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Boiling Springs principal highlights rising multilingual enrollment and expanded career, special-education supports
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Summary
At the Feb. 17 South Middleton School District board meeting, Boiling Springs High School Principal Dr. Pittman told the board that 7.2% of district students are active multilingual learners and described expanded CTC partnerships, special-education transitions, internship placements and a 95.3% four-year graduation rate.
At the Feb. 17 South Middleton School District board meeting, Dr. Pittman, principal of Boiling Springs High School, told the board that the high school and district have expanded programs to support multilingual learners and career-ready pathways.
Dr. Pittman said that "over the entire school district, 7.2% of our population is actually represented by active, multilingual learners," and outlined student-facing programs intended to improve engagement and postsecondary readiness.
Why it matters: the principal framed those programs as part of the district’s strategy to raise attendance and graduation rates and to provide hands-on career experience. She said partnerships with the Cumberland–area Career & Technical Center (CTC) have nearly doubled enrollment at the CTC over four years and that many students earn industry-recognized credentials through a 1,250-hour certification requirement and NOCTE exams.
Dr. Pittman described the district’s supports for special-education students, including transition programming, on-site job coaches and inclusive career exploration trips. "We have a very robust transition program that supports our special education students," she said, and noted the district has added local volunteer sites—Mission Central and Girls on the Run—to increase community internship opportunities.
She also highlighted academic outcomes: Boiling Springs has a 95.3% four-year graduation rate, attendance rates exceeding the state average in recent years and specific gains for economically disadvantaged students. Dr. Pittman cautioned that state data may undercount some families because participation in free-and-reduced-lunch programs requires an application.
Board members pressed for clarifications about supports and thresholds used to identify economically disadvantaged students; administrators explained the classification relies on state-determined eligibility for free or reduced-price meals and noted household size affects qualification.
The presentation also covered student-led events (math nights and a cultural dinner representing more than a dozen countries), expanded dual-enrollment options with five local colleges, and an array of internship and career-exploration field trips including partnerships with local businesses and UPMC.
Next steps: the board received the presentation; no formal vote was required. An executive session on personnel and student matters was scheduled to follow the public meeting.
