SHARON School board fills principal vacancy
The district will forgive more than $1,000 in taxes on a house Habitat for Humanity plans to renovate.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
SHARON, Pa. -- The school board has hired an elementary principal to fill a vacancy and will soon hire an assistant principal for the middle/high school.
Michael Gay, assistant principal at New Oxford Middle School in Adams County, will be paid $64,993 to take the post of principal at Musser Elementary School, according to the contract approved by the board Monday.
The Hermitage native replaces Michael Calla, who was recently named supervisor of curriculum and instruction.
Gay, a graduate of Hickory High School and Slippery Rock University, earned a master's degree in elementary and secondary school administration from Western Maryland University.
He taught six years at the Dallastown Middle School in York County before taking the assistant principal's post at New Oxford.
Gay is married and has two sons.
Meanwhile, the school district has advertised for an assistant principal for the middle/high school.
Position reopened
Dr. Donna DeBonis, superintendent, said the building operated with four principals for years, but one position was eliminated several years ago and there are only three now responsible for pupils in grades seven through 12.
The board has agreed to reopen the fourth position, and the person hired to fill it will deal primarily with disciplinary matters in grades nine through 12, DeBonis said.
The board agreed to write off more than $1,000 in property taxes owed on a house at 259 Prospect St. at the request of Mercer County Habitat for Humanity, which plans to buy the house, renovate it and sell it to a family.
After it is sold, it will come back on the tax rolls at its new tax value, school officials said.
Taxes and penalties amount to $399 for 1999, $384 for 2000 and $363 for 2001.
Habitat is expected to make a similar request dealing with city and county taxes.