Administrative assistant hired for Onaway Middle School-High School

After two months of news about the layoffs of personnel at Onaway Area Community Schools and cuts to the budget, come positive developments as the board of education hired administrative intern Tammy Bongard and brought back Sarah Ross from layoff.

The board authorized that Bongard take a year?s leave of absence from her classroom responsibilities and be hired as the administrative intern, responsible for 6-12 discipline, attenndance, and normal day-to-day operations.

Ross, who has been teaching in Onaway for the last 13 years, the last four as a middle school science instructor, will be handling the role of discipline and attendance during the 2006-07 school year with the layoff of secondary principal Matt Lukshaitis.

Lukshaitis, who had been in Onaway for the last four years, will continue his career in education as superintendent of Ontonagon Area Schools. He was offered a contract in late March.

BOARD MEMBERS who sat in on the interviewing committee recommended that Bongard take a leave of absence from her teaching position for one year. She was the only applicant interviewed for the job.

?It is going to be hard to pull away from teaching,? said Bongard, following Tuesday night?s school board meeting. ?That is the part I am nervous, leaving the students.?

Before she started teaching middle school science, Bongard worked as elementary teacher in the district. She has two children in second and fourth grade and is married to Rick Bongard, the director of Presque Isle Academy.

?I started part time this semester teaching part time and I working discipline part time at the middle school,? said Bongard. ?It has been nice, I have liked it, and it has made me think that I want to try it fulltime.?

Superintendent Bob Szymoniak said Bongard has a good relationship with the students and parents. ?I think that that relationship will benefit her and the school greatly,? said Szymoniak. ?I think that she is also is a very reasonable person. She is a very calm person, and she has good judgment, and all of that will play to her benefit in doing a great job for us.?

Board member Sharon Lyon served on the hiring committee said Bongard has a positive way of disciplining ?so that the child?s self esteem is not taken down and she can communicate with the parents for the desired outcome that is necessary for the success of that child.?

THE SUPERINTENDENT will be taking on the rest of the secondary principal?s responsibilities next year.

The board will look at the administrative intern position next year to see if they want to keep the job position, or possibly look at hiring Bongard as a principal.

Kathy Wellman submitted a letter to the board announcing retirem

ent plans, which opened the door to bring back one of the laid off teachers. Wellman?s retirement was accepted with regret and she was praised for a job well done.

?Though we had stated that we had ample social studies and English credentials on staff to cover our needs,? Szymoniak updated the board, ?laying off Ross, who taught these subjects would mean that there would be few, if any, electives for students to take in these areas.?

To help put together a schedule with more appropriate options for students, the administration recommended Ross be brought back to teach social studies and English.

In other staffing matters to come before the board Tony Hoffmeyer (junior varsity baseball) and Norma Ellenberger (track) were approved as volunteer coaches.

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