Sen. Gene Yaw (top center) listens to concerns from Blue Ridge board members following a tour of the campus on Friday. Pictured, from Yaw’s left are: Arnie Kriner, legislative aide, and board members Alan Hall, Christina Whitney, Christina Cosmello, Laurie Bonner and John Ketchur.
BY STACI WILSON
Blue Ridgeschool board members brought concerns about proposed state legislation and school financing to Sen. Gene Yaw in a tour of the district campus on Friday, Dec. 9.
The district highlighted several of its successful programs for the state senator including food services, life skills classes, PreK and kindergarten classes and the science curriculum.
Food service director Linda Cole-Koloski told Yaw that along with replacing every piece of equipment in the kitchen in the past seven years, the cafeteria operates without a cost to the district.
BR food service director Linda Cole-Koloski leads Sen. Gene Yaw in a tour of the recently renovated cafeteria and kitchen.
Koloski said all the food is made from scratch.
“We use (USDA) commodities to the fullest extent,” Koloski said.
But she said, “This year has been the hardest year.”
Koloski told Yaw the commodities were coming in at a slower pace than usual and there has been a significant cost increase for the food.
Yaw was also interested in the school’s ability to offer a free breakfast to all of its elementary students and the summer feeding program.
Principal Matthew Nebzydoski showed the senator seventh grade science teacher Nancy Burkett’s classroom where the grant-funded FOSS program is heavily utilized.
With students engaged in a hands-on experiment, Yaw asked, “What do you like about the program?”
Seventh grader Dane Beers said, “You actually get to do stuff and not just sit at a desk and read a book.”
Following the tour, Yaw sat down with members of the administration and the board in the high school library and voiced his support of public schools.
In his role as the school district solicitor for Loyalsock Twp., Yaw said he was familiar with many of the Blue Ridge programs but was “very interested” in the district’s food service.
With 19 school districts located within the 23rd senatorial district, Yaw said none of those are on the state’s list of failing schools.
Board president Laurie Bonner said the district was concerned about next year’s state budget and proposed charter school legislation.
Bonner said the district supports educational choice “but not at taxpayer expense.”
“We’re not afraid of competition,” Bonner said.
Yaw explained the voucher legislation would apply to public schools as well as private and charter schools, on a voluntary basis.
“If (Blue Ridge) chooses to participate, students can come here,” Yaw explained.
Board members Christina Whitney said, “It’s the accountability of that option we’re concerned with.”
Yaw said the proposed voucher bill only applies to the lowest five percent of schools in the state, with most of the 143 schools being located in thePhiladelphia,Harrisburg,AllentownandPittsburgharea.
The bill passed the state senate and was sent to the house where the list of failing schools was cut to 50.
Yaw said, “My guess is that there will be a provision that if a school district doesn’t want to participate they won’t have to.”
Alan Hall, who was still a member of the board at the Friday meeting with Yaw, said financing of the voucher program was his biggest concern.
Board members also advocated that funds from any Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction tax be kept locally.
Yaw said the senate version of the extraction tax, SB1100, called for 55 percent of the funds to remain local and 45 percent of funds dedicated to help fund conservation districts, Fish and Boat Commission, etc., but not to the general fund.
Board members thanked Yaw for listening to their concerns and taking time to tour the facility
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