Franklin Township staff describe ‘Warrior Way Clubs’ to board; students respond enthusiastically

Franklin Township staff told the Gettysburg Area School District board they piloted a set of student clubs called "Warrior Way Clubs" this fall and plan to repeat the program quarterly.

Shelley, identified as the principal at Franklin Township (Speaker 4), said the school organized roughly 25 staff‑led clubs — activities ranged from field hockey and unicycling to bracelet making, tabletop games and a creative pumpkin patch. "It was just simply amazing," Shelley said, adding staff spent weeks planning and that many activities accommodated kindergarten through fifth grade.

Ashley Kunkel (Speaker 5), a reading specialist who led the field hockey club, said the students learned skills and played adapted games in the gym, and "they had a lot of fun." Eli Burrow (Speaker 6), a second‑grade teacher who led a unicycle club, said that while most students did not learn to ride in one hour, "a couple kids were getting better at it" and the children left excited and eager for more.

Shelley said some activities required multiple adults (for example, diamond painting) and that volunteers and family donations helped: one family donated lumber for a construction crew project that will continue into future sessions to build raised beds for the school courtyard.

Board members asked about logistics; Shelley said students listed up to five club choices and that the district used a dot‑sign up system to balance grade levels. The program will be repeated three more times: January, March and at the end of the school year.

Shelley and staff provided photos and short quotes from club leaders that the board viewed in the meeting packet. A board member invited a unicycle demonstration and the room responded with applause and laughter. The presentation closed with board members praising the outreach and the school’s family engagement work.