CAMPBELL Education board weighs drug tests for new personnel

An open house at the new school is set for Sept. 15.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CAMPBELL -- The board of education is considering imposing pre-employment drug tests for all potential employees.
Board member Diana Petruska made the recommendation to the board Tuesday night and distributed information she had gathered regarding types of tests available and the costs of implementing them.
Board member Karen Repasky welcomed the suggestion.
Example for students
"Let's make a statement to our students that this is how serious we are about having drug-free schools," she said. Repasky suggested that current employees voluntarily submit to drug tests and use the results to promote drug-free schools to students. "Let's show them that we mean what we say."
Repasky volunteered to donate her school board salary to help cover the costs of the tests.
Petruska said hair tests would cost about $40 plus a charge for interpreting results; urine tests would cost $15 plus the cost of reading results.
The board said it would study the information Petruska provided and discuss the issue at a later date.
Personnel hiring
In other business, schools Superintendent James Ciccolelli recommended hiring several school personnel, all of whom were approved by the board.
The board approved Dr. Andrew Schmutz to provide athletic trainer services for the 2002 football season at a cost of $1,600.
If the arrangement works well for both the school system and Schmutz, the board may elect to have Schmutz provide the same services for the basketball season, Ciccolelli said.
The board also approved the appointment of Anthony DeFelice as principal of grades five through eight, effective today.
DeFelice was given a one-year administrative contract and given a salary according to administrative salary schedule. The exact amount was not immediately available.
Other board-approved appointments are:
UJohn Gulgas, special education director for the school district.
ULynette Struharik, library/media specialist, Campbell Elementary-Middle School.
UKimberly Bryan, teacher, Campbell Elementary-Middle School
ULori Donatelli, teacher, Campbell Elementary-Middle School.
ULeida Shuluga, bilingual tutor.
UClaudine Austalosh, crossing guard.
UIan Shirey, eighth-grade football coach (supplemental position).
ULydia Gomez, special needs aide (to assist with her daughter).
The board approved three individuals for the auxiliary services program: Monica Hvizdak, remedial teacher; Dorothy Stellmar, clerk; and Anne Zelina, nurse.
Salaries for all will be set according to negotiated contracts or program budgets. Exact amounts were not immediately available.
The board voted to employ student workers at Memorial High School. Students hired will work two hours per day, five days a week, for $4 per hour.
Fees approved
In other business, the board approved fees for various high school courses from $4 to $10. Students also will be responsible for the costs of workbooks and all supplemental materials.
An open house at the new school was set for Sunday, Sept. 15 from 2 to 5 p.m. It will be held in conjunction with the Campbell Academic Association's ribs and chicken dinner fund-raiser.
Tickets for the dinner are available at all city schools.
The next board meeting will be Sept. 17.
kubik@vindy.com