Hiring of personnel and awarding of contracts was featured at the monthly meeting of the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 School Board held Monday evening at the Maple Avenue Campus in Norwegian Township. The monthly meeting is normally held the first Monday of the month but because it was reorganization time for local school boards following the recent general election the meeting was moved to another date.

Barbara J. Narado, who holds the position of coordinator of Special Services, was given added duties as she was also appointed director of Postsecondary programs and Community Based Education effective Jan. 1, 2010.In other personnel matters Angie Bravo, Tamaqua, and Katelyn Sloister, Orwigsburg, were hired as ESL translators/interpretors on an as needed basis in the school age program at $15 per hour; Diane Stine, Pottsville, was hired as a substitute custodian at $7.75 per hour; Michael Stock, Pottsville, as a special education teacher in an emotional support classroom at Maple Avenue Campus at $41,265 per year; Carrie Falls, Frackville, changed from part-time case manager to substitute case manager in the Operation PLUS/Partial Hospitalization/Counsel House Program at $25.75 per hour; Phillip Pavlick, Orwigsburg, hired as part-time aide in an emotional support classroom at Schuylkill Haven Area High School; Trisha Graff, Williamstown, at Williams Valley Junior/Senior High School at $7.75 per hour; Lisa Worthy at $23.25 per hour and Kathy Dalton at $13.95 per hour as service coordinatorsHired as subtitute teachers were, Michael Stock, Pottsville; Michele Elchisak, Shenandoah; Cynthia Kurtek, Seltzer, Norwegian Township; Laura Hoppes and Richard Shay, Schuylkill Haven; Kim Wesner, Locust Dale; and Nancy Grosser, Barnesville.Hired as substitute teacher aides were, Douglas Camodeca, Karli Blackwell, Lindsey Draine and Connie Mentzer, Pottsville; Jacob Ginther, Orwigsburg; Samantha Heiser, Saint Clair; and Emily Duffy, New Philadelphia.Sharon Wenrich, Schuylkill Haven, hired as a special olympics coach for the Exceptional Children's Program at $1,150; Janet Stock, Pottsville, hired as Maple Avenue Campus Senior Class Advisor at $1,200.The law firm of Lewis, Williams and Caravan, Schuylkill Haven, were retained as the board's solicitor at a fee of $5,000.Mary Ellen Matunis, Shenandoah, paid $440 for evaluation services provided to the 21st Century Alferschool Progam. The board accepted the resignation of William Kinzey who served as mine safety instructor.Ratify contractsThe board approved a contract with American Red Cross to provide cpr/first aid certification training for the preschool staff and for school age programs at a cost of $1,970 for prepschool and $560 for pre-school.Safety committees have been established for the IU unit at the two technology centers to ensure a safer working environment for staff and students.The DECA students at the votech center were granted permission to hold a clothing sale during the current school year.The board accepted a donation of a 2005 model damaged vehicle from State Farm Insurance Company for instructional purposes in the automotive programs. Once the vehicle has reached full potential it can be exchanged for another damaged vehicle from the insurance company.The administration was authorized to solicit requests for qualifications of energy service companies for performance contracting utility conservation and cost reduction services for the votech buildings.