Blue Ridge schools have always had trouble recruiting qualified coaches for their athletic programs, not surprising for a small rural school district that sponsors 12 sports teams. A year ago the School Board adopted a new way of compensating the coaching staff that hasn’t worked out very well, keeping Blue Ridge near the bottom of the scale compared to other nearby districts. The Board’s Athletics & Activities Committee, before the full business meeting on April 3rd decided on a new approach, and the Board later accepted it.
Superintendent Matthew Button offered three options, each one adding some money to the slices of the pie allocated to each sport. All of them would start coaching salaries next year at (at least) the maximum paid this year. Salaries would rise by 3% per year thereafter. In addition, the season for each sport would be extended through regional competition, if any (wrestling is a notable example), with extra compensation for post-season competition, and bonuses for winners of post-season tournaments. Cheerleading is also boosted to a level similar to other sports. (Coaches who switch sports, or who move between the levels – JV, Junior High, Varsity – would start again at the current level in that category.)
The full School Board approved the committee’s recommendation, which should put Blue Ridge about in the middle of the pack for coaching salaries.
The committee also reviewed options for employing an “Athletic Director/Athletic Trainer.” The Board isn’t likely to spring for 2 separate positions, but the consensus seems to be that the current situation, where the supervisor of athletics is also responsible for managing the District’s transportation system at a minimum annual stipend, just isn’t good enough. Neighboring school districts handle athletics in a variety of ways, but, as Board President Chris Lewis said, “the old-school way of doing it,” with a teacher assigned to the job on a part-time basis, just isn’t working anymore.
The committee seemed to agree on a full-time position for an athletic director for a 260-day year at a salary of between $50,000 and $60,000. Mr. Button said the money could be found from savings accumulated from positions recently eliminated. Administrators will perhaps look for someone qualified as an athletic trainer who could also perform the supervisory tasks of an athletic administrator. Final decision will presumably come before the full Board at a later date.
Before the full School Board launched into its business agenda, Matthew Nebzydoski introduced Principal Peter Supko’s chosen seniors of the month for March. Hunter Vaughn will attend Marywood’s nursing program next year, with further ambitions in the medical field. Tyrell Cheeseboro expects to continue his soccer career at the University of Pittsburgh while studying accounting.
Outstanding senior for March, Hunter Vaughn
Outstanding senior for March, Tyrell Cheeseboro
Elementary School Principal Danelle Decker then introduced her choice for a 5th-grade student with exemplary character, Morgan Thomas who has achieved high honors and likes math. Her other choice, Madison Manzo, could not attend.
Outstanding 5th-grade student Morgan Thomas
An executive session was next. Mr. Lewis reported afterward that the Board is still discussing an agreement with the Susquehanna County Recreation Center organization regarding the cession of a site for the facility. A public “town hall” was held earlier in the year to describe the process. A second was postponed by weather and may yet be forthcoming.
The 19-point business agenda, with two items added at the last minute, was quickly disposed of. In addition to other routine matters, the agenda included the following:
- A list of “early dismissal” days for the current year.
- $140 for a full-page advertisement in the Harford Fair’s annual premium book.
- An agreement with Donna M. Brink (Tier Occupational Therapy Services, PC) for as-needed occupational therapy services for the next school year.
- Approved logistical support for the annual Summer Adventure recreational program on the campus this summer.
- Accepted the resignation of kindergarten teacher April Caruso, and the retirement of custodian Howard Singer, with regret.
- Renewed the lease agreement with the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit #19 for space for the IU’s “Early Intervention” program. The IU will pay the District $4,500 for the space over the next fiscal year.
- Designated Board members Christina Cosmello and Harold Empett as voting delegates at the annual convention of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) in Hershey next October.
- Transferred $30,000 from a maintenance contingency fund to cover the expense of repairing the well-water supply system disrupted by a pump failure last month.
- Agreed with Government Software Services to replace the software used by the tax collectors at a cost of $720 per year.
- Approved a trip by the varsity baseball team to Cooperstown, NY next month.
The Board also approved a long list of updates to its policy manual for 30-day review. Most of the updates bring language into conformance with the latest legislative and regulatory requirements. Some of the highlights:
- A 3-year plan for special education services (now referred to at Blue Ridge as “Student Services”) will be prepared to comply with requirements from the state Department of Education.
- Policies covering students with disabilities are updated to clarify the handling of “incidents” involving violence, drugs and weapons.
- A policy section regarding confidentiality of student information is added.
- A policy covering the “use and training of surrogate parents” brings the policy into compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
- A paragraph is added to the policy covering charter schools to try to limit the liability of the District for the operation of charter schools.
- A policy is added covering “Migrant Students.”
- A new policy establishes the need for a written plan to be developed every 6 years covering “student services” in the K-12 program.
- The policy covering “non-resident students” is updated to reflect “homeless students.”
- Some adjustments are made to the policy covering payments for student meals.
The Blue Ridge District contracts with the PSBA to monitor its policy manual and to recommend changes as necessary. The Board’s policy manual is available for public access through the District’s website.
In fact, almost anything of interest regarding the Blue Ridge School District is available on the website at http://www.brsd.org, including the calendar that shows the Board’s meeting dates. The next one, a workshop that will further consider the new budget, is scheduled for Monday, April 24, 2017 beginning at 7:00pm. Meetings take place in the cafeteria in the Elementary School. And workshops frequently come complete with Linda’s famous soups.