School district chief resigns
AMITY » Daniel Boone Area School District Superintendent James P. Harris resigned Monday afternoon, just hours before the start of a school board meeting.
“I believe he has taken an appointment elsewhere, he didn’t give any specifics,” board President David Rathgeb said, adding that the board wishes him well. He helped the district in certain areas and each year here he got better in his duties.”
The school board unanimously accepted Harris’ resignation, ef-
fective Aug. 17. Harris did not attend the meeting.
Harris was hired in October 2015 on a contract that expired Oct. 31, 2018, and at a starting annual salary of $140,000.
He acknowledged in March that he was a candidate for superintendent positions at schools in Arkansas and Minnesota. Published reports have Harris as a finalist for a superintendent’s job in western Pennsylvania.
An article published Aug. 7 in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette stated that Harris was one of two finalists for the superintendent job in the Woodland Hills School District in Allegheny County.
The school board unanimously approved for Assistant Superintendent Robert Hurley to assume the duties of acting superintendent at a salary increase to $133,500.
The board will vote Aug. 27 on Act 93 (administrators and principals) salary adjustments.
Rathgeb said Harris recommended on Aug. 13 the administrator salary adjustments, but not for the building principals.
“I think it’s putting the cart before the horse,” said board member Jeffrey Scott, adding, “we have to know everyone’s increase.”
“The vote should be tabled until all of the numbers are in for the building principals.”
Board members approved 7-2 to table the vote.
In other business, Daniel Boone High School students will report for their first day of school on Monday, Aug. 27, said Principal Preston McKnight.
Students will receive school-issued Apple iPad’s, student pictures will be taken, and the school nurse will conduct student baseline height, weight, and BMI measurements.
Apple representatives will also be available to provide iPad support.
The board has received a request from a local church to rent use of the cafeteria and several first floor rooms of the former Birdsboro Elementary Center.
Masonry repairs at the building are scheduled to begin in the spring.
Board members agreed in June to proceed with Phase 1 of sealing, repointing, and replacing expansion joints at an estimated cost of $200,000.
Additional repairs will include restoring the gym, estimated at $403,000, and restoring the east and north (upper) facades of the classroom wing, estimated at $555,000.
Phase 2 repairs include restoring the rest of the classroom wing (west and south facades), estimated at $742,000.
Phase 3 repairs would be restoring the rest of the building (single story wings around the perimeter of the building), estimated at $694,000.