Personnel changes in Jim Thorpe schools

The Board of Education for the Jim Thorpe Area School District met Monday night for a regular board meeting and took a number of actions that will add new teachers and coaches to the school district. All of the additions were either substitutes for other teachers or replacements for teachers or coaches that had recently resigned. No hire added to the district's personnel district for the 2009-2010 school year.

Derick Reis was approved for a position as assistant baseball coach with a per-season salary of $1,575. Janet Farra was hired as assistant boys' tennis coach at a salary of $1,180 for the season. Farra served as a volunteer coach for the team last year.

A resignation was accepted from Sue Ellen Andreas, assistant softball coach. Anna Leigh Rowlands was hired as assistant softball coach at a per-season salary of $1,575.

Jacki Kemmerer was hired as a substitute instructional assistant for Pre-K Counts Program at $11 per hour.

Mary Blay was hired as a long-term substitute for Grade 1 at the Penn-Kidder campus at a pro-rated annual salary of $39,960.

In other board business, the board moved to extend the school year through June 8, 2010, to make up for days lost to snow. Board member Randall Smith was the only board member to vote against the motion, arguing that extending the school year after commencement, which will occur on June 4, would be problematic.

District Superintendent Barbara Conway argued that there were no other available dates unless the board wanted to cancel holidays such as Good Friday, the Monday following Easter or Memorial Day, any of whicBoard members Smith, Gerald Strubinger and board president Dennis McGinley urged Conway to look into getting permission from the state to for the district to miss the days as they were lost during a winter emergency. She said she would look into it.

Students will not be in class this Friday, March 12, due to an in-service teacher training day.