School board appoints Stover to head G-AES
By KAREN BITNER Echo Pilot

Chad Stover

One of the first actions of the Greencastle-Antrim School Board at its meeting last Thursday was to approve the appointment of Chad Stover as principal of Greencastle Antrim Elementary School. The position became vacant after former G-AES principal Robert Crider accepted the position of principal of Greencastle-Antrim Middle School after former middle school principal Linda Lewis retired at the end of the school year. Stover's salary was set at $68,000 for a 225-day contract.

Originally from Chambersburg, Stover lives in Greencastle with his wife Marci, a G-AHS English teacher, and their two children, Madison, 7 and Cole, 2. Laughing, Stover noted that he will have one year to get used to the position before his daughter moves to the elementary school next year.

Stover earned both his bachelors degree in elementary education and his masters in educational administration from Shippensburg University. He taught fourth grade at Waynesboro for five years before coming to G-AMS as a math and science teacher in 2004. Stover said he began preparing for a career in administration during his second year as a teacher. "I knew it was what I wanted," he said, describing himself as "pretty motivated." He added that he's happy to enter the administrative role at this time. "I'm not surprised but I'm delighted," he said. "I feel that I'm ready."

His two top priorities at GAES, Stover noted, will be to build rapport with the faculty and increase opportunities for students. He noted that former elementary principal Crider had been very helpful. "All the administration and faculty have been very supportive," he said. "I couldn't ask for a better group of people to work with."

Stover explained that his interest in a career in education began early, when he was in first-grade. Describing himself as a shy child, Stover said his first-grade teacher would eat lunch with him every day, making sure he was comfortable in the lunchroom until he made friends. He added that his fourth-grade teacher was also very inspirational.

Personnel matters

In other action, the board approved the creation of two aide positions to supervise bus arrival and departure, afternoon dismissal and playgrounds.

The board approved Maria Kolva as G-APS second-grade teacher, Jennifer McCardell as G-APS LTS first-grade teacher and Kimberly Timmons as GAES learning support teacher. Support staff appointments included Lois Collingwood as GAHS instructional aide and Margaret Seidel as G-AMS athletic study hall monitor and substitute support staff call person. Mike Ball and Heather R. Nowell were approved as GAHS marching band percussion co-instructors.

School security personnel approved for the school year included James Bragunier, Ellis Daley (parking) Judith Glass, Norman Hann, Gary Helfrick, Donna Johnson (coordinator) and Warren Miller. Approved additions to the substitute lists included teachers Megan Beam and Katie Mouse, aide Kim Combs, and bus driver Cynthia Oberholzer. Beam was also added to the paid athletic help list.

Other actions

During the committee reports, Dan Fisher told his fellow board members that the Greencastle-Antrim Educational Foundation met briefly this month and director Ginny Lays is working on many projects, including the ongoing brick campaign. Superintendent Duff Rearick reminded the board that Lays' contract is due to expire this month and is being renegotiated, adding that her grant-writing efforts have brought the district $2.8 million dollars over the last few years.

Member Howard Ritchey reminded the board that the recently passed legislation known as Act 1 requires them to act quickly on local tax reform. "We have Act I facing us," he said. "We must appoint a commission."

Rearick noted that with school due to begin in a little over a week, there are 3001 students enrolled in the district. He told the board that transportation issues could pose a challenge as the year begins. "We have a tremendous shortage of bus drivers," he said, adding that the shortage could cause problems with school trips. In addition, roadwork near the school could complicate bus routes, the superintendent said, describing Ridge Avenue as "a disaster."

Tax rebate program

After a presentation by business office secretary Diane Haugh on the success of the Senior Citizen Tax Exchange program, the board voted to continue the program for the 2006-07 school year. The program, now in its fourteenth year, allows senior citizens who do volunteer work at the schools to receive rebates on their taxes. Although many seniors do the work themselves, another person such as a child or grandchild can also log time on their behalf.

Haugh said 191 senior citizens in the district received rebates averaging $59.66 this year, with a total rebate distribution of $11,395. Haugh explained that the volunteer work is paid a rebates amount of $6 per hour, and the total amount of rebate for which a senior citizen is eligible is based on assessed home value.. "The district benefited from 1,892 hours of volunteer time," she said, adding that volunteers weed the flowerbeds at Tayamentasachta, work in the business office, tutor students and do laminating work. "Seniors really like the laminating because they can see what the children are doing in the classroom," she explained. She said that her office gets many thank-you notes and phone calls of appreciation for the program. Haugh noted that students also like the program. "It's like Grandma coming in," she said.