Pleasant Valley School District board of director Steve Borger received some good news at the last PVSD school board meeting. In a new vote, concerning the girls' softball volunteer coach for the 2011-2012 year, he was voted in as a volunteer coach for the Varsity/JV girls' softball team.

At the Feb. 9, 2012 meeting, the Pleasant Valley School District board of directors, in a 3-4 vote, with one abstention, did not approve appointing Borger as a volunteer coach. President of the board, Tom Murphy and director Susan Kresge voiced their concerns for board members being coaches as "conflict of interest."This time the vote was 6-3 in favor of Borger being named as a volunteer girls' softball coach. MiChelle Palmer, Susan Kresge and President Murphy voted "no."Board president Murphy stated that he still believed it was a conflict of interest for a board member to be a coach for a school sport.Borger thanked the board for reconsidering the vote and said he was looking forward to working with the girls again this year.Resident Gene Mackes of Effort asked the school board if anything could be done for older people to get to the field where the varsity girls' softball team plays, saying it was quite a distance to walk for grandparents and older folks.The board said they would look into it.It was with noted sadness that the board voted to approve the retirement of longtime employee, Dora Tartar.Tartar began her career with Pleasant Valley as an elementary teacher 40 years ago and will be retiring July 1, 2012 as the PVSD Reading Supervisor.Director James Spinola thanked Mrs. Tartar for her years of dedication."She gave the best presentations at our board meetings. She will be greatly missed," he said.Dr. Douglas Arnold, PVSD superintendent said, "I echo Mr. Spinola's remarks. She has done a wonderful job for us."Director Kresge also thanked Mrs. Tartar for her 40 years of service to the district.With the closing of Chestnuthill Elementary School as of the end of the 2011-2012 school year, the board approved the following transfers of professional staff positions for 2012-2013, to other schools:*from Chestnuthill Elementary to-Christina Solinger, kindergarten, PVE; Valerie Rudawksi, 1st, PVE; Sarah Sipler, 1st, PVE; Jennifer, 2nd, PVE; Michael Sauers, 2nd, PVE; Joanne Pohl, 3rd, PVE; Roger Pomposello, remedial math, PVe; Lindsey DeSantis, 4th, PVI; Paula Schmelz, 4th, PVI; Jennifer Krebs, remedial math; Teresa Hartman, remedial reading, Polk; Rebecca Handelong, remedial reading, PVE; Catherine Peechatka, remedial reading, PVE; John DeVivo, music, PVE/PVHS; Nicole Layton, guidance, Polk; Lorraine Cangialosi, library, PVE/Polk; Scott Stouffer, Health/Physical Education, PVE; Michelle Sucic, special education, PVI; Karen Koberlein, speech, PVHS; Ann Parham, gifted, Polk/PVE; Sandy Kaspszyk, 1st, PVE.*from Polk Elementary to-Tara Liddy, 3rd, PVE; Lauren Cieslak, 4th, PVI; Larissa Folio, 4th, PVI; Amy Polak, 4th, PVI; Megan Statts, 4th, PVI; Mary Portz, remedial reading, PVI; Darcy Smith, ESOL, Polk/PVE; Kimberly Sautter, special education, PVHS; Joyce Gereznak, ESOL, PVI.*from PVE to PVE/Polk-Romaine Streit, art/K, science; Teresa Greggo, data/social studies.*from PVE to PVI-Laura Ammermann, 4th; Audrey DeCesare, 4th; Judith Hartzler, 4th; Elise Hunter, 4th; Aleisa Kinsey, 4th; Laurie Koonce, 4th; Jenny Kuntz, 4th; Erin Pekurny, 4th; Heather Siptroth, 4th; David Webb, 4th; Tracy Pio, remedial math; Peter Blat, remedial reading; Kimberly Liscinski, remedial reading; Kasey Whiteford, remedial reading; Dawn Wisser, special education; Danielle Staples, special education; Monica Williamson, IST/Data.*from PVE/PVHS to PVHS-Mary Keller, library; Gena Orlowski, health/physical education; Jane Roberts, gifted.*from PVI to PVMS/PVHS-Jeffrey Lazowski, industrial tech; George Smith, ESOL*from PVI to PVMS-Hillary Bond, 7th English; Vincent Castellano, 7th English; Colleen Yacovelli, 7th English; Melanie Bankus, 7th math; Diane Brouse, 7th math; Gayle Markowski, 7th math; Christopher Lesoine, 7th science; Mari-Catherine Garr, chemistry; Yvonee Lovito, 7th science; Susan Pekala, 7th science; Anthony Chupa, 7th social studies; Marc Fleming, social studies; John Gilbert, 7th social studies; Lisa Wojton, 7th social studies; Michele Antolick, 7th reading; Deborah Butchkoski, 7th reading; Kathleen Dekmar, 7th reading; Monica Ohland, 7th reading; Susan Squindo, 7th remedial math; Matthew Gould, 7th social studies; Laurie Howarth, 7th remedial reading; Cynthia Lizzio, 7th remedial reading; Angela George, 7th special education; Lisa Larsen, 7th special education; Veronica Scrivens, 7th special education; Tracy Toth, 7th special education; Heather Gross, 7th special education; Kimberly Engler, family and consumer science; Cindy Siekonic, German; Stefanie Almeida, Spanish; Nancy Kozicki, nurse.*from PVMS to PVHS-Suzanne Hunsicker, math; Sherry Getz, math; Jenna Wernett, math; Vanessa Fego, English; Meghan, English, Daisy Genovese, English; Elizabeth Gesualdi, English; Thomas J. Murphy, English; Timothy Ernest, science; Mary Ann Pitts, science; Frank Staats, science; Donna Berg, social studies; Jeremy Goff, social studies; Jason Robbins, social studies; James Ward, social studies; Carol Ring, reading; Carol Patterson, Spanish; Alysia Phillips, Spanish; Jenne Boyle, special education; Ron Leupold, special education; Albert Miller, special education; Concetta Smith, special education; Debra Stewart, special education; Christine Konstantopoulos, health/physical education; Catherine Barrett, business; Sally Drosnock, business; Jenny Laubcher, business; Meghan Sobieski, art;*from PVMS to PVMS/PVHS-Kim Werley, family and consumer sciences; Christine Sabatini, art; Richard Ochs, German.The PV school board approved 9-0:*hiring substitutes, Lori Burger and Wendy Daricek as custodians*transferring Wanda Jordan, Chestnuthill custodian to PVE; Kathy Lees, Chestnuthill custodian to PVI; Maryanne Barlak, Chestnuthill cafeteria to PVHS.The board also approved, 9-0:*fall head coaching positions-Chris Pachuta, boys' soccer; George Fair, cross country; Angela Frantz, field hockey; Jim Terwilliger, football; Tim Hinton, girls' soccer; Mark Allison, girls' tennis; John Gesiskie, girls' volleyball; Steve Krechel, golf.*Christine Mwikambo as a Polk parent volunteer.*summer school to be held at PVE from Monday, July 2-Friday, July 27, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. for students in grades K-6 and 8:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. for instructors. There are 14 instructors and 15 instructional aides needed. Instructors will be paid $460 a week and instructional aides will be paid $360 a week. The program is funded through ESEA Title I program.Business management received approval in a vote of 9-0:*a contract with Ehrlich for $2,841 for vegetation management services throughout district with no increase from last year*a contract with Graham Academy at a cost of per diem rate of $105 (SED) for classrooms. Itinerant services at $99.96 per hour, one-on-one staff at the rate of $600 per week*a contract with Trane of Northeastern Pennsylvania of a cost of $1,498 for a three year maintenance contract effective from April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014.*contract with Richard Mikula, a cost of $1,200 for Butterfly Days program to be held May 23, 24, 25, 2012 at Chestnuthill, PVE and Polk Elementary.*to advertise for sealed bids for anthracite coal and musical instruments*pay in advance the estimated March 2012 invoice to First Student to take advantage of a 1.5 percent discount. The March billing is estimated to be $679,319.66. After deducting the March rent, as per agreement, in the amount of $10,490.18, the net billing will be $668,829.48. The 1.5 percent discount is $10