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DILLONVALE -- A recent agreement with its teachers' union and upcoming projects topped the Sept. 18 Buckeye Local Board of Education meeting.
Gen Varkony, president of the Buckeye Local Classroom Teachers Association, thanked the board for approving the pact with the union during a Sept. 7 special session. The board had passed the plan, which included some pay increases to meet a state law change mandating a $35,000 minimum teachers' salary that was included in the state biennial budget.
Superintendent Coy Sudvary said the change impacted 21 employees' steps on the district salary schedule, but teachers who were not affected received a comparable increase as well. The change was effective for the 2023-24 year.
"We complied with state standards and have taken steps to make sure it was corrected," Sudvary added. "This has been an issue in other districts, as well."
In other business:
≤ District Maintenance Supervisor Tony Panepucci updated officials on work on the sewer plant at the high school to replace a majority of the functions during the next week. Panepucci also hoped to see repairs begin soon on the mechanical systems of bleachers in the Panther gym;
≤ Resolutions were passed in personnel matters to employ Courtney Miller as a part-time teacher and Stephanie Waggoner as a teacher on one-year limited contracts; to correct a measure reflecting the supplemental duty of Sam Jones as bowling club co-adviser; to name 21st Century Grant After School Program Site Coordinators Amy McCutcheon at Buckeye North Elementary, Kelley Novak at South and Julie Packer at West; to employ returning substitutes Sarah Lewton and Johni Miller as educational aides and Franki McNeil as a cook/educational aide; add new substitutes Jenna Carpenter and Amanda Dickey as cooks/educational aides/secretaries, Stefanie Lindsay as an educational aide and Carrie Smith as a cook; to give supplemental duties to Jason Merryman as assistant boys and girls track coach at Buckeye Local Junior High, Amanda Gruber as sophomore class adviser, Hannah Shaheen as freshman class adviser and Ryan Ighnat as academic challenge adviser at the high schol; to employ Gary Dulkoski as eighth-grade girls basketball coach and Amanda Polanski as seventh-grade girls basketball coac; Jim Lish, volunteer bowling coach; Jabari Williams, assistant boys track coach; Albert Stock, assistant girls track coach; Timothy Jacob and Luke Vinci, assistant baseball coaches; J.D. Barath, Alan Burkett and Matthew Scott, volunteer baseball coaches; Joe Soos and Brooklynn Miller and Amanda Polanski, assistant softball coaches; and Tori Luyster and Trevor Zanes, volunteer softball coaches, all at the high schoo. Officials also accepted resignations from teacher Lauren Neer and junior high girls basketball coach Gary Dulkowski, as well as the retirement of longtime teacher Robert Fetty Jr. effective May 31. Sudvary thanked Fetty for his service and said he has been an integral part of the school community;
• District Treasurer Merri Matthews reported that a new condensing unit would be purchased for South Elementary, which has faced issues with its walk-in freezer;
• The board approved permanent appropriations for Fiscal Year 2024.
• The board approved an agreement with the Jefferson County Juvenile Court School Liaison Program through Aug. 31;
• The second reading was approved on a series of board policies;
• The board mentioned the involvement of the BLHS Marching Band and Buckeye North students at the Wellsburg Bridge dedication on Sept. 20, with Sudvary calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime" event;
• Officials recognized 2023 Homecoming Court members Sam Ankrom, Pam Kandrach, Lizzie Stock, Tessah Zeroski, Brynn McKeever, Shayleigh Hornyak, Carson Basich, Nathan Long, Noah Jock, A.J. Devore, Ryder Colabelli and Skyler Ebright. The king will be crowned during the powder puff game Wednesday at 6 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium with the queen to be named at the homecoming game on Friday at 7 p.m. The dance is scheduled for Saturday at the high school.