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new board member Jason Wehrle
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SV names new board member to empty seat
August 26, 2008
Wehrle wants to retain spot
By Kathryn Sheranko
Eagle Staff Writer
JACKSON TWP — The Seneca Valley School Board on Monday appointed Jason Wehrle to fill the empty Cranberry Township West III seat. He was chosen from four possible candidates.
Board members Sally Hanley, Anthony Storti, Jeff Widdowson, Robert Hill, Joe Scalamogna and Dean Berkebile voted for Wehrle. Ken Brennan voted for Robert Cadman and Tom Roth voted for Tom Cully, both residents of the district for more than 25 years.
Candidate Bob Gillenberger Jr., a 1999 graduate of the district, received no votes.
This seat was left vacant after the board accepted the resignation of Anthony Evans earlier this month.
Candidates were peppered with questions including their thoughts on the time involved in being a school director, school funding and taxation policies, challenges facing the district, the recent education association strike and the student drug testing policy.
"I'm here because I'd like to make a difference," Wehrle said during his interview. "This is something that is very important to me." Wehrle, 37 resides with his wife, Lisa, and their children Brady, 2, and Emma, 5, who will start kindergarten this year.
An attorney with Strassburger McKenna Gutnick and Gefsky of Pittsburgh, Wehrle said he assisted a colleague as the solicitor for the Western Allegheny County Municipal Authority and is the president of the Cranberry West Home Owner's Association.
Wehrle said he has been following district business for about two years. He researched the district before moving back to the area from Chicago in 2004.
For now, Wehrle said he has no agenda for his seat or the district. He said he would work to reconcile relationships between teachers and the community in the wake of a 24-day work stoppage last year to "get everyone on the same page," he said.
Wehrle said he intends to run in the November 2009 general election, when Evans' term would have ended.
"I didn't take this position as a stopgap," he said. "I took this as something I wanted to do for a little longer term.
"Whatever it takes, I'll do," he said.
Evans resigned Aug. 4 after being charged with driving under the influence in March.
Evans, 45, had represented the Cranberry Township West III voting district since 2001. However, he had not attended a board meeting since Nov. 12.
The driving under the influence charge stemmed from a police call the morning of March 21.
Neshannock Township police in Lawrence County were called to an accident in which Evans' Ford van was in a ditch, according to court documents.
Evans' blood-alcohol level was 0.31 percent, or nearly four times Pennsylvania's legal limit of 0.08 percent, according to police.
The van's registration also had expired in February, according to court documents.
Evans faces charges of driving under the influence, careless driving and driving an unregistered vehicle.
Wehrle is required to take the oath of office before a district judge or county judge in Butler prior to attending the next board meeting Sept. 8.
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Resignation Accepted
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At the Monday, August 4, 2008 SVSD School Board meeting, the Board officially accepted the resignation of Anthony Evans of Represents Cranberry Twp. West III, Region 4, effectively immediately. Six board members were present, all voting yes.
Attorney Matt Hoffman stated that under the law, the Board has 30 days to appoint a new school director. President Dean Berkebile set a special meeting date of August 25, 7:30 P.M. for the purpose of filling that vacancy. The meeting will be held in the IHS Auditorium, the usual meeting place.
The map below shows the area in gold. It is a small area, but heavily populated. It generally centers on Haine School.
President Berkebile requested that individuals submitt a letter stating their interest and qualifications, to the Board. Letters must be received by the Board Secretary by August 20.
School board members serve without pay. Minimum qualifications for election or appointment to a school board include having good moral character, being eighteen years of age or upward and having been a resident of the district for at least one year. School board meetings, which are open to the public, are held twice or more each month, except July.
from the SVSD site:
SV Accepting Applicants for New Board Member
The Seneca Valley School District is accepting applications for a school board director vacancy from Region 4 - Cranberry West III. Any interested resident of this region may submit their name, a brief statement indicating their qualifications and experiences, and why they would like to serve on the Board to: Mrs. Joan Rinaman, Board Secretary, Seneca Valley School District, 124 Seneca School Road, Harmony, PA 16037. Applications must be submitted by no later than August 20, 2008, to become a candidate. Direct any questions to Mrs. Rinaman at (724) 452-6040 ext. 255.
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map from the Cranberry Twp website showing polling regions
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School Director Qualifications from PDE
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From the PDE website:
Pre K-12 Schools
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School Districts
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is charged by the state Constitution to provide “for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth.” To meet this mandate the Pennsylvania General Assembly established school districts and delegated broad authority to them to operate schools and educate resident students of school age. Each school district is governed by a school board whose members must live in the school district. There are 501 school districts in the Commonwealth. Student enrollments ranges from 267 to 214,288. The number of schools operated in school districts ranges from one to 264.
School boards are provided broad authority by the Pennsylvania School Code to establish, equip, furnish and maintain the public schools in the district. School boards also have authority to employ the necessary qualified personnel to operate its schools. To support these activities school boards are provided authority to levy taxes, borrow funds, obtain grants and expend funds as outlined in the Pennsylvania School Code and by other state and federal laws. Public school districts spend more than $14.8 billion each year to provide educational services to more than 1.8 million students.
The philosophy of local control has a strong tradition in Pennsylvania. Each school district through its locally-developed strategic plan outlines how it will assist students in meeting the state’s academic standards, including requirements for high school graduation. School boards must approve school district policies and educational practices including the school district’s curriculum and policies for grading, promotion, grade retention, student discipline and athletic teams.
School board members are elected by local citizens to serve for four years. In some cases members are appointed to the board. School board members serve without pay. Minimum qualifications for election or appointment to a school board include having good moral character, being eighteen years of age or upward and having been a resident of the district for at least one year. School board meetings, which are open to the public, are usually held once or twice each month.
Each school board employs a superintendent who serves as the chief executive of the school district. Additional administrators may also be hired by the school board, including a business manager, assistant superintendent, curriculum director, transportation director and food service director.
Content Last Modified on 11/26/2007 3:49:56 PM |
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/k12/cwp/view.asp?A=165&Q=47176&pp=12&n=1
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