Tech school set to exit health trust

PLAINS TWP. -- The Wilkes-Barre Area Career & Technical Center will no longer be part of the Northeast PA School District Health Trust as of the end of this fiscal year.

At a meeting Monday, the school's joint operating committee ratified approval for a letter of intent to withdraw from the trust effective June 30, 2013. Administrative Director Peter Halesey said the decision was driven by cost factors and the school is "shopping" for other options.

Halesey also reported on recognition the school received for two recent achievements: attaining school-wide student performance of 80 percent or more on the competent and advanced levels of National Occupational Competency Testing Institute assessments and exceeding the expected state Department of Education increase in levels of performance in reading, mathematics and occupational skills.

The committee appointed Mark Baclasky as residential carpentry teacher and approved a $1,000 bonus for Halesey, per the administrators' contract.

In other business:

•The board approved payments of $728 to attorney Ray Wendolowski and $1,778 to attorney Jack Dean, both for services from May 1 through June 30, 2012.

•Approval was also given for an infrastructure upgrade for the school camera system at a cost of $17,990.