The Upper Adams School Board recently appointed Don Bell as acting superintendent, who most recently served in the same position at Littlestown Area School District.
Bell will begin his role Jan. 11 after Superintendent Wesley Doll’s last day. After 16 years as a Canner, Doll accepted a job as assistant superintendent at Conewago Valley School District.
Bell brings 19 years of superintendent experience to the table and retired as superintendent of Northern Lebanon School District.
“I’m excited to work here in Upper Adams,” Bell said at Tuesday’s board meeting. “It’s a gift for me, it’s an easy choice to say I would like to be here to serve.”
A few Littlestown school board members were in the audience Tuesday, seemingly there to show their support for Bell.
The Upper Adams board unanimously approved Bell’s contract, which is set to end June 28 or when the permanent superintendent begins work, whichever is sooner. The district’s agreement with Bell states that he is to be paid a weekly salary of $3,000. In addition, Bell may consult with Doll for up to five days, at a daily rate of $600, prior to Doll’s last day of work at Upper Adams.
The agreement further states that Bell is expected to be on site three days a week and work remotely the remainder of the work week. Bell resides in Dillsburg.
Also on Tuesday, the board elected a new president and vice president at its reorganization meeting.
Kay Hollabaugh first nominated Jim Lady to continue as president, but he declined. Loren Lustig then nominated Neil Weigle as president. The board voted 8-1 to elect Weigle, with Tricia Plank opposed.
Gerald Walmer nominated Lady as vice president while Marya Djalal nominated Lustig, who served as vice president in the past year. Lady won with five votes. Heather Young-Cover, Djalal, Lustig and Plank voted for Lustig.
Weigle announced the new committee chairs for the next year. Lady will chair the transportation committee, Walmer will chair finance and continue as treasurer, Lustig will chair the personnel committee, Young-Cover will chair property, Hollabaugh will chair student activities and serve on the Canner Funds Advisory Board, Djalal will chair curriculum and extra-curricular, and Plank will chair the athletics committee. Susan Crouse will chair policy, and serve on the negotiations committee with Lustig. Crouse will also serve on the Cumberland Perry Area Joint Operating Committee.
In other business Tuesday, the board approved a new club at the high school, Bailes de México. Principal Beth Graham said the club will focus on learning traditional Mexican dances as well as dances from other Hispanic cultures.
The board hired Bonnie Little as assistant business administrator at a salary of $60,000.
The next regular school board meeting will be Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. The curriculum and extra-curricular committee will meet Jan. 7 at 6:30 p.m. followed by the business and operations committee. The policy committee will meet at 9 a.m. on Dec. 5. The Jan. 2 policy committee meeting was canceled.
Mary Grace Kauffman, freelance reporter, worked six years as a full-time reporter for newspapers in Pennsylvania and Maryland. She has covered topics including business, crime, education, government and features. Mary Grace has a bachelor's degree in communication/journalism from Shippensburg University. She resides in Adams County.