With less than three weeks before classes start, the Platteville School Board approved filling several vacancies, but hired only one new teacher.

The new teacher is Baethany Fredericks, who will teach ninth-grade English at Platteville High School. Fredericks’ first interview was conducted via Skype, because she was teaching in Japan this summer.

Fredericks is replacing Cheryl Schober, who is transferring from teaching English to the high school library media specialist position. Schober also is becoming the high school head forensics director, with Fredericks and David Freitag as assistants. She also was named high school publications co-advisor.

Tom Caccia, who retired at the end of the 2011–12 school year, was rehired to teach two first-semester technology classes and one second-semester technology class. Caccia is taking the place of Janis Miles, who is now supervising the work–study program formerly supervised by Greg Quam, the school district’s career and technology coordinator, who retired.

Caccia was also rehired as the high school’s girls and boys swimming coach. He will also have high school publication responsibilities.

Physical education teacher Maureen Vorwald was named the high school’s National Honor Society advisor. The board also approved Keith Dirks continuing as the middle school athletic director.

Jennifer King, a part-time four-year-old kindergarten teacher at Neal Wilkins Elementary School, had her position expanded to full-time. The school board in July approved adding a 4K teaching position and reducing part-time teaching assistant positions to reduce 4K class sizes.

Pam Greenhalgh, one of those teaching assistants, is transferring to become the Neal Wilkins library assistant, a full-time position.