No replacement for elementary principal at SCSD

BY HELEN B. FOSTER
Correspondent

The Susquehanna school district does not plan to hire a principal for its elementary school to replace the retiring Robert Keyes.

The board accepted Keyes notification of retirement at the Jan. 15 meeting.
At the Wednesday, Feb. 19 meeting, it was announced the position would not be filled.

According to Superintendent Bronson Stone, he plans to add the principal’s duties to responsibilities of his current position.

There was no discussion or vote held regarding the announcement at the board meeting.

Stone also spoke to the board regarding Governor Tom Corbett’s proposed budget that did not include new money for basic education. According to Stone, there will be money (grants) for new programs but not money made available to districts for mandated expenses.

The superintendent also recognized the district’s maintenance department.

Stone said, “This is going to embarrass him but I am going to say it anyway,” before he began his praise of Maintenance Supervisor Donnie Norris and his crew.

According to Stone, Norris and the maintenance crew has worked all hours of the day and night during the recent back-to-back snow storms to keep the school campus ready for the employees and students. Norris was heard to say, “I love what I do.”

He also reported that the equipment is working well and there have been no roof leaks or other usual winter problems.

The board voted to allow Kingfisher Exploration Services to conduct seismic and geophysical testing on the school campus. Stone assured board members the safety of district students, staff and property would be a priority when the work begins.

The board accepted the following end of the year retirement notifications: Pamela Weiss, high school English teacher; Catherine Corse, Maria Maby and Laura Braun, food service.

Stone spoke highly of Weiss, referring to her as an outstanding teacher.
He also said he wasn’t sure the school would ever find three other food service employees who had the same ability to make a Sloppy Joe quite like the ones the prospective retirees have served.

The district agreement with Project Lead the Way, a pre-engineering course offered at SCHS, was approved by the board; along with a night football game for the 2014 season; and a $500 donation to the Susquehanna County Athletic and Conference Facility Fund for the purpose of supporting a feasibility study.

Board member Jason Chamberlain was elected for the NEIU #19 board representative position. Harrington Onsite Drug Testing was approved to conduct random testing of contracted bus drivers.

The following items also received board approval: Jessica Welch, Special Ed substitute; Rich Emmons. baseball scorer; Lawrence Tompkins, track announcer; Gary Day, track helper; football volunteers, David Beaudette and Mose Perry; Terri MacDonald, Job Coach aide; Shirley Koziel, substitute aide and Ryan Gilleran as Weight Room volunteer.