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Two-year contract with food workers OK'd in Peters
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Peters school directors on Monday approved a new two-year pact with the union representing 28 food service workers and a one-year contract with the district's food service provider.
If it is ratified by the Pennsylvania State Education Association, which represents the food service employees, the contract would be effective from Aug. 1, 2012 to July 31, 2014.
It calls for guaranteed raises of 2 percent per year, district business manager Dan Solomon said, along with the continuation of a profit-sharing agreement with employees.
The agreement with food service provider Aramark is for one year, with an optional additional year. The value of the contract is based on participation levels and has not yet been determined, Mr. Solomon said.
Also at Monday's meeting, Mr. Solomon received a standing ovation and fond farewell from parents, board members and staff, who said they would miss him when he retires at the end of June.
Mr. Solomon, who has been district business manager and board secretary for nearly 20 years, had previously announced his intention to retire at the end of the school year, though board members were loath to approve his formal retirement at Monday's meeting.
"There's just nobody like you, Dan," said school board President Cindy Golembiewski. "I don't know what we're going to do without you."
Resident George Middleman commended Mr. Solomon for his "positive attitude and can-do spirit."
Board members jokingly said they would not accept the retirement, and board member David Hvizdos voted against it, saying he didn't want the vote to be unanimous.
Earlier this month, the district hired Vincent Belczyk as district business manager/board secretary at a salary of $89,500 per year.
Mr. Belczyk is business manager for the Uniontown School District.
Also Monday, the board
• Adopted two new policies governing graduation requirements and grade point average calculations/graduation honors.
The changes include fewer required physical education classes, eliminating class rank from transcripts and a college-style cum laude honors system, using weighted grade point averages to determine honorees.
• Approved new job descriptions for director of transportation, athletic director, head and assistant head coaches and athletic secretary positions. Among the changes is a requirement for the athletic director to ensure that coaches understand the proper handling of injuries to student athletes as spelled out through board policy.
Earlier this year, the board split on whether to reappoint head high school football coach Rich Piccinini after concerns were expressed that the coach had minimized injuries, including concussions.
• Appointed Kevin Lawrence as the new ninth-grade head boys basketball coach and moved former head coach Joe Scaglione to an assistant coaching position.
First Published May 24, 2012 5:22 am
