Wylandville celebrates winning Blue Ribbon

By Dawn Goodman Staff writer
dgoodman@observer-reporter.com
EIGHTY FOUR – With music, video and speeches Friday, Wylandville Elementary School celebrated winning the national Blue Ribbon Award.
The school is the second in Canon-McMillan to win the prestigious award in the past few years. Wylandville is one of 254 schools across the country that won the academic achievement award for 2010. The award honors schools whose students achieve at high levels or have made significant progress and helped close gaps in achievement, especially among disadvantaged and minority students.
The U.S. Department of Education announced the winners in September and held the awards ceremony in November.
“Wylandville is truly a special place,” said Superintendent Helen McCracken, who was once principal at the elementary school. “There’s no higher honor than a blue ribbon. It’s like winning the gold medal at the Olympics. You can’t get any better than that.”
She was one of several dignitaries who spoke during the celebration, where all the students and staff were wearing blue T-shirts shouting their Blue Ribbon success. They also watched a video created by teachers called “Wylandville through the Years,” that looked back at the history of the school.
“You guys have basically won the Super Bowl of education,” state Sen.-elect Tim Solobay said as he gave a special state citation to the school.
Wylandville holds a special place in the heart of school board President Debbie Link because three of her daughters attended the school.
“We knew it was a special place then and are not surprised it has risen to be honored as a special place in our nation,” Link said.
Dave Coder, who works in U.S. Rep. Mark Critz’s office, brought the school a copy of the Congressional Record from when Critz spoke on the floor about Wylandville earning the Blue Ribbon Award.
Coder said his daughter was a student teacher at Wylandville last year.
“She told me what a wonderful school it was,” he said.
State Rep.-elect Brandon Newman, a former student at Wylandville, said it was great to come back to the school.
“This is a fantastic award, a fantastic opportunity,” he said, adding that teachers and parents have done a great job at Wylandville. “It’s a collaborative effort to make this a Blue Ribbon School.”
Grace Lani, the district’s director of curriculum and instruction who was the principal when Wylandville won the award, presented the plaque from the U.S. Department of Education that will hang on the school wall.
“We should be very proud,” she said. “You should be Wylandville proud.”

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Greene County Career and Technology Center joint committee addresses financial irregularities

WAYNESBURG - A forensic audit initiated last month after financial irregularities were uncovered at the Greene County Career and Technology Center is not expected to be completed until late next month.

The auditors, Cypher and Cypher, are proceeding at a good pace, John Stets, solicitor for the center's joint operating committee, said at a committee meeting Wednesday.

"Our bills are up to date at this point, and we do have cash on hand," Stets said. The center knows of no bills that have not been paid and that includes to vendors, insurance providers, retirement accounts and the federal government, he said.

The committee, however, may later have to address any shortfall that could face the center at the end of the fiscal year, he said.

The committee has indicated money might be missing. Asked if the committee knew how much, Stets said members were given some "preliminary numbers." He declined to say how much money might be gone, though he later said it is a "significant amount."

All programs at the center will continue to operate and instruction will continue as planned, said Thelma Szarell, superintendent at West Greene and superintendent of record at the center.

The committee began the forensic audit last month after its bank noticed irregularities in the center's payroll account and contacted the center.

The center's business coordinator for the last two years, Jo Phyllis Popielarcheck, was suspended Nov. 4. Her resignation was accepted by the committee at its last meeting Nov. 17.

At that meeting, committee members referred to the investigation as a "criminal investigation" and said state police and the district attorney's office had been notified.

The five school districts that form the center also agreed to accelerate payments to the center to cover any cash shortfalls.

Committee chairman Tom Howard explained last month how problems could develop at the center when only one person is in charge of finances and given a great deal of autonomy.

The committee took several steps last month to tighten controls by requiring additional "live" signatures on checks and designating a person to log in and distribute mail.

Other administrative procedures would be implemented to ensure similar problems never occur again, Howard said.

In other business, the committee reorganized, re-electing Howard, who represents Southeastern Greene, chairman and Roberta Boyd, who represents Central Greene, vice chairman. Other committee members are Pete Shlosky, Carmichaels Area; Jim Handley, West Greene; and Lisa Mattish, Jefferson-Morgan. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.

Trinity board member resigns

Trinity Area School Board member Tom Bodnovich is resigning from the board because he says he doesn't agree with how the arrest of Superintendent Paul Kasunich has been handled.

Kasunich was arrested in November for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend Darlene Tartaglione. He waived a preliminary hearing, and the charge will proceed to Allegheny County Court.

The board placed Kasunich on paid leave for a few weeks. Last week, he resumed his duties.

Bodnovich, who was the board president until the annual election last week when Sandy Clutter was voted into the position, said Monday that he has been dismayed with the events of the last several weeks and that Kasunich should have taken a voluntary unpaid leave.

"In my opinion, the employee who is charged with simple assault should not be in his current position until, and if there is, a satisfactory resolution to the case," Bodnovich wrote in a news release.

He said Kasunich's continued employment is not in the best interest of the community, students or staff.

"In good conscience, I would find it very difficult to work on the board while the daily operation is under questionable leadership," Bodnovich said. "I hope that the residents of Canton Township understand and appreciate my position."

He said he is resigning because he has to do what he feels is right.

"Anywhere else in the world, people would resign instead of putting their company through this," Bodnovich said.

Kasunich's attorney, Robert Del Greco Jr., could not be reached for comment Monday evening.

Bodnovich said there is little to no accountability in public education. He said he respects his fellow board members and hopes that accountability will return to public education.

"Given the inconsistent leadership created by turnover in the administration, it has been difficult to improve the educational process," he said. "However, we have made some progress in the educational program for our students."

Bodnovich said his resignation is effective Jan. 31 to give the board time to find a replacement. He submitted his letter of resignation Monday. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.