School Board Meeting Briefs

A#ew school superintendent I was officially appointed last I night by the Board of EducaI tion to replace Dr. W. Scott Westerman Jr. who has resigned. R. Bruce McPherson, currently associate superintendent for policy, planning and development for the Philadelphia schools, will start his new job here on June 30. o - o ■ The board has informally decided that the bonding proposal will be presented in a single package for the June 14 election. The preliminary qualification of the bond issue of $12,900,000 has been received from the State Department of Education and the board will now take official action at its May 5 meeting to adopt one bonding proposal for the election. o - o Following a report on the implementation of the "Humaneness in Education" re port, Alvis Adair presented to the board a petition which he said contained 442 signatures I of persons "demanding the reinstatement of Rebecca Vanderhorst to Forsythe." He also told the board a post-card campaign that had been started with students and I adults requested support of the I petition. "I don't believe in I hasty decisions and I sions as an answer to our I racial problems," Adair said. I School Supt. Westerman I plied that the teacher involved I has been encouraged by I eral District Court to appeal I her case if she feels the decisión of the district was unjust. He also said he is alarmed to find there are I some who "confuse the issue I - I t of professional competence : with the issue of the education ■ of black youth." Misse Vanderhorst taught at ' Forsythe Junior High. o - o Several mothers voiced their concern over the elimination of safety busing from next year's school budget. One said to the board: We'll have a lunch program for the children but they won't be able to get to school." Safety busing is a program which provides transportation to school for children who encounter hazards when walking. o - o Larry Zimmer of the Recreation Advisory Board told the board it should remember that the budget has an obligation further than Kindergarten through 12th grades. He said that since one-half of the I reation Department's budget is funded by the schools, the I schools are responsible for the I recreational opportunities forl the entire community. J