DASD Board hires new personnel, sets graduation date for May 25

Article by Glenn Schuckers

The DuBois Area School Board hired a new principal and eight instructors at the regular April 21 meeting. Heather Dzikiy was hired as a principal effective July 1, 2022. The board deferred hiring another principal.

The eight instructors that were hired are Zane Watson for health and physical education, elementary instructors Brooke Humenik, Mariah Myers, Rachel Caputo, Melia Andrulonis, chemistry instructor Jacob Krupa, science instructor Cameron Yard, and engineering and design instructor Dawn Badtorff.

The board also approved hiring  Doretta Wilcox for the Before/After School Extended Day Program and Amber Garrison as substitute instructor for the Elementary Summer Skills Enhancement Program.

The board also voted to purchase fifteen E-Sport computer systems for an E-Sport Team that will be established. Six Board members voted in favor of the purchase and three voted no.

The board voted unanimously to purchase fifteen Lenovo laptop computers for the high school robotics team. The  team had earned the right to travel to  Dallas, Texas, for a competition this month. Funding for both purchases was provided by money in the American Rescue Plan ESSER funds (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund).

The board also approved renewing the contract with Metz Culinary Management to provide meals for the coming year, as well as approving the revised calendar for the current school year which sets the date for graduation on May 25, 2022 with a train date of May 26, 2022. The board also awarded contracts for resealing parking lots at the Juniata Elementary School, the DuBois Area Middle School, the DuBois  Area High School, and the Maintenance Building.

Before going into the night’s agenda, the board recognized students in the fall sports program, along with their coaches and assistants. The board also heard a report on the Food Service Department by District Business manager Jeanette Buriak.