Newly Elected Members Join Spring Cove School Board

The Spring Cove School District Board of Directors saw four new members and one incumbent take the oath of office administered by District Judge Andrew Blattenberger. Newcomers Gretchen Bettwy, Misti Fisher, Andrea Moses, and Kevin Smith joined incumbent Troy Wright on the newly elected board.

The board lost four outgoing members in former board president Brian Gahagan, Floyd Detterline, Samantha Snowberger, and Kelly Marks.

Troy Wright was elected as school board president while Amy Acker Knisely was reelected board vice president. Knisely was also appointed as Pa. School Board Liaison, and Linda Smith as Spring Cove education association liaison. Knisely and Smith were appointed as representatives to the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center.

During the Regular Meeting, the resignations of Wendy Engelberg as librarian/gifted support/English teacher and Faith Umberly as a paraprofessional were accepted.

Mathew Moushlian was approved as an English Teacher at Spring Cove Middle School at a salary of $50,728 by an 8-1 vote with Smith opposing. Moushlian is currently teaching on an emergency certificate with Rebecca Bianconi appointed as his mentor.

Lori Long was hired as a life skills teacher at a salary of $61,569 at Central High School. Long holds a masters certificate in special education in K-12 and has 11 years of special education experience. This position had been open in the district since September of 2022.

Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker stated that there were several paraprofessional positions still open in the district. Kristin Foor was voted to fill one of those openings at Spring Cove Middle School at a rate of $13 per hour.

Baker stated she received a copy of the Greater Altoona Career Technology Center (GACTC) course catalog for 2024-25 which outlines 25 different programs which students could participate in along with gaining industry credentials. Spring Cove School District does not restrict student enrollment in GACTC programs. Any qualifying student who wishes to attend and is accepted by the GACTC is permitted to enroll. The current enrollment is 75 students.

Baker reported the estate of Charles Barr, former Spring Cove School District elementary art teacher, donated $2,000 to the school elementary art program. Coryn Snyder, current elementary art teacher has a plan for use of the funds.

Following adjournment of the board meeting, Smith addressed the board requesting a meeting to go over four school policies and two documents. He wanted to discuss the matter immediately, but Solicitor Jennifer Dambeck said this was not on the scheduled agenda for the evening and would be in violation of the Sunshine Act. Dambeck said, if the board desired, it could be put on the January agenda. Smith was agreeable to this.

The next committee of the whole working meeting will be Monday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. The next regular voting meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. Both meetings will be held at the administration office board room.