The Kennett School Board has approved a five-year employment agreement with Mark Tracy that will see the district's longtime top business administrator serve in the role as assistant to the superintendent for business affairs for a five-year period from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2023. The board unanimously approved the agreement at its meeting on Nov. 13.

“We're glad to have you on board for another five years,” said school board president Kendra LaCosta.

The meeting at the New Garden Elementary School also included committee reports, the approval of some routine personnel moves, and the first readings of a series of policy changes.

The school board approved two upcoming trips for students, one for the high school ski club, and one for the wrestling team. The KHS Ski Club is traveling to Okemo Mountain Ski Resort in Vermont from Feb. 9, 2018 through Feb. 11, 2018. The KHS wrestling team was approved to participate in a tournament at Indian River High School on Dec. 28 and 29.

Michael Finnegan, a school board member who serves on the district's Finance Committee, said that they have now had two meetings to discuss the 2018-2019 budget. The Finance Committee is also taking a look at the district's debt to make sure that the Kennett Consolidated School District is doing everything possible to maximize the funding that would be available for future renovations on schools like New Garden Elementary that are definitely in line for facilities upgrades. Finnegan noted that borrowing for such renovations could be limited in the future because of the annual Act 1 Index limit.

In his report to the school board, superintendent Dr. Barry Tomasetti thanked the four school board members whose terms are ending early next month: Kendra LaCosta, Janis Reynolds, Heather Schaen, and Bob Norris. Tomasetti said that these board members served the district well, and did so without an agenda. He noted that they have raised the bar for future school board members.

The departing school board members' colleagues on the board took turns lauding their contributions to the district. Rudy Alfonso talked about how Schaen, a 12-year veteran of the school board, mentored him when he first came on the board. She taught him the ins and outs of the many duties that the board handles. Dominic F. Perigo, Jr. talked about how much work the departing school board members put into serving the district. Board vice president Joseph Meola spoke of how dedicated the school board members are to the district. Everyone in attendance gave LaCosta, Reynolds, Schaen, and Norris a standing ovation when they were presented with a plaque for their service, and there was another standing ovation at the end of the meeting.

The school board will hold its reorganization meeting, when new members will be officially sworn into office, on Monday, Dec. 4. That meeting takes place at the Mary D. Lang Kindergarten Center at 7 p.m.