amollenauer@altoonamirror.com
The Altoona Area School Board voted 5-4 to renew Superintendent Charles Prijatelj’s contract, extending his employment through the end of July 2024.
Prijatelj’s current salary is $176,800, and an increase for the first year of his contract will be contingent on his evaluation.
Voting in favor of renewing Prijatelj’s contract were board Vice President Dr. Frank Meloy, Mike Baker, Dave Francis, Rick Hoover and Ron Johnston. Votes against were from board President Sharon Bream, Eric Haugh, Kelly Irwin Adams and Ed Kreuz.
Prijatelj became the district’s superintendent in 2016 after serving as superintendent of the Tuscarora School District for three years. He will begin his three-year extension on Aug. 1.
Altoona Area School District Layoffs 6:45 pm
Superintendent Dr. Charles Prijatelj says the district was employing around 130 special education aides this school year, while the district was still operating with around 50 percent of students attending in-person. However, Altoona Schools went to completely virtual learning December 1st and Prijatelj says when that happened the district no longer need all the aides.
Prijatelj says the district as for volunteers and 64 aides chose to be furloughed until February first. Those staff members will receive unemployment compensation from the district.
Some aides chose to continue working in schools by filling a new role. Prijatelj says several are assisting with a technical help desk while other are completing maintenance and sanitation work.