May, the month of rain...

Rain, rain, go away

Come again another day

Our sports teams want to play!

I know I should be happy that at least we don’t have to shovel rain. Still, it seems as if this month has been one rainy day after another, wreaking havoc on our spring sports and the fields on which they are played.  Greg Shaffer, our maintenance supervisor and his crew have worked feverishly between the showers to make the fields playable; kudos to Greg and his staff.

As with all school districts, May is a very busy month at Central Cambria. With state testing, field trips, graduation arrangements, spring sporting events and playoffs, even these rainy days have flown by. As for me, with assistance from Mrs. Dixon and Mr. Cerelli, and Mr. Wilson, I recently concluded my senior interviews; as usual, the groups I spoke with held nothing back.  Their suggestions, perceptions, memories and comments were intuitive and pointed, well-articulated.  Overall, this representative cadre of seniors seem to have enjoyed their years at CCSD.  I will be including their comments in my speech at the graduation ceremony. 

Speaking of graduation, here’s a preview of the theme of my message this year:

Every year, I reflect on what I’ve learned about – and from – our seniors over the course of four years. I then try to personalize my message to graduates and their guests. I have found that the Class of 2016 is a caring, thoughtful group whose members look out for each other.  Many see the school environment as home to a large family; students support each other through the ups and downs that come their way.  It is this characteristic upon which I hope to expound during my talk.

As they leave our district, I will encourage seniors to push themselves and explore personal interests and opportunities for growth. While it’s important to dedicate time and energy to one’s chosen path, be it college, career, military service, or other avenues, I propose that delving into one’s “bucket list” of personal dreams is equally valuable. I further believe that putting off something for another day can sometimes result in a missed opportunity.

Speaking of new challenges, I’m excited to report that I have recently taken steps to ameliorate a missed opportunity of my own. I have always wished I could play the piano. Now, with lessons from an extremely patient teacher, I am finally playing music – with both hands, even! It’s a slow process but I am loving it. No worries, Mr. Seymour: your job as music instructor at CCSD is safe from me.

Now for some sports talk.  How about the Pens?  They seem to be poised to make a deep run toward the Stanley Cup championship.  Could this be the year?  Time will tell.  They have the right personnel, and I really like their coach; however, having all the pieces doesn’t always guarantee a win. Here’s hoping that the Pens’ pucks will consistently find the back of their opponents’ nets.  Let’s go Pens!!

And how about the draft? While the Black and Gold have some glaring needs on both sides of the ball, I admit to having mixed feelings about several of their selections.

Despite the fact that I see myself as an armchair expert, I have to trust that the team staff knew far more than I did about the interactive dynamics of various players as they drafted for the coming season. I just wish the season started…

tomorrow.

As we approach the summer break, I encourage all students to make smart choices in the friends they hang out with, the events they attend, and even the ways in which they network on the Internet. Please have a safe, enjoyable and relaxing summer. 

Congratulations to the 2016 graduates and to their parents, relatives, friends, and others who have offered encouragement, patience and a listening ear.  As you leave our district, remember: Red Devil Pride never graduates!

Good luck, seniors!

Enjoy your summer!  Dr. D.

Finally spring....

April has finally delivered some pleasant weather in our area, just as the spring sports season begins to wind down toward district competitions.  Although we had a milder winter this year, when compared to the last several, our grounds were still quite saturated and unplayable.  Despite this, this is the earliest, since the start of my tenure at CCSD, that we have had spring sports teams play on our fields – evidence of both the mild winter and the stellar care taken with our fields during off seasons.  Our Board has approved the creation of a girls’ golf team for next fall.  Keith Gilkey will be the head coach for both girls’ and boys’ teams; the open position of assistant coach has been posted.  Again, the Board’s commitment to the students and great fiscal planning made this and other projects possible.

Related to the above statement, the grounds committee has given the Board regular updates on possible field modifications, additions, and renovations.  They have been discussing the needs of our softball and baseball fields; they are also exploring the creation of a new multi-purpose field across from the high school.  Although some may think things are moving too slowly with respect to our grounds plans, please remember that this is an arduous process that requires, planning, permits, site analysis and a close examination of the district’s finances. The Board is committed to providing the best possible facilities and grounds that are safe and useful to our students and community.

Continuing with this sports-related discussion, the Board has approved many exciting renovations for our high school gym.  The gym floor will be replaced with a new maple floor, complete with new logos and lines.  The walls will be painted.  A new ceiling, with lighting that doubles what we currently have, will be included in the renovations.  With so much going on, the high school gym will be closed from May 2^nd until all renovations are complete.  Mrs. McDermott and Mr. Wilson have formed a committee of district and community members to oversee the layout and design of the gym.  Kudos to our Board for being so fiscally responsible to afford such a project in the face of limited state government funds.

Despite the lack of state funding, Central Cambria will hold the line on taxes again this year.  Several factors make this an impressive feat: first, employee costs, as well as our pension contribution, have risen significantly. Second, although Governor Wolf has promised to do more for public education, the Republican-controlled Legislature has not committed to his vision in this regard. For this reason, it looks as if another battle is in the offing for next year. Knowing that we face another year of fiscal uncertainty forces us to carefully prioritize and monitor every expenditure.

Some other news this month:

·      Students in grades 3-8 are currently taking the PSSAs.  The ELA tests are over and will be followed first by the math test and then the science assessment. In May, secondary students will take the spring Keystone exams. 

·      The secondary parent advisory group will meet Tuesday, April 26 in the high school library, and the elementary parent advisory group will meet Thursday, April 28, at CES.                   

·      Finally, our Policy committee is in the process of creating a Board policy for the use of Naloxone, a drug that counteracts the effects of a drug overdose. Core personnel will be trained to identify the need and, when warranted, to administer the drug.

Now it is time for some sports talk.  Yes, the Pens are again in the playoffs, but the momentum they might have had vanished on Saturday as they got walloped by the Rangers.  It is now a five game series, with Fleury tentative and Zatkoff looking rattled in the net.  How far they go is anyone’s guess.   And yes, I smell football in the air as many colleges have played their spring games (e.g., the Blue White game at PSU), the draft is at the end of this month, and the NFL schedules have been released.  Does anyone else smell that pigskin in the air….

Dr. D. 

April Fools?

Is winter over or are we in for an April Fool’s joke?  As the flowers planted last fall are already beginning to come through the ground, there is always a fear that a heavy frost will destroy the buds on trees and the fragile flower shoots.  I am sure Mother Nature has a plan that will eventually unfold.

Yes, winter has been extraordinarily mild this year, especially when compared to the last several years, with only one cancellation, two delays and a lone early dismissal.  As you may already know, the cancelled day will be made up June 2, which is both the last scheduled student day and graduation day.

Just the mention of graduation on June 2 brings to mind just how quickly another school year seems to be zipping by; spring sports are starting, and seniors can see graduation on the horizon.  Speaking of which, graduation will once again be held at St. Francis’ Stokes Gym on June 2 at 7pm.  As in years past, I will provide more information on the graduating class of 2016 during the month of May.

It has been a wonderful year with so many students giving stellar performances in sports and extracurricular activities.  Our wrestlers, swimmers, and girls basketball team all did a great job in Districts, Regionals and State finals.  Three students on our Forensics team advanced to the State competition level.  Our hockey team went to the LHAC finals and lost to an opportunistic St. College team.  They had a phenomenal season.

I am excited to tell you about an initiative spearheaded by Jenn Mesoras, the principal of Cambria Elementary School: Our district is collaborating with Cambria county preschool and day care providers to support a positive transition from preschool facilities to our district.  Mrs. Mesoras will house a Pre-K class in her building next year; she has attended many seminars and trainings dealing with early childhood education and is fast becoming our resident Early Childhood expert. 

Many of you are aware of the state’s continued inability to pass a budget.  It is now nine months overdue and there is no budget compromise in sight.  Once again, public education and local entities must find ways to finance unfunded mandates.  This lack of budget is causing many hardships, some of which include:

·     Over $1billion dollars in loans and lines of credit have been taken by districts to make ends meet

·     To date $45 million dollars have been spent on interest and bank fees, costing the taxpayer unnecessary additional dollars

·     Many Districts have begun estimating when they will be out of money and are contemplating closing their doors early.

·     District reserves continue to dwindle as some districts use this money to meet their bills and payroll commitments.

·     On the subject of the budget, Harrisburg lawmakers continue to stand on opposing sides of the aisle while districts and social services are left to fend for themselves.

Once again, we must do more with less money.  Our District is holding its own, but things are getting tighter.  I have suspended all staff and student field trips unless they have already been approved or come at no cost to the district.  I urge you to contact your local representative at the state level to tell them they need to do their job and pass a fair, fiscally sound budget quickly.

Finally, while most people say happily that Spring is in the air, we fanatics see in this season a return to thoughts of football.   How can this be, you ask? Well, many colleges, including PSU, have begun spring practices.  NFL free agency trades continue, and there are just 33 days until the draft begins. All of these events are hitting the airwaves and adding to the notion that football is back. As I wait (patiently?) for football, I’m happy to note that our Pittsburgh Pens are providing us with excellent hockey performances. They are in a good position to secure a wild card spot for the playoffs. 

As time marches on at an increasingly rapid pace, it won’t be long before many of us will be avoiding the heat and complaining about cutting the grass. If you’re like me, objections will be minimal as we embrace the pleasures—and the challenges—of every season.

Until next month,

Dr. D.