Abington School Board Reorganizes, Sort Of

The Abington School Board looks similar to the way it did prior to the Dec. 5 reorganization meeting.

Last night, incumbent school board directors Andrea Lawful-Trainer, Michele Tinsman, Jeannette Maitin and Susan Arnhold were sworn in, in addition to newcomer Daniel Kaye.

Abington School Board President Pro Tempore Barry Stupine read the oath, and then congratulated the five newly appointed directors.

The board’s president and vice president remain the same — Raymond McGarry and Jeffrey Bates, respectively.

Arnhold nominated McGarry for president. Reading from a statement, Arnhold said, “Mr. McGarry’s dedication to the Abington School District has served our students and taxpayers well. He served with distinction as vice president for three years and president for the past five years. Without belaboring the point, under Mr. McGarry’s presidency, board has overseen an unparalleled time of success.”

Arnhold said that under McGarry, the school board reviewed and updated all of the district's policies, maintained positive relations with all the district’s employee groups, obtained a wage freeze from district employees, and the board did not raise the millage rate for the past four years.

“We’d have to be insane to change the leadership of our board,” Stupine said.

Tinsman nominated Bates for vice president; Bates was not in attendance.

“He makes a job that can be difficult at times look quite easy,” Tinsman said. “Throughout it all, he’s always acted as a true leader, making sure that each stakeholder involved has a chance to be heard.”

McGarry welcomed new school board member Daniel Kaye to the board. After the meeting, Kaye said jokingly that he was “told not to say anything for the first year.” Kaye sits where former school board director S. Shirley Weiss sat.