Academic affairs committee presents high-school TSI plan, course handbook draft and seeks unified bocce pilot

The Berwick Area School District academic affairs committee presented several items to the board including a high-school TSI (Targeted Support and Improvement) plan, a draft high-school course handbook designed to introduce a pathways model, and the recommendation to post the district comprehensive plan for public review and feedback.

The committee described the TSI plan as student-data driven and initially informed by support needs for students with individualized education programs (IEPs). Committee members said the team used that entry point to review high-school-wide instructional needs and craft goals and interview questions to guide the superintendent search and future evaluation processes.

The draft high-school course handbook is intended as the first step toward repackaging the high-school experience around pathways (career- or interest-based sequences). The committee also said the comprehensive plan team — composed of board members, community members, students, parents and faculty — revised the district’s mission and vision statements; those documents were slated to be posted on the district website for a month of public comment.

The academic affairs report included a proposed calendar revision for 2025–26 and asked the board to consider removing a half day on May 14 of the current year to restore instructional time that conflicts with AP and Keystone testing dates and to better enable participation in the United Way Day of Caring.

The committee reported a recent in-service day that provided wellness and first-aid training; presenters said more than 50 staff members became certified in first aid, CPR and AED with Geisinger providing training and the YMCA supplying exercise sessions. The committee thanked those partners and noted no out-of-pocket cost for the district for that in-service.

The committee also presented a request from Special Olympics for a unified bocce team. Committee members said Special Olympics would supply instruction, courts and equipment. The proposed program would require two coaching stipends (each $1,000 annually funded by Special Olympics), space for a 60-by-12 PVC court for instructional practice (cafeteria or gym as appropriate), and travel for two away matches; the sport would follow PIAA winter-season rules as a unified sport with roster proportionality requirements between students with identified cognitive disabilities and general-education students.

Later in the meeting the board approved academic affairs items 1–4 by motion and voice/roll call.