Greensburg Salem School Board OKs 7-year bus contract, fills 2 administrative posts

Greensburg Salem School District will stay with its current transportation provider for another seven years.

The school board this week approved a new contract with DMJ Transportation, setting annual cost increases through the 2028-29 school year.

The per-vehicle rate charged by Mt. Pleasant area-based DMJ will increase by 1.5% in each of the first two years of the contract and by 3% in each of the remaining years, according to district Superintendent Ken Bissell.

Conversations are ongoing between the district and DMJ regarding rising fuel prices and how that could impact costs, Bissell said. He declined to comment further.

For the current school year, Greensburg Salem is paying about $1.4 million for regular bus runs, transporting students to and from district schools, Bissell said. He noted, “That doesn’t include other runs, for athletics, or special transportation for special needs.”

Assuming the number of bus runs wouldn’t change, the district would be paying close to $1.7 million for regular transportation by the end of the new contract.

“If we increase the number of runs, that’s going to go up,” Bissell said.

Greensburg Salem’s initial five-year contract with DMJ is in its final year.

With the new agreement, the board chose a mid-length option, between alternative contracts that would have lasted for five years or 10 years. The agreement is subject to review and final approval by Bissell, board President Jeff Metrosky and the district solicitor.

Technology, outreach staffers hired

Greensburg Salem turned to its teaching staff and to a local community organization to fill two revamped administrative posts.

The board hired James Baker, who teaches a digital literacy course, to serve in a new capacity — as coordinator of technology integration and student information.

Ashley Kertes, executive director of the nonprofit Greensburg Community Development Corporation since 2018, will take on the district role of associate administrator to the superintendent and community outreach.

Baker and Kertes each will be paid a prorated salary of $70,000. Business Manager Joan Wehner noted the two new administrators are replacing three previous central office posts that had combined salaries totaling about $160,000.

The technology coordinator is a new take and expansion on the previous position of director of information services. Larry George recently resigned from that post to accept the job of technology director at Derry Area School District.

According to Bissell, Baker’s new responsibilities will include coordinating “apps and different programs that are connecting to our student accounts. We’re getting a lot of technology use.”

Baker, who also is certified to teach language arts, has a degree in corporate communications and a doctorate in leadership and administration.

He is completing his first full year of teaching at Greensburg Salem. But, he noted, “I’ve been working with the district since 2016. I student-taught here.”

At the school district, Kertes will be tasked with attending and recording board meetings as well as overseeing community relations and social media.

She’ll also be “helping with securing additional funds” for Greensburg Salem, Bissell said.

Kertes is a North Huntingdon native and a Seton Hill University graduate. At the Development Corporation, she has worked with Greensburg city government to promote commercial development.