CLEARFIELD – At a special meeting Monday night, the Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors filled the vacant principal position for the Bradford, Centre and Girard-Goshen Elementary schools.
The board approved Mary Sayers to join the district July 20 with a base salary of $70,000. Larry Putt, board member, cast the lone dissenting vote.
Sayers is currently the principal at DuBois Central Christian and a resident of DuBois, according to Kristie Young, human resource coordinator.
She said that she believed Sayers has served in her principal position for eight years and taught prior to doing so.
“We’re excited for her to join the team,” she said.
Putt said although he had nothing against Sayers, he did not believe that she had the experience for the position at Clearfield.
He said, “She is coming from a school of that size to three schools (here). I think she’s getting into a little more.”
The board also appointed Kevin Wallace, current high school vice principal, to acting principal of the school. They also voted and approved for Fred Redden to serve as the middle school principal.
Dr. Michael Spencer, board member, was the only nay vote against both appointments.
Superintendent Richard C. Makin said their salaries are pending further discussion and not available for publication at this time.
Following the meeting, Putt, who also voted against the eight faculty appointments, said that he has complained about the district’s hiring practices for years.
He said that he was not provided the appointments’ applications for review until Monday night’s meeting.
“We need to see them prior to voting. I cannot vote for these hiring practices,” he said.
“The board does not get enough information on hires. Something needs to be done to improve (the current) hiring practices.”
Putt said he realizes that the district cannot hire every substitute teacher. But he said those who have done so long-term deserve more.
“They deserve a better shot at an interview and more consideration than they have been given,” he said.
Putt emphasized that he didn’t have anything personal against the appointed individuals.