Austintown hires teachers

June 21, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

Austintown

The school district is welcoming six new teachers and an administrator to the staff.

The board of education on Monday approved the full-time employment of Tiffany DeAugustine, high- school math; Jared Hubicsak, high-school math; Megan Michaels, high- school Spanish; Jennifer LaRocca, eighth-grade math; Patte Ulery, fifth- grade math; and Michelle Benich, district gifted teacher for Austintown Middle School.

All six new hires will make the district’s base rate of $29,737, according to the board.

The board also approved the hiring of Mara Banfield as the new assistant principal at Austintown Fitch High School. Banfield, who will make $62,996 annually, is replacing current Assistant Principal Dennis Jasinski.

Jasinski announced his retirement earlier this year and said that after 16 years with the district, he will leave with many memories.

“It’s been a pleasure,” he said. “I know you’re all going to continue to be outstanding here at Fitch High School.”

Jasinski said he expects Banfield to adapt easily to her new position.

“She’ll do so well that soon I’ll be just a memory,” he joked.

Board President Kathy Mock replied, “You’re not going to be just a memory.”

The board also approved a service agreement with Staley Communication Inc., to purchase new mobile radios for the district. The equipment will cost $46,374.

Superintendent Vince Colaluca said the purchase is a necessary step as the Federal Communications Commission is requiring all analog radio systems be switched to digital by 2013.

“We can no longer have analog radios on our buses and to use inside the buildings,” he said. “Anywhere our buses go in the county, we will have communication.”