Southeastern Greene hires Pekar as superintendent
MAPLETOWN – Richard Pekar, who served as acting superintendent of the Southeastern Greene School District for the past year, was officially hired Monday as superintendent.
The board approved a five-year contract with Pekar, who earlier this month received his superintendent’s certification from Edinboro University.
Pekar is a 1996 graduate of Mapletown and a 2000 graduate of Waynesburg University. Prior to being hired at Southeastern Greene as an assistant principal in 2012, Pekar was principal of South Stokes High School in Meadow, N.C.
“I grew up in Southeastern Greene, I graduated from Southeastern Greene and I attended college in Greene County, and I really didn’t have any plans to leave the area,” Pekar said Tuesday.
He ended up leaving the county after college only to take advantage of the opportunity to begin his career in education.
“But this is where I want to be, this is my first choice,” he said. “I’m passionate about the district.”
Pekar was hired in a unanimous vote. His starting salary is $100,000.
Pekar was first hired by the district in September 2012 as an assistant principal for kindergarten through 12th grade. He became acting superintendent last June, replacing William Henderson, who resigned to take a position in another district.
Pekar completed course work for his superintendent’s certification while serving as acting superintendent.
“I’m thankful to the board for its support and encouragement through this process,” he said. “I’m look forward to continuing to work with the board and the administrative team at Southeastern Greene.”
Pekar said he also hopes now that he is officially on board, the district will see some “stability” among its leadership team.
In other business, the board voted to increase lunch prices by 10 cents. The lunch price at Bobtown Elementary will be $1.80 and the price at Mapletown Junior-Senior High will be $1.95.
The increase is required for the district’s continued participation in the federal subsidized lunch program. The federal government earlier asked districts to bring their regular lunch prices in line with what the federal government pays the districts in free lunch subsidies.
The board hired Alex Smith as a secondary special education teacher; Jaclyn Wasco as an English teacher; and Tracy Williams as a small lab common/core teacher at Bobtown. Williams was formerly a technology coach in the district. It also hired Robert Cree, a retired state trooper, as a school police officer.
The board recessed Monday’s meeting until 7 p.m. Aug. 10 to consider other possible hirings in preparation for the start of the school year.