Board, teachers closer to new pact

Palmerton Area School District continues to inch its way closer to a new teachers pact.

High school teacher Audrey Larvey asked the school board on Tuesday if it could share the status of the ongoing teacher contract negotiations.

Director Carol Dwyer told Larvey both sides are still "negotiating."

"We believe we have come to an agreeable contract," Dwyer said. "We're working on the wording."

Dwyer said she believes a new contract could be in place sometime next month.

Teachers have been working without a contract since their two-year pact expired in June.

Also on Tuesday, resident Peter Iles, who has two children who attend the elementary schools in town, asked when the district planned to appoint a new principal for both buildings.

"The two buildings are without a principal," Iles said. "I know Mr. (David) Becker is filling in, but I just think it's time for someone permanent."

Superintendent Carol Boyce told Iles seven candidates will be interviewed Thursday and Friday. From there, she said the candidates will be whittled down.

Boyce said the intent is to have the committee ready to make a recommendation at the school board's Curriculum, Athletics, Personnel and Policy Committee meeting Jan. 7.

She said an appointment would likely then be made at the board's Jan. 19 meeting.

Iles then asked about the status of the Coal Bowl playground area.

Boyce told Iles the district is still awaiting the receipt of a $20,000 settlement check from TCI Pacific Communications, Inc.,

"We're waiting for a check from TCI for their contribution," Boyce said. "We're looking at remediating and moving forward with that project."

Resident Bill Strauch then asked for a report on the after school music program.

Boyce told Strauch the program "seems to be going relatively smoothly."

"We have a significant number of kids who are participating, more than 40 in a wide variety of instruments," Boyce said. "At the start of the year, if you would have told me we would have had 10, I would have been absolutely delighted."

Strauch then asked the status of the H1N1 flu shots.

Boyce said the number of permission slips from students wishing to have the shot were "no where near the 2,000 students we have."

"We're looking at sometime during January," Boyce said. "We continue to have those kinds of efforts."

The board also acknowledged the receipt of grant funds for the 2009-10 fiscal year.

The district received an Accountability Block Grant from the state in the amount of $313,247; Basic Education Funding (Up to and including 4.1-percent) from federal, $577,787; Basic Education Funding (Above 4.1-percent) from federal, $169,130; a Dual Enrollment Grant from the state, $7,960; Education Assistance Program from the state, $63,562; IDEA from federal, $342,464; IDEA Stimulus from federal, $440,545; Safe & Drug Free Schools Grant from federal, $6,273; Title I from federal, $326,889; Title I Stimulus from federal, $183,552; and Title II from federal, $100,685.

In other business, the board:

• Approved, on a 6-3 vote, the payment of $5,566.71 from the McCall grant to George's P&H for plumbing and electric work completed on the high school science lab. Directors Darlene Yeakel, Michael Ballard, Stuart Henritzy, Tina Snyder Dwyer and board President Barry Scherer were in favor. Directors Carl Beiling, Susan Debski and Clarence Myers were opposed.

• Approved, on an 8-1 vote, with Beiling opposed, to award a bid for the piano to Northampton Gallery Piano for $1,500.

• Presented district solicitor Steven Serfass with a certificate of recognition for his service to the district. Serfass had served as the board's solicitor since Aug. of 2000.

• Appointed the law offices of Shulman, Shabbick & Sebelin, Palmerton, as the new school district solicitor, effective Jan. 1, 2010 through June 30, 2010, at an hourly rate of $135 an hour.

• Appointed attorneys Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams for special counsel representation for the 2010-11 fiscal year at their rates quoted in their proposal dated 1/09.

• Approved the FBLA trip to the State Conference in Hershey from April 11-14, 2010.

• Approved Sherrie Fenner, director of curriculum and instruction, to attend the ACAPA Spring Child Accounting Conference at Hershey March 17-19, 2010. The total estimated cost is $754 to be paid for from the Accountability Block Grant.

• Denied reimbursement to Kathy Egan in the amount of $424.20 for expenses and to pay $300 for her attendance at the PAESSP State Conference on Oct. 4-6, 2009.

• Accepted the textbook adoption of World Geography & Cultures, 2008, Grade 11 World Cultures; World History Modern Times, 2008, Honors World Cultures; and United States History, 2010, American Cultures I & II.

• Accepted a laptop with Adobe Design software as a gift from the Avenger student newspaper program.

• Accepted an air purifier for the wrestling room from the family of Nathan Kresge and Lifetime Services.

• Affirmed the code of conduct for members of the Pennsylvania School Board.

• Appointed Jeff Mann as substitute custodian, effective Dec. 16, 2009, at a salary of $8.50 per hour.

• Appointed Robin Snyder as substitute teacher, effective Dec. 16, 2009, at a salary of $70 per day.

• Appointed Peggy Washburn as substitute secretary, effective Dec. 16, 2009, at a salary of $8.45 per hour.

• Appointed Terri Seblin as substitute nurse, effective Dec. 16, 2009, at a salary of $70 per day.

• Appointed Earl Kunkel III as guest teacher, effective Jan. 12, 2010, at a salary of $70 per day.

• Appointed Lori Schaffer as part time secretary, effective Dec. 16, 2009, at a salary of $11.33 per hour.

• Accepted the resignation of Shawn Becker as tennis coach, effective Dec. 15, 2009.

• Appointed Jody McCloud as an assistant girls soccer coach volunteer for the 2009-10 school year.

• Appointed Steve Hicks as assistant girls soccer coach for the 2009-10 school year at a salary of $2,449.

• Appointed Linda Hicks as an assistant girls soccer coach volunteer for the 2009-10 school year.

• Appointed Jennifer Hahn as an assistant girls soccer coach volunteer for the 2009-10 school year.

• Approved tuition reimbursements to Megan Zurn, $1,071; Michael Lengle, $1,071; Roberta Beckley, $803.25; and Suzanne Lawrence, $575.

• Denied the reimbursement request of taxpayer #11541 for his discounted real estate taxes of $43.97.

• Granted homebound instruction for student #16080 for medical reasons, effective Nov. 20, 2009 though/through Dec. 20, 2009.