USC honors four district retirees
Of the four retirees honored Jan. 28 by the Upper St. Clair School Board, the superintendent said the one he’ll miss the most is the head cook at the high school.
Patrick O’Toole told Ruth Underwood, “I’m going to miss you the most,” he said. “There’s nothing better than going up to the back door cafe for lunch.”
Underwood, who has worked for the district for 25 years, and four other employees were honored by the school board for their years of service.
Another retiree, Dave Walk, said his family had been involved with the district for 100 years – his grandfather served on the school board.
O’Toole said Walk “knows just about everything about everything.”
School Board Member Amy Billerbeck said, “If we had an historian, it would have to be Dave Walk.”
O’Toole said Walk retired as a district employee in 2003 after working there for 36 years, since 1967. Walk returned to the district as a facilities supervisor, employed by Aramark, from which he retired in December 2012.
Kathleen Kuzma will retire on Feb. 1 from her position as a teacher at Baker Elementary School. She worked for the district for 22 and a half years, starting in 1972, but taking some time off to raise her family before returning.
Carolyn Seymour, a teacher aide at Baker, was also honored for her retirement. She had worked in the district for 19 years, since 1994.
In other business Jan. 28, the board:
• Granted a raise averaging 1.5 percent to 25 support staff who are not represented by a collective bargaining unit. The employees work in technology, security and as confidential secretaries.
• Adopted a resolution stating that they will not seek to raise taxes beyond the Act 1 cost-of-living figure for the 2013-14 budget year. The board sought and was granted permission to raise taxes beyond that index for the 2012-13 school year.