SV to implement class dues for Class of 2025 onward
SHENANDOAH – The Shenandoah Valley School Board approved the implementation of class dues to offset costs of caps and gowns, as well as fundraising, at Wednesday’s meeting.
The board voted 5-0 to approve the measure, which Superintendent Brian Waite says would require students to pay $50 split over two years.
“We’re starting at a slow pace,” Waite said. “We’re looking to implement it in the start of their junior year because of the number of kids we have coming in and we want to make sure that those kids that come in by their junior year could start paying.”
“It’ll help offset some of the costs that they have,” Waite said. For the most part, he said, it will be used to cover the costs of caps and gowns.
He also said that some classes have been struggling with fundraising, which has historically helped offset costs of yearbooks, caps and gowns, and other activities.
Some schools have already implemented class dues, including North Schuylkill, which, requires class dues of $65 for both junior year and senior year, $130 total. Fundraising can offset those costs at North Schuylkill.
Additionally, schools in other parts of the state, including Whitehall and Northern Lehigh in the Lehigh Valley, also require class dues.
In other business, the school board approved advertising for bids to replace the current wooden bleachers at Veterans Memorial Stadium with aluminum bleachers. In the same motion, the school approved seeking bids for the replacement of the concrete stairs leading from Stadium Road to the rear of the high school gym, as well as the addition of a handicapped parking space at the rear of the school.
The board also approved the purchase of a 2019 all-sport enclosed trailer at a cost of $8,500.
That trailer will replace the district’s aging marching band equipment truck.
In other business, the school board approved:
- the following agreements
- Agreement for Participation in the Child Nutrition Program
- Behavioral Health Associates (BHA)
- CRNP Margaret Swanson
- Interpretek
- Justice Works/Children and Youth MOU
- 2023-24 Health and Safety Plan
- Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29/LIEP Service Agreement
- Shenandoah Valley Language Instruction Education Program
- Title I Agreement
- the Schuylkill County Guest Teacher Program:
- James Bankes
- Ron Brown
- Angelina Fritz
- Kelly Griffin
- Deb Gogno
- Andrea Markiewicz
- Alexa Murray
- Ronald Rightus
- Michael Roberts
- Abigail Snitzer;
- retroactively, the 28 day public review period for the Shenandoah Valley Jr./Sr. High School A-TSI Plan and Elementary TSI Plan, and conditionally approve final approval and submission to PDE;
- the 2023-24 Elementary student handbook and 2023-24 High School student handbook, curriculum handbook, and attendance handbook;
- the disposition of obsolete computers and equipment to KVS Computers;
- a settlement agreement and release for two students;
- Western Governors University student teacher Disneyanna Ledda for the fall of 2023;
- the first reading of PSBA developed policies;
- a letter of resignation from Bethany Harrison, Elementary teacher, and retroactively, posting and advertising the position;
- a letter of resignation from Beth Kaczmarczyk, high school special education teacher, hold 60 days or until replacement is hired, whichever is first, and retroactively, posting and advertising;
- the hiring of Karen Dunne as an Elementary ESL teacher at Bachelor’s Step 6 salary ($46,480), pending receipt of clearances and certification;
- the following coaching and extracurricular appointments:
- Joe Lazarchick, pending receipt of clearances, as an assistant varsity football coach at a salary of $3,250;
- Britney Bidding as an assistant band director at a salary of $1,400;
- Revising the salary of assistant band director Christopher Circelli to $1,200;
- Revising the salary of assistant band director Joseph Swartz to $500;
- Craig Shoener as a band assistant volunteer;
- Zachary Pribish, pending receipt of clearances, as a boys soccer volunteer coach;
- Cory Houser, pending receipt of clearances, as a boys basketball volunteer coach;
- Marc Twardzik, pending receipt of clearances, as a boys basketball volunteer coach;
- the following support staff appointments:
- Jonathan Levandusky as a full-time custodian, retroactive to August 7;
- Jordyn Troutman as a full-time autistic paraprofessional;
- Selena Gamez as a part-time paraprofessional, pending receipt of clearances;
- Timothy Johnson as permanent 5-hour housekeeping, pending receipt of clearances;
- a letter of resignation from Nicole DeGregor, 5-hour housecleaning, and retroactively, posting and advertising;
- requests for transportation for the 2023-24 school year;
- bus stops for the 2023-24 school year, including changes in route and stops for Frackville bus run.
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