Published: August 23, 2008 11:55 pm      

Upgrades, new programs await area students

It’s time to sharpen those pencils and dust off the textbooks.

School districts in Cambria and Somerset counties start classes this week, and area students can expect changes – some more noticeable than others – when they walk through the front doors.

In the Penn Cambria School District, fifth-graders who were in the intermediate school building will be housed in the middle school.

“This was a space-related issue,” Superintendent Mary Beth Whited said. “The middle school had a floor that was not being used, and the elementary school is overcrowded.”

Whited said she and teachers have worked with parents during the past year to address any concerns regarding the move.

“Everyone is supportive of the change because we want to maximize the facilities we have,” Whited said. “We’ve done tours so parents can see the space, and we are expecting a smooth transition.”

In the Berlin Brothersvalley School District, a four-year, $12 million renovation project is nearly complete.

“We are finishing the running track and soccer field projects, plus finishing with the building renovations to classrooms and the cafeteria and auditorium at the high school,” Superintendent Margie Zorn said.

A $25 million upgrade to junior and senior high schools in the Somerset Area School District has been under way since March.

“You name it, we’re doing it,” Superintendent David Pastrick said. “We’re doing 800,000 feet of new wiring, nine miles of pipe work and using 75,000 pounds of tin for air duct work.”

Pastrick said the work is expected to be completed by December.

Meyersdale Superintendent Tracey Karlie said the district is completing a six-year strategic planning study.

“We’ve done modifications within our curriculum and working on a new focus,” he said. “We are looking at student performance and where it has been in the past and where we want it to be to reach proficiency levels.”

Richland School District has been busy upgrading its technology in the elementary school and installing wireless Internet access, Superintendent Thomas Fleming said.

“We are renovating the playground at the elementary school, and it will be 90 percent done when classes start,” he said.

The high school has implemented a virtual driver’s education class and will introduce elective courses through its virtual high school.

Other districts such as Ferndale, Cambria Heights and Windber are adding academic programs.

Ferndale Superintendent Carole Kakabar said an all-inclusive science curriculum at the elementary level will be used along with programs to assist with PSSA testing.

At the high school level, the school will offer dual enrollment programs in collaboration with Cambria-Rowe Business College, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College and Mount Aloysius College.

A computer-aided drafting lab has been added with the Autodesk Design Academy program to help students learn the basics of engineering, architecture and software design.

In the Windber Area School District, a world languages class is being introduced at the middle school.

“It’s a sampling course of all languages from around the world like Arabic, Chinese and Mandarin,” Superintendent Rick Huffman said. “We also have at the elementary level an everyday mathematics class that looks at the theory behind math that makes it real.”

He said the district also will implement new technology classes that are in tune with industry standards. Students will work with local companies on projects.

For special-needs students, grades and development may be tracked by parents online.

Cambria Heights School District will begin its Pre-K Counts program for 3- and 4-year-olds thanks in part to a state grant.

“This will allow us to foster growth and increase social development in these young children,” Superintendent Joseph Macharola said.

The district also is launching the Project Wisdom program for all grades. It is designed to teach students about respect, honesty and how to be good citizens. Students will hear a daily inspirational message.

For the Catholic high schools in the area – Bishop Carroll and Bishop McCort, along with Bishop Guilfoyle in Altoona – the big news for the upcoming school year is their independence from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.

“This went into effect July 1, and all three of the Catholic high schools will be private and have more control over the business end, like hiring teachers, and we can decide our own fate,” said Kristie Wolfe, Bishop Carroll principal.

Each school now has its own board of trustees made up of parents, alumni and local community members. The schools will maintain their Catholic identity and connection with the diocese.

“The diocese is not in the business of running schools,” Wolfe said. “This will help us in the way we go about doing things so they are more effective and efficient.”

Bishop McCort Principal Ken Salem said renovations to the third floor of the original Johnstown Catholic building are completed. This is the third year for the project, with each year taking on a different floor.

“We have new electrical work, networking for the computers, LCD projectors and smart boards along with new desks,” he said. “The building in completely modernized.”

Salem said the school hopes to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its wellness center within the next 12 months.