Spring-Ford Board Reorganizes for 2012

The Area School District met for a regular board of education meeting on Monday night, but before that, reorganized for 2012, swearing in newly elected officials and appointing board members to positions and committees.

Magisterial District Judge Walter Gadzicki was on hand to help swear the elected officials in, which included former board members Bernard Pettit, David Shafer, Julie Mullin and Mark Dehnert.

There was also a new board member sworn in: Dawn Heine, who takes Donna Williams' spot on the board. Williams did not run for re-election. Heine is honored by the opportunity to serve the community.

"It truly is an honor to be able to be in the public service environment and to hopefully help this district move forward into ultimately benefitting students of this community," she said.

Heine's ultimate goal while serving the board is to give back to the kids.

"[I want to] make sure the kids are globally marketable in an environment that continues to change," she continued. "We need to change as the environment around them changes."

Former board Vice President Tom DiBello was nominated to serve as board president by Pettit and was appointed by a unanimous vote.

"Thank you for giving me the honor to serve the board as president this year," DiBello said.

DiBello takes the place of Joe Ciresi, who served as president the past two years.

"I just want to thank the board and community for letting me serve as president for the past two years and wish Tom good luck," Ciresi said before the meeting adjourned.

Ciresi was nominated to serve as vice president of the board by Mullin and was elected unanimously.

DiBello will stay on as the board's representative at the Montgomery County Legislative Committee. Heine will take the place of Mullin as one of three representatives to the joint operating committee for the . Heine joins Ciresi and Ed Dressler. Dressler will take DiBello's place in going to Pennsylvania School Boards Association meetings.