Has Spring "sprung"?

Wow, a plethora of congratulations are in order for CCSD students. First, the Forensics team had a successful season; coaches and students alike worked hard to prepare and compete. Second, the CES Odyssey of the Mind team placed second in their division on the regional level and are advancing to the state level. Third, wrestlers Ben Rager and Tony Risaliti qualified for states. Ben had a great showing and season at 126 lbs., and was recognized among the Altoona Mirror 2nd team All Stars. Tony placed 4th at states, made the Altoona Mirror 1st team All Stars at 160 lbs, and was named Wrestler of the Year by the Altoona Mirror. Tony now holds the school record for wins (127 – 40) and for pins (83). Fourth, our 4 x 100 freestyle relay team (Newcomer, Chiappini, Brady and Westrick) qualified for states and broke the CCSD 4 x 100-school record. Finally, congratulations go to Kelsie Conrad for qualifying for states and returning with a new school record in the 100 meter backstroke. Whew! We are proud to note that CCSD is home to quite a talented group of young men and women!

The first official day of spring is March 20 but, with the temperatures and sunshine we have had this season, it seems as if spring started in February. I realize that some people do miss the activities that are possible only in the cold and snow, but I have heard very few complaints. Truthfully, the mild weather has been a blessing for our district: we have had very few rescheduled events, we’ve used far less than the usual amount of salt and anti-skid material, and we’ve had to spend vey little in overtime pay for plowing. Of course, we may still get one of the spring snow events, so don’t put that shovel away yet (are you knocking on wood right now, or crossing your fingers?!).

Kudos to all staff involved in the education of our students with special needs. We recently went through an exhaustive PDE audit of the programs and delivery of services for our students with IEPs. Parents, students, teachers, aides, and administrators were interviewed by the team from PDE. I am happy and proud to say that we had an excellent monitoring review. An official document will be sent to our district in a month, but the exit meeting was very encouraging and PDE had almost nothing to cite in terms of non-compliance within our district.

Many of you are now aware of the governor’s proposed budget. Once again, public education and local entities are bearing the burden of financing unfunded mandates:

• There is no real money for full day kindergarten.
• The transportation subsidy is to be cut.
• There is no increase in funding for special education for the fifth year in a row.
• The pension debacle continues to drain district coffers.

Once again, we must do more with less money. I am committed to continuing with full day kindergarten, as I believe it leads to many positive results. At the same time, I am determined to keep our district out of deficit spending. Unfortunately, this may involve some painful cuts and unpopular decisions in the months and years ahead. Be assured that my focus remains the preservation of a quality curriculum for our children. Many thanks to our booster clubs and PTOs for helping with so many fundraisers and monetary perks for our students.

Although this budget dilemma has caused considerable anxiety for educators, parents, and communities, we at Central Cambria are handling it in the best way possible: while some might wait or spend as if the problem might just disappear, we know the wiser course of action is to prepare for next year’s deficit and plan for an uncertain future in ways that maximize opportunities for our students.

I again encourage you to take a few moments to contact your local legislator. Ask for the renewal of Block Grant monies to school districts, and ask lawmakers to rescind the other cuts in the proposed budget. Thank you for supporting Central Cambria and public education.

I promised my older brother Dan that I would mention him in one of my blogs. He, like me, is a devoted Steeler fan. We spend inordinate amounts of time debating the “right” call on defense or offense – mostly to impress each other with our football prowess. He lives in the Downingtown area, home to a prosperous district that has two campuses and is growing steadily. Comparing notes with Dan on the state of education is always interesting. While he is not an educator, two of his children work in public schools. All in all, I am confident that our students are as successful – academically, athletically, and artistically – as those in his area.

Enjoy this unexpectedly mild start to the spring season by attending some of our spring sports. Track is a runaway favorite with my wife, and baseball and softball are in full swing (every pun intended!).

Speaking of sports, it was great to see the Pens win 11 in a row, but I’m still reeling from the abrupt end to their streak. I was staggered to see them lose to the Flyers with only .9 seconds left in overtime – I still can’t believe it. Oh, and hang in there, football fans, there are only 36 (long) days until the NFL draft….

Dr. D