TOWER CITY - Most personnel in the Williams Valley School District will be receive a pay raise for the 2013-14 school year.
The board voted 6-0 on June 27 to approve $1,500 increases for contracted administrators, $1,500 for teachers, $1,500 for 12-month contracted employees including administrative assistants and a $750 salary hike for a half-time contracted employee. Classified employees, including secretaries, custodial and maintenance personnel, will receive a 40-cent hourly increase for the upcoming school year.
Directors Angela Miller, Tracey Minnich and Gail Ruch were absent.
Under the spending plan, the 2013-14 annual salary for administrators will be: Superintendent Donald Burkhardt, $96,500; Jolene Smith, assistant to the superintendent, $76,600; Tracey Weller, senior high principal, $77,500; Chris Cooper, junior high principal, $75,590; Caitlin Mohl, elementary principal, $72,300; Homer Knox, business manager, $79,300; Brian Lacey, special education supervisor, $68,000; and Helen Kohr, technology director, $68,600.
In other business, the board heard end-of-season reports from girls' softball head coach Lee Reiser and baseball head coach Donald Matter. Athletic Director Randy Russelavage congratulated Reiser and Matter on their successful seasons. He also thanked the administration and coaches for their assistance throughout the school year. Burkhardt congratulated Russelavage for completing the most successful season at Williams Valley.
The board held a discussion about painting the dugouts and the Alumni Fitness Center. They also discussed the elementary music program and advertising for a K-12 music teacher with a strong vocal background.
In other action, the board approved:
- Hiring of the following for the 2013-14 school year: school dentist, WV Dental Group; school solicitor, Richard Thornburg; school physician, Marshall-Rismiller & Associates; school police, John Long, Williamstown, and Jill Musselman, Tower City.
- Re-hiring of the following non-tenured teachers for the 2013-14 school year: elementary - Morgan Williard, Chelsea Artz, Matthew Yoder, John Donton, Kelly Malloy, Lindsey Melocheck and April Rusnak; high school - Suzanne Mayberry, David Brown, Steven Dolak, Steve Malek, Todd Peters, Anna Johnson, Ashley Frontino, Kristen Palmerio and Ashlie Jarosiewicz.
- English as a Second Language Education Service Agreement between Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 and the district, beginning July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014, with an approximate cost to the district of $4,498, payable in two scheduled installments of $2,249.
- Rental requests as submitted, waiving custodial/rental fees.
- A three-year contract renewal with Siemens as the district's mechanical contractor: 2013-14, $55,921; 2014-15, $57,104 and 2015-16, $58,818.
- District ticket pricing for the 2013-14 school year for athletic events, student parking fees, student activity fees and Behind the Wheel Driver Education.
- A request from cheerleading head coach Karestin Davis to take the cheerleaders to cheerleading camp. The camp will be held at PA Elite Cheerleading Gym in Winfield from July 22 to 23. The cost to the district is for use of school vehicles.
- A one-year contract with Schlegel Photography to take student photos and yearbook photos for the high school.
- The approval/disapproval of adjustments to delinquent personal taxes for Statewide Tax Recovery Inc. as submitted.
- Amanda Evans, a student at Northampton Community College, to complete 10 internship hours in a kindergarten classroom. Sherri Meiser will be the cooperating teacher.
- Hiring Patti Ulsh, Wiconisco, as the full-time elementary secretary, effective July 1.
- Cafeteria food service prices for the 2013-14 school year. They will remain the same as last year.
The next school board meeting will be 7:30 p.m. July 25.