Content about Marybeth Sommers

09.16.11

Progress continues on the construction of a primary center near Avonworth Elementary. The district’s school board voted Monday to begin negotiations for pre-construction services, approved several documents required by the state, and heard an update from the project architect/engineer.

03.18.11

No school

Avonworth students will not attend school on April 18.

The date originally was set aside as a snow day make-up day, which was not needed.

The board voted 5-2 at Monday's meeting to give students the day off to start spring break. Opposed were board members Frank Mucha and Brenda Barlek. Marybeth Sommers was absent.

06.25.10

Board endorses nepotism policy

The Avonworth School District will maintain a strong anti-nepotism with regard to hiring.

Confusion over who is covered by the policy arose at the June 14 school board meeting when the board considered a motion to hire one of board member Eric Templin's sons for a summer custodial position.

03.12.10

Student paper funding targeted for cuts

In an effort to trim the proposed 2010-11 budget, the Avonworth School District may cut funding for the high school's newspaper, The Avonews.

Instead of a printed newspaper, administrators are suggesting moving The Avonews to the internet, making it an on-line newspaper.

01.22.10

New social studies position approved

Avonworth High School students who will be scheduling classes for next year will find three new social studies electives, thanks to the addition of a position for a social studies teaching position.

The school board voted at Monday's regular meeting to create the position, and approved economics, American conflicts, and conspiracy theories as electives.

Director of curriculum Dr. Shannon Varley told board members last week that without another teacher, the district would be forced to cut social studies electives.

01.15.10

New social studies teacher proposed

Because of an increase in enrollment and the number of different classes offered, the Avonworth School Board could vote next week to add a new high school social studies teaching position for the 2010-11 school year.

Director of curriculum Dr. Shannon Varley told board members at Monday's work session that Avonworth will be forced to cut some social studies electives if a new teacher is not hired. She noted that there are four social studies teachers responsible for teaching required courses as well as a number of electives.

12.04.09

News Briefs

Parking lot problems Excavation for a parking lot adjacent to Bellevue's borough hall turned up more than anyone expected, with the result that it will cost more to finish the lot.

Engineer John Rusnak told borough council members Tuesday to expect a "change order of some magnitude" due to "unforeseen site conditions" discovered as the contractor excavated the site.

08.14.09

News Briefs

Budget cuts?

Avonworth administrators may look to budget cuts for Avonworth Elementary School in order to provide additional consulting services at the school.

Board treasurer Frank Mucha said at the board's regular meeting on Monday that the district is looking at entering into an agreement with John Esaias for consulting services for the first semester of this school year.

The agreement would pay Esaias $50 per hour, to work two days a week, at a cost not to exceed $12,500.

07.20.09

News Briefs

Beattie project expanded

The A.W. Beattie Career Center board has decided how to spend the last of the excess bond funds.

Approximately $3 million in bond funds were left over when bids for the renovation project came in under what was projected. The board already had decided how to spend $2 million of that money, with about $1 million going towards paying down the debt created by the bond, and another $1 million going towards more energy efficient repairs.

06.12.09

Avonworth approves budget, millage

Residents in the Avonworth School District will be paying more in taxes to the district, as the Avonworth School Board approved a property tax hike as part of the 2009-10 budget at the board's regular meeting on June 8.

06.12.09

Avonworth explores stand options

Avonworth may look to the junior class or create a “super-booster” group to operate the concession stand at football games.

Parents from both the band and cheerleading booster groups were present at the school board's regular meeting on June 8 to discuss who should be running the concession stand.

06.12.09

Beattie proposal

The A. W. Beattie Career Center is asking board members of the districts that use the center their opinions on spending some of the excess bond money to build a large meeting area.

According to Avonworth School Board member Marybeth Sommers, Beattie is considering adding a meeting room to the current building project.

Beattie has excess bond funds after bids for the project came in $3 million less than estimated.

05.01.09

Avonworth drops delay days

Avonworth School Board at its regular meeting on April 13, approved a calendar that will change the number of two-hour delay days that are built into the schedule.

The number of delay days decreased from nine to only five in the new calendar. Instead there will be the addition of one full Act 80 day. There are four full Act 80 days in the 2009-10 tentative calendar rather than the three days that are in the current 2008-09 calendar.

04.17.09

Room reconfiguration

With Avonworth High School’s unused metal shop equipment on its way out, the school board has authorized a contract with an architect to reconfigure the empty space.

The district will enter into a contract with Timothy Morgan to redesign the area. He will be paid $9,800.

Although the motion was approved unanimously, some board members voiced concerns. Board members Lynn Evans McGrath and Marybeth Sommers agreed that it seemed that the board had rushed the decisions to get rid of the shop equipment and redesign the room.