MY SCHOOL

District 2 football awards announced

First Posted: 3/17/2013 FACTORYVILLE -Superintendent Matthew Rakauskas discussed the Naval Operational Support Center in Avoca at the Lackawanna Trail School Directors meeting March 11.
&#8220;One of the programs that we have there amongst the Navy Reserves is the United States Sea Cadet Corps program,&#8221; said Rakauskas. &#8220;It&#8217;s a program where it&#8217;s an opportunity for young men and women in high school to get introduced to the Navy and participate in training events.&#8221;
Commander Albert C. Seeman presented a letter of appreciation to Lackawanna Trail student Jericho Hendershot for his &#8220;dedication, superb leadership, military bearing and outstanding participation.&#8221;
&#8220;The exemplary nature of your contributions clearly establish that you have adopted the Sea Cadet Corps values as a personal standard,&#8221; Seeman said to Hendershot. &#8220;Thank you for your outstanding dedication and distinguished professionalism.&#8221;
In other business, student council president Logan Garrison said he is planning a conference to help create an atmosphere that allows students to feel more comfortable discussing issues with their principal, vice-principal and superintendent. He said that student advisors agreed to it.
Garrison said the student council will fund the conference.
In other business, Elementary Center Principal Tania Stoker offered a presentation about updates and changes in the 2013-14 elementary curriculum guide and handbook to reflect transition from PA State Standards to the Common Core Standards. Updates included specialized area changes, such as specials (art, band, computer, library and PE); added detailed curriculum for grade levels; special education; gifted speech and language; learning support and made special education initiative extended to include Grade 5.
She said that chaperoning has been occuring, but a policy was never stated in the handbook.
&#8220;There are a variety of after school events that are held throughout the school year (concerts, PTO family fun night, dances, etc.)&#8221; said Stoker. &#8220;Elementary Center students are not permitted to attend these events alone. Instead, they must be chaperoned by an adult.&#8221;
Stoker also explained that the handbook requires parents, who pick up their children after school, to have a laminated sticker with a number on it to put on their car window. This way, the school will know he or she is an authorized parent or grandparent.
&#8220;For safety reasons, if the parent and guardian does not have their car pick-up number with them, they will have to enter the school building to sign their student out of school at the end of the day,&#8221; said Stoker.
Stoker also mentioned that students must be signed out by a parent or guardian after detention or a field trip.
In other news, School board member Joseph Strauch talked about approving advertising in the school&#8217;s gymnasium.
&#8220;I would like to confirm that there is no groups or groups that are not allowed to advertise,&#8221; he said.
Strauch asked the board members if they believe that they have to eliminate certain segments, groups or companies from being allowed to advertise.
School board president Dr. Mark Lombardi replied that he is opposed to placing political ads in the gymnasium .
&#8220;It doesn&#8217;t shine the light on the business that could be contributing or the student that is participating,&#8221; said Lombardi. 
Strauch was asked by a parent if placing a sign about a student is considered advertising.
&#8220;Any advertising is advertising,&#8221; Strauch replied.
Board member Dr. Michael Mould said to Strauch, &#8220;Advertising is one thing. Seeking patrons is another.&#8221;
Strauch said that he supported the board&#8217;s decision.
Lombardi ended the discussion, &#8220;We&#8217;re going to stand firm. There&#8217;s at least two very clearly worded statements within the policy that gives the superintendent, whether it&#8217;s Matt or some future superintendent, the right to make that (final decision). We want to be fair. We want to be consistent, and to that extent, I think we are.&#8221;

<strong>Trail pupil</strong> <strong>lauded for Naval </strong> <strong>Service</strong>