Weatherly board approves new contract for superintendent

The Weatherly Area school board approved a new five-year contract for its superintendent, Teresa Young, even though 15 months still remained on her current contract.

Young, whose current contract expires in March 2020, was praised by several board members.

“I’ve seen nothing but good things happen since you were hired,” said board member Brian O’Donnell. “I look forward to continuing to work with you.”

Young is most notably the creative force behind the proposed project to switch the high school and middle schools. She thanked the board for its support.

Her current salary is $106,000 per year. It will increase to $112,000 in March 2019, when her new contract takes effect, and to $118,000 for the 2020-21 fiscal year. Her salary will then be at the discretion of the board based on performance reviews.

In other business, the board hired Thomas J. Major as a school police officer. Major is a retired state trooper. His salary will be paid for by a state grant for the first three years.

High school English teacher Maria Whitley reported on her trip to Houston to attend and present at the National Council of Teaching English convention. Whitley presented at the conference on micro poetry, sharing her experience of using photographs as the medium on which to write micro poems.

The board also approved payment of bills totaling nearly $2 million for November.

The board announced that bids for the planned construction project will be opened at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 18 in the middle school LGI room.

The process is open to the public.