Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School District Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Susquehanna Township honors Holtzman family, reports test gains and community partnerships
Summary
Susquehanna Township School District honored the Clancy family at Thomas Holtzman Elementary and the district reported winter benchmark gains, student recognitions and community service partnerships during the Jan. 21 board meeting.
Thomas Holtzman Elementary Principal Josh Gibson presented the board with a recognition for the Clancy family, praising their volunteer work and advocacy for families at Holtzman.
"At Holtzman, we believe in celebrating the vital role that families play in the success of our learners and our school community," Gibson said, and asked the board and audience to join him in thanking the Clancy family for "unwavering dedication and support." The family received a certificate and a commemorative blanket.
Superintendent Dr. Willis used the superintendent’s report to highlight districtwide student achievements, upcoming events and community partnerships. Dr. Willis said the district will implement a two-hour delay for schools the following day because of extreme wind-chill conditions: "there will be a 2 hour delay tomorrow because of the wind chill, being below 0, and, so we'll make sure that students are safe."
The district reported winter benchmark improvements at Thomas Holtzman: a 23% increase in mathematics and an 11% increase in English language arts from fall to winter benchmark testing, according to the superintendent’s report. The report also listed upcoming school events: a kindness party on Feb. 14, a Black Wax/Blacks and Wax Museum presentation planned for Feb. 26, 2025, and Read Across America activities March 3–7, 2025.
Dr. Willis recognized several individual student achievements. Senior basketball player Alfonso Burnett scored his 1,000th career point and is expected to sign with Kutztown University; the superintendent asked the board to join in congratulating him. The district also named students who received national recognition through College Board programs: Jordan Bowser, Serjourner Croom, Ezra Esaias, Janelle King and Jacob McClinahan.
District schools partnered with community groups for service and support. The district hosted United Way's Women’s Leadership Network for the National Day of Service; the group and volunteers assembled toiletries and 300 menstrual-care "period pouches" for high-school students, the superintendent said. A student, Olivia Stokes, read an essay honoring the Voting Rights Act at a public event; middle school student Brandon Thomas won an MLK Day essay contest run by MLK 365.
The superintendent also used the meeting to present a month-long recognition from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association for school board directors and to distribute certificates and small gifts to board members in appreciation of their service.
