Peters Township School Board
• Date: Dec. 20
• Action: During a special meeting, the school board approved the transfer of Beth Walsh from fifth-grade teacher to enrichment/gifted teacher at McMurray Elementary School, beginning the second semester of this school year.
Elizabeth Wardzinsky, a third-grade teacher at Bower Hill Elementary School, was placed on unpaid leave from Jan. 21 through Feb. 18.
The board accepted the Pennsylvania CARES Cohort V grant of $6,000 for the Pleasant Valley Elementary Olweus Bulling Prevention Program. Only third-graders will be interviewed.
The board approved a preventive maintenance service agreement with Tri-State Fitness Inc. for $1,000 for the inspection of weight room equipment in the Peters Township High School weight room. The agreement includes four on-site visits to ensure proper equipment operation and safety.
The board approved a contract with McIlvried, DiDiano and Mox to conduct a land and underground utility location survey for Pleasant Valley athletic field for $14,250. The report is expected in January and was requested by the district's architect, HHSDR, as a prerequisite for preparing bid specifications.
A contract with GeoMechanics Inc. for $14,700 was approved to conduct 12 test bore drillings at McMurray Elementary School to determine the depth and thickness of expansive soil materials. The building is sound, said Dan Solomon, district business manager. However, some slight elevation rises have been noted. Results will determine if and when any corrective action is needed.
• Next meeting: The next regular board meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18. The board will hold its annual joint meeting with Peters Township Council at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 in council chambers. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Safety Update E-mail from Peters Township School District
Safety Update from PTSD
As we continue to work with the Peters Township Police to improve the safety of our schools and community, we want to make parents aware of a possible child luring attempt in our community near Hedgerow Drive. The attempt involved a man with a dog approaching a young girl in our community.
See comments from Chief Fruecht in the Observer Reporter.
Once again, we stress the importance of having an ongoing conversation with your child about safety and strangers. Please be proactive and review your general safety rules and the importance of making safe choices - review your expectations when it comes to strangers, walking to and from the bus stop, responding to a person knocking at the front door, answering the phone, and playing in the neighborhood.
When addressing the topic it is important to be specific about how children can be safe and make good choices. Examples include practicing:
1. How to answer the phone and being careful with what you say.
2. What to do if someone besides a family member knocks on the door.
3. What to do if a person tells you they need help to look for a missing dog or carrying something from their car.
While you as parents may want to address the specific instance of the man with a dog, you should also keep the conversation general so children can transfer their knowledge regarding the need to be safe to many different environments. We will all work together to keep our children safe.
Respectfully,
Dr. Nina Zetty
As we have shared in the past, below are some useful resources for talking with children about safety:
http://www.kidsgrowth.com/resources/articledetail.cfm?id=1755
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=7305
As we continue to work with the Peters Township Police to improve the safety of our schools and community, we want to make parents aware of a possible child luring attempt in our community near Hedgerow Drive. The attempt involved a man with a dog approaching a young girl in our community.
See comments from Chief Fruecht in the Observer Reporter.
Once again, we stress the importance of having an ongoing conversation with your child about safety and strangers. Please be proactive and review your general safety rules and the importance of making safe choices - review your expectations when it comes to strangers, walking to and from the bus stop, responding to a person knocking at the front door, answering the phone, and playing in the neighborhood.
When addressing the topic it is important to be specific about how children can be safe and make good choices. Examples include practicing:
1. How to answer the phone and being careful with what you say.
2. What to do if someone besides a family member knocks on the door.
3. What to do if a person tells you they need help to look for a missing dog or carrying something from their car.
While you as parents may want to address the specific instance of the man with a dog, you should also keep the conversation general so children can transfer their knowledge regarding the need to be safe to many different environments. We will all work together to keep our children safe.
Respectfully,
Dr. Nina Zetty
As we have shared in the past, below are some useful resources for talking with children about safety:
http://www.kidsgrowth.com/resources/articledetail.cfm?id=1755
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=7305
Monday, December 13, 2010
Luring attempt reported: O-R 12-13-10
Luring attempt reported
12/11/2010 3:33 AM
Peters Township police are commending a 13-year-old student following an incident at a school bus stop Wednesday afternoon.
Peters Township police Chief Harry Fruecht said the girl got off the bus and saw a man with a dog standing near the intersection of Hedgerow and Longleaf drives.
According to the girl, the man, whom she did not know, asked her to come to him and pet his dog, as his "dog liked her."
Fruecht said the girl walked in the other direction and immediately told her parent about the incident upon reaching her home.
The man did not follow the girl, Fruecht said, and left with the boxer-type dog in a white work van that was parked on Hedgerow Drive.
Fruecht said the girl did exactly as she should have by not responding to the man and reporting the incident to an adult.
"I think parents constantly need to address safety issues with their kids and how they need to respond to situations like this one, how to respond to strangers," Fruecht said.
The man was white and about 40 years of age. No additional description was available.
"She did a great job, and so did the parents," Fruecht said of the situation. "I think the girl responded very appropriately, refusing this man's comment and reporting it to her parents, who reported it to police." Copyright Observer Publishing Co.
12/11/2010 3:33 AM
Peters Township police are commending a 13-year-old student following an incident at a school bus stop Wednesday afternoon.
Peters Township police Chief Harry Fruecht said the girl got off the bus and saw a man with a dog standing near the intersection of Hedgerow and Longleaf drives.
According to the girl, the man, whom she did not know, asked her to come to him and pet his dog, as his "dog liked her."
Fruecht said the girl walked in the other direction and immediately told her parent about the incident upon reaching her home.
The man did not follow the girl, Fruecht said, and left with the boxer-type dog in a white work van that was parked on Hedgerow Drive.
Fruecht said the girl did exactly as she should have by not responding to the man and reporting the incident to an adult.
"I think parents constantly need to address safety issues with their kids and how they need to respond to situations like this one, how to respond to strangers," Fruecht said.
The man was white and about 40 years of age. No additional description was available.
"She did a great job, and so did the parents," Fruecht said of the situation. "I think the girl responded very appropriately, refusing this man's comment and reporting it to her parents, who reported it to police." Copyright Observer Publishing Co.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Peters Township School Board Notes: O-R 12-9-10
Peters Township School Board
• Date: Dec. 6
• Action: The board re-elected Diane Ritter as president with Cindy Golembiewski as vice president.
The board recognized the boys' soccer team, whose members won the WPIAL championship, and the girls' soccer team, winners of the WPIAL who went on to win the state title.
The board approved the resignation of Beverly Hall as director of curriculum, effective within the next two months.
Also approved was an extension of a paid medical leave for Thomas Hajzus, from Jan. 1 to June 30. Hajzus' assignment was changed from high school principal to assistant to the superintendent for operations on July 1. He has been on paid medical leave since March 1, and his salary is more than $121,000. Board members Tom McMurray and Mark Buzzatto voted no to extend the leave.
The board announced that meetings will be held at 7:30 p.m. the third Monday of each month with the exception of January and February, when the meetings will be held at 7:30 p.m. the Tuesday following the third Monday.
• Next meeting: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18
• Date: Dec. 6
• Action: The board re-elected Diane Ritter as president with Cindy Golembiewski as vice president.
The board recognized the boys' soccer team, whose members won the WPIAL championship, and the girls' soccer team, winners of the WPIAL who went on to win the state title.
The board approved the resignation of Beverly Hall as director of curriculum, effective within the next two months.
Also approved was an extension of a paid medical leave for Thomas Hajzus, from Jan. 1 to June 30. Hajzus' assignment was changed from high school principal to assistant to the superintendent for operations on July 1. He has been on paid medical leave since March 1, and his salary is more than $121,000. Board members Tom McMurray and Mark Buzzatto voted no to extend the leave.
The board announced that meetings will be held at 7:30 p.m. the third Monday of each month with the exception of January and February, when the meetings will be held at 7:30 p.m. the Tuesday following the third Monday.
• Next meeting: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
PT board: Policy for opening coach positions routine: O-R 12-7-10
PT board: Policy for opening coach positions routine
12/7/2010 3:30 AM
McMURRAY - Whether coaches' positions were routinely opened and posted was a topic of discussion among members of Peters Township School Board during a meeting Monday.
Superintendent Nina Zetty responded to the question by board member Mark Buzzatto that all extracurricular or extra-duty positions are listed as open annually after the conclusion of the event or sporting season.
In the past, Zetty said, all positions, with the exception of coaches, were opened and then posted for anyone who wished to be considered for the job. The extracurricular positions, including coaches, are customarily hired on a yearly basis.
During a sponsor's season-end evaluation, that person was notified his or her position was open and, in the case of all but the coaches, the job was posted.
To be consistent, Zetty told the board, the procedure was altered this year to include all of the coaches in the process of officially posting the job.
"Nothing has changed but the official posting," Zetty told the board. She described the change as a "formality" that would provide more consistency.
Anyone, including the most recent coaches of fall sports, may apply for the open positions. That, Zetty said, has been the policy when opening each position. The process of posting the jobs for the coaching positions is the only change.
Julie Ann Sullivan, board member, said posting or advertising the job is "all in the perception" of the person involved.
None of those most recently evaluated, including those who coached fall sports, was told they need not apply, Zetty said.
Evaluations, reports to the administration and recommendations should be completed by the next regular school board meeting Jan. 18, during which the board is expected to take action. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.
12/7/2010 3:30 AM
McMURRAY - Whether coaches' positions were routinely opened and posted was a topic of discussion among members of Peters Township School Board during a meeting Monday.
Superintendent Nina Zetty responded to the question by board member Mark Buzzatto that all extracurricular or extra-duty positions are listed as open annually after the conclusion of the event or sporting season.
In the past, Zetty said, all positions, with the exception of coaches, were opened and then posted for anyone who wished to be considered for the job. The extracurricular positions, including coaches, are customarily hired on a yearly basis.
During a sponsor's season-end evaluation, that person was notified his or her position was open and, in the case of all but the coaches, the job was posted.
To be consistent, Zetty told the board, the procedure was altered this year to include all of the coaches in the process of officially posting the job.
"Nothing has changed but the official posting," Zetty told the board. She described the change as a "formality" that would provide more consistency.
Anyone, including the most recent coaches of fall sports, may apply for the open positions. That, Zetty said, has been the policy when opening each position. The process of posting the jobs for the coaching positions is the only change.
Julie Ann Sullivan, board member, said posting or advertising the job is "all in the perception" of the person involved.
None of those most recently evaluated, including those who coached fall sports, was told they need not apply, Zetty said.
Evaluations, reports to the administration and recommendations should be completed by the next regular school board meeting Jan. 18, during which the board is expected to take action. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.
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