Shenandoah Valley looking to start school police force
SHENANDOAH – The Shenandoah Valley School District is looking to hire two police officers as they look to start their own police force.
The district’s board of education voted to post and advertise for two school police officers.
Currently, a school resource officer is provided to the district by the Shenandoah Borough Police Department, in addition to security employed by the district.
Superintendent Brian Waite said they intend to continue that relationship with borough police.
Neither Waite or board President Dan Salvadore had a cost estimate for how much starting the department would cost.
“I think every penny is worth it,” Salvadore said. “All you need to do is use them one time and everything’s paid for.”
“We will apply for grants too,” Business Manager Anthony Demalis added.
“We believe it’s a better way for us to go, to continue to maintain the safety and health and welfare of our students,” Waite said.
Shenandoah Valley is not the first school district in the area to bring police services in-house. Mahanoy Area launched a police department earlier this school year, and Hazleton Area has had a police department for many years.
While Mahanoy Area and Hazleton Area both have a car for the department, Shenandoah Valley does not plan to purchase a vehicle initially. Hazleton has a geographically large district with buildings spread out throughout, while Mahanoy Area’s educational buildings are in one campus on Mahanoy City’s east end.
In other business, the school board approved:
- Letters of agreement with Behavioral Health Associates, Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit, and The Meadows Psychiatric Center;
- The first reading of PSBA developed policies;
- A memorandum of understanding for reunification/incident command center/police;
- Schuylkill County Guest Teacher Program for Alexa Murray;
- A conference request for Angie Brayford to attend STEM CON and Beyond;
- Posting and advertising for an autistic support special education teacher for 2023-24;
- Hiring Allyson McGinley as a special education teacher for 2023-24 at a salary of $45,310;
- Retroactively; consortium electricity purchasing with WGL Energy for a 24-month term between July 2023 and June 2025;
- The 2023-24 Schuylkill Intermediate Unit general operating budget;
- The 2023-24 Schuylkill Technology Center secondary budget;
- A stipulation with Rite Aid regarding the assessed value of the pharmacy property in Shenandoah;
- Appointment of the following coaches:
- Joe Michalik (retroactive), head softball coach, for $4,450;
- Michele Bereschak (retroactive), assistant softball coach, for $2,550;
- Mark Mamrosh (retroactive), assistant softball coach, for $2,550;
- Rick Werner (retroactive), head track coach, for $4,450;
- Cathy Crawford (retroactive), assistant track coach, for $2,550;
- Megan Mehalick (retroactive), assistant track coach, for $2,550;
- Chris Chaklos (retroactive), volunteer baseball coach;
- Diego Salmeron, soccer, to be determined;
- Felipe Gasca, soccer, to be determined;
- Junior Menjivar, soccer, to be determined;
- Athletic directors Chris Conroy and Jeff Maksimik to attend the 2023 PSADA annual conference;
- Retroactively, the resignations and posting of the following positions:
- Rose Ann Chowanes, two hour cafeteria aid;
- Zeneyda Cruz, five hour housekeeping;
- Termination of two support staff employees and posting and advertising for part-time paraprofessionals;
- The following support staff appointments:
- Vicky Guydish, kitchen floater for four hours daily;
- Grace Kenesky, point-of-sale/inventory assistant for five and a half hours daily;
- Patricia Mummey, permanent cafeteria aid, two hours daily;
- Joshua Zbyradowski, full-time kitchen custodian, seven and a half hours daily;
- Building usage requests:
- Lady Blue Devils Basketball for the high school gym;
- Polish American Fire Company for the bus garage;
- SHINE Summer Camp for the high school gym and classrooms;
- Posting and advertising for three full-time autistic support paraprofessionals.
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