Contract impasse calls for ‘fact-finder’ recommendation

BY TOM FONTANA
Correspondent

At a contract impasse, Mt. View School District and its teachers union set a meeting with a ‘fact-finder’ for Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Board president Thomas Stoddard made the announcement at the board meeting Monday night, Sept. 8.

“We have a meeting with a fact-finder tomorrow,” he said, “That’s all I can say about it.”

Mt. View teachers have been working without a contract for two years. Stoddard told the Independent that members of the board and the district’s attorney, Joseph Gaughan, would meet with representatives of the Mountain View Education Association and an independent negotiator. Each side would have the opportunity to present its contract dispute.

Stoddard expects the fact-finder to present suggestions for a contract agreement by the end of September. The two sides would have 10 days to consider the findings, then vote to accept or deny them. The findings will not be made public until after the vote.

District business manager Joseph Patchcoski told the board that the district’s hot steam ovens in the cafeterias “have seen their last leg,” and should be replaced. He also said that the dishwasher in the high school cafeteria recently needed repair, which cost about $1,000, and should also be replaced.

“We have hard water that causes damage,” he explained, “and the dishwasher has got to go or there will be more and more costly repairs.”

High school principal Robert Presley said the wrestling team booster club plans to purchase a new wrestling mat to provide the wrestling team with a regulation mat for the upcoming season.

“They need to order it now to have it in time for competition,” Presley told the board. “It won’t cost the district anything, but they’re asking that the board approve a purchase order and then the booster club will reimburse the account.”

Presley said the mat will cost $8,414, and funds will be collected through booster club fundraisers and other donation sources.

The board approved Presley’s request.

Elementary school teacher Ernie Griffis announced that a golf tournament will be held on Sunday, Oct. 19, to raise funds for a fifth-grade trip to Harrisburg next spring.

“That was a great trip for fifth-graders in the past,” Griffis told the board. “This golf tournament should be able to fund the whole thing.”

The tournament will start at 10 a.m. at Rock Creek Golf Course, and will include basket raffles, 50/50, and prize holes. Cost is $300 per team. A dinner will follow the tournament. Interested teams should contact the Proshop (570-222-2500) or Griffis (570-396-6534).

Elementary school principal Christine Kelly announced that an Open House for students and their families will be offered this Thursday, Sept. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. Presley told the board that a combination dance/movie night will be held for high school students this Friday, Sept. 12, from 7 to 10 p.m.

Both principals stated that the school year got off to a “really good start.”

“The dress code went over great,” Presley said. “I think it was good that the change was held off until this school year. It gave parents and students a chance to absorb it.”

He said on the first day of school there were only seven minor violations of the dress code. Clothes, especially shirts, have been donated to the school and offered to students who don’t have wardrobes in compliance with the dress code.

Presley proposed dress-down days be available sporadically throughout the school year as fundraisers for school groups, which would collect donations from students to allow them to wear Mt. View t-shirts for that day.

President Stoddard also praised the opening of the school year. “This was one of the most positive starts I’ve seen in years. It’s remarkable!”