Board welcomes new Mapletown principal
The Southeastern Greene School Board welcomed the new Mapletown Junior-Senior High School principal on Tuesday at their meeting. Jason Pappas joins the district officially in his new role on Aug. 23. He has spent the last two years as the assistant principal at West Greene High School. Prior to that position, he was an earth, space and science teacher in the Frazier School District. He also taught in Virginia for two years.
“I look forward to working with the staff and students at Mapletown,” Pappas said. “I was a substitute here in 2000, so it’s like I made a full circle, and I am excited to be here.”
Pappas reported at the meeting that the new student handbooks are being printed and he and the staff have begun interviewing candidates for special education, French and Spanish teachers.
In other business, Superintendent William Henderson briefed the board on the possibility of the district developing a cyber school program. According to Henderson, school officials are in talks with four companies to implement the program. He said there will be a special meeting held at 6 p.m. Aug. 12 to discuss the program further.
“We are hoping if it happens we can have it ready for the fall of 2010,” he said. “I think there will be a lot of benefits to this program.”
Director Joe Spiker urged the board Tuesday to consider exploring some funding sources to reinstate the pre-kindergarten program that the district lost this year or develop a new pilot program.
“I know this year there could be some additional money based on some of the things the superintendent is working on,” Spiker said. “I’d like to see educators as well as administration not give up on this program. I don’t want to forget about this issue.”
In a personnel move, the board decided to table a motion to approve Bobbi Antill to serve as a volunteer varsity cheerleader coach for the 2010-11 school year until all proper clearances are obtained.
The board failed to pass a motion 5-4 to approve the memorandum of understanding between Southeastern Greene School District and the Southeastern Greene Education Association. Directors Leonard Novak, Ed Kamenos, Dave Richter, Sam Cossick and Rick Barzanti opposed while Directors Gary Yoskovich, Thomas Howard, Janet Pennington and Joe Spiker voted in favor.
The board also awarded the bid for the position of elementary librarian to Anita Stoner contingent on no other bargaining unit member bidding on the vacancy. Directors Kamenos and Richter opposed the motion.
The board unanimously approved:
n The renewal agreement for the Accelerated Reading Program (Renaissance Learning Company) for the Bobtown Elementary and the Mapletown Junior-Senior High School at a cost of $4,173.
n The agreement between CornerStone Care and Southeastern Greene School District for sports physicals/physician coverage at athletic events.
n The proposal from Hittie Paving to repave a portion of the teacher’s parking lot at the Mapletown Junior-Senior High School at a cost if $15,112 and a second proposal from Hittie Paving to repave a portion of the student parking lot at the high school at a cost of $14,714.
n The transferring of 61 sick days from West Greene School District to Southeastern Greene School District for Pappas. Director Kamenos abstained from the vote.