LEETONIA School board considers adding a new principal

All-day kindergarten and the fate of two buildings are also on tonight's agenda.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LEETONIA -- The board of education is considering adding a third building principal as the district prepares to move nearly 900 pupils into new facilities this fall.
The topic is on the agenda for tonight's 6:30 meeting at Orchard Hill School.
The district's kindergarten-through-12th-grade school is nearing completion, and the move will put all the district's pupils at one location.
John Rydarowicz is principal of seventh- through 12th-grade pupils at the junior/senior high, and Elizabeth Goerig is principal of kindergarten through sixth-grade pupils housed at Washingtonville and Orchard Hill elementary schools.
Schools Superintendent Thomas Inchak said the possibility of adding a third principal has been part of the planning for the new school. He said he's proposing one principal be responsible for kindergarten through fourth grades, one for fifth through eighth grades and one for ninth through 12th grades.
Cost: The new position would be paid in part with money now used to pay two part-time employees to handle management of special programs such as curriculum development and special education. Those duties would then be part of the three principals' duties, he said.
Inchak said many districts Leetonia's size or larger and some districts smaller than Leetonia have at least three principals.
He said most area districts operate with some form of middle school system.
Inchak said roofing, masonry, plumbing and electrical work are some of the more visible signs of progress toward the move to the new facility on Walnut Street. Meanwhile, administrators are working to adapt the curriculum and the classroom assignments to the new building.
All-day kindergarten: He said all-day kindergarten likely will be an option for parents. He said the kindergarten space was designed with all-day kindergarten in mind.
The board has not approved all-day kindergarten yet, but will discuss it tonight, he said.
Inchak also said having all pupils at one location will allow more sharing of teachers for programs such as art, music and physical education.
The new building is designed with the cafeteria-auditorium, administrative offices and gymnasium in the center. Middle school and high school pupils will be in the two-story wing, with ninth through 12th grades on the second floor. Elementary pupils will be in a one-story wing opposite the central area.
Inchak said the board also will consider what to do with the Washingtonville Elementary and the junior-senior high buildings. The buildings could be sold or torn down.
Orchard Hill will be demolished to make room for parking at the new school.
tullis@vindy.com