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Wismar reflects on school; athletic director resigns |
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Friday, 11 July 2008 |
Outgoing high school principal Donald Wismar reflected on his years with the Johnsonburg School District at last night's Johnsonburg School Board meeting. Director of Athletics Curt Breakey, Assistant Director of Athletics Lisa Mahoney and cross country coach Eric Lowry handed in their resignations.
By Heidi Zemach
Special to The Record
JOHNSONBURG – The Johnsonburg School Board said farewell to High School Principal Donald Wismar, who resigned last month to take a job with Intermediate Unit 9, and presented a service award to visiting retired schoolteacher Jim Hart at last night's meeting.
Superintendent Walt Fitch thanked Wismar for the last five years at Johnsonburg High School. Wismar was instrumental in bringing about student data-driven instruction, Fitch said, and as a result, the students kept their grades up and made AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) despite the tests getting more difficult each year. Wismar also wrote two Classrooms for the Future grants that brought the school $100,000 each, keeping the district at “the edge of technology,” Fitch said.
Wismar went over his own record, including achieving AYP in reading and math, but credited the grades with such things as new student assessments, a number of tutoring programs that include in-school and after-school tutoring and a computer-driven program called Study Island. During his time the class schedule was changed, and the testing atmosphere was made more relaxed by feeding students breakfast, and keeping them in their classrooms, Wismar noted.
“I’m proud of my kids and hope they keep it up,” Wismar said.
When students arrive in the school they will find some changes to the school handbook that were approved during the meeting. Now, they will be allowed to access their lockers at the beginning and end of each period because of the new Blue and Gold scheduling. But students with purses will have to keep them underneath their seats, to make it more difficult to sneak out prohibited cell phones and send text messages.
During public comments Eric Lowry, a teacher and coach, said at the last meeting a friend, and fellow coach, had stuck her neck out for him, and had received flack for doing so. Please consider retaining her as head coach, he asked. “She does a nice job for the kids and deserves to keep her job,” Lowry said.
Following a 1-hour and 50-minute executive session to discuss personnel matters, the board recommended to accept with regret the resignations of Lisa Mahoney as Assistant Athletic Director and Curt Breakey as Athletic Director. They also accepted the resignation of Eric Lowry as cross country coach. The district will extend the deadline, and re-advertise the athletic director position. The board also added Michael Votano to the substitute teachers list for the coming year; recommended extending the deadline for accepting the high school principal applications until August 1st. The board voted 5-3 to hire Melinda Lindburgh as a Kindergarten teacher for one year only at a salary of $38,500, with board members Wolfe, Shipe and Launer voting against the hire. The board also hired Mike Haight for Mr. Cortez for $105 per day.
The board voted to approve a number of volunteer volleyball, soccer, and boys basketball coaches for the upcoming school year. They chose Butter-Krust Baking Company as the bread vendor, and Galliker’s Dairy Company as milk vendor for the upcoming school year. The cost of providing school lunches is increasing by an anticipated $10,000. Elementary lunches will increase by 15 cents to $1.50; high school lunches will increase from $1.50 to $1.75. Salad bowl lunches will increase 50 cents to $2 and more. Adult meals will be charged ala carte, depending upon the food purchased.
As in the past 4 to 5 months, there was a strong showing of support for the school cafeteria workers. About seven people stayed for the first few hours to let the school board know they don’t want their local workers replaced by a private company from Pittsburgh. Their representative, Beth Thowart, said the union continues to negotiate with the district and is seeing some progress. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 14 July 2008 )
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