SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT Harrisburg, Pennsylvania MARCH 23, 2009 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SYNOPSIS

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1 SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT Harrisburg, Pennsylvania MARCH 23, 2009 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SYNOPSIS RAY E LANDIS, PRESIDENT This Saturday evening is the annual Hanna Education Foundation Event, being staged at the Civil War Museum, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $75.00 per person and are available through district office or me. A special thank you to Mr. Andrew Locust, who coordinated the annual Hoops for Heart fund-raising project. Middle School students raised $1,248 for this worthy cause. All contributions go to the American Heart Association for ongoing research and education programs. Ms. Fitton's homeroom secured the most donations for this year's event. Over the past nine years the middle school has raised $25,877 in the Hoops for Heart campaign. Also, a special thank you to the faculty of the school district who participated in the annual Thomas Holtzman talent show which raised nearly $3,000 in support of scholarships for seniors with financial need. Over the past 19 years over $66,000 has been generated in support of this scholarship program. Many thanks to Rich Claar and Bill Perbetsky for coordinating this annual event. On April 20 th, beginning at 7:00 p.m., there will be a candidates' night at the middle school for those individuals running for school board. The building level PTOs are sponsoring the event. Congratulations to Mr. Robert Brightbill, building construction and maintenance instructor at Dauphin County Technical School, who has been selected to receive a 2009 Teacher Impact Award, sponsored by WGAL-TV and Rotary District This award honors those teachers who have had a significant impact on their students. DAVID W. VOLKMAN, SUPERINTENDENT Congratulations to 6th grader, Olivia Albritton, who received a citation from the Pennsylvania Art Education Association and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as one of the top 20 finalists from across Pennsylvania in the design a flag competition. She was hosted for part of the day by PA Senator Bob Robbins and State Representative Susan Helm. The contest was held as part of Youth Art Month which recognizes the importance of art education in our schools. Congratulations to senior, Andrew Bowling, who performed the National Anthem at the 2009 PIAA Basketball Championships in the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State University on Friday evening, March 20th. Don't forget to attend one of the performances of Once on This Island as performed by our middle school students on Friday, March 27th, at 7:00 p.m. or Saturday, March 28th, at 2:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Premium reserved seating is $8.00 while general admission is $6.00. Tickets can be

2 secured by calling or A special thank you to the high school gospel choir for their participation in the Martin Luther King celebration, held at Gettysburg High School. A monetary donation was made to the group for their participation. I would also like to acknowledge Mr. Harold Wilson, who serves as the facilitator for this activity. Mr. Malinowski, the school district's assistant superintendent, recently sent a letter to the editor of the Patriot-News, clarifying the actual impact of the new stimulus dollars to be received from the federal government. At first glance, it appeared to many of our constituents that the district was receiving an extra $3.5 million funding; this is not the case. As his letter has not yet appeared in the Patriot-News, I would ask him to share it with the audience. IME IME UMANA, STUDENT SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE On April 2 nd, the high school will be hosting its second annual 4D day students, Faculty and Staff are encouraged to practice the 4Ds: Dress Up, No Drama, No Disruptions, No Discipline. This past weekend over 15 members of the Rotary Interact club helped move furniture at the Anna Carter School. In June 2010 Mr. Frengel is running an EF tour, taking students to London and Southern England. Dr. Sexsmith will also be taking students to Spain June Car Wash for Building Tomorrow, Saturday, April 25 th, Commerce Bank on Progress Avenue. PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS CASA & HILLTOP Mrs. Butler presented on the Capital Area School for the Arts & Hilltop Academy ACADEMY Champions for Children Capital Campaign, aimed at raising $2.6 million to CAPITAL enhance and enrich the programs offered to students majoring in the arts and to those CAMPAIGN young people with profound exceptionalities. ACADEMY The Capital Area School (CASA) for the Arts provides as a top notch performing arts school serving Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry Counties, utilizing the city of Harrisburg as a classroom. The campaign seeks to fund a new performance facility for CASA located in Strawberry Square. The Hilltop Academy serves students in the Capital Area Intermediate Unit with severe disabilities in a positive and effective learning environment. The campaign will enable Hilltop to reduce operating costs for students through the acquisition of ancillary infrastructure upgrades.

3 The goal of the campaign is to establish an endowment fund for both CASA and the Hilltop Academy to enable all districts to provide consortial services in a cost-effective manner. NINTH GRADE ACADEMY UPDATE Mrs. Sieta Achampong, assistant high school principal, along with staff members, Jesse Woodrow, Juma Maser and Michele Stoneking, presented, relative to a proposed ninth grade transition program. The initiative resulted from research that identified ninth grade as the most critical point in the intervention and prevention of students losing interest, failing and subsequently dropping out of school. Enrollment in the high school pilot academy would be 60 of the incoming 9 th grade students. The ninth grade program includes a summer orientation program designed to successfully transition students who have not achieved academic success at the middle school level. The school year program targets at risk students who do not qualify for alternative education programs and/or socially promoted students identified as those needing an additional intervention for success in high school. The goals of the academy include an improved transition from middle to high school, additional support and to ultimately raise the academic success rate of ninth grade students. ALTERNATE EDUCATION PROGRAM REPORT Dr. Houser, assistant superintendent, Mrs. Gae Bradley, supervisor of special education and Mr. Corey Jett, director of the START program, presented an overview of the district s Alternative Education Program. The Pennsylvania Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth (AEDY) program was established to assist districts in helping small groups of students succeed. Susquehanna Township High School provides the Susquehanna Township Alternative Resource Team (START) program as an alternate educational environment for students with a variety of needs that cannot be met in the regular program. This program utilizes the standard student schedule with an opportunity for community service/career to work and/or a viable work study program. The goal of the START program is to provide the mechanisms necessary for students to return successfully to the regular high school program. The district s QUEST program meets the needs of those students who are unable to function within the confines of the regular school day. The program utilizes online learning as the primary instructional venue. The Susquehanna Township School District Alternative Education program was favorably reviewed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education in CAIU The board unanimously approved the CAIU Operating Budget of $865,000. OPERATING The final General Operating Budget includes a 2.98% increase in the district s BUDGET contribution rate. The district s contribution will be $39,899 which reflects an overall increase of $ Moved by Ms. Pearce, seconded by Mrs. Butler to approve the CAIU Operating Budget in the amount of $865,000. PA-EDUCATOR NET Mr. Matthew J. Malinowski, assistant superintendent for business services, provided an overview of PA-Educator.net whereby applicants apply for professional positions. Additionally, the school district can post applications and search a database of over 27,000 credentialed professional candidates interested in working in the state of Pennsylvania. It is estimated that participating districts could save $16,000 in

4 advertisement/recruitment costs.. BOARD ACTIONS TAKEN ON MARCH 23, 2009 HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTION Homebound instruction approved for a 10 th grade student and an 11 th grade student, effective the school year. CONFERENCESAPPROVED FOR: Sieta Achampong April 6 & 7 Kelly Ardary March 9 10 Athanasia Batzer April Vatesha Bouler March 5 Holly Cassatt May 19 Jason Davis March 10 Courtney Egal March 11 Sabina Grant-Spencer April 6 & 7 Leslie Hagen March 9 & 10 Steven Houser April 5-8 Suzanne Irish May 19 Nanette Kehler April Cara Klinger April 16 Margo Konetski March 3 Corey Jett March 9 & 10 Jasmine Lee March 3 Theresa Linnenbach April Kyle Lorditch April 30 Doug McCarten May 19 Jacolyn McCoy March 9-10 Kathryn McDonald April 28 Lora Miller May 7 Pia Peterson May 19 F. Ron Porter April 6 7 Mary Richards March 3-April Lori Rill April Holly Rubick March 5-April Janet Salerno March 27 Stephen Sexsmith April Judy Sosik May 7 Travis Waters April 6 & 7 Karla Weaver March 3 Ann West April 6 & 7 Earl Wilbourn March 3 Kiva Williamson March 3 April Kathy Woodbridge April CREATION OF THE ANIMEE CLUB The Animee Club, for the purpose of high school students, interested in the discussion of novels and related literature, concomitant with related videos was appoved..

5 RETIREMENTS Mr. David Hepford, Speech/Language Therapist Mr. Richard Claar, High School guidance counselor Mr. David Volkman, Superintendent of Schools Mrs. Linda Geesaman s request to receive retirement options RESIGNATIONS Ms. Kate Spangler, para-educator assistant at the Thomas W. Holtzman, Jr. Elementary School Ms. Shanette Williams, personal care assistant at the Thomas W. Holtzman, Jr. Elementary School EMPLOYED Ms Margaret Baum as an assistant II at the Thomas W Holtzman, Jr. Elementary Ms. Jeannette Echols as an assistant III at the Thomas W. Holtzman, Jr. Elementary School Ms. Alexandra H. Jacobs as a long-term substitute teacher Spanish teacher at the High School Ms. Leida Wojciechowski as a personal care assistant III at the High School Ms. Kate Spangler as Assistant Boys Tennis Coach Mr. Earl Wilborne as Volunteer Baseball Coach Mr. Richard Sweger for curriculum writing at the high school Additional substitute teachers: Jason M. Meckes, 2401 Patton Road, Harrisburg, PA Dawn M. Weiman, 3123 Schoolhouse Road, Middletown Additional Guest substitute teachers: Mark S. Mills, 2801 Paxton Church Road, Harrisburg Chandra L. Ulrich, 402 Cocklin Street, Mechanicsburg LEAVE OF ABSENCE APPROVED Ms. Jan Gumpher, high school part-time food services employee COLLEGE CREDIT REIMBURSEMENT APPROVED: Jennifer Mariano Neil Via Jesse Woodrow POLICY REVISIONS APPROVED Policy #5111 District Testing Program Policy #5131 Entrance Age to School Policy #5180 High School Graduation Requirements Policy # Family Medical Leave FINANCES All posted items were approved as listed. ADJUDICATION OF STUDENTS APPROVED SUPERINTENDENT WAS GRANTED PERMISSION TO HIRE PERSONNELPRIOR TO APRIL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING