Kyrie Smith’s path to kindergarten starts in second grade.

The New Castle Area School Board hired the Slippery Rock University graduate last night as the district’s newest full-time teacher. Superintendent George Gabriel said she will move to the Harry W. Lockley Kindergarten Center at the start of the 2009-10 school year.

Until then Smith will remain on temporary assignment at West Side Primary Center, where she teaches second-graders.

Smith, who lives in New Wilmington, has worked in the district as a Reading First tutor, instructional aide and full-time substitute.

Gabriel said the district did not want to interrupt her work at West Side.

Debra Coyne, another SRU graduate, was selected permanent substitute at Lockley. In addition to her time as a day-to-day substitute, Coyne worked in the district as a behavioral intervention aide and instructional aide.

The school board approved Smith’s selection in a 5-1 vote, with Barbara Razzano casting the ’no’ vote. She did not provide a reason for her decision.

Board President Donna Donati and Vice President Philip Conti, along with board member Karen Humphrey, were not present. When contacted at their homes, Donati and Conti said they were ill. Humphrey is attending a Pennsylvania School Board Association conference in Hershey on behalf of the district.