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Local students beat state, national averages in nursing test

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WBS adds Sexton, Erkamps, Scarfo in trades; Elliott, Lindberg headed to Belleville

<p>PLAINS TWP. &#8212; Bruce Knick was named the new chairman of the Joint Operating Committee that runs the Wilkes-Barre Area Career &amp; Technical Center at Wednesday&#8217;s reorganizational meeting. Megan Tennesen was elected as vice chair.</p><p>The committee is comprised of representatives from the school boards of five districts that send students to the center. Knick is a Pittston Area board member, while Tennesen is from Greater Nanticoke Area.</p><p>The JOC also continued to show confidence in the new director of the practical nursing program, Gail Holby, who replaced Mary Beth Pacuska. For several months prior to that move, the committee had increasingly rejected personnel or purchase requests for the nursing program, leading to the bitter departure of Pacuska and several others in the program.</p><p>Since Holby was hired, the board has returned to approving nursing program requests, and Wednesday was no different. The JOC changed Cheryl Woloski&#8217;s title from administrative manager to licensed practical nursing financial manager. Pacuska had requested a stipend for Woloski to compensate for extra duties she had taken on, but the committee repeatedly rejected it.</p><p>The committee also changed Holby&#8217;s title from Practical Nursing Coordinator to Practical Nursing Director/Coordinator, and changed the status of Colleen Kaskel from a per-diem employee to full-time practical nursing assistant director at a salary of $77,500.</p><p>John Mahle, of the Hanover Area School Board, said the person who had previously held the position was paid about $86,000 with benefits, and that Kaskel would receive no benefits. &#8220;It&#8217;s quite a savings,&#8221; said Mahle.</p><p>In addition, the committee approved the purchase of PoliceOne Academy software for the law enforcement program at a cost $3,805 for a contract from Dec. 1 to June 30, 2020. Administrative Director Anthony Guariglia said the online program will give students hands-on training in real world situations.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Pittston Area director to head committee that runs WBA career center