Grant Allows Musical to Return to Spring Cove in 2023

The Spring Cove School District took major steps in bringing back its annual high school musical at the regular monthly Board of Directors meeting for October.

There was unanimous approval for appointing Rachel Wagner as head musical director for the 2022-23 school year. The district was able to bring back the school musical due to a $25,000 Dragon Pride Foundation donation.

The motion to approve a memorandum of agreement with the Spring Cove Education Association related to the musical production was unanimously approved. The district has not yet chosen the musical production that it will present.

There was also a motion approved to create the following additional positions and associated stipends for the 2023 musical: music director $2,000, stage manager $2,000, choreographer $1,500, lighting designer $750, sound designer $800, costume designer $500, pit orchestra conductor $1,000, pit orchestra musicians with stipends of $45 per service (for approximately seven musicians) providing nine services, totaling $2,835; set construction head $1,000, and scenic artist $500.

There will also be a cost for royalties for music which Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker said “would not be cheap.” There will be three showings of the production, which will help offset the cost of the play.

Hirings and approvals

The “very tight” situation of a shortage of bus drivers for the district was eased at the meeting when the board voted to approve three bus drivers for Maxwell Transit, one van driver for Leidy Transportation, and one substitute bus driver for Maxwell. This should help to ensure all routes are covered.

Several months after being hired as the Spring Cove Middle School assistant principal, Ryan Baranik’s resignation was accepted unanimously by the board. Baranik will be leaving the district and returning to teaching in the classroom.

Middle School Principal Breanne Venios resigned at the last board meeting. The motion to employ Holly Boyles as the new assistant principal at the Spring Cove Middle School at an annual compensation of $70,000 was unanimously approved by the board.

Business Manager Steve Foor was given permission to execute a contract for electrical supply usage for the district. To address the high cost of electricity, approximately 10 school districts and municipalities will join to get a better pricing on energy.

The motion to approve purchase of a police car for $9,000 from Martinsburg Borough was unanimously approved. The district is buying a 2013 Ford utility vehicle, which will provide the district with two police vehicles available at all times.

A motion was approved to terminate the Spring Cove-Williamsburg wrestling co-op agreement. Williamsburg did not have any wrestlers participate last year. Williamsburg will co-op with Huntingdon School District next year.

The board approved the following new coaches: Destarta Carberry, Bocce co-coach, $500; Jared Fries, head JH softball coach, $2,547; and Dusty Bassler, head JH boys’ basketball coach, $4,491.

With winter on the horizon, the board authorized the services of Orchard Lane Excavating, Inc., for snow plowing and salting for the 2022/23 school year. Orchard Lane has provided services to the district in the past.

Dr. Baker also announced during her report that Gabby Schwackhammer, the new instrumental music teacher/band director, is currently conducting an instrumental drive to collect new or used instruments for the purpose of loaning them to students who do not have their own. In the first week, she received a trumpet and snare drum with sticks.

Dr. Baker also reported that despite the teacher shortage across the state and country, ESS, the district’s substitute teacher provider, has been “successfully continuing to add substitute teachers to our pool.”

Dr. Baker said that 93 percent of district absences so far this year have been filled.

The next regular board meeting will be held Monday, Nov. 14, at the Administration Office Board Room.