AG board hires director of special education
The Albert Gallatin Area School Board hired a new director of special education. At its monthly meeting Wednesday, the board voted 8-0 to hire Joyce Tracy, principal of Masontown Elementary School, as administrative assistant for pupil services/special education effective July 1. Her starting salary will be $88,261.
Director Edward Colebank was absent from the meeting.
Superintendent Walter Vicinelly said four people were interviewed for the position, which will be vacant after Mario Tiberi officially retires from the post June 30.
Tracy has worked in the district for approximately 33 years. She has served as principal of the elementary school for an estimated seven years and as a special education teacher in the district. She has received state certification in special education, Vicinelly said.
Meanwhile, the board adopted the Fayette County Area Vocational-Technical School 2008-09 final budget in the amount of $3,200,087, with Albert Gallatin’s share being $1,261,794, by a 5-3 vote.
Directors Michael Dunham, Janet Swaney and Edward Sutton voted against the move.
Swaney and Sutton said after the meeting they voted against the budget adoption because the total cost to fund the school needs to be more equitably distributed between the four sending school districts.
Under personnel, the board accepted the retirement of elementary school teacher Roberta Brooks and Melba Gillingham, the librarian at A.L. Wilson and D. Ferd Swaney elementary schools. The board accepted the resignation of elementary school teacher Beverly Dolan.
The board awarded the following positions according to contract: Steven Bowers as third-grade teacher at A.L. Wilson; Larry Flowers as a life skills teacher at D. Ferd Swaney Elementary School; Regina Blosnich as a third-grade teacher at A.L. Wilson; Christine Rerko as a fourth-grade teacher at A.L. Wilson; Heather Lux as a third-grade teacher at A.L. Wilson; Jennifer Vail as a kindergarten teacher at D. Ferd Swaney; Michelle Schuessler as a librarian at A.L. Wilson and D. Ferd Swaney elementary schools; Jennifer Baukol as a special education teacher at A.L. Wilson and Smithfield elementary schools; Kelli Smiell as a special education teacher at Smithfield Elementary School; and Cindy Fullem as a first-grade teacher at A.L. Wilson.
The board also accepted the resignation of Richard Caputo as assistant football coach at Albert Gallatin High School and hired Tim Karpiak for the position.
The board accepted the resignation of Larry Flowers as fall athletic director at Albert Gallatin South Middle School and hired Mark Dunham by a 7-0-1 vote for the position. Director Michael Dunham abstained from hiring Dunham for the job.
The board also hired: Amy Ryan as a temporary employee in the Masontown and George J. Plava elementary school libraries; Mark Switch as George J. Plava midnight custodian; Dawn Davis as cafeteria worker at the high school; Louise Wesolowsky as a cafeteria worker at Smithfield Elementary School; Tracy Hackney as a secretary at Albert Gallatin North Middle School; and Mia Shaffer as secretary at the high school.
Related to the construction of a new A.L. Wilson Elementary School in Fairchance, the board agreed to purchase for the school an orchestra pit filler and stage extension, guardrails and backdrop at a cost of $10,096 from StageRight.
Also related to the project, the board approved additional costs and a cost deduction.
The additions, totaling $12,192, are for kindergarten carpets and plants, three sinks with water heaters and drains, three wiring circuits for instantaneous water heaters, four surface-mounted fixtures in the reception area and to provide power to a panel in the mezzanine.
A $582 deduction is for changes to the ceilings and ceramic wall tiles, according to the motion approved by the board.
Solicitor Lee Price said the total cost of construction, set at $7.4 million, has not increased since money in the contingency fund reserved for project change orders is not close to being depleted.
“The project has gone smoothly,” Price said.
In other business, the board:
– Agreed to increase the substitute teacher wages to $80 per day, a $10 increase, and registered nurse health room aide wages to $72 per day, a $2 increase.
– Renewed an agreement with Nutrition Inc. as the district’s food service provider for the 2008-09 school year, which is the last year the agreement is subject to renewal, district officials said.
– Entered into an agreement with the Intermediate Unit 1 to provide a professional development technology coach at the high school to assist with Classrooms for the Future initiatives at a cost of $30,000 paid by Title 1 federal funds.
– Entered into an agreement with Step by Step Learning for professional development “LETRS” training for kindergarten through second-grade teachers at a cost of $45,000 paid by Title 1 funds.
– Granted permission to purchase 4Sight assessments for third through 11th grade for the 2008-09 school year at a cost of $12,600 paid by Educational Assistance Program funding.
– Renewed “Headsprout” Literacy for kindergarten through second grade at a cost of $18,950.
– Authorized the purchase of high school geometry, algebra and trigonometry textbooks from Glencoe at a cost of $13,969.
– Renewed Dibels assessment for kindergarten through second grade through Wireless Generations at a cost of $11,700.
– Approved a 60-month lease agreement with Pitney Bowes at a cost of $89.56 per month, a $20.44 savings, for a replacement mailer at the high school guidance office.
– Announced the next regular meeting will be held 7 p.m. July 16 in the George J. Plava Elementary School cafeteria.