the almanac J U LY 28, 2024
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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‘Smile and have fun’
Moving forward Peters Township School District, teachers union agree on contract
KAREN MANSFIELD/OBSERVER-REPORTER
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Always B Smiling activity and learning center on the Montour Trail in Peters Township is set for Aug. 12.
Always B Smiling opens activity, learning center for kids with disabilities along Montour Trail By Karen Mansfield Staff writer
kmansfield@observer-reporter.com
On a warm, July Tuesday morning, 11 students from Peters Township School District’s Extended School Year program, buckled up in adaptive bicycles and piloted by volunteers wearing bright-yellow “Always B Smiling” T-shirts, embarked on a nine-mile bike ride on the Montour Trail in Cecil Township. “We’re going to ride past a really cool caboose, we’re going to go over a couple of bridges, through a tunnel and then come back, and then at the end of the day we always have pizza and ice cream!” said board mem-
ber Gina Esch, vice president of the board of Always B Smiling, as she threw her arms in the air enthusiastically. “The most important rule at Always B Smiling is to smile and have fun.” And fun it was, as the kids spent a chunk of their day riding bikes, working on crafts, playing yard games, and munching on pizza and ice cream. For Kristin Huibregtse, executive director of Always B Smiling, who launched the nonprofit adaptive ride program for children with disabilities with her husband, Dean Huibregtse, it has been a satisfying summer. SEE SMILE PAGE A2
Adaptive bikes are stored at Matthew’s Garage, part of a new complex opened on the Montour Trail by the nonprofit Always B Smiling.
COURTESY OF ALWAYS B SMILING
Kristin and Dean Huibregtse, who founded Always B Smiling, a nonprofit that provides adaptive bikes and activities for children with special needs, pose before the start of the fourth annual Miles for Smiles 5K run, held in honor of their son, Bennett.
KAREN MANSFIELD/ OBSERVER-REPORTER
Teachers in the Peters Township School District have a new five-year contract that will carry them to 2029. Both the Peters Township Board of School Directors and the Peters Township Federation of Teachers (PTFT) approved the agreement at meetings July 22. According to a press release from the school district, the new contract includes $1,700 annual raises for teachers from their second year of employment to their 16th year. Teachers who have been employed for 17 years will get raises of $2,300 annually. The previous contract provided for annual salary increases of $1,400. “We’re glad to get a fair and equitable agreement prior to the start of the school year,” said Caroline Abele, McMurray Elementary School Teacher and PTFT president, in the release. “We’re excited to be able to focus on doing what we love in this wonderful community.” The contract covers 279 district staff members, including the teachers, counselors and nurses. Last school year, the average teacher’s salary at Peters Township was $89,816. The starting salary for a firstyear teacher with a bachelor’s degree is $52,900. The contract also restructures how teachers will contribute to their health insurance plans. Rather than a flat rate, rates will be 10% of the premium for 2024 to 2025, and then increase 1% each year. “We are happy that the work between the district, the teachers, and the union leadership has resulted in a fair agreement for all stakeholders,” said school board member Dan Taylor, who served as lead negotiator. Other changes were made as well, such as allowing sick leave to be used to care for a sick child, parent or spouse, and a floating clerical day prior to the start of each school year. The contract is effective retroactively to July 1, and expires June 30, 2029.
Urchick takes the helm of Rotary International By Brad Hundt Staff writer
bhundt@observer-reporter.com
Stephanie Urchick was recently on a flight from Italy to India and found herself seated next to a 31-year-old CEO of a New Delhi-based company. They started chatting about their jobs, and when Urchick told him she was in line to become president of Rotary International, he replied, “That’s the organization for old people.” Urchick replied that, no, it’s not an organization for the senior-discount crowd. She replied, “No, it’s an organization for you, and you’re a CEO.” The CEO took her advice and joined New Delhi’s Rotary branch. Urchick is going to be talking up Rotary a whole lot more in the next 12 months in many far-flung locales after assuming the SEE URCHICK PAGE A2
ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
Equipment is idled after a day’s work on the stadium surface at Peters Township.
Peters Township football stadium turf gets replaced By Jon Andreassi
school year approaches. The Peters Township board jandreassi@observer-reporter.com of school directors approved Work is underway at Peters the project in February. The Township’s high school stadi- field is being outfitted with the um to replace the turf as a new “Game On Turf System” from Staff writer
COURTESY OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
Stephanie Urchick is the new president of Rotary International.
UPPER ST. CLAIR Scholarship helps student study in Korea PAGE A4 What’s happening, B3
SPORTS Bethel Park’s Orie commits to the Naval Academy PAGE B1 Real estate transactions, A6
Shaw Sports Turf. The work is costing the district $507,200. School directors also approved spending $525,460 to replace the turf at Pleasant SEE TURF PAGE A2
SIGHTS & SOUNDS Ohiopyle offers themed escape room PAGE B3 Classifieds, B4-6