CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield Area School Board of Directors met last night and approved various items and also heard updates and a request from the public.
Gayle Gearhart, former English and theater teacher at the school, and now artistic director at Clearfield Arts Studio Theatre, spoke to the board about some equipment, which may still be at the old Clearfield Area Middle School building on Mill Road.
She said the board is particularly interested in an electronics board her father built, as CAST would like to use it for its upcoming production of Young Frankenstein this fall. She said the board would be used as a prop, and CAST would also like to have it for sentimental reasons.
CAST is also interested in looking into whether there are other items they can make use of. Superintendent Terry Struble said they spoke with Gearhart earlier, and the district offered to work with CAST and coordinate between them and what the district ends up doing with the building.
Mary Mike Sayers, Clearfield Elementary principal, also updated the board on kindergarten registration this year. She said the forms will be available online and parents and guardians will be able to upload forms, as well.
Registration will take place in the evening, and parents will not need to bring their children with them. Hearing, vision and speech screenings will take place in early August when they can also meet their teachers and see their classrooms. “Hopefully this will be more meaningful for the students,” Sayers said.
If parents do not have access to a computer to register their student, they will be able to bring the documents to the registration meeting and take care of that on a laptop provided by the school.
More information will be forthcoming.
Clearfield Junior/Senior High School Principal Tim Janocko reported several items, including an eight-week grief group for students initiated by Dr. Susan Spaid. Also, the honor society recently held a positive affirmation day with anti-suicide messages and a speaker. The students indicated the event was well received.
Students in grades 4-6 held a mini-Thon event recently and raised $3,600 with participating students bringing in change and dancing for two hours in the gym. Funds raised went to Penn State’s main THON event held this past weekend.
The new maintenance building will be built this summer with bids to go out in April and construction to begin in June.
Under committee reports, the board approved the following under education and personnel:
*changes to the 2015-16 calendar to reflect the snow day on Feb. 16 and also approved the 2016-17 school calendar.
*new hire Clyde Addleman as bus driver.
*volunteers and substitutes: Abby Belinda as band volunteer for the 2016-17 school year, Todd Vanderburgh as volunteer softball coach, David Learish as volunteer baseball coach and Amy Turnbaugh as substitute cafeteria worker.
*leaves: an elementary guidance counselor at CES Family Medical Leave Act leave April 26 – June 6 or the last day of school, a part-time career center assistant at the Junior-Senior High leave for medical reasons from Feb. 18 – March 11, a part-time classroom assistant at CES intermittent unpaid leave for medical reasons Feb. 4 – June 3.
*resignations: Caitlyn Collins, PCA at the Junior-Senior High School, effective Feb. 4, Shawn Kizinia, custodian at the Junior-Senior High School, effective Feb. 29, and Jessica Steele, part-time classroom assistant at the Junior-Senior High School, effective March 4.
In a separate vote, the board also approved the second reading of policies No. 819 and 824. Dr. Michael Spencer voted no on policy No. 819 and the vote was unanimous to approve No. 824.
Under buildings, finance and activities, the board approved the following:
*the YMCA swimming program using the Junior-Senior High cafeteria April 12 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. and American Legion John Lewis Shade Post No. 6 baseball to use the Junior-Senior High baseball field for the 2016 season.
The following field trip requests were approved:
*Dr. Spaid to take 24 students to PA Highlands in Johnstown for a campus visit and presentation by departments on April 7 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
*Mrs. Spila to take 17 students to the CIU Academic Competition March 31.
*Mrs. Hoover to take four students to the FBLA State Leadership Conference at Hershey Lodge and Convention Center for state level testing April 10-13.
*Mrs. Carr to take 18 FFA students to their yearly FFA Week dinner tomorrow. Carr is also requesting to take five students to the state Legislation Leadership Conference March 6-8 in Harrisburg.
*Mr. Barsody to take 11th and 12th grade students to Kennywood’s Education Day.
The board also approved quotes provided by the Hite Corporation for the instillation of additional lighting in the front oval and rear parking area of the Junior-Senior High School. Costs of the COSTARS bid project would be $60,220 and would be paid using remaining construction bond proceeds. The board approved with Susan Mikesell abstaining.