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Our view: Wilkes, city a shining example of cooperation

<p>WRIGHT TWP. &#8212; The Crestwood School Board this week approved a proposal by Superintendent Joseph Gorham to place qualified police officers at the Rice Township and Fairview Township schools to augment a security plan he wants to implement during the 2018-19 school term.</p><p>The board approved advertising for officers who will be on station during classroom time. The plan, however, must also be approved by Luzerne County courts, it was noted.</p><p>Besides the officers, Gorham outlined what he called Phase 1 of an initiative to increase security at schools. That includes having a single point of entry, enhanced notification and identification systems, and direct access to the police.</p><p>Gorham added that persons seeking to enter either school building will be required to show identification whether picking up a student or conducting business. Gorham said the systems and procedures &#8220;will happen immediately.&#8221;</p><p>In another policy decision, solicitor Jack Dean announced that a &#8220;Memorandum of Understanding&#8221; had been negotiated with professional employees in regard to extending the collective bargaining agreement to Aug. 31, 2021. The agreement also contained a clause by which the &#8220;Step By Step&#8221; academic program will be eliminated.</p><p>Dean&#8217;s announcement was greeted with applause and cheers from the teachers in attendance, although school director Joseph Kaminski believed the program had been effective.</p><p>Kaminski also took issue with Dean about comments he made that under the agreement, no programs would be eliminated.</p><p>Dean pointed out, however, that a committee will meet at the end of the school year &#8220;to review the academic progress of students who would have been subjected to the Step By Step program.&#8221;</p><p>In other matters:</p><p>&#8226; The board accepted the operating budget of the Wilkes-Barre Area Career &amp; Technical Center.</p><p>&#8226; Directors voted to terminate &#8220;Employee 4487.&#8221; There was no comment about the individual or the reasons for disciplinary action.</p><p>&#8226; A recommendation to enter into an agreement with Mohegan Sun Arena for 2018 graduation exercises was accepted. The rental fee for the June 10 event was set at $4,500.</p><p>&#8226; During public comment, three Mountain Top area residents took issue with payments to Hunt Engineers for a survey report on the state of Crestwood&#8217;s school buildings; school busing contracts; allocations to special education and the implementation of curriculum programs.</p><p>&#8226; Gorham read a letter from Tom Benz, a 1986 Crestwood graduate, who pledged funding to the various foundation groups of the district and encouraged the &#8220;restoration of a working partnership&#8221; between the education association, school board and administration.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Gorham </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_new_super3_faa-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Gorham </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Huntington</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Crestwood approves superintendent’s plan to place officers at schools