Furloughs, Promotions on Docket for Wednesday's B-W School Board Mtg.
Many action items will help make up Baldwin-Whitehall's 2012-13 public school budget.
The Baldwin-Whitehall School Board will vote on Wednesday night whether or not to approve a 0.5-mill increase for district taxpayers in regard to its 2012-13 budget. But even before that, the board will have much else to decide, according to Wednesday's meeting agenda, available online.
Also up for a vote on Wednesday will be multiple action items that call for the elimination of several district employment positions and the implementation of corresponding furloughs.
Item 10.5 on Wednesday, for example, is a recommendation by district administration that the school board eliminate Baldwin-Whitehall's director of pupil services position and furlough its incumbent administrator, Virginia Deasy.
Another item (10.7) calls for the elimination of one English, science and social studies teacher at J.E. Harrison Middle School, as well as the half-time equivalent of a district-wide nursing position.
A number of custodial, maintenance and secretarial positions are also being recommended for elimination.
Recommended to be promoted on Wednesday night are Heatherlyn Wessel, a kindergarten teacher, as a vice principal at W.R. Paynter Elementary School, and Anissa Rosenwald, a Spanish teacher and Baldwin High School's activities coordinator, as a vice principal at Whitehall Elementary School.
District taxpayers and residents have the right to speak (item 4.0) near the start of Wednesday's school board meeting regarding the agenda's action items only. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at the school district office at 4900 Curry Rd. in Whitehall Borough.
View the full meeting agenda here. View the proposed 2012-13 B-W budget, which is also available in this article's media gallery. (CORRECTION: A budget PDF was removed from this article's gallery, as it is not the budget that will be voted on tonight. That budget is not available online. The above link is for a preliminary budget posted in May.)
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In This article
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J.E. Harrison Middle School
129 Windvale Dr, Pittsburgh, PA -
W.R. Paynter Elementary School
3454 Pleasantvue Dr, Pittsburgh, PA -
Whitehall Elementary School
4900 Curry Rd, Pittsburgh, PA -
Baldwin High School
4653 Clairton Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA -
Baldwin-Whitehall School District Office
4900 Curry Rd, Pittsburgh, PA
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Borough of Whitehall Municipal Complex (Administrative Offices and Outdoor Recreation)
100 Borough Park Dr, Pittsburgh, PA
Robert Edward Healy, III
8:40 am on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
CORRECTION: A budget PDF was removed from this article's media gallery, as it is not the budget that will be voted on tonight. That budget is not available online.
Sam D.
9:54 am on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
I am in agreement with the furlough of Ms. Deasy and the elimination of this position. Absolutely. Also, I (as I am sure there are many more) would like to see the position of Dean of Students at the high school eliminated. Absolutely, as well. There is NO need for this position or the person "given" or "handed" this position. There is a principal and assistant principals at the high school who should be able to take care of anything that a so-called Dean of Students would do. GET RID OF HIM!
JustMe
1:10 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Sam we have 2 Dean of Students, one at Baldwin High School and one at Harrison Middle School. Two positions that are not needed. What we do need is to hire teachers instead of furloughing them. All of our children deserve a good education.
hroark
8:58 am on Friday, April 26, 2013
Not sure of the High School, however I have worked with the Harrison Dean of Students and he is hard working, dedicated and bridges the gap between students, principles and parents. This is not a zero sum game where cutting this professional needs to be done to save the teachers.
Michael Dobs
12:51 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Does a district get out of paying for unemployment if they furlough and employee compared to firing them?
Robert Edward Healy, III
3:44 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Good question, Michael. We will try to find out.
Robert Edward Healy, III
12:13 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Michael, I've learned that furloughed employees are still eligible for unemployment compensation.
Outer banks forever
10:03 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
I was at the meeting tonight regarding the furloughs. I think it is just wrong that MR Schmotzer lied to the board regarding the custodial positions. He stated that the positions being elimanated were all filled by subs, and no full time people would be affected. This is untrue that have already notified a 19 year employee this morning that he was losing his position. Why did you lie Mr Schmotzer. People are losing their jobs ?
Robert Edward Healy, III
12:11 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Outer banks,
District Business Manager William McNamee tells me that Schmotzer is accurate.
ResidentTaxpayer
2:12 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Why would anyone believe anything that sounds good coming from any of the Schmotzers?
Michael Dobs
12:43 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Well I'm glad to here they can still collect unemployment... Since I believe over 50% of them were BW residents. Thanks to the Board... Sarcasm!
Robert Edward Healy, III
3:07 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Surprise! Baldwin-Whitehall Maintains Tax Line: http://patch.com/A-vgK1
JustMe
1:18 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
"Nurse, Social Worker to Stay
One week after hearing a proposal to save money by dropping at least one nurse and one social worker from Baldwin-Whitehall's public schools, B-W School Board President John B. Schmotzer told an audience of about 60 people on Wednesday night that the board has no intention of making those cuts.
"The board has instructed administration to not consider the elimination of a school nurse and also not to consider the elimination of a social worker," Schmotzer said during the board's monthly agenda meeting at the district office along Curry Road."
"B-W Schools Will Maintain Nurses, Social Workers Levels
Part 1 of notes from a crowded May 2 school board meeting."
Not surprised that they got rid of a nurse even though they said they wouldn't. Thank you Baldwin Whitehall School Board, I will remember this next election time.
ResidentTaxpayer
2:11 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Let's vote ALL of them off the board. Why don't they eliminate the Dean of Students position? We all know why. The custodial positions were a lot more necessary and important than a created position for a political ally's son. Let's keep this in everyone's mind ... VOTE THEM ALL OFF. Whoever is coming up in the next election, GET RID OF THEM. As soon as the next election comes, vote the remainder of them off until we have all new members.
Common Sense
2:07 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012
The nurse position was not eliminated within the BWSD. My knowledge is that it was an out sourced position at a private school.
Robert Edward Healy, III
2:36 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012
Common,
Correct.
Robert Edward Healy, III
2:08 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Staff Cuts, Furloughs Help Baldwin-Whitehall Balance its Budget: http://patch.com/A-vhjS
Robert Edward Healy, III
2:49 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
@Sam D.,
Never mind, Sam. I've learned that the job descriptions have not changed.
Robert Edward Healy, III
4:54 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
'Pay to Play,' Promotions & Other Leftovers from a June 13 B-W School Board Mtg.: http://patch.com/A-vhJq
Outer banks forever
7:02 am on Friday, June 15, 2012
@Robert ,
Mr. Schmotzer may have told you that he is accurate BUT! I live with 2 BW employees who know the positions in question., and the one is almost. certain to lose his benefits and job because of this judgement. The kept a maintence man that doesn't even do anything, but they have 2 facilities managers. Well, when school begins and there are not enough custodians to really clean desks and bathrooms, then think back to this judgement.