COAL TOWNSHIP - All teachers in the regular education program at Northwestern Academy would have to reapply to Shamokin Area School District to keep their jobs next school year, according to the school board president.
Negotiations continue between the district and the academy's parent company, Northwestern Human Services, to finalize details of a district takeover of the regular education program. The Shamokin Area School Board voted Tuesday to advertise for 36 positions, including 28 at the academy.
Brian Persing, board president, said Wednesday that current academy teachers who are state-certified would have an advantage during the hiring process.
"We're hoping we don't have to look for any (teachers), but we're going to have to," Persing said Wednesday.
District employees currently on furlough are expected to be given preference if they seek a position at the academy.
There will be 21 teaching positions advertised for the academy: four each for middle/secondary English, math, science, social studies and business/career, and one for technology education. Also sought are three 180-day substitutes, two teacher aides, one secretary and a LEA representative/transition coordinator.
"I hope everyone would have their certifications, and ideally everyone would have a job," Ron McElwee, school board director, said Wednesday. "With the district taking over, we have to make sure we have the right people in the right positions."
Attempts to reach Carl Clark, executive vice president of NHS, for comment were unsuccessful.
The academy operates on a 240-day school year compared to the district's union-approved 180-day calendar. Persing said negotiations include discussions on how to handle the difference for staffing and cost concerns.
He said the attorneys will also revisit the $1.3 million lease rental agreement already in place after Shamokin Area assumed control of the academy's special education program this school year.
McElwee said he hopes the school board would have an agreement to vote on at its meeting next month since there is no meeting scheduled for July; however, he isn't optimistic.
Both Persing and McElwee noted that the district will be able to charge a cadet's home school district 150 percent of the tuition rate for a student enrolled in the regular education program, previously estimated at $7,000 flat. In comparison, the district is reimbursed 100 percent for special education students, which costs just over $100 a day.
Exactly how much the district would be reimbursed is unknown given how frequently student enrollment changes at the academy. However, what is known is that the salaries of district staff at the academy would be greatly offset by the reimbursements. The district can also submit reimbursements at 50 percent for any work provided to the academy by its administrators.
Other positions available within the school district are assistant principals for both the elementary and middle/high schools, middle/high school teachers for social studies, math and English, a guidance counselor and reading specialist. Also open is a head coach position for boys varsity soccer.
Positions filled
Bob Getchey and Charlie Shuey were appointed to serve as board secretary and treasurer, respectively. The positions net each director a stipend of $2,700, and are the lone positions on the board that come with any pay.
Both Ed Griffiths and Jeff Kashner voted with fellow directors in favor of the appointments, but each said they were voting for "the man" and did not support a salary.
Griffiths is a former treasurer who said he donated his stipend to a fund in the name of his late stepdaughter. He said the position entails little work outside of signing checks. Of the secretary's position, he said there's even less work: "You don't do anything," Griffiths said.
Shuey said Wednesday he didn't anticipate being nominated to treasurer and hadn't given much thought on the stipend. He said he intends to donate a substantial portion to the Muscular Dystrophy Association and will make other donations to other charities.
A phone message left for Getchey on Wednesday was not returned.
Other business
The school board voted Tuesday to:
- Purchase $30,000 in seat backs for the middle/high school auditorium from Allied Equipment Co. Inc..
- Buy 3,500 gallons of 87 octane unleaded gasoline at a per-gallon cost of $3.0991 and 2,000 gallons of ultra-low sulfur diesel at $3.3611. The fuel comes through a purchasing agreement with Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit.
- Enter a contract with Kidswork Therapy Center, Lewisburg, for occupational, physical and speech therapy next school year at an hourly rate of $80, with travel time paid at $20 per hour.
- Approve a purchasing agreement with CSIU for Microsoft EES servers for a three year period at a total cost of $55,555.47.
- Authorize the purchase of computer service from Hosted Software Services, 70 hours at $90 per for customer service, and computer service for financials at a cost of $11,662 for next school year.
- Buy a $500 student transcripts and records system from Parchment for PA eStars for next school year.
- Extend the work year an aggregate maximum of 30 days for secondary counselors for this summer at the discretion of the superintendent and middle/high school principal.
- Accept resignations from Lana Reiner as LEA representative/transition coordinator at Northwestern Academy, Cathy Dowd as Indian Pride advisor, Joel Hockenbroch as boys varsity soccer head coach, Joelle Reed at junior high cross country coach.
- Appoint Ed Bailey as junior high football coach at $2,331.
- Hire Maria Dombroski as a secretary. Her compensation is $11.25 hourly, 186 days a year, with benefits.
- Schedule summer school for middle/high school students for June 17 through July 18. The fee is $115 a course. Classes won't be offered if there is insufficient enrollment.