Gymnasium to be fitted with bleachers

Project slated to finish before 2024-25 winter sports season

MIFFLINTOWN - Two Juniata County School District gymnasiums will be fitted with new bleachers in time for the start of the 2024-25 winter sports season.

The Juniata County School District Board of Directors approved a contract with C.M. Eichenlaub Co., of Pittsburgh, for the replacement and installation of new bleachers at both East Juniata High School in Cocolamus and Tuscarora Junior High School in Mifflintown by a 6-2 vote at their regular monthly meeting Thursday night at the Administration Building in Mifflintown.

The expected total cost of the project is $360,000, which will be paid from capital reserves. The district plans to handle demolition of the current bleachers to save money, school officials said.

Directors Jackson Albert, Douglas Kline, Joseph Shearer, Martha Shirk, Cindy Treaster and Angela Varner voted for the proposal, while directors Helen Casner and Ray Page voted against it. Director Troy Woodward was also absent.

Construction work should start in early September, school officials said. That should allow enough time to finish the installation of the bleachers before winter sports teams hit the court, which is typically in early December.

In the fall, the East Juniata High School volleyball team might need to play some of its home matches at East Juniata Elementary School due to the installation of the bleachers, school officials said.

In other related news, the school board approved the Juniata Baseball Booster Club's donation of materials for the construction of a batting cage roof. The actual construction work will be completed by the building trades class.

Athletic Coaches and Game Staff

The following athletic coaches were approved:

JUNIATA HIGH SCHOOL

· Baseball: Ty Treaster, head coach; Domonic Kirchoff, assistant coach; and Kenny Cavanaugh, Matt Kepner, Korey Martin, Justin Towsey and Randy Treaster, volunteer coaches.

· Softball: Jack McCurdy and Jordan Shirey, assistant coaches; and Olivia Frey, volunteer coach.

· Tennis: Sheri Landis, assistant coach.

· Track and field: Maisie Aumiller, head coach; Steve McLaughlin and Jeff Miller, assistant coaches; and Shari Miller and Ellie Shepps, volunteer coaches.

TUSCARORA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

· Girls soccer: Garrick Paden, head coach.

EAST JUNIATA HIGH SCHOOL

· Baseball: Moses Spade, volunteer coach.

· Softball: Lauren Cheran, head coach; Wes Diehl, assistant coach; and Len Maguire, volunteer coach.

· Track and field: Johnna Towsey, head coach; Cory Benner, Wade Gans and Simon Cameron, assistant coaches; and Tom Brotzman, Bobbi Kerstetter and Cara Leitzel, volunteer coaches.

EAST JUNIATA JUNIOR HIGH

· Field hockey: Dorothy Boreman, head coach.

· Girls soccer: Don Peters, head coach; and Abby Corman and Justin Feltman, volunteer coach.

GAME STAFF

· Kerry Peck

· Sharon Storey

· Randy Treaster

· Neal Wolf

Facility-Use Requests

The school board approved the following facility-use requests:

· Scott Messimer, East Juniata youth baseball, East Juniata Elementary School cafeteria, sign-ups, Feb. 3, 2024.

· Abby Ingle, Tuscarora Junior High School Home and School, TJHS facilities, dance, Feb. 9, 2024.

· Garry Price, Juniata Wrestling Club Inc., Juniata High School facilities, tournament, March 28-29, 2024.

· Mandy Noss, Juniata County Children and Youth, Juniata Elementary School grounds, Community Prevention event, April 17, 2024.

Personnel Matters

The school board approved the following resignations:

· Andrew A. Landis, technology education teacher, Juniata High School, effective Feb. 12, 2024.

· Ian M. Brady, music teacher, Tuscarora Junior High School, effective Feb. 19, 2024.

· Kimberly R. Marshall, paraprofessional, Juniata Elementary School, effective Feb. 22, 2024.

The school board approved the transfer of Daisy M. Miller from a Juniata Elementary School part-time cleaning position to a Juniata High School part-time cleaning position, effective Feb. 5, 2024.

The school board approved the following hirings:

· Kara N. Nipple, level 2 paraprofessional, Juniata Elementary School, at a salary of $18.11 per hour effective Jan. 29, 2024, replacing Hope Rhea who resigned.

· Jamie A. Geedy, part-time cleaner, Juniata Elementary School, at a salary of $15.04 per hour effective Feb. 5, 2024, replacing Daisy Miller who transferred.

· Tameca E. Sorg, level 1 paraprofessional, Tuscarora Junior High School, at a salary of $15.13 per hour effective at a date to be determined, replacing Desiree Rhea who resigned.

· Brittini N. Fultz, LPN/secretary, Juniata High School, at a salary of $19.48 per hour effective at a date to be determined, replacing Karly Dressler who resigned.

· Alexandra J. Kohler as a substitute nurse and Terri L. Troyer as a substitute cleaner.

· Sarah Deppen as an unpaid school counseling intern.

The school board approved the following conferences and educational leave days:

· Elizabeth Sperlich, Grief Talks - Highmark Webinar (virtual), Feb. 28, 2024.

· Steve McLaughlin, Glazier Clinic, Baltimore, Md., March 1, 2024.