Former Business Manager Frank Ifkovits dies at 64

Frank Ifkovits, former Blair Business Manager and founder of the Blair student safety committee, died of Parkinson's Disease on June 25.

Ifkovits, who was Business Manager for almost three decades, was a prominent figure in the school. "Under him," said Principal Phillip Gainous, the "model of school security being more than just security was introduced into this county." Gainous also credited Ifkovits with making Blair one of the "first schools in the nation with a safety committee comprised of students."

The safety committee was in place when Gainous arrived 19 years ago. Ifkovits' program gave Gainous the chance to assist schools all over the country in forming their own safety plans. "I was chosen to help draw up guidelines for schools across the nation because of [Ifkovits]' safe schools project," he said.

Gainous also explained how Ifkovits changed the image of school security guards. The security guards changed from "monitors" to "mentors," doing things like calling parents. Ifkovits' plan got security guards much more involved in the community and made them "a viable part of the team in school." Ifkovits' development of the safety committee and move to change security's role "encapsulated his belief that everyone is here [at school] for the kids," said Gainous, because "that's how he operated."