First Day of Fall…

First Day of Fall…

         Fall is here! Cambria County residents are fortunate in that, in this area, September makes way for the crisp mornings and blue skies of October.  Fall colors, crisp cool air, and sunshine just warm enough to feel like a hug, combine to make this a great time to appreciate Mother Nature’s gifts. Let’s not think (yet!) about the gifts she’ll bestow on us in a few short months.

Because warm weather leads students to yearn for the outdoors, teachers and administrators are thankful that the weather forecast includes a seasonably cool October. This will help students stay attentive as they prepare for Keystone exams. Teachers and support staff are using the training they received over the course of the past year to ensure success for all learners.

Fall athletics at Central Cambria are in full swing. Kudos to the golf teams; the girls placed first at the Altoona Our Town tourney and the boys placed second.  The girls received a $2500 check for our District’s drug education effort.  Both girls’ and boys’ cross country teams are also doing exceedingly well.

As many of you may have noticed, progress on our new multi-purpose field is coming along very well.  The field has been graded and will soon get topsoil for seeding before winter sets in.  The goal is to have the field playable by fall of 2017.  This field will host high school and middle school football and/or high school soccer.  Mr. Wilson, our athletic director, has been ‘beating the bushes’ to obtain funding for lighting.  Work should be done by November 4, 2016.

Work on the softball field is also on schedule.  LD&C has been working to mitigate drainage issues and hopes to soon complete this field and move on to resolve similar issues on the baseball field. Both fields are to be done by the end of October, and will be ready in the spring for their season opener.

The gym floor is almost done.  It has taken longer than we had expected, but I can assure you that the result will have been well worth the wait.  Hats off to Mr. Nikolishen and Miss Getz, high school and middle school physical education teachers, for providing classes without the use of the HS gym.

  As you see, there are many exciting things happening in our District. All of these improvements have been implemented without any tax increase.  Our School Board Directors always keep the students first; they recognize that, much like our curriculum, our buildings and grounds require regular maintenance and upgrades in order to maintain and support all those who are affected by our District. On this note, please let me add that such attention to all elements of the school district accomplishes two important things. First, addressing needs as they arise prevents unexpected and costly overhauls to facilities and materials.  Second, providing an outstanding facility to our students and their families promotes success for all; it also serves to attract new families and businesses to our community.

         Now, on a much less serious note, I would like to switch gears and talk about sports.  The Pirates have not had such a great year as they are 4.5 games out of a wild card spot.  As they wind down their season, I don’t foresee any post season games for them this year.  Sigh – and they started the year with so much potential. I have now, with some sadness, put away my Pirates hat for the season. As I do so, I don my Steelers hat with my usual optimism. However, I am more than a little apprehensive about the Black and Gold. They looked outstanding against the Bungles but then got shredded by the Eagles—and a rookie quarterback. They are now 2-1 but have some tough matchups in their upcoming schedule.  The Eagles loss was the worst point lost by a Mike Tomlin-led Steelers team.  Bigger Sigh…!   I am getting too old to deal with such inconsistency by the teams who impact my sports-watching happiness. Maybe I should stick to fall festivals and walks in the woods with my wife. (PotatoFest was nice, I do admit).

My thanks to all who have made the start to this school year so seamless and smooth.  Let’s take time to not only enjoy this fall season, but also to thank those who help our district remain top notch – our staff and the Board of Directors!

Until next month, stay well.  Dr. D.