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WEST PITTSTON NEWS

First Posted: 11/21/2014 CLARKS SUMMIT &#8212; The Abington Heights School Board voted, 8-0, to acknowledge the revised professional staff contact agreement during a regular monthly business meeting Wednesday, Nov. 19 at the administration building.
&#8220;We approved the fact-finder&#8217;s report as given to us from the state mediator in September,&#8221; School Board President Cathy Ann Hardaway said. &#8220;Since that time, they have been working on the wording in the contract, which is now complete. We&#8217;re acknowledging the completion of the contract and the preparation of the contract for signatures.&#8221;
Board member Michele Tierney reported that the Abington Heights Educational Improvement Organization (AEIO) is funding the Robotics, Forensics, and Model United Nations club competitions.
&#8220;We&#8217;re really getting great proposals from all school levels: elementary, middle school and high school,&#8221; Tierney said.
According to Student Representative Melanie Fricchione, the student council will be conducting a collection of small travel items to benefit to Voluntary Action Center in Scranton on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 19.
Fricchione added that the student council along with four teachers will be purchasing gifts for eight children through the Lackawanna County Department of Human Services Adopt an Angel program.
Student Representative Jared Levinson announced the annual blood drive at the high school will be held on Thursday, Dec. 18. He added the National Honor Society is organizing a food drive for Thanksgiving.
&#8220;It&#8217;s very obvious that great work is going on at our schools,&#8221; Abington Heights Superintendent Dr. Michael Mahon said. &#8220;There are a lot of student-run initiatives that are keeping in mind the less fortunate at this time of year, which is really a phenomenal thing.&#8221;
According to Mahon, South Abington Elementary School received a $1,000 grant from Liberty Petroleum Distributors to enhance the math and science curriculum.
In other business, the board approved the registration of Director of Food Services Joanne Pesota, effective at the end of the 2014-15 school year.
The board approved the leave of absence of Transportation Director Susan Wallace, not to exceed 12 weeks, effective Oct. 27.
&#8220;We have a temporary employee (Susan Hollister), who we have trained in advance from Kelly Services, who is doing a great job,&#8221; Mahon said. &#8220;We&#8217;re not missing a beat.&#8221;
Patricia Schellbach was approved as a temporary full-time school psychologist. Susan Fulton was approved as a substitute English teacher (grades 7-12) for one semester of the 2014-15 school year. Ashley Kane was approved as a substitute Elementary teacher (grades 7-12) for one semester of the 2014-15 school year.
Nicole Smith, Tami Campbell, Holly Tokash, Shalu Kamra, and Michele Walsh were approved as para professional aides for the 2014-15 school year, effective November 2014. Kathryn Sebring and Ann Marie Barrett were approved as teachers&#8217; aides. Kelly Cross and Alicia Olivetti were approved as personal care aides.
Basundhara Chattopadhyay, Rose Fazio, Amanda Nitowski, Stacy Rowlands and Nicole Sharrow were approved to the substitute list for the 2014-15 school year.
Andrea Rogers, Donna Butash and Grace Lewis were approved to the substitute aid list.
The board voted to reappoint Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams as the Special District Counsel and approved its Transportation Contract with Buranich Transportation, LLC.

Abington Heights School Board acknowledges completion of professional staff contract