Weller chosen as WVHS principal

TOWER CITY - Williams Valley School Board has selected a Lancaster woman as the district's new high school principal.

The board approved hiring Tracey Weller at an annually salary of $76,000 at its December 20 meeting. Director Tedd Johns cast the only dissenting vote. Board members Angela Miller and Chris Stroup were absent.

Superintendent Dr. Donald Burkhardt had been serving as acting high school principal since August 2012 at no increase in pay, until the position could be filled. Dr. B. Chris Cooper is currently serving as junior high school principal.

Weller had been a junior high communication arts teacher in the Lancaster School district, and later became an instructional facilitator and literacy coach at Reynolds Middle School, also in the Lancaster area. She became an assistant principal in Warwick High School in 2009, and also worked as supervisor of special education, and in the Music and English departments at Warwick. Weller was responsible for student behavior in grades 9 through 11 while in that capacity.

She graduated from Shippensburg University in 1996 with a BA in English, achieved a masters for leadership/teaching and learning from Millersville University, and is presently in a doctoral program at Immaculata.

According to Jolene Smith, Assistant to the Superintendent, Weller will start at Williams Valley sometime after the new year, probably in January, although no exact starting date has been set yet depending upon the completion of her previous duties.

In other business, the board:

- presented a pewter plate to retiree Jack Forney, an elementary school custodian, for his 15 years of service to the district.

- presented a certificate to student Jacob Carl for scoring 1240 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

- heard end-of-season reports from coaches Hannah Schwak, volleyball; Karestin Davis, football cheerleading; and Seth Shuey, soccer.

The board also approved the following:

- Substitute teachers for the 2012-13 school year: Guest teacher: Robert Beruck of Pottsville and Teacher: Andrew Rothermel of Millersburg (Certified in Health & Phys. Ed).

- The hiring of Volunteer Assistant Wrestling Coach for the 2012-13 school year: James Deiter of Tower City.

- Homebound instruction for an elementary student beginning 12/19/12 and extending for six weeks as per the submitted doctor's paper. Homebound Instructor: Carla Wynn.

- The purchase of cafeteria equipment.

- Rental requests as submitted, waiving rental and custodial fees.

- The formation of a Diversity Club in the Jr.-Sr. High School. The club is to be used as a tool to promote acceptance of differences among students. Annual dues will not be collected. Advisor: Rhonda Moyer.

- Fund-raiser requests as submitted.

- A Letter of Agreement for the provision of Student Assistance Services between the district and Schuylkill County

MH/DS/D & A Program (Effective: 1/1/13 thru 12/31/13).

The next public board meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013.

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