MAHS adds remediation to schedule

High school teachers, Charlotte Sherwood and Michael Matis, received educational support grants from the Susquehanna Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees (PASR) at the Montrose Area School District board meeting on December 4. PASR Education Support Chairman, Ellen Holdredge and President, John Manchester made the presentation. Because of budget cuts that school districts have experienced, a grant was created by PASR to make possible a program or activity that might not have been possible due to budget constraints. Due to the generosity of one of the Chapter’s members, a second grant is now possible. The funds were donated in memory of former PASR members, Hendrick Marr, Joan Peters, and Mary Ketterer. Mrs. Sherwood plans to use the funds to buy supplemental supplies for the “Be a H.E.R.O.” (Helping Everyone Respect Others) program. This program teaches 7th graders skills to combat bullying. In 2010, Mrs. Sherwood was PASR’s first recipient of the ed support grant for this anti bullying program. Her energy and enthusiasm have kept this important program going and benefitting students. Michael Matis was awarded the second grant. He will use it for the purchase of a Raspberry Pi for teachers to use to create and prepare a programming curriculum enhancement for 8th grade technology. The Susquehanna Chapter of PASR is proud to support public education in Susquehanna County.
High school teachers, Charlotte Sherwood and Michael Matis, received educational support grants from the Susquehanna Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees (PASR) at the Montrose Area School District board meeting on December 4. PASR Education Support Chairman, Ellen Holdredge and President, John Manchester made the presentation. Because of budget cuts that school districts have experienced, a grant was created by PASR to make possible a program or activity that might not have been possible due to budget constraints. Due to the generosity of one of the Chapter’s members, a second grant is now possible. The funds were donated in memory of former PASR members, Hendrick Marr, Joan Peters, and Mary Ketterer. Mrs. Sherwood plans to use the funds to buy supplemental supplies for the “Be a H.E.R.O.” (Helping Everyone Respect Others) program. This program teaches 7th graders skills to combat bullying. In 2010, Mrs. Sherwood was PASR’s first recipient of the ed support grant for this anti bullying program. Her energy and enthusiasm have kept this important program going and benefitting students. Michael Matis was awarded the second grant. He will use it for the purchase of a Raspberry Pi for teachers to use to create and prepare a programming curriculum enhancement for 8th grade technology. The Susquehanna Chapter of PASR is proud to support public education in Susquehanna County.

High school teachers, Charlotte Sherwood and Michael Matis, received educational support grants from the Susquehanna Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees (PASR) at the Montrose Area School District board meeting on December 4. PASR Education Support Chairman, Ellen Holdredge and President, John Manchester made the presentation.
Because of budget cuts that school districts have experienced, a grant was created by PASR to make possible a program or activity that might not have been possible due to budget constraints. Due to the generosity of one of the Chapter’s members, a second grant is now possible. The funds were donated in memory of former PASR members, Hendrick Marr, Joan Peters, and Mary Ketterer.
Mrs. Sherwood plans to use the funds to buy supplemental supplies for the “Be a H.E.R.O.” (Helping Everyone Respect Others) program. This program teaches 7th graders skills to combat bullying. In 2010, Mrs. Sherwood was PASR’s first recipient of the ed support grant for this anti bullying program. Her energy and enthusiasm have kept this important program going and benefitting students.
Michael Matis was awarded the second grant. He will use it for the purchase of a Raspberry Pi for teachers to use to create and prepare a programming curriculum enhancement for 8th grade technology.
The Susquehanna Chapter of PASR is proud to support public education in Susquehanna County.

Montrose Area High School Principal Williams King told the board at its Monday, Dec. 5 meeting, that students needing additional help will get time to focus on that during the regular school schedule.
King told the board that on one day each week, classes are shortened by seven minutes in order to provide remediation to students.
Students needing extra help to pass the Keystone exams, or in other areas will spend that time working on those skills.
Students not requiring any remediation will use the time for enrichment activities.
Susquehanna County Treasurer Jason Miller provided the Montrose Area Board of Education with information about delinquent tax collection in the district.
The board had heard a presentation from a company that would purchase the delinquent taxes and then return funding up front to the district coffers.
Miller said the county receives a yearly average of about $491,000 in delinquent tax bills in the district each year. He said in the first year, about 45 to 50 percent of those tax bills are paid; and in the second year – before properties would go to upset sale – about 98 percent of the unpaid taxes are returned to the district, along with penalties and interest.
Miller said that in 2015, the Montrose Area School District received about $92,500 in penalties and interest on top of the taxes.
During the work session, the board also discussed the student proposal to reinstate a field hockey team.
Superintendent Carol Boyce said the petition presented to the board in November contained many signatures of “supporters,” but it was unknown how many prospective players were interested in joining a team.
She also addressed Title 9 concerns, and said that the addition of a girls field hockey team would throw off the federally required balance of options.
Board member Gloria Smith noted that both girls and boys can play field hockey.
Boyce also said that the closest schools with teams are Lackawanna Trail and Abington Heights. Other schools with field hockey are located in the Wilkes-Barre and Pocono regions. “This is not a local sport,” Boyce said.
She noted that transportation costs for seven away games would total about $2,800 each season.
Adding to transportation is the cost of equipment, uniforms, and coaching salaries bringing up the start-up cost for the sport to over $21,000 per year.
She also said that fielding a team could not begin in 2017, but is a two-year process.
Principal Bill King said that while it was a difficult decision, he believed the district offered ample opportunities for students to participate in fall sports and activities. He also noted the district’s financial difficulties.
Vice Principal Eric Powers mentioned the addition of field hockey as a “club sport” in order to better gauge interest.
Prior to the work session, the board held a reorganization meeting.
Doug Wilcox was elected board president; and Karl Wimmer was elected to be the vice-president.
Board meetings for 2017 were set for the second Monday of each month, with the exception of December, which will be held the first week of the month.
Work sessions begin at 7 p.m., and are immediately followed by the board’s business meeting.
For the months of January, February, March, July, August and September, board meetings will be held at Choconut Valley Elementary. In April, May, June, October, November, December, the board will meet in the high school auditorium.
The board moved to officially create an Occupational Advisory Committee, as required by the state Dept. of Education’s Bureau of Career and Technical Education. The committee is comprised of 13 members, including staff, administrators, community members.
Looking ahead to the 2017-18 district budget, finance committee meetings will be held Jan. 16, 23, 30 and Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m.

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