Struthers schools chief to head Beaver Local

Ability to secure state
funding for building projects was a factor in her
appointment.

STRUTHERS — Superintendent Sandra DiBacco-Tusinac is leaving the district to accept a position with the Beaver Local School District.

She will replace outgoing Beaver Local Superintendent Willard Atkins, who is retiring Jan. 1.

DiBacco-Tusinac will be paid $93,367 annually under her new contract. She was issued a three-year contract beginning in 2008. She will be prorated for her first eight months with the district.

DiBacco-Tusinac’s resignation from the Struthers district will be effective Nov. 30, by vote of the school board. A retired superintendent will likely be recruited to serve as interim superintendent while a replacement is sought, said Sheri Noble, Struthers board president.

Meeting Tuesday, Struthers board members voted to compensate DiBacco-Tusinac for her remaining vacation and sick time. She will remain on the district’s hospitalization plan through Dec. 31.

Members agreed, however, not to approve budgeted travel expenses for the outgoing administrator. Other district representatives will be sent to out-of-district training and administrative activities in her place.

“I have nothing against Beaver Local Schools,” said board member Dean Burns. “But I don’t want to train their superintendent at our expense.”

DiBacco-Tusinac’s eight years in Struthers were marked by contention with the school board. In 2005, board members voted unanimously to prohibit her from sharing board information with any outside agency, including the press, without prior approval.

“We wish her well,” said Noble.

DiBacco-Tusinac said she was proud of the academic progress that had been made during her tenure in Struthers. The Poland resident also oversaw the construction of a new high school and elementary school in the district.

DiBacco-Tusinac’s demonstrated ability to secure state funding for building projects was a factor in her appointment to the Beaver Local Schools, according to district officials there. The district has tried get voter approval of levies to provide the district’s share of its building project. The district’s buildings are old, and officials have said it will be cheaper in the long run to replace them than renovate them.

Meanwhile, Atkins is planning to take on more work.

He has been the pastor of the Smith’s Ferry United Methodist Church and the Georgetown United Methodist Church, both in Beaver County, Pa., for many years.

He said he will continue to pastor at those two churches, which have congregations so small they are almost like family.

He will take on the congregation of Church of Christ Disciples in East Liverpool, which has a congregation of about 70 people.

Atkins said the school district is a “lapsed” district under the state’s financing plan. That means the district did not pass the bond issue needed as part of the state plan within one year of the state’s approval of the funds. Districts don’t get the state money if they do not approve a levy for maintenance of the facilities.

Still, there is state money available for construction if voters do pass an issue, he said.

The retiring superintendent said that only 30 percent of the district’s eligible voters are registered. “That’s a sad state of affairs,” he said.