"The most wonderful time of the year..."

I am proud to see that Central Cambria’s students do their part to provide cheer and pleasant memories for so many people, even as they prepare for the rigors of the PSSA in April. While Central Cambria emphasizes the three A’s (Academics, the Arts, Athletics), the Arts seem to take center stage (no pun intended!) in our schools. Our students have prepared and presented many holiday programs for their peers, staff, senior citizens, and the community. For most people, this is a most wondrous time of the year. For others, feelings of grief and concern related to the loss of loved ones or financial stresses may overshadow the joys of the season. I believe that our students’ outstanding performances gave happiness and warmth to hundreds of children, families and community members. I was taken aback by the wholesale interest and support of the programs by the community; never have I seen such a full house at school functions! Such mutual support between school and community separates CCSD from other school districts and I am most happy to be a part of this organization.
I offer my thanks and congratulations to all staff and students who presented the wonderful plays, concerts and tidings of good cheer throughout this season. It is heartwarming to see how our students enjoy performing for others. Bob Hope once said “When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things – not the great occasions – give off the greatest glow of happiness.” Parents and students, your commitment to the arts will provide a glow for years to come.
Two other quick notes before the Christmas break: first, please take note of the CCSD Girls’ Cross Country sign as you drive to the High school; such an accomplishment as three consecutive championships warrant recognition. Second, on a personal note, I want to publicly thank my wife, Judy, for making Christmas in the DiLeo household so special every year. I wish everyone a joyful, safe and relaxing holiday.
Buon Natale!

November

November is a time for many changes, not only with the weather but in education as well. In November, parents are provided the opportunity to meet at conferences, teachers are preparing report cards, sports teams are beginning or concluding their seasons, and the community has elected one incumbent and several new school board directors.
Many thanks to those who have ended their service on the Board; Eric Rummel, Ron Mastrine, Joe Stephan, and Eric Hicks. Your long hours of dedication and service to the Central Cambria School District are both noteworthy and appreciated. I have enjoyed working with you and will miss your insight and knowledge.
Congratulations to our incoming Board members: Rose Marie Sedosky, Dennis Simmers, Don Cessna, and Marcia Shaheen. I look forward to working with each of you as we address the many issues facing our district. I commend each of you for your willingness to serve the students and community as school directors.
Finally, I wish everyone in the CCSD community a safe, healthy and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday. For my part, Thanksgiving is the best holiday of the year: without the frenzy of holiday shopping, my family and I spend time together enjoying memories and making new ones. Who could ask for more: loved ones near ( a new grandson!), a terrific feast - and football! Let us all be thankful for time spent with our families as we share this great holiday. Stay safe!

Some Fall kudos...

Although the leaves are gone, Central Cambria students continue to brighten up the area with their prowess in extracurricular activities. Our district is proud of the way its academic clubs, student athletes and coaches show respect and good sportsmanship, regardless of the outcome. There is not nearly enough space within this blog to mention all of the activities and accomplishments that make ours an outstanding school district. However, several notable events deserve special recognition:

Congratulations...

... to the boys' soccer team and coach Reynolds for making district playoffs
... to the boys' and girls' cross country teams and Coach Wilson and asst. coach Tammy
Nagel. The girls have again captured the title of district champions and will be sending the
entire team to the state championship competition in Hershey
.... are also in order to the wonderful gesture by the boys' soccer team as they assisted Robert
L. as he scored the first goal of his career. Your effort and sincere gesture has shown many
in the community why Central Cambria is a superior district
.... to the CCSD Foundation on receiving a $2500 check from the Sheetz Corporation during
the grand opening of its new Ebensburg store.

As I visit each school I continue to be impressed and proud of the efforts put forth by students, teachers, non-instructional staff and administrators. Kudos and tremendous thanks to all who make our district shine!

Sign of the times ...

As I travel "the mountain" to and from work each day I see, in the changing color of the leaves, a portent of weather to come. Fall is a wonderful time of year for those of us in education. Teachers of all grade levels are busy collaborating with their peers in order to challenge and prepare each student for the rigors of the curriculum. In addition to classwork, many fall sports are now in full swing.

My office has a wonderful view of the soccer games, football practices and cross country meets. Central Cambria athletes are not only excellent competitors, but they also excel in the classroom. Many researchers have studied the relationship between athletics and academics. They have drawn two interesting conclusions: First, if participating in an extracurricular is important to a student, he or she will budget and prioritize time appropriately. Second, the student with "two masters" (sports and schoolwork) will make efficient use of the time they have allotted to each endeavor. These lessons in time management are valuable lessons for our students as they prepare for life after high school.

On a personal note, I am about to face one of the scariest moments in a father's life. I have been through many martial arts promotion tests, was grilled in my comprehensive exams for my doctorate, and participated in the birth of my children (which was at times much easier than was the act of raising them!). But September 26 may surpass all of my life's most stressful situations. I am referring to my only daughter's wedding day. Dave is a great guy and I couldn't be happier for both of them. But the thought of walking her down that aisle and "giving her away" is as heartbreaking as it is exciting. Like all parents, I worked hard to give my children wings but, now that the day has come for Morgan to fly, I can't deny the bittersweet mix of pride, joy - and yearning for the days when my little girl loved me best.

While the wedding has added a real twist to my usual fall regimen of football and festivals with my wife, I truly relish my drive to work each day as the leaves turn crisp and colorful. Enjoy the season and the beautiful mountains that surround our district!

It's that time again

I was told by my PBT (Personal Blog Trainer) that once you start blogging the worst thing you can do is not post blogs on a consistent basis. Therefore, it is my intention to post, at a minimum, one new blog a month.

As I woke up this morning at 4:30am to work out, I noticed something different in the air. The smells of summer seemed to be fading as the crush of fall is beginning to take over. Of course, with fall, comes the sounds of going back to school. All of us at CCSD have been busy preparing for the arrival of our students. Jackson Elementary students will be thrilled to see how great the bathroom renovations look. Mrs. Murin selected some beautiful colors to make the renovations impressive and functional.

I am sure many of you have read or heard about the swine flu outbreak and how it may affect school districts. Our nurses have kept up with the latest information and plan on monitoring any concerns throughout the year. Hand washing and coughing into one's sleeve are highly recommended to deter the spread of germs.

I have met many people in the last two months who have been very supportive of my position and the goals I have for CCSD. I continue to remain available to discuss any issues or concerns you may have.

I wish everyone a successful, productive, and healthy school year!

Beginning as a Superintendent

Hello to all Central Cambria School District residents, students and community members! I am blogging for the first time in my educational career, so bear with me as I become familiar with this type of communication.

By now, many of you may know my name but not my background. Allow me to introduce myself. I worked for the Altoona Area School District for 32 years as a special education teacher, instructional advisor, special education supervisor and school principal.

I have many interests and hobbies, including biking, swimming and martial arts. I am a 4th degree Master in the Korean art of TaeKwon Do. My wife Judy, whose roots are in Chest Springs, is an ESL teacher for the Altoona Area School District. She earned her doctorate from IUP in 2007. We have three children: Adam is an attorney in NY; Morgan is a doctoral student at Pitt in bioengineering, (getting married this September); her twin brother Tyler is a nuclear engineer near Pittsburgh. He and his wife Anissa recently gave us our first grandchild, Jacob Vincent.

I am truly honored to be the superintendent of this wonderful district. As I settle into my new role at CCSD, I look forward to continuing the fine educational traditions I see here. My primary goal is to increase student achievement while maintaining a safe, clean environment for all students in the district. My door is always "open" if you want to call or visit. Please continue to check this site for future postings - I promise to work on my blogging expertise! Enjoy what is left of the summer!!

Welcome

Welcome to the Superintendent's blog.