Phoenixville School Board Reorganizes, Honors Outgoing Members

With a combined 44 years under their belts, three women attended their last meeting as directors of Phoenixville Area School District.

Debbie Dawson, who serves as the vice president, Secretary Mary Croke-Parris and Board Member Jill Slawecki were honored on Monday evening as part of the board’s regular meeting. According to President Paul Slaninka, each woman received a framed Phoenixville varsity letter.

You can watch the statement Slaninka gave as well as remarks from the outgoing board members on the district’s website. Croke-Parris served two decades on the school board and was pregnant with her daughter while running for her position.

Her two children only ever knew her as being on the school board, she explained, and her decision not to run signifies a big change. She said she leaves with confidence in the current state of the district.

“This is the best administration going forward … I feel very comfortable and at ease,” Croke-Parris said.

Slawecki thanked her family and said she was grateful for the opportunity to serve the district.

“I bleed purple,” Slawecki said.

She noted that her time on the board was not always easy and there were some tumultuous times. She started serving on the board in 1999.

“We’ve been through a lot,” Slawecki said.

In Slaninka’s statement, he said when he came aboard the district was in turmoil.

“It was the beginning of a very sad and tempestuous time,” Slaninka said.

He said Dawson, Croke-Parris and Slawecki were “three beacons of light” during the district’s trying times.

“Now they leave us tonight a better, brighter and more hopeful school district,” Slaninka said.

Following the board’s regular meeting, they reorganized with new members Ken Butera, Kevin Pattinson and Irfan Khan taking the seats left open by the three departing members. Slaninka and Board Member David Ziev were re-elected during the November municipal election.

For the third year in a row, Slaninka will serve as board president, with Jan Potts as vice president, Dr. Daniel Cushing as secretary and Josh Gould remaining as treasurer (the treasurer’s appointment extends to June 30 to coincide with budget season).

Reached by phone on Tuesday, Slaninka said he was happy to be selected as president.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Slaninka said. “I’m very honored to have the support of such a fine board and I hope I serve them well.”

The next regular board meeting will not be until 2012. There will, however, be a special public meeting next Wednesday, Dec. 14, where the community budget advisory committee will host a presentation at 7 p.m. in the district’s administration office boardroom. Following the presentation, there will be a finance committee meeting of the whole board.