belt-tightening resulted in the cutback in the number of principals being hired for the Connellsville Area School District 2007-08 school year. Board members approved the hiring of several building administrators at its recent meeting, but most will be sharing their time between two buildings.
“Money is tight,” said district Superintendent James Duncan on Wednesday of the two cutbacks in the principal positions. “We would like to have one principal at each building, but that is no longer feasible. In certain situations we have had one principal overseeing two buildings, and it has worked out very well.”
Over the past several months, elementary principals John Relovsky, James Pallygus and Vincent DiPaolo submitted letters of retirement along with Junior High West principal Jeannine DeMuth.
In recent board action, secondary math and gifted teacher Traci Kuhns was hired as principal for Junior High West and the Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center (CACTC) as it moves to a full-day program for juniors and seniors.
The board also moved senior high school assistant principal Nick Bosnic from a 10-month to a 12-month position, which was vacated by Bruce Jaynes, who is now assigned to the Dunbar Township and Connellsville Township elementary school buildings, said Duncan.
Zachariah Connell Elementary School principal Geoffrey Snyder will now split his duties with the South Side Elementary School building, while principal Kristin Porter will oversee Bullskin Township and Dunbar Borough elementary schools.
Principal Robin Martin will continue to serve as principal at Springfield Township and C.N. Pritts elementary schools for the 2007-08 school year.
Duncan said that the combining of positions would not jeopardize security at the schools, as other staff members will handle immediate concerns if the principal is not in the building.
The board also hired 14 teachers and a nurse to fill vacancies created by the departure of other staff members.
Those hired included Tiffany Saylor and Justin Metzger as secondary math teachers; Julie Bohna, Kahla Daniels, Nicole Eicher and Melissa Stoots as special education teachers; Brianna Strickler and Adrienne Pilato as elementary teachers; Elaine White as a family and consumer science teacher; Melinda Orczeck and Lauren Relovsky as secondary science teachers; William Bryson and Susan Mizikar as health and physical education teachers; Katherine Mason as an art teacher; and Keri Cook as a part-time school nurse.
No salaries were included with the hirings because the district is in contract negotiations with the Connellsville Area Education Association (CAEA).
The current pact with the union expired June 30.
Duncan, meanwhile, said that the board will have to address remaining vacancies in the classroom and one assistant principal position when it meets Aug. 13.
“It is going to be a very interesting year with all the new staff members and the new assignments for the principals,” said Duncan.
Because of the multitude of new personnel, Duncan said that teacher orientation, normally held the day before the start of school, will instead take place earlier in August in order for all to become acquainted with one another and with district policies and procedures.
“We all want to be on the same page before the start of school,” he said.
The fall semester begins Aug. 23.
In other action, the board also conducted the following business:
– Hired Jeff McWilliams as the senior high boys golf co-head coach at a salary to be determined.
– Approved a commercial truck driver training program agreement between the CACTC and Transport Tech Inc.
– Named Timothy Martin as senior high marching band director and band activities director at a salary to be determined.
– Hired Peggy Harvey as a Junior High West personal student aide and Emma Garvin as a CACTC classroom aide/personal student aide each at an hourly salary of $9.50.
– Appointed Peggy Rockwell as a Dunbar Township and Dunbar Borough elementary school library clerk at an hourly salary of $10.75.
– Hired Ronald Keefer as director of federal programs and technology services at a salary to be determined.
– Added Albert Younkin, John Hamman, Ronald Parfitt and Thomas Miller to the school police roster.
– Retained dental examiners Dr. Dale Cadwallader, Dr. Joseph Chomiak, Dr. Richard Grimaldi, Dr. Frank Jacobyansky, Dr. Gerry Perez and Dr. Jim Young for the upcoming school year.
– Rescheduled the Aug. 20 and 22 board meetings to a single meeting on Aug. 13.