C-K Board Elects Leaders, Appoints Coaches

The Claysburg-Kimmel School Board used its last meeting of 2022 to reappoint Rich Gergely board president and Geri Mock vice-president.

Gergely was challenged for the presidency when Mock nominated Jeremy Knott for the position. Gergely retained the presidency by a 4-3 vote with Roger Knisely, Mona Eckley, Heidi Kennedy, and Craig Burket voting for Gergely, and Amy Gill, Mandi Daugherty, and Mock casting votes for Knott.

Mock was elected vice-president unanimously.

At December’s meeting, the board voted to award high school Principal Chuck Kassick a salary increase of $5,135 effective for the 2022-23 fiscal year. Daughterty and Burkett voted against the raise.

Jeremy Knott asked the board to consider sanctioning girls’ wrestling at Claysburg-Kimmel. Knott said there are several female wrestlers currently in the district and if Clayburg sanctions it, it will increase the chance that the PIAA will sanction statewide girls’ wrestling.

At its January meeting, the board voted to approve the resolution to sponsor a girls’ wrestling program.

The board also agreed to contribute half the cost of each graduating senior’s yearbook which will be approximately $2,500.

The board voted unanimously to hire Kassick as head varsity football coach at a yearly stipend of $4,275. Kassick takes over for Matt Bilchak, who led the program the past five seasons and leaves with a record of 21-30. Bilchak said he did not resign as head coach, rather the board decided to open the position and Bilchak elected not to reapply.

In other coaching hires, Tim Oaks was hired as assistant varsity baseball coach with a $2,496 stipend, and Eric Claar was hired as an assistant varsity baseball coach with a stipend of $1,740.