Montrose Area hires transportation director

BY PAT FARNELLI
Correspondent

Montrose Area School District hired a new full time Director of Transportation at the school board meeting Monday at Choconut Elementary School.

Wanda Harris was hired as full time Director of Transportation. Harris was formerly employed in transportation at the Blue Ridge School District for 13 years. The board approved her appointment at a salary of $42,000 to be prorated, starting no later than Sept. 28.

Superintendent Carol Boyce said that there have been many transportation directors for the district who also administering something else, such as buildings and grounds, this is the first full time director of transportation at Montrose Area School District in many years. Boyce has been temporarily filling in for the transportation director role herself.

Thomas Welch was hired as fulltime general music teacher at Choconut Elementary School, effective Sept. 21 at a salary of $59,206.

Principal Chris McComb introduced Welch at the work session, and said that while a large number of qualified persons had applied for the position, Welch was the standout.

Laurie Papi was transferred from full time guidance counselor at Choconut Valley Elementary School to full-time guidance counselor at the Junior Senior High School effective Sept. 21 at a salary of $59,206;

Caitlyn Kerwin, special education teacher at the Junior Senior High School, was appointed as graduation project advisor at the rate of $1,000.

Several department chairs were appointed for the Junior Senior High School.

Two long term substitute teachers were hired: Jason Terrery, special education teacher at Lathrop Elementary School, retroactive from Aug. 25 through approximately Mar. 30; and James Piazza, special education teacher at the Junior/Senior High School, retroactive from Aug. 28 through approximately Dec. 1.

A list of late run transportation contractors were approved, at a total cost not to exceed $55,000.

The board also approved the following contractors for activity bus runs for the 2015-16 school year, on a rotational basis: Tennant Transportation Inc., Carlton Contracting Services, Clifford and Dawn Taylor, James Ainey, James and Jane Conboy, and D&J Transportation Inc.

The board authorized the board secretary to electronically cast a vote for the PSBA 2016 slate of candidates as follows: , Mary Burkes, president elect, Robert Swartz, vice president; Gary Smedley, Eastern at large.

During the work session Monday, the board discussed:

A bridge project that was scheduled for the summer months has been delayed three times, and now the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is requesting a waiver to be signed, said Boyce. The bridge is located in Forest Lake Township over the Stone Street Creek.

Boyce said that she has been told that the project should take two weeks, and would require a 17 mile car detour or a 32.6 mile bus or truck detour, which she said would amount to an hour and a half of extra travel time to and from school per child on that bus. She said she did not sign the waiver, and involved other administrators in the negotiations.

She said that the end result is that PennDOT will guarantee that no more than 10 school days will be required for the project to be completed, that the district will receive a financial settlement per mile, and that a $25,000 state penalty will be charged per day according to contract law.

Some 22 2014-15 retirees were recognized at the start of the work session, and gratitude was expressed for their service and effects on the students and school. Pam Knapp was particularly praised for her 27 years of work for the district.

Chris Tripp said that he is seeking the original permit for the school district sign, and that he had a meeting with PennDOT the next day regarding the sign, which he believes was installed in 1978. School board president Douglas Wilcox said that he believed Bud Wilcox owned that triangle property at that time.

Tripp also said that there have been delays in the auditorium stage curtains, but they are being manufactured at this time. He said that some of the stage lighting will soon be replaced as well.

The board then discussed the policy 707, “Use of School Facilities.” Tripp said that he wanted to get clarification on the district’s policies and fee structure for community groups and businesses who have paid to use the district’s facilities, like the auditorium and track, for events, classes, or the like.

Three district wide PLC goals were discussed during the work session.

A resolution drafted by Arden Tewksbury was discussed. Board member Pamela Staats spoke to the proposed resolution, which she said was written by the longest standing school board member in the state, who is a director at Elk Lake. The resolution seeks to protest the policy regarding low-fat milk being served to school students.

A Meet the Teacher Night will be held on Sept. 23 from 6-7:30 at the Junior Senior High School. The homecoming football game against Holy Cross will be held on Sept. 25, and the homecoming dance on Sept. 26.

A work session followed by a board meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Junior/Senior High School.