Ringgold accepts resignation of security officer but won’t say if he was involved in gun incident
NEW EAGLE – Ringgold School Board Wednesday accepted the resignation of a security officer, but the district superintendent and board would not say whether it was the one who left his loaded gun in a high school restroom last week.
The board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Armand Sangermano in an item that was added to the agenda. Superintendent Karen Polkabla declined to confirm whether he was the officer responsible for the incident.
The board also heard comments from parent Roderick Wilson of Donora, who voiced his concerns regarding the Oct. 13 incident. A student at the high school discovered a district security officer’s gun in the restroom and reported it to a teacher. The weapon was secured in a safe at the school, Ringgold High School Principal Jason Minniti stated in a letter to parents that was posted on the district’s website.
“As with all matters of student safety, we have taken this very seriously and acted accordingly,” Minniti stated in the letter.
Wilson said he was very alarmed by this incident and does not support armed personnel making rounds in the schools because a school “is not a prison.”
“If you feel your school is that unsafe, then we have a problem in America. We have a problem in Ringgold,” Wilson said.
The board approved a motion by a 6-2 vote to reduce property taxes on the former Monongahela Elementary Center building for 2015 in order to reflect the assessed value of $7,333 for 2016, after an appeal was made by the new property owners. The motion includes the collection of $23,406 in taxes for 2015 by Portnoff Law Associates.
The board also approved a formal agreement with Love First Inc. of Donora regarding the community group’s Love Backpack Program that was presented at last month’s meeting.
This program will help to provide food for the weekend to children who are on the free or reduced-price lunch program.
The program will start at Ringgold South, where the largest need has been recognized, and will then be implemented throughout the district.
The board also approved the hiring of Natalie Grote as a biology teacher at Ringgold Middle School at a salary of $36,000.