First Posted: 3/10/2015
DALLAS — The Dallas School Board listened to a presentation on public school funding, voted on personnel changes and heard group updates at its March 9 meeting.
Sandra Miller, the area’s local representative for Campaign for Fair Education Funding, gave a presentation to the board and explained that Pennsylvania’s public schools don’t have a formula to figure out how much money each district should receive and hasn’t had a working formula to distribute Basic Education Funding since about 1992.
“We need to have a stable funding system in Pennsylvania,” Miller said.
Board president Colleen Slocum asked how the board can support fair funding if it doesn’t know how it will affect the district.
“If we don’t know what the funding formula is, how can we support it if we don’t know how it affects our area and our taxpayers?” she said.
The Dallas Foundation for Excellence, Inc. reported that two wishes for the district would come true by night’s end.
Bonny Mannello, the non-profit group’s secretary, reported that Janelle Jacob, a first-grade teacher at Wycallis Elementary, will receive five iPads and covers for 23 students. The iPads will help to enhance reading instruction and aide in reading, independent work and confidence. Total cost for the iPads was $2,000.
Mannello also announced that Cara Nolan, a learning support teacher at Dallas Elementary, will receive nine MobyMax Tablets for her students. The tablets were made to assist in math fact fluency and reading at a cost of $420.
According to the foundation’s treasurer, Kristin Gattuso, the foundation has raised $162,759 for various projects since its implementation in 2011.
Both Jacob and Nolan thanked the foundation.
The board approved multiple resignations and hirings Monday evening.
Mollie Phillips, Salary and Benefits Coordinator, will resign effective June 30. Riann Decesaris will replace her, beginning April 13th at a salary of $48,000.
Cathy Fauerbach, Accounting and Reporting Coordinator, will resign effective Oct. 30. Janine Mitkus will replace her, starting Sept. 8 at a salary of $42,500.
Laura O’Malley will be appointed as the substitute school nurse for the 2014-2015 school year.
Board member Dr. Bruce Goeringer asked the board to approve the purchase of track equipment at a cost not to exceed $19,000.
Goeringer said the money would be used to replace equipment damaged in a storm last summer. The board approved his request.
Superintendent Frank Galicki announced that all make-up days will be added on to the end of the school year.
Galicki added that graduation for seniors will be June 6 and that school will continue for underclassmen until June 12. Seniors will make up days on Saturdays, and the last three days of the school year will be Act 80 days.
Board member Charles Preece also announced that, due to the late Labor Day holiday in 2015, the first day of classes for the 2015-16 academic year will be Sept. 1. The new school calendar will be posted to the school’s website shortly.
In student news, senior Michael Alves accepted the Student of the Quarter Award for his outstanding academic and community accomplishments.
Alves is dually enrolled at Dallas High School and Penn State Wilkes-Barre and also participates in a variety of clubs, including economics and leadership clubs. He organizes and participates in community events, such as Habitat for Humanity, a Martin Luther King assembly held at the high school and an upcoming voter registration drive.
Norb Swithers gave an update of the Safe Schools Initiative, reporting that the district participated in The Great Northeast Shakeout weather drill in October and an evacuation drill in December, where all students were moved to Misericordia University.
Swithers is looking for funding after receiving a recommendation that the high school should have safety gates. He said the recommendation came after participating in a county-wide school safety survey.
Swithers can get portable safety gates from a company in Ohio, provided he can find funding.
Gina Kotowski, the School Resource Officer, took 200 students to attend a mock trial at the Luzerne County Courthouse. Two courtrooms were made available, and two judges assisted in the trial, along with four attorneys.
Kotowski also organized a Driving Safety Day, where students learned how to drive safely and responsibly. Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug assisted in the event, bringing “drunk goggles” for students to wear so they were able see what it’s like to drive while impaired.
