Another guidance counselor in the Pleasant Valley School District has decided to leave.

At the school board meeting on Thursday night, the directors approved the resignation of Susan Scully, effective Nov. 21. Scully has been with the school district since 2015 and was a school counselor at the middle school where she had been longer than her co-workers. Both of her co-workers came to the middle school during the 2022-2023 school year.

Sarah Rodvelt was moved from being a substitute teacher to school counselor in October 2022, and the district moved Sheri Fallon from the high school guidance office to the middle school in January 2023. Fallon was replaced with Allison Gimbi, who then left the school district in late February. Gimbi was replaced by Payton Gregory in April.

Also at the high school guidance office are Brigid Rosendale, who joined them in January 2023; Erin Steiner, who is in her first year with the school district; and Kristin Stachina, who was hired in July 2022.

Donna Yozwiak, a Chestnuthill Township resident and candidate for school board, asked the board why so many of the guidance counselors have left the district.

“This resignation would make the seventh school counselor in the Pleasant Valley School District to resign since last December. We have 14 counselors in the district. ... When seven school counselors resign, that’s 50% of our counseling department that have left. I wish the board would inquire why these professionals are leaving us,” Yozwiak said. “What is motivating these professional counselors to leave?”

Superintendent James Konrad said that the school district does exit interviews, and the reasons for their departures range from retiring to moving away to finding better paying jobs elsewhere.

At the end of the meeting, resident Ron Reynolds of Chestnuthill Township commented on the district losing a second science teacher, and said the communication could be better with parents on how it is being handled.

Middle school science teacher Yvonne Lovito announced her retirement, effective Sept. 8.

Konrad said, “One of the concerns that we have is when we have staff that either resign or retire after the school year begins. Right now we are down two science teachers. That means that two-thirds of my kids (referring to the students in the school district) are not getting the best curriculum, so we made some adjustments. I don’t think that is the best adjustments, because nothing can replace a teacher in front of my kids in a brick-and mortar setting. But I have to be mindful if I can’t get the teachers for a long term sub, and we’re having those challenges, I want there to be continuity with learning in the classroom.”

Konrad explained why it takes so long to replace a teacher during the school year. First, the position is posted internally for current employees. After five days, it is open to the public. If a teacher is hired from another school district, the superintendent of that school district has a right to put a 60-day hold on the employee in order to keep his or her classes covered.

The school district has a candidate for one of the science teacher positions, but there is a 60-day hold on the person, Konrad said. There is a second possible candidate, as well, for the other science position.