School board delays action on substitutes

By MICHAEL D. McELWAIN (mmcelwain@reviewonline.com)
EAST LIVERPOOL — Following a nearly three hour executive session for personnel issues, the East Liverpool Board of Education opted to table some items on its agenda and met behind closed doors concerning some coaching positions.

The board elected to pass over approving a list of 32 substitute teachers for the 2008-09 school year.

Superintendent Ken Halbert said it’s not unusual for him to ask for a delay in an agenda item.

“It was a housekeeping measure I believe we need to take at this time,” Halbert said. “I could have an adjustment to make.”

Halbert would not go into specific details as to any issue behind the move or what adjustment is needed.

Coaching matters for the 2008-09 school year also surfaced as the head of the district’s Athletic Committee opted to vote against his own committee’s recommendation for one head coach position.

Halbert recommended, and the board approved 4-1, to hire Anthony Tomaselli as next school year’s high school varsity girls basketball coach. Tomaselli will replace J.R. Walker, the coach for the last eight years.

School board member Scott Dieringer said he had no animosity toward Tomaselli but said he did not think he was the best qualified candidate for the position.

While the committee as a whole opted to forward Tomaselli’s name to the superintendent, Dieringer opted to vote against the matter at Thursday night’s meeting.

Unanimous approval was given to Halbert’s recommendation to hire Matt Cashdoller as high school varsity boys basketball coach, Michael McDougle for varsity girls soccer coach and Dawn Pipo as varsity cheerleading advisor.

“There are processes and I got the recommendations from the Athletic Committee and as long as nothing is out of the ordinary, I’ll agree with those recommendations,” Halbert said about the process. “About 99 percent of the time, I’ll go with their (a committee) recommendation. I take those recommendations to the board.”



In other business, the East Liverpool Board of Education:

- Accepted, with regret, the retirement of Gay Ann Mossman, Marcia Spack and David Bell from the school system. Together, the three educators had 109 years with the district.

- Congratulated the East Liverpool High School drama department on their well-received theatrical performance of Beauty and the Beast.

- Considered for first reading a policy for acceleration which will give kids the ability to be placed in school early if appropriate.