PINE GROVE — Pine Grove Area school board approved purchasing new servers for the district’s surveillance system Thursday by a 9-0 vote.
Buildings and Grounds Committee Chairman David Frew reported there were two servers currently down. The new server system will be able to integrate the current analog devices, as well as updated cameras and equipment.
Frew’s recommendation to buy four, new CCTV servers from Morefield Communications at a cost not to exceed $39,200 was approved. He said the funds to pay for the servers will come from the Capital Projects budget because the district did not receive a grant for which it had applied to help pay for the servers.
In other matters, some accomplished Pine Grove students and their parents were welcomed by the board and introduced by high school Principal Michael Janicelli.
December students of the month, Jesse Todero and Broderick Witmer, and January students of the month, Mackenzie Lesh and Erika Lengle, were recognized by the board for their efforts and each presented with a certificate by board President David Lukasewicz.
In other business, the board approved:
• The following coaches, advisers and stipends, as recommended by Extra-Curricular Committee Chairman Richard Nickel: Mark Wyllie, boys’ soccer, $4,207.50; Brittney Shelton, cross country, $2,700; Jeff Sampson, football, $4,725; Jason Brown, girls’ soccer, $3,825; Paul Felty, golf, $2,835; Heather Leininger, volunteer junior high cheerleading adviser; Keith Lehman, baseball, $4,016.25; Ryan Leffler, softball, $3,825; and Eric Kurtz, track and field, $4,016.25.
• The Schuylkill Technology Center 2016-17 budget, with Pine Grove’s share at $547,580.
• The 2016-17 Pine Grove Area School District calendar, as recommended by Curriculum Committee Chairperson Evelyn Wassel. Lukasewicz said the first day of classes for students will be Aug. 29.
• The following personnel actions, as recommended by Lukasewicz: granting Sarah Gaffney five days leave without pay from Jan. 4 through Jan. 8; the following volunteers in the district schools: Alicia Lucas, Sarah Jones, Vicki Ann Barry, Kimberly Devine, Sarah Boltz, James Bonawitz, Krystal Bonawitz, Kenneth Smith, Julie Koehler, Angela Ruddy, Lisa Zimmerman, Tammy Hikes, Amber Hunter and Rachel Snyder; adding Misty Bohr to the list of approved support staff substitutes; adding students Lindsey Carl, Lindsey Weikel and Nathan Neff to the list of cleaning substitutes; hiring Lindsey Demcher as a cleaning person to be paid $11.50 per hour with all benefits in accordance with the AFSCME contract; granting leave without pay for Samantha Burns, until medically cleared; hiring Billie Jo Wolfe as the health room technician in the middle school, to be paid $15.80 per hour, with all benefits in accordance with the AFSCME contract; adding Terry Derfler to the approved driver’s list.
The board tabled a request to hire Susan Barr as a part-time, salaried confidential secretary/board recording secretary at a salary of $20,000 pro-rated and to receive benefits as per the administrative contract. She was scheduled to begin work Jan. 22. This position has been vacant for about a month.
Student board representative Delany Hunter offered a report announcing upcoming JROTC activities, and information on yearbooks and kindergarten registration.
Superintendent Kendy Hinkel did not attend the meeting. In her absence, Lukasewicz read her report, which was to receive, review and file Administrative Policy 15-002, on “Schuylkill County Radio Power Point 16;” and a request from a doctoral candidate to conduct educational research in the district.
The board entered into an executive session to discuss personnel issues. A policy committee meeting was also to follow.