MAHANOY CITY - The state Department of Education has chosen the Mahanoy Area Elementary School guidance counselor who will receive her certification as a trainer in the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.
During Monday night's meeting, Superintendent Joie L. Green said Heather Yarnitsky will participate in the PDE Office of Safe School's OBPP trainer certification course Dec. 5 to 7 in Mechanicsburg.
"I want to congratulate Mrs. (Susan) Scheeler (elementary school principal) and Heather Yarnitsky who worked on a grant for the Olweus Bullying program," Green said in her report.
The Olweus program began this school year in the elementary school for students in kindergarten through fourth grade.
According to the program's website, the Olweus program is designed to improve peer relations and make schools safer, more positive places for students to learn and develop. Goals of the program include reducing existing bullying problems among students, preventing the development of new bullying problems, and achieving better peer relations at school.
"She will be certified as a trainer," Green said. "Once she receives the training certificate, Yarnitsky will be able to come back, then to train teachers in grades five to 12. We have not had a trainer in house. I've been trained by someone in the Olweus program when I was in the middle school."
In other business, the school board:
- Accepted the retirement letter of reading specialist Audrey V. Lindner, effective Dec. 14.
- Appointed Joseph Hullihan, Mahanoy City, as assistant high school varsity softball coach at a salary of $3,089.34, pending receipt of the state police, child abuse and FBI clearances and a physical examination form.
- Dissolved the co-op agreement for wrestling with Marian Catholic High School and its Catholic elementary feeder schools.
- Appointed Marcellus Johnson, Mahanoy City, as a volunteer boys' basketball coach, pending all clearances.
High school Principal Tom Smith announced the students of the month for October are Holly Sofka and Eric Williamson, both of Barnesville. In the absence of middle school Principal Michael Heater, Green announced the October middle school students of the month are Jayda Byrne and Nolan Yanchuck, both of Mahanoy City.
Smith announced that the annual Pearl Harbor Day commemoration at 11 a.m. Dec. 7 that is normally held at Veterans Memorial at Centre and Catawissa streets in Mahanoy City will be held at the high school. Smith said a brunch will be served to the veterans after the program.
The school board will hold its reorganization meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 5. The next regular meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 20.