At Southeastern Greene School District
Henderson eager to develop new goals as superintendent The new superintendent for Southeastern Greene School District spent a portion of his first day on the job Thursday at the continuation of a recessed school board meeting from June 22.
William Henderson III comes to the district from Bethlehem-Center Middle School where he was the principal. Henderson was sworn in as the new superintendent Tuesday at the Greene County Courthouse. He replaces Michael Caruso, whose last day was Wednesday.
Henderson, 35, graduated from Charleroi Area High School and earned his undergraduate degree at West Liberty University in West Virginia. He then accepted a teaching position at Wheaton High School in Montgomery County, Md., where he taught health, physical education and math. A year later, Henderson moved to the Frazier School District where he taught health and physical education at both the high school and middle school. He also served as the assistant football coach, head softball coach and acting principal for a few months.
Henderson earned his master’s degree and principal certification from the University of Pittsburgh. He then moved to the Charleroi Area School District as an elementary principal and federal programs coordinator. After a year, he accepted a principal position at Bethlehem-Center, where he stayed for three years before coming to Southeastern Greene.
Henderson earned his superintendent eligibility at Gannon University.
“My actual goal from the start was to teach and coach throughout my career around good administrators who lit the spark for me to get into administration,” Henderson said. “I look forward to building on the educational successes they have had here.”
Henderson said he is eager to develop some new district goals in his position.
“I want to work to build an educational community that retains teachers and makes kids excited about coming to school,” he said.
Henderson lives in Charleroi with his wife, Janelle, and their sons, Brock and Luke.
The school board approved a budget of $10,569,000 on June 22 for the 2010-11 fiscal year. Residents will not see an increase in real estate taxes. The current property tax rate stands at 23 mills or $230 for every $10,000 in assessed property value. The district will continue to offer a 7.5 percent discount rate for those residents who pay their taxes early.
“We have the highest discount rate of probably anyone in western Pennsylvania,” said business manager Patrick Sweeney.
According to Sweeney, residents enrolled in the state homestead/farmstead exclusion program should receive a $298 reduction on their tax bill.
In a personnel move Thursday, directors voted 8-0 to hire Jodi Johnson as the special education director/coordinator. Director Gary Yoskovich was absent.
The board also approved an open gym for the boys basketball team based on availability as approved by the athletic director and administration. No practices may be held on Sunday, unless approved.
The next regular meeting will be held at 7 p.m. July 27 in the cafeteria at Mapletown Junior/Senior High School.