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Purchase Line mulls fate of former school
Tuesday, October 02, 2012
By Dianne Byers Staff Writer
COMMODORE - What is to become of the former North Elementary School? Purchase Line School Board members were asked to ponder the decision at last night's combined voting meeting and work session.
James McMullen, board member, reminded fellow members with winter fast approaching the board needs to take action on what should be done with the structure. He asked administrators to give input about whether there would be any future educational purpose for the building noting he had spoken about his request with several other board members and their consensus was additional information and opinions would help them make an knowledgeable decision.
"We don't want to get rid of the building and then have the administrative team say we could have used that building," he said.
Ron Repak of Andrews and Beard Law Offices, Altoona, the district's solicitor, was also asked to provide additional information on how the law provides for the disposal of a public building. Repak told the board at the August business meeting it has three options - a public sale, advertising for bids and a private sale.
Until this year, children who resided mainly in Clearfield County used the structure located along U.S. Route 219 between Mahaffey and Burnside. The board, because of low student enrollment and the high cost of modernizing the building, voted in May to close it and consolidate all elementary students residing in the district at the building adjacent to the high school at Commodore R.D.
During a voting meeting, that proceeded last night's work session, Tina Hazelet, district superintendent, on behalf of the board, introduced five candidates interested in the seat left vacant by the resignation of Matt Pearce who was also serving as the board's president. Pearce withdrew from the position at the Sept. 10 meeting stating he was leaving to pursue academic and career opportunities.
The board had each of the candidates that expressed an interest in filling the position, Sandra Fyock, Curtis Harbridge, Joshua Hopkins, John Jahoda and Eugene Scott, provide verbal answers to five prepared questions.
Following the nearly hour-long candidate response period, Mary Ann Pittman, board member made a motion to table action on a selection until Monday's meeting stating she was doing so in the interest of time a discussion might take and to give members time to consider the responses presented.
Also during the voting meeting, the board chose Pittman, the board's vice president, to fill the position as board president and James Stiffler to serve as the vice president and approved two staff requests for trainings to be paid for through the district's Title II funds.
During its work session, the board discussed the following for consideration at Monday's business meeting: - transferring Susan Bennett, employee, from an 8-hour custodian position to a 7-hour cafeteria position beginning Oct. 9.
- hiring a temporary part-time administrative assistant to the business manager at a salary of $11.45 per hour, a staff accountant and a junior class advisor for the 2012-13 school year at an annual salary of $746.
- approving requests from the Evergreen Boys and Girls Club to host a community dinner Dec. 11 from 3-8:30 p.m. at the high school cafeteria and the Purchase Line Sports Boosters to walk in the high school hallways Nov. 1-March 27.
The board also discussed how it wants to see capital purchases included in the district's 5-year plan for the replacement and purchase of equipment and services and discussed the failure of the district's students to achieve adequate yearly progress on the 2011 state System of School Assessment tests. The board had the district's administrators poll instructors.
Hazelet said last night those responses have been discussed and themed at recent instructional leaders meeting and there will be a plan formed to address them.
The board will discuss the instructors' responses and the tentative plan on Monday.
The board will meet Monday at 7 p.m. at the district's administrative offices' conference room.
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