Superintendent's Newsletter
Summer 2017
Happy Summer
There are many exciting things planned for next year, but before we move forward, I would like to take a step back.
First, congratulations to the Class of 2017. Their many accomplishments and smiling faces in our hallways will be missed. We wish them all of the best as they move forward into the next challenging, yet exciting phases of their lives. Second, I want to congratulate our retirees: Matt Kruluts, high school principal; Greg Paul, maintenance; Margaret DeVelecchio, elementary teacher; Margaret Schultz, elementary teacher, and Ed Kriger, Speech therapist. We wish them all of the best as they sail off into the sunset.
School Year 2016-2017 was an exciting year for the District and 2017-2018 will be even better. I will break it down for you into categories:
School Safety: We began using metal detectors on the first day of school. The students adjusted very quickly. Within a few days the process seemed to be seamless. In addition, we rewrote, with the help of a state grant, all of our safety procedures, which we will be implementing during the 2017-2018 school year. Indiana County Emergency Management was so impressed with our Emergency Operations Plan that they asked if they could use it for the Indiana County School Districts. We also had the State Police come and observe for a day. His report stated that Leechburg Area School District's protocol for student entry is exceptional and should be the role model for all school district's in the commonwealth. We will be practicing with our students all of our safety procedures that involve the students, which will include a practice emergency evacuation. More information will be provided as these activities are scheduled.
Academics: All-day kindergarten will be starting with this coming school year. The teachers have been busy planning this new experience, as it is new for them also. We welcome Ms. Pollick as our third kindergarten teacher. She was our preschool teacher prior to that. We also welcome two new elementary teachers: Mrs. Julius who is placed in Pre-K and Mrs. Grooms who will teach English/Language Arts for 5th grade. In the school year 2015-2016, Leechburg Junior Senior High School was in the bottom 15% of performing schools in Pennsylvania. Information on this can be found at www.education.pa.gov/K12/Opportunity%20Scholarship%20Credit%20Program/Pages/default.aspx#tab-1and also on our website. With that being said, we have received tentative PSSA data and we have grown in achievement at the junior high level, which has been a struggle in the district. We do have a plan to support every student to grow at every level. Moving forward, we have expanded opportunities for all students in core and elective academics. Every student next year will be receiving either enrichment or remediation at the end of the day. We have added more hands on learning. Examples of new electives are Inventionland and Sports and Entertainment Management. We have also been chosen to pilot the elementary Inventionland program, which only two schools in PA were chosen.
Welcome Mr. Rodgers: Mr. Doug Rodgers started as our high school and middle school principal on July 1. He comes to us from Clarion-Limestone School District. We will be running a summer open house for everyone to meet him. He has been a terrific addition already. You will be hearing more from him in the beginning of August.
New Bell Schedule: The high school will be following a slightly different bell schedule next year to accommodate the elementary schedule and the enrichment/remediation time. It is as follows...
Period 1: 7:40-8:26
Period 2: 8:29-9:10
Period 3: 9:13-9:54
Period 4: 9:57-10:38
Period 5A: 10:41-11:11
Period 5: 11:14-11:22
Period 5B: 11:25-11:55
Period 6: 11:58-12:39
Period 7: 12:42-1:23
Period 8: 1:26-2:07
Remediation: 2:10-2:30
Seminar: 2:30-3:00
You will also be receiving this in your after school packet:
Lunch Prices: PDE has mandated that we raise our lunch prices. Both levels went up .10.
Elementary will now be $2.70 and secondary will be $2.85.
First Day of School: The first day of school is Wednesday, August 30. Secondary drop off time has not changed. Elementary students are permitted to start arriving at 8.
Middle School: We are officially a district of three. PDE has approved our Middle School addition, which means that the middle school will have their very own identity. This is very exciting and opens up new avenues for our middle school (grades 6-8) students, families, and teachers. Orientation dates and times will be mailed out shortly.
Enjoy the rest of the summer. We will see you in August. As always, if you have any questions, please call or email me or the principals.
Sincerely,
Tiffany Nix, Superintendent
Leechburg Area School District
Email: tnix@leechburg.k12.pa.us
Website: www.leechburg.k12.pa.us
Location: 210 Penn Avenue, Leechburg, PA, United States
Phone: 724-845-7701
Facebook: facebook.com/leechburgareaschooldistrict
Twitter: @LASD15656