Conestoga Valley seeks board backing for two-year principal residency with Millersville

Dr. Hartman presented a district plan to participate in a principal residency program developed with Millersville University and the Center for Schools and Communities, asking the board to show support in March to aid future funding applications. "What this grant would offer would be a 2 year residency program for teachers who are pursuing their principal certificate," he said, describing the residency model as similar to medical residencies and noting a planning grant Millersville holds at the state level.

Nut graf: The district has spent the past year and a half on planning and formed a local committee that included higher-education partners and district administrators. Millersville received a planning grant and is pursuing an implementation grant; the district's request for board endorsement would signal local commitment while Millersville seeks operating funds. Dr. Hartman said the board would not be approving residents in advance — any resident would come to the board for approval like a new employee.

In his presentation Dr. Hartman described program design and fiscal considerations: the residency is intended to be two years; costs include the salary to cover a long-term substitute while a resident is in placement, tuition costs (reimbursed according to the collective-bargaining agreement), and stipends for mentor principals. He told the board the district has costed the program and is seeking grants so the initiative would be cost neutral if grant funding is secured. "We have that all costed out," he said, adding that "it's roughly a first year teacher salary because we'd be hiring a long term sub, and the tuition cost above and beyond...would reimburse based on the collective bargaining agreement." He also explained a retention expectation modeled on existing tuition-reimbursement practices: residents who leave the district within a specified period would owe a portion of costs back to the district.

Board members asked whether completion guarantees an administrative post. Dr. Hartman responded the program guarantees the participant's prior teaching position will be held ("they're not losing that position"), not an automatic administrative placement. Directors also requested an itemized cost estimate; Dr. Hartman said he would supply detailed figures and that the district is pursuing alternate funding sources while awaiting state decisions.

The board plans to place the partnership and supporting language on a March agenda for formal action to authorize continued work and strengthen grant applications. The presentation included a planned timeline for developing application and interview processes with Millersville but noted no residents or operating commitments would be finalized without board approval.