The Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 School Board accepted on behalf of Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21, Berks County IU14, Colonial IU20 a state grant for 2010-11 in the amount of $117,762 for professional development for the non-public and private schools in those intermediate units.

Schuylkill IU 29 is the administrator for this grant under Title II part of improving teacher quality. The action was taken at the monthly meeting held recently at the Maple Avenue Campus in Norwegian Township.Employment approvedThe board approved employment of the following:Heather Quinn, part-time teacher aide, hired as full-time secretary in the Early Intervention Program at $9.25 per hour. Donnarae Corby, Llewellyn, Branch Township, hired as a full-time custodian at the Maple Avenue Campus at $7.50 per hour.Hired as part-time teacher aides at $8 per hour were Tina Isley, Port Carbon; Lori Jill Zerby, Williamstown; Laura Reed, Orwigsburg; Marissa Yorke, Mahanoy City; Jennifer Weigley, Schuylkill Haven; Glenda Kerschner, New Ringgold; Carrie Brown, Schuylkill Haven. Hired as substitute teacher aides were Heather Grandis, Schuylkill Haven, and Jason Burke, Frackville, at $8 per hour.Daniel Scheuer, New Ringgold, hired as a life skills support teacher and Kristin Prokop, Pottsville, as a learning support teacher at Williams Valley Junioir/Senior High School at $41,265 per year. Kyle Culbert, Quakake, hired as a part-time speech and language therapist at $22,557.50 per year and Carly Finkboner, Richboro, hired as a speech and language therapist at request of Tamaqua Area School District at $42,265 per year.Dolores Sadusky, Pottsville, hired as a part-time evening adult basic education instructor at $19 per hour, with student cost fees to cover all costs; Linda Lazar, Pottsville, hired as part-time evening computer class instructor at $20 per hour with student class fees to cover all costs.Area people placed in the Guest Teacher Program were.Substitute Teachers: Frank Berleth, Tamaqua; Elaine Boyer, Middleport; Stephen Babinchak, Mahanoy City; Debi Dodson, Coaldale; and John Fowler, Mahanoy City.PreSchool Teachers, Pamela Binder, New Ringgold; Elaine Boyer, Middleport; Debi Dodson, Coaldale; Katherine Figueroa, Coaldale; Lisa Frederick, New Ringgold; Nancy Grosser, Barnesville; Kellie Hegarty, Tamaqua; Jodi Kamant, Tamaqua; Amy Krall, New Ringgold; Frank Parano, Nesquehoning; and Regina Sofsky-Casella, Tamaqua;Schuylkill Technology Center: Stephen Babinchak, Mahanoy City; Debi Dodson, Coaldale; John Fowler, Mahanoy City; Nancy Grosser, Barnesville; Mark McDonald, Cumbola; and Nichole Nedinsky, Cumbola.Special Education: Stephen Babinchak, Mahanoy City; Pamela Binder, New Ringgold; Elaine Boyer, Middleport; Debi Dobson, Coaldale; John Fowler, Mahanoy City; Lisa Frederick, New Ringgold; Nancy Grosser, Barnesville; Kellie Hegarty, Tamaqua; and Regina Sofsky-Casella, Tamaqua.Hired as substitute teachers were, Joseph Taglieri, Deborah Croswell, Susan Camise and Mary Dwyer, Pottsville; Carolyn Knittle, Hamburg; Jean Donahoe, Sharon Wenrich and Michael Curran, Schuylkill Haven; Justine Magrosky, Auburn and Patrick Hand, Saint Clair.Hired as substitute counselors/therapists were, Troy Smolden, New Ringgold; Carrie Falls, Frackville; Brian Rogers, Orwigsburg; Patrick Hand, Saint Clair; Heather Boyer, Auburn; and Paul Gombola, Kimberly Jackson and Loretta Mestishen, Pottsville.Hired as substitute aides were, Helen Frehafer, New Philadelphia; Mary Ann Kristoff, Middleport; Holly Naradko and Samantha Heiser,Saint Clair; Doug Camodeca and Laura Kramer, Minersville; William Moser, Tremont; Heather Patton, Schuylkill Haven; Jonathan Bodkins, Valley View; Jill Johns, Tower City; and Holly Patton, Karli Blackwell and Lois Whittemore, Pottsville.Hired as substitute cafeteria workers were, Jamie Daily, Cressona; Brenda Seabolt, Auburn; Donnarae Corby, Llewellyn and Theda Brown, Kristyn Howells, Nicole Stine; and Tamarea Hanzok, Pottsville. Hired as substitute custodians were Diane Stine, Pottsville; and Donnarae Corby, Llewellyn Village, Branch Township.The board approved payment under the mentor stipend of $25 for school district, Intermediate Unit and Schuylkill Technology Center staff members who attended the induction workshop held last Aug. 19.Among those receiving payments were: from Tamaqua Area School District, Sheree Bashinsky, Vicki Feliciano, Charise Fiorilla, Danelle Kane, Jennifer Kinder, Judy Midas, Georgiann Setzer and Pamela Zelinsy; Blue Mountain Area, Ann Lucarino and Brian Rauenzahn; and Mahanoy Area, Nancy Brylewski, Tracy Gennarini-Bro and Christina Leshko.Named delagateRobert Betz, board member from Tamaqua Area School District and secretary of the Schuylkill IU School Board, was named the IU voting delegate to the Pennsylvania School Boards Association 2010 Legislative Policy Council and to participate in the School Leadership meeting in Hershey on Oct. 14.A payment of $12,600 was approved to Chester County IU for creating and publishing New Worlds environmental and vocational learning activities and for providing training in the design and development of instruction using New Worlds for the Maple Avenue Campus teachers. The services are fully funded through an Act 183 grant.A contract agreement was entered with Catapult Learning, LLC, of Philadelphia, in amount of $84,129.21 for providing Title I services to the non-public and private schools of the partcipating member districts in Schuylkill County for the current school year.A memorandum of understanding for sharing free or reduced price meal eliigibility information was entered with Shenandoah Valley School District. Payment of $2,699 was approved to The SPARKS program for providing staff development and a full day workshop for 40 people with costs to be covered by the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Cohort 5 grant.Classroom leaseA lease was approved for early intervention classroom space at Saint John's Lutheran Church, Pine Street, Tamaqua, for period from Sept. 1, to Aug. 31, 2011 at $800 per month. This space is for the classroom that was located in Rush Elementary Building in the Tamaqua Area School District.The contract with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Deep Mine Safety, was renewed for period of Oct. 1, to Sept. 30, 2011 for $85,107 for mine safety training.One-On-One serviceA contract agreement was entered with Tamaqua Area School District for the provision of special education services for the current year at a cost of $64,579.53. Under the terms of the contract the IU will provide appropriate one-on-one special education services for the student identified and requested by the Tamaqua school district.Contracts for Title I services to non-public school students for the current year were entered with Blue Mountain, Mahanoy Area, Minersville Area, North Schuylkill, Pine Grove Area, Pottsville Area, Saint Clair Area and Schuylkill Haven Area.Job descriptions were approved for the positions of coordinator of technology and paraprofessional/teacher aide.The position of coordinator of technology requires a minimum Associates Degree/Bachelor Degree and considerable experience and knowledge of the use of technology in classrooms from K trough 12 environment and excellent written and verbal communiction skills for the supervision of all technology staff members, implementing a plan for regular evaluation and revision of staff responsibilities; develop innovating technology and educational program and services in support of the school districts in the IU and keep up to date on federal, state and local technology programs.The paraprofessional/ teacher aide position is to assist the teacher in general daily classroom and school wide activities; maintain a safe classroom environment, arrange learning environment, assemble, adjust and maintain equipment and technology used in the instructional program, prepare instructional materials and peform other duties assigned.