Octorara Board Honors 24 High School ‘Heroes’ [Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster, PA)]

BY DEBBIE WYGENT

Correspondent

The Octorara Area School Board meeting Monday, Oct. 21, was an evening of handshakes and applause as the district recognized some longtime school board members as well as this year's Octorara Heroes: high school students who pledge to remain drug and alcohol free and act as mentors to elementary school youth.

"Every year we are amazed by the students who are inducted into this program," said Sandy Federici, high school guidance counselor and Heroes program coordinator.

Federici especially praised the heroes for their commitment to be drug and alcohol free.

Octorara Heroes visit elementary school students, present them with their own sports cards, and take part in confidence building activities with their young peers.

This school year's heroes are Briana Balady, Courtney Blake, Eliza Brown, Nick Conforti, Hailey Denlinger, Ann Donnelly, Austin Ellis, Daniel Evans, Sara Fiscus, Hayley Fisher, Spencer Fox and Jorey Hill.

Also, Emma Hutchinson, Robert Jennings, Jenni Kauffman, Dominique Lapp, Elizabeth Lapp, Kyle Mast, Courtney Moore, Sarah Richey, Deaven Shade, Courtney Thompson, Mandi Wendling and Brittany Wier.

The school board members were honored when Thomas Newcome, the district superintendent, gave four of them certificates of appreciation for their volunteer service.

The certificates, which are from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, went to Nelson Stoltzfus, Sam Ganow and Bob Hume for 16 years on the school board, and to Lisa Bowman, board president, for her eight years on the job.

Newcome and Bowman also announced that the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records on Oct. 7 dismissed a complaint and appeal by Parkesburg resident and blogger Timothy Alexander.

According to Newcome, Alexander alleged the district did not comply with his request to receive all official communication about the negotiation of Newcome's contract earlier this year.

In rebuttal, the district stated that Alexander did not place his request with Dan Carsley, the district business manager and open records officer. Alexander alleged his request went through the district's spam filter.

Newcome said Monday the district will continue to respond to all Right to Know requests. He also said the state Office of Open Records has said the district is required to take no further action in this case while adding that the legal challenge cost the school district $5,500 in legal fees.

Alexander is a candidate for school board in Region 3, along with incumbent Nelson Stoltzfus, and write-in candidate David Jones.

In other action, the school board voted to hire Thomas Stern, who is presently a school district substitute, to provide additional security at athletic events at a fee of $50 per event.

Stern will join Signal 88 Security and district staff in keeping events secure, according to Newcome.

Security has been a hot topic in the district, which recently hosted the Safe Schools Summit, a Chester County-wide event.

In other matters, the school board:

Approved a transportation contract, bus run and Ronald Leaman as bus driver for Linville Hill Mennonite School; the Manga Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes for the high school; and

Revised business agreements with the Reschini Agency and Tri Star Benefit Systems due to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations.

In personnel issues the school board accepted the resignations of instructional assistant Shara Townsend and health and physical education teacher Beth Ciccone.

The school board also hired Lisa Hillman as a long-term substitute fourth grade teacher, several classroom assistants, and Krista Lease as a special assignment teacher from Oct. 28 through Dec. 20 during Principal Lisa McNamara's medical leave.

An unpaid family medical leave was also approved for Frances Propper and the

The school board also held an executive session for personnel.

For more Octorara area news, visit: MyOctoraraNews.com