New school board talks green'
WESTFALL Delaware Valley board members settled into new positions and new members posed plans as the new panel began work on Dec. 20. John Kupillas will chair the long range planning committee. He listed solving the Dingman water problems, coming up with recommendations for the Westfall elementary school and employing “green” strategies for energy savings as his priorities. John Wladar seconded Kupillas’s green planning. Wladar, who will chair a transportation committee, called for parent phone numbers to be made available to Krise Bus Service faster emergency notifications. Wladar also questioned the interest rates on some district investments. Incumbent member and new finance committee chair, Ed Silverstone, said the goal in the new budget would be to “hold as close to zero as possible,” on new taxes. He said the board will face challenges in doing so, listing scheduled contract increases, energy costs and uncertain revenues among them. Diane French will chair a curriculum and strategic planning committee. She said the district has to seek ways to increase SAT scores, not only for advanced placement students, but also for average students. “We want to offer the larger population the same opportunity.,” she said. The board decided to revamp the monthly meeting schedule, but revised some of those changes on the following day. Thursday meetings will now start at 7 p.m. and regularly rotate throughout the three district campuses. Revised 2008 DV School Board schedule Work sessions 7 p.m. Jan. 10 Dingman-Delaware Middle School Cafeteria Feb. 7 Shohola Elementary School Cafeteria March 6 Delaware Valley Administrative Offices Board Room Apr. 10 Dingman-Delaware Middle School Cafeteria May 8 Shohola Elementary School Cafeteria June 12 Delaware Valley Administrative Offices Board Room Regular board meetings 7 p.m. Jan. 17 Dingman-Delaware Middle School Cafeteria Feb. 21 Shohola Elementary School Cafeteria March 13 Delaware Valley Administrative Offices Board Room Apr. 17 Dingman-Delaware Middle School Cafeteria May 15 Shohola Elementary School Cafeteria June 19 Delaware Valley Administrative Offices Board Room