Bessemer Area Schools welcomes new staff members, teachers

By MEGAN HUGHES

news@yourdaliyglobe.com

Bessemer — The Bessemer Area School’s Board of Education met Aug. 24 for its monthly meeting and settled some final changes to the staff for the new school year.

The school board welcomed the following members to the staff: Sarah Carroll, first grade teacher; Ashley Oliver-Igl, high school English teacher; Brittany Bennetts, high school math teacher; Stephany Lewis, elementary school paraprofessional; and Jessica Leinon-Novascone, transition coach.

The board also accepted a letter of retirement of teacher Mark Movrich.

Several coaching positions were filled, including: Ryan Fyle, high school football; Cory Aspinwall, girls varsity basketball and girls junior high basketball; Jordy Chipuzio, boys junior high basketball; and Tessa Cleary, junior high girls basketball.

The board also made several other assignments, including: Richard Matrella, senior class advisor and junior high lunch supervision; Nick Heikkila, junior high lunch supervision; Rachael Hendges, junior class advisor and National Honors Society advisor; Tammu Kann, sophomore-freshman class advisor, high school lunch supervisor, and junior high council advisor; Brittany Bennetts, high school student council lead and senior high lunch supervision; Valerie Aijala, Science Olympiad and Bioatholon advisor; Eli Zelinski, junior high quiz bowl; Jennifer Terrell, high school quiz bowl; and Ashley Oliver-Igl, Key Club.

The board also approved the 2022 Letter of Agreement between the Bessemer Education Association and Bessemer Area Schools.

The board and administration expressed how pleased they were with how the first days of school went. The first day of school was Aug. 23.

“I think it was probably the best first day of school in quite some time,” said K-6 Principal Mark Switzer.

He said several members of faculty told him about how smoothly everything went.

Superintendent Dan Niemi explained that as part of the beginning of the semester, he has been working on class changes, from rearranging the schedules, to helping students get their classes sorted out.

“Everyone showed up who is supposed to be showing up. It’s going good,” said Niemi.

Also at the meeting, the board discussed the updated school calendar for the 2022-2023 year, but tabled a vote to approve the calendar until the September meeting.

In other news, the board:

—Discussed concerns about the light poles in Massie Field. The board voted to reach out to Pole Painting Plus of Maple Lake, Minnesota, regarding an estimate provided in previous years for the refurbishment, and work to gather the estimated $7,000 that the school has yet to raise for the project. The board take a walk-through of the field on Sept. 21.

—Discussed and approved the Honors Band trip set for Oct. 19.

—Discussed the after school tutoring grant for 2022.