MCDONALD SCHOOLS Board members say goodbye to retiring superintendent

A meeting for parents of open-enrollment pupils will be Aug. 12.
By MARY R. SMITH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
McDONALD -- Retiring schools Superintendent Robert Bloniarz said Monday that he first came to McDonald 13 years ago to be high school principal and sat down with the board of education with "a lot of expectations."
"It's been a great experience for me," Bloniarz said in his farewell to the five board members, as he prepares to retire July 31. He eagerly awaits the birth of a new grandson in early August to kick off his retirement.
Newly named Superintendent Michael Wasser thanked Bloniarz for his assistance in making the transition. "I hope I can walk in your shoes," he told the departing superintendent.
Board president Robert Jones told Bloniarz: "All the students will miss you. They are very fond of you."
Atty. William Roux thanked him for his hard work.
Open-enrollment meeting
Wasser announced there will be a meeting at 11 a.m. Aug. 12 in the high school auditorium for parents of all new open-enrollment pupils. Open-enrollment policies and expectations will be discussed. Wasser said an estimated 110 pupils have enrolled in the district under open enrollment.
The meeting will be conducted by high school Principal John LaRocca and Roosevelt Elementary Principal Anthony Russo.
In business at Monday's meeting, the board approved rehiring Gerald Deyarmin for five additional hours per week at a rate of $13.91 an hour to do minor nonsafety-related repairs and cleaning of buses, from Aug. 1 through July 31, 2004.
Deyarmin was also rehired as transportation supervisor for one year, from Aug. 1 to July 31 at an annual salary of $4,300. The job had been done by LaRocca for the past three or four years, and before that Deyarmin did the job.