First Posted: 8/21/2013

Wyoming Area is expecting 2,465 students when classes begin on Wednesday.

Superintendent Ray Bernardi told the Wyoming Area School Board at its monthly meeting on Tuesday night there are 1,267 students enrolled in the district’s four elementary schools and 1,198 students enrolled in the district’s secondary center.

In other business the board:

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• Accepted the retirement letter of Lisa Barrett effective Aug. 31, 2013. Barrett, the former president of Wyoming Area Education Association, resigned from her union post without explanation in February and requested a medical leave from her teaching position. Her resignation came the same day Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said her office is looking into rumors of alleged misuse of money, reportedly with a union credit card.

• Accepted Bernardi’s retirement letter. He will retire on April 3, 2014. Bernardi served as the district’s top administrator since his appointment on Feb. 1, 2001.

• Hired Jamie Broda as Special Education Director/PIMS Coordinator for the 2013-2014 school year at a salary of $80,000.

• Accepted the resignation letter of Natalie Ferretti as an elementary teacher.

• Approved the first reading of an updated attendance policy. The update includes language that suspends a student from all extracurricular activities for 45 days if there are 20 days of unexcused absences from school.

• Approved the first reading of a social media policy for district employees.

• Approved numerous payments for change orders for the Montgomery Avenue Elementary School renovation project. Change orders included $19,062 to Brennan Electric for a fire alarm speaker upgrade and additional electric work; $14,965 to Yanuzzi Inc. for HVAC/installation of cabinet heaters; and $2,955 to Gordon H. Baver Inc. for door frames, carpet, parapet, masonry support in basement bathrooms.

• Approved numerous payments for invoices for the Montgomery Avenue Elementary School renovation project. Invoices included $381,764 to Gordon H. Baver Inc. for general construction; $132,082 to Brennan Electric for electrical work; $27,630 for plumbing/heating; $292,891 to Yannuzzi Inc. for HVAC construction; $797 to Mark J. Sobeck Consulting for roof consulting; $25,000 for Don Cooper Plumbing/Heating for plumbing and heating; and $3,319 to Midlantic Engineering for a handicap ramp.

• Approved the appointment of Tony Callaio as the district’s Public Relations Coordinator for the 2013-2014 school year at a salary of $15,000.

• Hired Jean Marie Argenio as a special education teacher; hired Nicholas Bilski as a health and physical education teacher; hired Ryan Charnitski as a French teacher; hired Anthony Marcario as a long-term substitute special education teacher; hired Mike Stefanik as a long-term substitute kindergarten teacher; hired David Kaluzavich as a long-term substitute first grade teacher; and hired Tiffany Callaio as a long-term substitute math teacher.

• Approved the appointment of Rita Mauriello and Rosella Fedor as volunteer educational consultants.

• Re-appointed Joe Pizano as athletic director at a salary of $11,410.

• Appointed the following head coaches for winter sports, with salaries as per the union contract: Joe Pizano, winter track for $890; Ryan Kennedy, girls basketball coach for $5,479; Al Brogna, head boys basketball coach for $5,479; Steve Mytych Sr., wrestling coach for $5,479; and Lauren Shovlin, swimming coach for $5,479.

• Approved the request of Nick Perugini to broadcast Wyoming Area football games over the internet.

• Voted to continue extracurricular activities in the event of a teachers’ strike.

• Voted to allow the Wyoming Area Field Hockey Parents Association to hold a car wash/bake sale fundraiser at West Side Auto from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 14.