New leadership in place for BVA School District
By CHRISTINE HAINES
chaines@yourmvi.com
It was a night of change Monday for the Belle Vernon Area School Board.
The board officially hired substitute interim Superintendent Jeanine Gregory and the law firm of Andrews and Price LLC as its new solicitor by unanimous vote.
It also accepted the resignation of board President Dan Engstrom, who is moving out of the district. Engstrom has been a board member for the past three years.
“I have found this experience to be a great challenge both personally and professionally, and I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to serve the district and its schools,” Engstrom said in his statement to the board. “However, because of recent new demands to my career and my wife’s career, our family will very soon no longer be residents of a Belle Vernon Area School District municipality, which makes me no longer eligible to be a school board director.”
His resignation was effective with the end of his report Monday. The board held a reorganization as part of its meeting, with Joel Whiteko unanimously elected president.
Dan Kovatch, who was vice president, said with his term expiring this year and current family health issues, he thought there should be nominations for vice president as well. Director Stacey Livengood was unanimously named to the vice president’s position.
The board is accepting letters of interest from members of the public who would like to serve for the next four months. Applicants for the position should be registered voters living in the Belle Vernon Area School District who are current on their taxes.
The letter outlining reasons why the person wants to serve on the board is limited to one page and should be sent by email to mallory.marish@bvasd.net by 4 p.m. Thursday.
Gregory, who was offered the position following a special executive session last week after George Lammay resigned unexpectedly for health reasons, had her first day on the job Monday.
“I started my career in Belle Vernon when I was 21 years old, so it’s home for me,” she said. “I appreciate the backing. We’re going to get the school year started, and we’re going to get someone in here permanently.”
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