Williams Valley addresses bullying
Published: February 4, 2010
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share thisTOWER CITY – Bullies beware.
The Williams Valley School District is amping up its attention to halt bullying behavior among its pupils, especially with high school aged students.
Superintendent Olga Ehrhart told the school board Jan. 28 that several parents had approached the district with concerns about their children being bullied. In response, the district is planning to have informational sessions for parents in the evening and special programs during the school day for its students. Although no specific date has been set yet, parents will be getting letters within the coming weeks as more details are finalized.
Ehrhart said High School Principal Chris Cooper and Assistant High School Principal Gwen Mostellar have been speaking with Craig LeCadre, a representative with the state’s Attorney General’s office. A meeting with LeCadre was scheduled Feb. 2 with the district administration, Ehrhart confirmed.
An anti-bullying program is already in place at the elementary levels in grades kindergarten through sixth, Ehrhart said, but hasn’t been targeted as much in the upper grades.
“We need to reinforce the program at the high school,” she said.
In other action, the board:
• Approved Robert W. Baird & Co. of Exton, PA, as the financial advisor for the district. Baird was the district’s financial advisor for the 2009 Tax and Revenue Anticipation Note. The fee will be $7,200, only if bonds are issued, and that will include out-of-pocket expenses.
• Held a 10-minute executive session to discuss personnel and student matters.
• Approved Assistant Softball Coach Ryan Underkoffler of Williamstown, Head Jr. High Softball Coach Mandi Jobe of Williamstown, and Volunteer Softball Coach Ben Machamer of Williamstown.
• Approved Brian Unger of Tower City as Assistant Jr. High Softball Coach by a 3-2 vote. Directors Wendy Matter and John M. McCready voted against the motion. Board members Jill Johns, Angela Miller, Charles Rodichok, and Richard J. Updegrove were absent. Directors Tracey L. Minnich, Gail Ruch, and Daniel Stroup approved Unger.
• Approved the second and final readings of the following policy changes: Policy 915, Booster Organizations; and Policy 707 and 707.1 on Facility Usage and the Facility Usage Procedure Manual.
• Approved a request without pay Jan. 12-15 and Jan. 18-20 for Elementary Teacher Monica Romberger.
• Approved Jeremy Stricker of Pine Grove as a substitute teacher (elementary certification) for the 2009-10 school year.
• Approved hiring Ronald Minnich of Tower City and Wendell Altland of Williamstown as substitute custodians for the 2009-10 school year.
• Approved contracting the services of Dr. Evelyn Wassel from IU-29 to provide technology coaching for teachers in grades 5-8 from Jan. 18 to June 11, 2010 at a cost of $17,000. The cost of her services is paid from the CFF grant the district received.
• Approved the continued participation in the 21st Century Community Learning Center Program that provides after school learning opportunities for students. The upcoming grant will provide options for students in grades 9-12. Ehrhart said there are several components to the grant, including an educational focus on homework, art and craft activities, physical activities, and community service opportunities. The grant total has not yet been determined, she said.
• Authorized Glace Associates, Inc., of Camp Hill, to proceed with Option 4 of the Feasibility Study presented at the Jan. 14 board meeting on the high school sewage project. Option 4 is the installation of a force main to pump the flow from the treatment plant at the existing manhole behind the elementary school. The force main would run along the existing district’s access drive. This is according to the engineer’s recommendation. The next step is preparation of the preliminary design by Glace.
• Heard Ruch ask about the district’s transportation contract and the suggested use of a placard in all rear bus windows, indicting that the driver had checked the bus and it was vacant prior to the driver leaving the bus.
• Discussed the possibility of having weighted grades for advanced courses at the high school. Information is expected to be presented at the next board meeting.
• Approved the following rental requests from the PTO, with fees waived: Elementary Gym, Saturday, April 10 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Talent Show try-outs; and Thursday and Friday, March 18-19 from 3 to 9 p.m. for a curriculum fair.
• Approved fundraisers for the Viking Band, the Enrichment & European History Class, and the Class of 2010.
• Approved a resolution certifying that the board will adopt a 2010-11 general fund budget with tax increases not to exceed the Act 1 limit. More details on a preliminary budget will follow.
• Approved sponsorship of a $50 Golden Program Ad in the Female Scholar Athlete Program.
