BY PAT FARNELLI

The Elk Lake School Board has selected a superintendent to replace Dr. William Bush, board president Anne Teel announced Thursday night.

Dr. Ken Cuomo, who served as high school principal for 21 years, and is now the elementary school principal, will be taking over as superintendent at the start of the 2014-15 school year.

Dr. Bush tendered his resignation to the board in July, effective June 30, 2014.

The board will vote to approve Cuomo’s position at the December meeting, but Teel felt confident announcing, “We have settled on a candidate.”

Cuomo responded, “I thank the board for their confidence. It has been a privilege to work here for the past 22 years with Dr. Bush. We were hired at the same meeting.”

Dr. Bush said, “I feel so much lighter at this moment, and I’d imagine Dr. Cuomo feels much heavier.”

He has served as superintendent at Elk Lake for the past 15 years.

Visitor Jeannie Jayne said, “I know some primary teachers are going to be sad that (Dr. Cuomo) is leaving that area. He has done very well in the elementary school.”
She asked when the board will begin the search for a new elementary school principal.

Administrators answered that they would first begin the transition process for Cuomo from principal to superintendent.

The last payment was made to Kropchko for the SCCTC building project’s architect fees, in the amount of $14,109.09. Another payment for the building project was also approved for $2,880. The expansion project is now paid for, and came in “under budget,” Bush said.

Schematic drawings for the food preparation area in the SCCTC were accepted, and Bush said that plans are “moving forward.”

When asked if another expansion project is planned, Bush said the food management program is growing, and that it may need an addition in the future.

The SCCTC student built house #3 was sold to the highest bidder for $276,000. The realtor had set the lowest acceptable bid at $240,000, but it was not revealed during the bidding process.

The home cost $180,000 to build, using the highest quality materials, so students could gain valuable experience working with state-of-the-art construction products and techniques.

The “tidy sum” of the profit, Bush said, was contributed to the career center for future projects, including a future, student-built House #4.
A full-time associate position in the special education partial hospitalization program was approved: the board expects to hire someone for this position at the December meeting.

High school principal Brian Mallery reported the Danceathon raised $4,300 for cancer. A Veterans Day assembly featured a great display of musical talent from the elementary and junior high schools; and the three best sixth grade essays, judged by American Legion Post members, were read aloud by Amelia Comly, Sadie Bosscher, and Brandon Way.

Tewksbury commented that he attended the Veterans Day assembly in the high school auditorium, and said, “The security system around the school works excellent. I couldn’t get in any place. Mrs. Heed recognized me and let me in.”

Cuomo said that the elementary school began a pilot program for the first online assessment taken at Elk Lake: a classroom diagnostic test in math and reading. He said that the assessment may function as a pretest for the PSSA tests given later in the year.

*A legal fees agreement was approved for Sweet, Stevens, Katz and Williams LLP, at the same rate as last year.

*An invoice for fuel oil storage tanks was approved for $2,088.
*A student expulsion was approved by the board.

*A maintenance position was filled by the hiring of Colin Burton.

*A wheelchair lift maintenance agreement was approved for Garaventa USA Inc. to maintain the lift near the high school gym. Previously, the district had a contract with Del Val.

*The schedule for 2014 school board meetings for Elk Lake and the SCCTC was approved, with changes in the months of April, July, and August due to conflicts with other events.

*An SCCTC meeting was held to approve the sale of House #3 and a list of policies already approved in the Elk Lake meeting.