Machesky: No one will be transferred from Lafayette to BF
Dr. Charles Machesky, superintendent of the Uniontown Area School District, said any requests to transfer students from Lafayette School to Ben Franklin School will be denied. Machesky said letters from the superintendent were sent in response to several requests made by parents.
“We believe the quality of education and programming at Lafayette School has improved to the point where it is comparable to all other schools and any requests will be denied,” Machesky said at the July school board business meeting.
Parents were given the choice to transfer their children from Lafayette after students missed proficiency targets on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), a state-mandated assessment that tests students on their reading and math comprehension, in 2006.
That year, the state Department of Education placed Lafayette in the first phase of school improvement, which requires most school districts to offer parents a choice of where to send their child, with lower-performing students from low-income families having the first choice of transferring.
After the district was successful at having the state Department of Education approve separating Lafayette into two schools on paper, Lafayette was able to start anew as it concerns test scores.
Machesky previously said the school will be in warning status if it does not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) this year.
A school or district makes AYP by meeting state standards in three areas: student attendance during the past school year, the rate of student participation on the PSSA and student performance on the tests.
The state Department of Education plans to release PSSA/AYP results to the public in mid-August, according to department spokeswoman Leah Harris.
Turning to other matters, the board approved a revised resolution for property tax reductions at its regular monthly business meeting Tuesday.
Each homestead and farmstead in the district approved to receive the reduction will see their property tax bill reduced by $216, which is $7 more than the previous amount, according to the resolution.
The state will allocate the district $1,120,696 for reductions to 5,321 approved homesteads and farmsteads, read the resolution. Gaming revenue is funding the reductions as part of the 2006 Taxpayer Relief Act.
Meanwhile, the board scheduled a special meeting for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6, to hire people to fill what Machesky called two “critical” open teaching positions.
High school chemistry and Spanish teaching positions were opened after the board accepted the retirement of Dolores Pasini as a high school Spanish teacher and the resignation of Andrea M. Sholtis as high school chemistry teacher.
The Laurel Highlands School Board hired Sholtis earlier this month.
To fill another opening, the board hired Alison J. Whitcomb as special education teacher at the high school after accepting the resignation of Jessie Karpiak as special education teacher at Lafayette School.
The Laurel Highlands School Board also hired Karpiak earlier this month.
Machesky said Whitcomb has 24 years of experience.
The board also accepted the resignations of Christopher J. Evancho as elementary teacher at Lafayette School, Anita M. Filcheck as math teacher at Ben Franklin School and Michelle Hudock as music teacher at the high school.
Related to sports, the board accepted the resignation of Ronnie B. Gale as high school assistant boys soccer coach.
The board hired Vicki Kremposky as high school assistant girls soccer coach with a pay of $1,469. Director Alan George voted against the hiring after learning the board considered only the recommendation of the varsity coach.
The board also hired Mandy Shallenberger as high school head varsity cheerleading director with a pay of $1,938 and BriShonna Beasley and Christina Marcinek as high school assistant varsity cheerleading directors, with each receiving $1,236.
The board also:
– Awarded a contract to Demco Excavating of Farmington for work to rebuild and add drainage to the west driveway at A.J. McMullen School at a cost of $14,800.
– Awarded a contract to Virco Inc. for furniture at a cost of $9,218.
Rob Smalley, director of buildings and grounds, said the district will purchase desk and chair combinations for the high school art room and tables for the family consumer science classroom at Ben Franklin School.
– Added Donald Homer, chief of the district’s police force, to the Act 93 bargaining unit, entitling him to a pay scale and benefits package similar to other administrators.
– Approved a technical assistant agreement with Dr. Charles Gorman, formerly of the University of Pittsburgh’s Tri-State Area School Study Council. The district will pay Gorman $3,000 as a consultant for the 2008-14 strategic plan.
– Hired Allan’s Waste Water Service Inc. to haul sewage from Wharton and Franklin schools at a cost of 9 cents per gallon.
– Agreed to sell a modular building to Dale Rexrode for $7,150.
– Added Tarah J. Brenchi, Nicole M. Casini, Paul J. Coltus Jr., Paul A. Eckert, Donald M. Guerrieri, Linda D. Kikta, Rebecca Kusniar, Jamie A. Paterline, Mallory A. Rhodes, Rachel M. Rowe and Cheryl Stefancin to the professional substitute list at $80 per day.
– Entered into executive session for about an hour regarding personnel matters related to hiring and litigation regarding a matter related to Wharton School.