COAL TOWNSHIP - Change at the top of Shamokin Area's administration led to a reshuffling of positions Tuesday.
Business Manager Stephen Curran's resignation effective April 1 was accepted by the school board during its monthly meeting.
A Minersville resident with deep roots in Schuylkill County, Curran worked nearly 10 years at Shamokin Area. He accepted a job last week at Pottsville Area, which he will begin full-time July 1.
"I've got mixed emotions," said Curran.
Reflecting briefly on his time at Shamokin Area, he cited building and maintenance projects and curriculum changes as positive projects with which he was involved. "I'm proud of what we did here," he said.
Curran's salary in 2012-13 is $94,287.08. He'll earn $98,200 next year at Pottsville Area.
Karen Colangelo, former federal programs coordinator and assistant elementary principal, was promoted as his replacement effective
today. She will continue with dual roles, only now as business manager and federal programs coordinator.
Colangelo will earn a beginning salary of $87,000 plus benefits as part of a three-year contract, up from the $75,010.74 in her former role. She will retain her seniority and has an option to return to a different administrative position.
Curran said he has already begun helping Colangelo transition into her new role and will continue to do so until his last day. As federal programs coordinator, he said she already has ample experience in budgeting federal funding.
Shannon Fetterman, second grade teacher, was appointed as acting assistant elementary principal, also effective today. She will leave her classroom, at least in the interim, and will be replaced by a substitute teacher, Director Ron McElwee said after the meeting.
Fetterman holds bachelor's and master's degrees and also has K-12 principal certification, according to the district website. Her $50,003 salary will remain unchanged, according to the meeting agenda.
In other business, the school board voted to:
- Push back the last day of school from June 6 to June 7, which will be an Act 80 day;
- Move a bus stop at Shamokin and Pine streets to Shamokin and Chestnut streets, and a bus stop at Mulberry and Pearl streets to Chestnut and Pearl streets;
- Adopt revised policies on middle school curriculum and student promotion and retention;
- Approve a job description for armed school police officers with power of arrest;
- Pass Resolution honoring the late LaRue Beck, a longtime school board member and school district figure who passed away last month;
- Permit the high school band to perform at Dixie Classical Festival and Adjudication in Virginia in April at no cost to the district;
- Approve a Saturday PSSA Reviews program for fifth- and sixth-grade students from 9 to 11 a.m. March 9, 16 and 25, and seek four teachers for math and reading lessons at an hourly rate of $18.50. Mary Teresa Komara, elementary principal, expects approximately 40 students to participate. At least 75 had participated in past reviews which were open to third- and fourth-grade students before federal funding for the lessons were slashed.
The board also voted to:
- Enter another consulting agreement with Fit for Funds LLC to develop a run-a-thon fundraiser, for which they will receive 10 percent of collections but no less than $500. The firm organized a fundraiser for the district last spring;
- Appoint teachers Donna Nahodil and Colette Long as after-school elementary tutors at $18.50 per hour;
- Hire Sol Bidding and Jerry Cavanaugh as independent contractors to provide security at $9 an hour, working as necessary;
- Approve elementary field trips at no cost to the district, with dates to be confirmed shortly: K4, Red Deer Farm; kindergarten, T&D Cats of the World, Penns Creek; first grade, Lake Tobias Wildlife Park, Halifax; second grade, Montour Preserve, Washingtonville; third grade, Zoo America and Chocolate World, Hershey; fourth grade, Harrisburg; fifth grade, Camp Victory-Nature's Classroom, Millville; sixth grade, to be determined.