OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen
Fredonia High School Principal Darrin Paschke repeatedly pushed for the District to fully staff both the Middle and High Schools with a Social Worker. The District hired a full-time Social Worker at its latest Board of Education meeting.
In the past year, Fredonia High School Principal Darrin Paschke repeatedly pushed for the District to fully staff both the Middle and High Schools with a Social Worker. He even addressed the Board directly as a resident of the village he called home back to the days when he was a student at Fredonia himself.
Paschke’s advocacy for his students paid off when the District budgeted for a third full-time Social Worker at the latest budget vote. The next step was to get the budget to pass, which it did. But finally, once the position was created, it still needed to be filled.
The last box has now been checked, as Fredonia appointed Ella Wiggers, a certified School Social Worker, as the District’s newest Social Worker at a recent Board of Education meeting. Wiggers becomes the District’s third full-time School Social Worker, while only one full-time School Social Worker was on staff when Dr. Brad Zilliox took over as District Superintendent less than three years ago.
In recent years, the Middle and High Schools shared one full-time Social Worker, while the Elementary School and Wheelock School shared the other. Now, with the total up to three, it is expected that the High School will have its own full-time Social Worker to address the growing social and emotional needs of students in a post-pandemic society.
Wiggers joins Fredonia from the Sherman Central School District, where she worked for the past four years as a School Social Worker on a probationary basis through American Rescue Plan Act funding. With the pandemic-related funding no longer available, Sherman eliminated the position, which made Wiggers available for Fredonia to bring onboard.
Prior to her stint at Sherman, Wiggers worked for the Chautauqua County Department of Children and Family Services for four years. Zilliox said the District received “glowing recommendations” of Wiggers from everyone it reached out to in the interview process.
The District also appointed a new Library Media Specialist, Susan Walterich, who joins Fredonia after previously working at the Forestville Central School District. Walterich, who holds permanent certification as a School Media Specialist, also has experience at the Lake Shore Central School District and the Hamburg Central School District.
In one of the more entertaining appointments in recent months, Walterich attended the recent meeting and waited more than 45 minutes before her appointment was brought to the floor.
“I came out because I’m excited to be onboard, and I just wanted to say that,” Walterich said. “That’s it, I guess I’ll just leave.”
The Board laughed as she prepared to leave before her approval was made official, and urged her to stay for a round of applause.
“Oh, yes! I will sit back down,” she exclaimed, to laughter from the Board. Her approval was unanimous.
The Board also approved a three-year contract between the District and Dr. Margie Wright, Chief Officer of Curriculum and Human Resources, through June 30, 2027.
“She absolutely walks that line between being very process-driven … and also demonstrates flexibility in those unique situations where flexibility is needed,” Zilliox said. He noted that he and Wright work closely together and offset each other’s strengths.
“I’m happy to have her with us for another three years,” Zilliox said.
Also approved by the District was the unpaid leave of absence for Anda Barreto, Teacher Aide, through the 2024-2025 school year; the resignation of Sara Centner, Teacher Aide; and the termination of Marie Frank, Food Service Helper.
Special Class Aide Stacy Gorka was approved for the Special Education Extended School Year Program. Bonita Costello, Registered Nurse; Megan Narraway, Nurse Assistant; and High School Special Education Teacher Amanda Laurito were approved for the Summer School Program. Andrew Wheelock was appointed as Instructional Technology Specialist from June 18 until Aug. 29.
Brandy Kachelmeyer and Courtney Emke were each approved for an even split of a 10-day Athletic Nurse position. Retired teacher Doug Corell was approved as a per diem substitute; and Noah Tarbell was approved for permanent employment status as Cleaner.