With the school year winding down the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 School Board acted on activities for the summer school program and approved 15 students nominated for graduation at the conclusion of the 2011-12 schoool year in action taken at the monthly board meeting held at the Maple Avenue Campus in Norwegian Township.

Teachers to be employed to provide Extended School Year (ESY) service to eligible students at the Maple Avenue Campus during the summer of 2012 not to exceed 100 hours at $25 per hour were as follows:Regina Casella, Charles N. Brayford, Andrew Schwalm, Maria Strawhorn, Jennifer Pisarz, Jennifer Reeves, Abby Forney, Thomas Wood. Also substitutes, Stan Sabol, Rochelle Angelo, Steve Babinchak, Debra Crosswell, Jim Lyden and Jessica Albon.Teacher aides hired were, Sharon Kreiger, Sheila Deitrich, Susan McGovern, Marian Luckenbill, Mary Jane Reed, Elizabeth Whitman, Antoinette Purcell, Monna Baiocco, Gladys Keifer, Karol Bugajinsky, Donna Dennis, Beverly Stine, Lois Whittemore, Kendra Wiest, Ann Kristoff, Emily Duffy, Anna Strenkoski, Justina Surazas, Alison Kane, Kathlyn Fickinger and Sean Jones.Therapists hired for the summer therapeutic services to students which begins June 20 and runs to Aug. 17 were the following:Kathy Roth, Babara Katona, Brian Rogers, Jeffrey Jacavage, Nicholas Reese, Ashley Heim, and Carl Stine. Substituts hired were Scott Forney, Katherine McDonald and Shanon Ashfield; case managers, Traci Kowalick and Michael Jacavage; and case manager substitute, Janet Smoldon, Marie Panchari, and Larry Lightfoot.Hired on the summer maintenance staff were the following:Albert Wank, Llewellyn, crew chief, and David Baker, Pottsville; Jefrfrey Marteslo, Llewellyn; Christian Gardner, Pottsville; Chris Nemits, Schuylkill Haven; and Jeremy Hoke, crew members.Class Of 2012The 15 students who will be graduating are as follows:Sean Huegel and William Weyman, Tamaqua Area; Eric Lamberth, Blue Mountain; Devon Britton, Mahanoy Area; Vincent Riegel and Julia Seiders, Minersville Area; Amanda and Jessica Bowles, North Schuylkill; James Laub and Daniel Mooney, Pottsville Area; Clarence C.J. Wetzel, Pine Grove Area; Albert Ditzler and Ryan Lonergan, Schuylkill Haven Area; Anthony Rettzo, Shenandoah Valley; and William Weyman, Tri Valley.The board approved a revised agreement between the IU and six school districts for providing Title I services to the county's non-public schools througout the remainder of the 2011-12 school year. The agreement was with Blue Mountain, Mahanoy Area, Minersville Area, North Schuylkill, Pottsville Area and Schuylkill Haven Area. The revised budget is for $92,893,37.The board entered into an agreement with Kuztown University to establish a relationship to provide expereinces for interns. Dr. Diane N. Niederriter, executive director of the IU, said there is no cost to the agreement.The proposal of Victor E. Muncy Inc. for front entrance replacement at the South Campus building of the VoTech Center at a cost of $70,200. The proposal of Houck Services Inc. for floor replacement at theSouth Campujs in the cafeteria, second floor hallway and restrooms was accepted in amount of $30,198. Both were accepted.The IU will accept students from Mount Carmel Area School District to attend the vo-tech center for 2012-13 school year at a cost of $6,000 per student for tuition and Mount Carmel School District will provide the transportation.The board approved the Intermediate Unit 29 Program and Administrative budget for 2012-13 totaling $21,546,357 and a budget for the technology centers at $6,020,701.Set award daySchuylkill County superintendents, high School principals, Penn State Schuylkill and Lebanon Valley College, will recognize students for academic excellence at the 29th annual Schuylkill Coiunty Achievement Awards program which will be held at the Pottsville Club on Wednesday, May 16, with a breakfast buffet beginning at 8 a.m and program starting at 9 a.m.Each public and non-public school is invited to select six "Schuylkill Scholars" who will be recognized for academic excellence.Vo-tech student winners in the 2012 Skills USA State Competition held in Hershey were recoganized and congragulated by the board. The winners were:Dillon Doyle, Tri Valley, first place in the Motorcycle Service Technology, winner of a $20,000 scholarship to Universal Technical Institute and will compete in the national competition to be held in Kansas City, Missouri. Peter Wrona, Minersville, won second place in the Technical Computer Application and received a $1,500 scholarship to Pennsylvania College of Technology.Bryon McMahon, North Schuylkill, fifth place in Auto Specialization; Jeff Shade, North Schuylkill, ninth place in Customer Service; Billy Bagdeinovich, North Schuylkill, eight place in Masonry; Kole Miller, Williams Valley, fifth place in Power Equipment Technology; Amanda Glessner, North Schuylkill, and Mike Paul, Shenandoah Valley, both in 22nd place in Promotional Bulletin Board.Personnel matterVeronica Neal, of Hegins, was hired as the assistant director of the vocational education effective July 1 at a salary of $63,950.Samantha Smith, Pottsville, was hired as substitute assessment support specialist at $15 per hour effective May 8, and all costs are covered by the Adult Basic Literacy Education grant.Diane Stine, cafeteria head cook, was approved to work extra hours to provide lunch to the Schuylkill Learning Academy program that runs throughout the summer. She will be paid at her current rate.Hired as substitute teachers, at $80 per hour, were Patricia Wolfgang, Ashland; Mitchell Aguilar Sr., Reading; Robert Hayes, Orwigsburg; Bill Manges, Pine Grove; Nick Sura, Larksville; and Susan Ziegler, Andreas.Hired as substitute teacher aides at $8.25 per hour were Patricia Wolfgang, Ashland; Beth Buck, Minersville; Sherri Bensinger, Pottsville; and Katlynn Fickinger, Ashland.