Winter’s first snow delay…..

Winter’s first snow delay…..

The calendar shows that we are still a month away from the winter solstice, yet our district had to call a two hour delay on Tuesday, November 12.  Was this a harbinger of things to come or was it something of an anomaly?  Even as I write this, the early storms in years past filter through my memory as if to say, “See you soon….”

November is not the shortest month of the year but, replete with many educational activities and extracurricular events, November races to its end.  With Veterans Day celebrations, the HS performance of Beauty and the Beast, American Education Week, and parent-teacher conferences and the Thanksgiving holiday, November becomes a blur.

To put an exclamation point on the frenzy of the fall season, we also experienced a bomb threat at the HS in October.  While some opined that we acted appropriately, others felt we should have done more.  Bomb threats, or any type of threat, are always taken seriously by administration members. This being said, I must stress that such events are not resolved by a “one solution fits all” protocol.  Each threat is comprised of varying elements that must be assessed to determine the best and safest course of action.  While some may question the fact that high school students were not evacuated from the HS when the threat was discovered.  Here is an excerpt from experts about what schools should/should not do in the event of a bomb threat:

According to the PSBA policy on Crisis Intervention, it is strongly recommended that schools do not evacuate the building upon discovery of a bomb threat or fire alarm due to the possibility of an active shooter.

Evacuating immediately is an alternative that on face value appears to be the preferred approach; however, under certain circumstances evacuating personnel may increase rather than decrease the risk of injury. Bombs are three times more likely to be planted outside buildings than inside. A bomber wishing to cause personal injuries could place a bomb in the shrubbery near an exit. Public areas inside the school are the second most frequent place devices are located. Any evacuation that requires students and staff to move through public areas such as halls, public restrooms, lobbies, parking lots, playgrounds, might increase the risk of injury during any detonation.

One major issue facing most school districts is whether to evacuate schools on bomb threats.  Many school bomb threats have been made by students seeking to disrupt the school day and to get out of school.  Still, all threats must be treated seriously and thoroughly investigated and managed.

The best practice, supported by federal law enforcement explosives experts, is for schools and police to assess threats rather than automatically evacuate schools. Many schools across the nation do not automatically evacuate their schools upon receiving a bomb threat. Decisions and protocols on these issues should be determined by school officials and their public safety (police, fire, etc.) partners as a part of their emergency planning process and prior to an actual incident.

As I continue to emphasize to parents, staff, Board members and, most importantly to students, the safety and welfare of all on campus are paramount; decisions are always based on safety.

At this time of year and always, we at CCSD have many things for which to be thankful.  We saw our athletes and teams excel this year.  I continue to be impressed by the way our students are able to participate and contribute to so many extracurricular activities while managing their classroom assignments and grades.  Kudos to our student actors, athletes and those who participate in the many opportunities we offer here at CCSD. Also, a big thank you goes out to the coaches and volunteers who give countless hours to our students; it is this preparation that enables our students to achieve to such high levels in these activities and events.

During this season, let’s all take time to give thanks for the blessings and good fortune we enjoy, and to share with those who have suffered loss of any kind. I wish for all staff and students a happy, relaxing, and fulfilling holiday.  Cherish those close to you in the spirit of the season. Share fond memories—and make new ones—with family and friends. (And watch lots of football!)

Until the snow starts,

Dr. D.

Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile...

“Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile.”
― William Cullen Bryant

As the leaves display for us their annual brilliance, I am reminded how quickly one season fades into another.  The rapid passage of autumn into winter always makes me see the ephemeral nature of our existence.

Summer is now a distant memory as schools focus (already!) on the end of the first marking period. Just as each season ushers in change and new challenges, so too does education continue to evolve and change.  Educators accept this and work diligently to meet the needs of all students.

As in every enterprise, educators realize that time is finite and moves on despite the amount of work that must be done or the number of tasks that vie for attention.  They parse their time between teaching the skills needed for academic and personal success, preparing students for the rigors of state-mandated assessments, coaching, and mentoring—not to mention myriad record-keeping/documentation tasks that have become a hallmark of public education.

I always like to “make time” for my weekly walks through each building, sometimes sitting in for a lesson, talking to staff, greeting parent volunteers or simply “getting out.” I marvel at the work that is being done by so many, and so consistently, for the benefit of our children and their families. The daily work of our teachers and support staff offer regular reminders of the skill and dedication needed to provide a quality education for our students. Reflecting on the adage, “It takes a village to raise a child,” teachers and support staff are the village that raises its children (students) to ever-higher levels of academic excellence.

As more and more districts struggle to make ends meet, we at CCSD, with the diligent guidance of our Board, remain fiscally solvent.  We are fortunate to have Board members who have the foresight and vision to make reductions in expenditures without sacrificing educational programs.  To date, no programs or staff has been affected by these tough economic times. It’s absolutely true that money is tight in our district but the Board is committed to keeping our district fiscally prudent.  As our district continues to provide a quality education in a safe environment, my appreciation grows for this Board of Directors who continue to hold that student needs are the top priority.

As evidence of the tremendous work being done by dedicated teachers, staff, and board members, please check out the site below. PDE’s School Performance Profile (SPP) site, at http://paschoolperformance.org, displays each district’s performance data and is being used in lieu of AYP from the PSSA. While corrections are still being made to our High School scores, you can view the building level academic scores for JES, CES, and the MS.  There is an explanation of what goes into the scoring process and a method to compare districts and specific buildings.  In addition to test results, this new measuring tool takes into account such things as student attendance, AP courses, SAT/PSAT scores, graduation rate, and number of students enrolled in dual enrollment courses. I believe that CCSD’s team approach has been of tremendous benefit to our students’ successes.

Congratulations to Jeremy Eckenrode for winning the AA District golf title and to the CCSD boys’ golf team for winning the District 6 team championship.  Congratulations are also in order for Kourtney Cavalier on winning the AA District 6 girls’ single tennis title.  Kourtney is a great, multi-talented 9^th grade competitor.  Good luck at states to all who have qualified!!

Speaking of sports, after four losses(ugh), the Steelers have finally won their first  regular season game and Penn State played one of the best college games of the year, perhaps of the century.  The Buccos had a great run and the Pens begin their winning ways on the ice.  What a great time of year.  

“Time can do all sorts of things. It’s almost like a magician. It can turn autumn into spring and babies into children, seeds into flowers and tadpoles into frogs, caterpillars into cocoons, and cocoons into butterflies…. There’s nothing that time can’t do. Except run backwards. That’s its trouble, really, it can only go one way.” 

– Alex Shearer

Until my next blog, take time for yourself to enjoy family and all that you hold dear. 

Dr. D

Bittersweet season....

Our thoughts should be about the leaves and sports, but…

        

         School is in full swing as we move past the midpoint of September.  Unfortunately, in the midst of rooting for our favorite team or waiting for the beautiful fall colors, we must pause to mourn and wonder as another mass shooting has rocked our country.  This time, it was a shooting at the Navy Yard in Washington, D. C.  Twelve people were killed and others wounded. As the shooter was also killed, we may never know the motives for his actions.  With our lives centered on our children and our students, such a tragic and unnecessary event dampens the air of excitement that accompanies the start of the new school year.

         Sadly, incidents like mass shooting have made it necessary for many school districts, including Central Cambria, to enhance their security systems. Prior to the start of the year we reviewed procedures for safety procedures, shelter-in-place drills, lockdowns, and building evacuations.  No longer are schools content to practice only fire drills.   All buildings now require that an official ID be presented when a student is being picked up; in the event of a need to actually travel beyond the office area, visitors must leave their IDs in the office if.  This practice ensures that, if IDs have been retrieved, visitors have exited the building. As onerous as this may be to visitors and those taking children to appointments, the potential consequences of taking lightly the safety of our students and staff is incalculable.  Forgive us for these relatively minor inconveniences….

         Here at Central Cambria, we pride ourselves on being prepared for the weather and the related circumstances that may occur. It is now that Greg Shaffer, our maintenance supervisor, checks our supply of salt and anti-skid materials, prepares plows, snow blowers and snow brushes to make sure everything is ready for the upcoming winter. Plowing almost 100 miles of roadway and parking lots, in addition to clearing countless sidewalks, can be a daunting task but Greg and his crew make it look easy by preparing so thoroughly for the onset of rough weather.  

Fall athletics at Central Cambria are in full swing. Because these months seem to pass so quickly, I hope we all find time to support our teams at every opportunity.

         It is with great joy that I say “TGFF!” which stands for “Thank Goodness for Football.”  After watching the Steelers’ lackluster performance thus far, perhaps I should say Thank Goodness for the Pirates! Yes, the Buccos are currently tied for first place in their division and will finally finish with a winning season, breaking a 20-year stretch of finishing under .500 for the season.  Who knows, we may be watching Pirate games into October – stranger things have happened. (One final note about the Steelers: as a true fan, I am sorely disappointed when they have a bad game or a poor season BUT I root for them nonetheless. Like errant children, they are my boys and they’ll come around….)        

Enjoy the teams, the season and the region; perhaps the grounds of CCSD would be the perfect fall walk. Whatever you do this season, I encourage all of you who read my blog to be proud of CCSD and the benefits your public school district has to offer.

         As for my Clan D fantasy league team, I am 1-1, having lost to my brother this past weekend.  However, my wonderful wife (who claims to be Football challenged) is dong very well with an impressive team. 

So, as we all enjoy the season, the sports and the pre-winter preparations, please keep those who have suffered a loss at the Navy Yard shooting in your thoughts and prayers.

                                             DR. D