Vol.122 No.5
THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889
March 20 - 26, 2011
The
Darras POST.
Serving the communities of the Dallas and Lake-Lehman School Districts | www.mydallaspost.com
DALLAS SCHOOL DISTRICT
Fundraising scheme victims may now recoup money
By SARAH HITE
shite@mydallaspost.com
Victims from a fundraising
scheme headed by former guid-
ance counselor John Wolensky
will have a chance to be reim-
bursed, as the school board
passed a motion Monday night to
offer compensation to those af-
fected.
The board voted to allow Busi-
ness Manager Grant Palfey to be-
gin gathering data to determine
specific amounts students and
parents paid for the Princeton Re-
view practice scholastic aptitude
test from 1997 through 2008.
Beginning on April 14, those af-
fected will be able to file a claim
on the district's website,
www.dallassd.com. Superintend-
ent Frank Galicki said those filing
a claim must provide their full
name, mailing address, year the
test was taken and the number of
tests taken. Information must be
provided to the district by no lat-
er than October 14. Galicki said
checks will be distributed about a
month after claims are filed.
Wolensky pocketed money
from a fundraiser in which stu-
dents were overcharged as much
as $15 for a practice SAT test be-
tween 1997 and 2008. He also
took money from student meal
accounts and football helmet
funds.
Wolensky pleaded guilty to a
theft charge in February 2009 and
was sentenced to two years pro-
bation. He admitted to taking
$24,683 and was order to pay res-
titution to the district for the mis-
appropriated funds, but a report
released last year from the state
auditor general's office contend-
ed Wolensky may have taken
more than double that amount.
Galicki said the money Wolen-
See SCHEME, Page 11
NOTICE
EDITOR'S NOTE: This notice has been issued by the Dallas School District regarding overcharges paid for
practice SAT exams from 1997-2008.
The Dallas School District intends to do all things necessary to reimburse students or parents of students for
overcharges paid by them for enrollment in the practice SAT examinations during the years 1997 through
2008.
We are in the process of accumulating all of the necessary data. In order to verify our information, please go
to our website, www.dallassd.com, to gather pertinent information regarding the manner by which the re-
funds will be distributed.
Please verify your name, mailing address, year of exam, number of times participated and where the check
should be sent (if to another address).
This process will take place for a six-month period starting April 14, 201 through October 14, 201. Refund
amounts will vary based on the amount paid for the test and the number of times the test was taken. Checks
will be sent within one month of receipt of the necessary verification of information.
All unclaimed or designated funds will be placed in an escrow account managed by the Business Office to aid
Dallas students who cannot afford to pay for testing (PSAT, NEDT, SAT, etc...). Dallas students who request
financial assistance will complete an on-line form and return it to the Business Office for review.
Please email your completed information to the following address: pracsatrefunds@dallassd.com.
FACILITY AMENITIES
LOUNGE/LIVING ROOM
ADA ACCESSIBILITY
LOCATION
DOWNTOWN LOCATION
ON-SITE PARKING
EAT-IN KITCHEN WITH FULL SIZE APPLIANCES
SLEEPING ROOMS AVAILABLE IN VARIOUS OCCUPANCY COUNTS
WALL TO WALL CARPETING IN ALL SLEEPING ROOMS
AIR CONDITIONING THROUGHOUT
SLEEPING ROOMS AVAILABLE ON FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR
LAUNDRY FACILITIES ON FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR
THREE RESTROOMS ON THE FIRST FLOOR
TWO BATHING FACILITIES (ONE ADA) ON FIRST FLOOR
FIVE RESTROOMS/BATHING FACILITIES ON THE SECOND FLOOR
WALKING DISTANCE TO RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS
WALKING DISTANCE TO THE COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCE BLDG.
This architectural drawing shows how Misericordia University plans to convert the former Snowdon Funeral Home on Machell Avenue
in Dallas into a dormitory for upper-level and graduate College of Health Sciences students.
Former funeral home just part of
plans for Misericordia expansion
By SARAH HITE
shite@mydallaspost.com
Misericordia University re-
cently purchased the Snowdon
Funeral Home on Machell Ave-
nue in Dallas, and the restora-
tion of the building is just one
of a few major projects the uni-
versity has on its agenda this
spring.
Paul Krzywicki, assistant di-
rector of marketing and com-
munication at the university,
said the school purchased the
5,483-square-foot Snowdon Fu-
neral Home for $445,000 with
the intention of renovating it
into a dorm for upper-level and
graduate College of Health Sci-
ences students.
“Plans right now are for reno-
vations to begin in May and to
be ready for the fall semester,”
said Krzywicki.
The project has not yet been
t out for bid, but Krzywicki
Wates the building will be de-
signed to accommodate 26 stu-
dents and one resident direc-
tor. Plans include eight single
rooms, three double occupancy
09815120079
rooms, three triple occupancy
rooms and a quad that will have
a walk-out balcony.
The student living quarters
will include safety cameras,
student ID card access, about
25 parking spaces and shuttle
availability to the College of
Health Sciences located in the
former Commonwealth Tele-
phone Co. building on Lake
Street.
Krzywicki said the additional
space was needed because en-
rollment has increased at the
college, and this space offers a
location close enough to cam-
pus for upper-level students as
well as the ability for students
to easily travel to off-campus
sites for clinical assignments.
Transfer students enjoyed
living quarters at the Beau-
mont Inn on Route 309 during
the 2009-10 academic year. The
university had a one-year lease
with inn owners Jim and Beth
Harkins, who renovated the
property for student use.
Krzywicki said the university
was in negotiations to purchase
the Snowdon property at the
time, and the Beaumont Inn
will no longer be utilized by Mi-
sericordia University.
“We used it for a year, but it
was just too far away for our
students,” said university presi-
dent Michael MacDowell.
Jim Harkins said he and his
wife renovated the property in
The project has not yet been put out for bid, but (Paul) Krzywicki
states the building will be designed to accommodate 26 students
and one resident director. Plans include eight single rooms, three
double occupancy rooms, three triple occupancy rooms and a
quad that will have a walk-out balcony.
the hopes that the university
would utilize the building for a
longer period of time. He said
they are currently brainstorm-
ing other uses for the property,
which include reopening the fa-
cility as a restaurant/inn.
MacDowell said the universi-
ty provided little or no housing
in the past for graduate stu-
dents, and based on enrollment
rates for the College of Health
Sciences, the Snowdon proper-
ty seemed to be a good fit for
upper-level students.
New dorm and daycare
Krzywicki also said the cam-
pus will expand upon its exist-
ing space at 301 Lake St. Plans
have been drafted to build a
dorm to house up to 90 stu-
dents as well as a daycare on
the university’s current base-
ball field across from the An-
derson Sports and Health Cen-
ter.
The proposed building is
similar to the floor plan of the
old Dallas Township High
School building MacDowell
had presented to the Dallas
School Board late last year. The
board did not make a decision
before applicable tax credits
and grants expired at the end of
the year, and the project fell
through. Now, university offi-
cials are working on plans to
put a similar building on the
campus.
“We were sorry that the (Dal-
las) board determined not to go
ahead at this time, but as we ex-
plained to them we just
couldn’t wait,” said MacDow-
ell. “We needed to have a new
residence hall and we believe
that the concept of a residence
hall combined with a daycare
center is an effective way to
move, so that’s what we’re go-
ing to do. We’re just going to do
it on campus.”
The plans for the old town-
ship high school included 50
apartment-style living quarters
for students and a daycare to be
run by the Hildebrandt Learn-
ing Center, offering students in
corresponding fields hands-on
learning experience. The new,
See HOME, Page 12
Students travel
by standing still
By SARAH HITE
shite@mydallaspost.com
Artistic students traveled
through time to discover an-
cient cultures during a class
presented by Everhart Museum
Education Coordinator Jeff Ku-
ratnick at the Dietrich Theater
in Tunkhannock.
The five-week course, called
“Around the World,” shows stu-
dents five different ancient cul-
tures — Egypt, Oceana, Rome,
Africa and the Native Pacific
Northwest — reflected in the
permanent collection featured
at the Everhart Museum in
Scranton.
“Are you ready to travel
around the world in the next
four weeks?” Kuratnick asked
the 18 youngsters on March 1.
“That’s impossible!” shouted
one student.
“Do we need airplane tick-
ets?” asked another.
Without moving from their
seats, the students quickly got
to work on the first week’s pro-
ject —a cartouche. Kuratnick ex-
plained that a cartouche, which
is from the ancient Egyptian
culture, was like a family crest.
According to the Encyclope-
dia Britannica, a cartouche re-
fers to any decorative oval-
shaped shield. Egyptian rulers
were often honored with hiero-
glyphics etched onto an oval,
framed clay piece and the de-
ceased had cartouches placed
on coffins to preserve the mem-
ory of his or her name.
Kuratnick said it’s important
to be exposed to other cultures
at an early age.
“They’ll understand different
perspectives, and if they see
something strange, they won’t
be put off by it,” he said. “This
class offers learning about cul-
tures they might not run into.”
Grace Stang, 6, of Meshoppen,
works on creating an Egyptian
cartouche out of clay.
He encouraged students ages
5-12 to decide what they would
like to reflect about themselves
on the clay piece. After a few
minutes of sketch time, stu-
dents were given pieces of self-
drying clay to etch and mold in-
to reflections of their lives.
Ben Keiser, 12, of Tunkhan-
nock, wanted to engrave some
lightening bolts onto his per-
sonal cartouche.
“I just like them,” he said.
Ben attended the class with
his brother, 5-year-old Zak, and
sister, 7-year-old Meghan, to
learn more about the days of
yore through art.
“I enjoy learning about differ-
ent places like Egypt and
Rome,” said Ben. “I like the his-
tory and the cool monuments. I
like King Tut.”
King Tut, or Tutankhamun,
may have become Egypt’s most
famous pharaoh after his trea-
sure-laden tomb was discov-
ered in 1922. The boy king came
into power when he was just 9
years old and died 10 years later
in 1323 B.C.
Zak didn’t know what he
See TRAVEL, Page 9
BILL TARUTIS PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
Zak Keiser, 5, of Tunkhannock, finishes his clay Egyptian car-