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2018 Wellsville graduate joins BOE

Austin Dalrymple

WELLSVILLE — Less than four weeks after accepting his diploma with the rest of the Wellsville High School Class of 2018, Austin Dalrymple became the newest member of the Wellsville Board of Education.

During a special meeting Friday, the school board voted, 3-1, to appoint Dalrymple, 18, as the board’s next member and serve the remaining 18 months left behind by Nancy Francis, who stepped down May 29 citing personal reasons. Francis was also the school board’s president at the time of her resignation.

Dalrymple–who graduated in the top 10 of his senior class and received his diploma May 27–will be attending Youngstown State University this fall, where he plans to major in Political Science/Public Administration on the pre-law track, and while doing so, he looks to be able to serve well in the community.

“I really just want to help the community in any way that I can, and I feel like this is the best way to do that,” Dalrymple said.

One of Dalrymple’s goals while serving on the board is to help improve test scores throughout the district.

“I’m a very analytic person, and so I like to look at the different subjects themselves and break them down, and then see if we can ask students questions on how they think the teacher is doing, if the teacher is working with them for their learning method,” Dalrymple said.

Finishing ninth in his senior class, Dalrymple had an active high school career, to which he served in multiple school clubs–including National Honor Society as president, the high school marching concert and pep bands, and the bowling team to name a few–and was involved in various community service organizations, some of which include the WHS Walk-a-Thon, American Red Cross blood drives, the Lindsey Salsberry Toy Drive and the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

Dalrymple was one of two applicants–the other being Vito Weeda–to apply for the vacant seat, and will be up for re-election in November 2019.

Although Dalrymple received a majority vote from the board, it wasn’t unanimous.

Board member Rick Salsberry opposed the appointment, and in a prepared statement, he expressed his concerns over Dalrymple handling board duties and preparing for his first semester of college at the same time, feeling that handling both may be too difficult.

“While I know Austin is a fine, impressive young man, I also believe trying to juggle the duties that come with the board position and starting college for the first time away from home at the same time is not a good mix,” Salsberry said. “Either his college life or his board duties or both will suffer, not from lack of trying, but in the sheer magnitude of the responsibilities.”

Salsberry also felt that selecting Dalrymple over Weeda, who has had teaching and administration experience, is “not an educational sound decision”.

“This appointment may be a feel good move, but I don’t believe it is in the best interest of our students,” Salsberry said.

Dalrymple, however, feels that he will be able to make both work, noting that his classes will be earlier in the day, and he’ll be able to fulfill his duties with the board when not in class.

“I’ve already scheduled my classes, and I’ll be able to make all of the meetings,” Dalrymple said. “All of my classes will be over at a certain point, and so I’ll be able to be done here before some of these people are done with work. Anything they can attend, I can.”

Meanwhile, as a result of Francis resigning while still president, a reorganization of the board took place, to which vice-president Gary Althiser was nominated by Ed Bauer and confirmed unopposed to serve as the board’s next president.

Bauer, who has previously served as president and vice-president, was nominated by Tom Brophey and confirmed unopposed to again serve as vice-president.

Treasurer Jamie Vernaccini administered the oaths to all three men following their respective votes of approval.

The school board will hold its next regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Daw Elementary conference room.

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