Berwick Area SD awarded $75,000 PA Smart planning grant; board committee proposes new high-school courses

District staff told the board the district received a $75,000 PA Smart planning grant for the school year and that the academic affairs committee considered several curriculum items, including proposals to add three high-school courses: introduction to criminal justice; marketing; and introduction to entrepreneurship.

During the academic affairs update, the committee reported that a possible new marketing textbook is on display in the boardroom for a 30-day review and is not yet on the agenda for purchase. The committee said it is exploring funding options for a potential textbook purchase.

The committee reported robust hiring interest: staff said there were 52 applicants for a single elementary education opening and about 85 applicants across three or four positions. The committee said recruitment has produced an "overwhelming response," and that reviewing applications is taking additional time.

Student recognition and competitions The academic update also reported student success at a regional media and design competition. Two students were named first-place winners: Angel Perata (grade 11) for animation, and Landon Hess (grade 12) for digital movie work titled “No Disc No Dice.” The first-place winners were invited to the state competition at Elizabethtown College on May 20; the committee said it hopes they will attend.

Why this matters: the PA Smart planning grant provides planning support for curriculum or program work and the new-course proposals would expand high-school offerings; hiring and recruitment patterns affect staffing decisions tied to the budget.

Ending The board received the academic affairs report and was asked to note the textbook display and the 30-day review period for materials on potential purchase.