THE 6
Huntsville Road
The road to Huntsville was one of
the spots. that bore the heaviest
dams oe when Mother Nature
age with the first of several freak
storms.
Fanair work on the embankment
was pegun by the Luzerne County
Road Department last week in the
area past the Farmers Inn, where
the road was washed out.
There is presently a detour in this
area from Chase Road to Huntsville
Dam, but work on the road is
“THE ROCKETTES":
scheduled to be completed by the
end of this. week, according to
County Engineer’ James’ Brozena.
“ibere is ony dae HC ‘inthe
scheduled reopening of the road; it
is ‘if ‘the weather cooperates,”
something that hasn't been hap
pening lately.
Next on the county’s agenda will
be repairs to the road between the
former Unclaimed Freight Store
and Hillside Farms. This road has
been closed to all but local traffic
since the storm.
The Dallas Senior High School
Mixed Chorus, directed by Mrs.
Florence Hughes Sherwood, will
present its annual Spring Concert
entitled “Lullaby of Broadway’’ on
Thursday and Friday evening May
5 and 6, 8 p.m. in the Dallas Senior
High Auditorium..
The concert is divided into three
segments. Another special feature
will be Ferdinand Liva, Jr.,
selected as the Number One High
School violinist in the state while at
the PMEA All-State Orchestral
Festival in Hershey earlier this
year.
Part two will be presented by
Chansonaires, a small ensemble
selected from the chorus who per-
form throughout the valley for
churches, social organizations,
hospitals, nursing homes and other
schools.
Part three will feature one ex-
citing act after another--performing
music from Broadway shows.
There will be solos, duets, frios,
ensembles--songs that are happy,
sad, crazy and even ‘‘Cool” from
West Side Story sung by ‘The
Gang.”’ A Broadway show would not
be complete ‘without the Rockettes
so Dallas Senior High includes them
Broadway’’.
The Pennsylvania Music
Educators Association (PMEA)
The new Tiron: year contract
between Dallas Scheol Board and
professional employees of the dis-
trict approved at a special meeting
of the board last Tuesday has raised
some concern among some of the
directors and also among some of
the candidates running for seats ‘on
the board in the May primary.
The contract, passed by a 52-1
vote, gives professional employees
an average increase of eight per-
cent annually for the three years by
revising the present pay schedule
rather than granting an across the
board raise.
Other provisions of the contract
allow for early retirement for those
age 55 with 10 years or more. ser-
vice. Those who retire will also
receive an incentive payment
amounting to approximately 70 per-
cent of their last working year
salary ‘with the lump sum
decreasing as the teachers’ age at
retirement increases. The same
medical benefits'as in the past will
continue as will the continuance of
announcing assignments and
posting of positions. The new con-
tract also includes a sick leave
‘bank’ and the formation of a
committee comprised of members
of the board and the Dallas Educa-
tion Association to study a more
equitable method for compensating
co-curricular positions and to
develop an acceptable teacher
evaluation.
Voting in favor of the contract
were Russell Havey, chairman of
the board negotiating committee;
Harry Lefko, Shawn Murphy, Pat
Wiliam
Joseph
Albert Pisabeschi dnd Dr.
Camp abstained and
O'Donnell voted na.
Dr. Camp explained that he ab-
stained due to the fact that his wife
is employed as a librarian within
the school district. “I thought that
was the best thing to do,’ said the
board president. “I believe it is
with the
. Golden Anniversary will be saluted
with their theme song “Sound of
Music” as the grand finale. All
grades 1 through 12 will be included
in this salute to the organization
which has helped to bring and
improve better music to students of
Pennsylvania.
Accompanists for the concert will
be: seniors, Amy Faut, Kimberly
Barber, Jane Hudak; juniors,
Charlene Baker, Pamela Lundberg,
Paulette Niznik; sophomore, Tracy
chase advance tickets from any
senior high chorus members or con-
tact any of theschools in the district
as the door cost will be 50 cents
more.
‘‘As most persons should realize
this was not a sudden move. The
committee has been meeting and
negotiating with the repre-
sentatives of the Dallas Education
Associa tion for many months. Now
the district will have to tighten its
belt and turn our concern fo
finances.
“We will probably have to cut
some programs, cutback some
positions and maybe close a school.
Quality education and the tax situa-
tion.are our chief concerns.”
Ernest Ashbridge, who replaced
Harry Lefko on the committee,
stated that the programs to be cut
will be those not mandated by the
state. “I was not in on all of the
negotiations,’”” said Ashbridge,
“Only near the end after Lefko
resigned from the committee. Both
groups met for several months and
the teachers were asking for much
more.
“I believe our district deserves
better than the Nanticoke situation
where the students are the losers.
The settlement, I thought, was one
everyone (board and DEA) could
live with; although not everyone
was satisfied with every bit of the
contract. We knew there was just so
much money to deal with. We've
been working on the budget since
mid-March. I would like to have no
millage increase but if an increase
is necessary keep it as low as
possible.”
Director Joseph O’Donnell was
not the least satisfied and voted
against the contract. “I asked
several questions and got negative
answers. No. One, I asked H.the
committee considered possible
reduction in staff, how many and
who. The answer was ‘no’. I asked
if consideration was given to
notifying students, parents and the
community what programs would
be eliminated. Again, the answer
was no. When I asked if the total
budget picture was discussed, the
answer was negative. The increase
inthe cost of Blue Cross-Blue Shield
was not considered. The increase in
Plates
Disappoint
Firemen
BY MARIJA PALLANTE
The Pennsylvania Transportation
Department has begun issuing new
“fire-fighter’’ license plates. The
distinct plates, which bear the
words ‘“fire-fighter”” across the
bottom and display the 'symbolic
maltese cross, will be available to’
all volunteer and professional
firemen.
Although members of the various
departments are encouraged to
support the new idea by purchasing
the plates, they are not required to
do so, as each will cost a fee of $20.
According to Jack Dodson,
President of the Back Mountain
w
Fireman’s Association, many of the
local fire-fighters will buy them.
Others, however, will not be in-
terested, as many members al
ready have front plates which dis-
tinguish their departments.
“It will depend on the in-
dividual,” Dodson explained. “It's
nice to be recognized, especially
when traveling out of state, but
that’s the only benefit I can see.”
He also feels that the plates were
largely pushed for on the. state
level, without much local aware-
‘Ness.
Senator Frank J. O'Connell
originally proposed the license
plates but opposes the final form of
legislation. His bill stated the plates
wouldbeavailable at a one-time fee
of $10, rather than $20, Further, he
proposed that they would have been
red and white. Those presently
available have five blue numbers on
a gold background.
In order to obtain a “firefighter”
license plate; a special form must
be completed and mailed to” The
Transportation Department along
with the $20 fee. Plate numbers will
be issued sequentially with the
lowest numbers assigned to the
earliest applicants.
dollars this yeasr compounded will
amount to 10 mills annually.
“It was very poorly planned and
very poorly handled in light of total
budgetary concerns in this district.
As a result of this action, I have
little confidence in those who voted
for this measure.”
Director Albert Pisaneschi, who
is an incumbent in the May
primary, explained that he ab-
entire package. ‘We were never
givéna copy of the new contract. All
we had were bits and pieces. I
believe the entire matter was cut
and dried. The majority had their
five votes, what the rest of us did
didn’t matter.
“The taxpayers and the students
are ‘the ones who will be hurt.
Teachers in certain programs will
be hurt because some programs
will be cut. I raised the question
about the decline in enrollment over
the past five years but no cut in
administrators or administrative
office employees. There were 3,500
students in the district five years
ago and eight administrators,
approximately ' one administrator
for 438 students.
“Today, there are 2,600 students
in the district but eight admini-
strators, one for every 325 students.
The number of non-professional
employees in the administration
office has mot decreased but in-
creased, despite the superin-
tendent’s claim they are needed, I
have been there when they are
tripping over one another.” :
“director, attended the meeting and
was dis: salistied with the answers
he received to questions.
“Taxpayers should ask them-
selves, ‘Is there a surplus of conflict
of interest on the Dallas School
Board relative to educators?’
People should look into just how
many directors have or are related
to professionals within the district
or LIU 18.
25 Cents
‘The new contract is a 27 percent
increase in teachers salaries over
three years. It’s ridiculous. There
should be a thorough investigation.
Some of those directors are using
the board for their own benefit not
considering the taxpayers interest
or private sector of industry. The
increase -in fringe benefits is’
ments get another $100-$150 just for
that title.
“Who is going to foot this ex-
pense? Do they have an Aladdin’s
Lamp? If they were in private
business they would have been
bankrupt 10 years ago.”
Harry Sickler, a past school
director and a candidate in the May
primary, said he was interested
whether or not the committee
considered cutting the ad-.
ministrators.
“I don’t believe they ever dis-
cussed cutting some of the high
wage bracket personnel. There has
fewer teachers through attrition but
I don’t recall the laying off of any
administrators.
“The new contract represents a
27 percent increase over the next
three years, and the seven percent
decrease in inflation announced re-
cently plus the eight percent in-
crease gives the teachers 15 percent
more purchasing power.
“What does this mean to the
approximately 65 percent of the
population in the Back Mountain
where annual family income is
crease will ‘hurt those persons on
fixed income. My concern is with
the taxpayers. How much do flise
Anyone can run a district if they
keep pouring in the taxpayers’
money, What will happen when the
well runs dry? many’ residents of
the Back Mountain are fighting now
to keep their homes-what will
happen with a millage increase?
BY JOAN KINGSBURY
On Friday, students at Dallas
Intermediate School took over
teaching and administrative duties
at the school. A student rebellion?
No, just a Student Educator Day
instituted by principal Ruth
Husband to give the 5th and 6th
grade students the opportunity to
assume roles of teachers, school
principal, = school secretary,
custodian and central supply clerk
for the day.
Students worked with teachers to
plan instructional activities and
responsibilities. Fifty percent of the
students were able to participate in
these reverse roles. In each class,
for each subject a pair of students
worked together to plan and present
a lesson or monitor a school ac-
tivity. Their duties included
teaching, homeroom duties, cafe
teria, playground and hall duties.
Numerous students from the 5th
and 6th grade acted as teachers for
their classes. Students assigned to
serveas principal were Jim Newell,
Cindy O’Brien, Julianne Orlowski,
Renae Dymond. Those taking over
the job of school secretary for Mrs.
June George were Stacey Fitch,
Tanya Dobranski, Karen Shiber
and Christine Coscia. Filling in for
custodian Bob Bowen were Jim
Lister, Matt Jones, Scott Starbuck
Support the