Hanover Area School Board gains money in opioid lawsuit [The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.]

Aug. 2—HANOVER TWP. — At Tuesday's regular monthly meeting the Hanover Area School Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Hanover Township regarding money the township is receiving from an opioid lawsuit settlement. Superintendent Nathan Barrett said the district will get $68,00 annually for 18 years that can be used for opioid education and prevention.

The money will go toward things like education programs, training on the use of anti-overdose Narcan drug, and to pay for an instructor teaching the opioid segment of the district's recently adopted EMS program, which gives interested students experience and training in Emergency Management Services.

The board also finalized the 2023-24 calendar beginning with three teacher in-service days Aug. 22-24 and the first student day Aug. 28. Sept. 28 was changed to an Act 80 day with early student dismissal and Sept. 29 will be a full day for students and staff. Graduation is set for June 3.

Barrett announced a free community movie night being arranged for August 24 in the field adjacent to Memorial Elementary. After the meeting he also said that district officials and the school board got a report on a district-wide feasibility study, but that the completed study is not yet publicly available.

The board continued a string of hires that began at a special meeting July 20. Actions included accepting the resignation of Ashley Duda as special education teacher. Duda was hired at the special meeting, but two days later was also offered a position at Greater Nanticoke Area's School Board meeting.

Other hires Tuesday included Joseph Ruzicka as special education teacher with a starting salary of $52,298, Robert Petrovich as secondary social studies teacher at $52,298, Donna Willis as English as Second Language teacher at $53,898, Dawn Martinez as occupational therapist at $63,198, and Marisa Tosi as Pre-K Counts behavior specialist at $63,198. Barrett said the occupational therapist position was previously contracted out but has been needed so much that it makes more sense to hire a full-time therapist in the district.

After the meeting, Barrett said litigation against social media companies for harm to youths and related expenses for districts was recently filed. Hanover Area and other Luzerne County districts have joined in the suit.

The board also:

—Renewed an agreement with CM Regent Solutions for Sun Life Financial Services in the employee benefit program, offering life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.

—Approved an agreement to have Children's Service Center provide a partial hospitalization program at a cost of $137 per student per day, and a therapeutic education program a cost of $181 per student per day.

—Set game worker salaries for various sports at either $30 or $40 per hour depending on the position and sport.

—Approved an agreement with Margie Durkin for trauma informed services not to exceed 15 hours per week.

—Appointed as safety officers for special occasions at $40 per hour (new appointments marked with an asterisk) Kevin Badman, Arthur Bobbouine, Francis Collis, Robert Dunn* James Hoffman, Stephen Moore, Christopher Jones, Steven Redding, Robert Ryzner Sr., Alissa McMickens, Peter Fischer*, Kenneth Edwards, Michael Figmic, William Spagnola and Stephen Turinski. Edwards, Figmic, Spagnola and Turinski were also appointed as school police officers for the school year.

—Appointed Caitlyn Bly as boys/girls cross country assistant varsity coach at $990, Kenneth Daubert as boys/girls cross country head junior high coach at $2,479, Stacey Malia as field hockey assistant varsity coach at $2,020, Dan Nealon as boys soccer assistant varsity coach at $2,654, Nicholas Griffin as co-ed soccer coach at $2,982, Alexandra Kester as girls tennis assistant varsity coach at $2,020, Ana Pac as girls volleyball assistant varsity coach at $2,020, and Mckenna Moss as cheerleading head junior high coach at $1,841.

—As football coaches, appointed Scott Majiros, Robert Petrovich and Woodley Augustin as assistant varsity coaches at $4,017 each, Eric Richardson as head junior high coach at $3,550, and Brandon Chafin as assistant junior high coach at $3,550

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Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish

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