Fal l Issue 2016

Thoughts on Education By Karen E. Jez, Superintendent

With the introduction of Mass

Customized Learning at Hydetown

Elementary School this year, I’d like to

share excerpts of my philosophy of

education, which I wrote for a

graduate class in 1993.

Education was important in our

household. My father was an

automotive repair instructor and my

mother, a health/physical education

teacher in the public schools.

Mom would say, “Karen, as long as

you can look at yourself in the mirror

and honestly say ‘I did my very best, I

tried my hardest’; that’s all dad and I

can expect.” Thinking back on that

statement makes me proud to have

parents who valued the importance of

a good education, but understand that

we all have limitations.

My experiences growing up on a farm,

doing chores with my parents and

sisters brought me to the belief a

quality education is one of the most

important things a child can receive.

Through knowledge and under-

standing a person can make sound,

responsible decisions for living.

The school is a part of the community

in which it is built, and the expectation

of the school is to educate the young

so they might become productive

members of society.

Whether a public or private institution,

the school needs the parents’ support

and involvement in their child’s

education.

The curriculum should include communications skills: reading,

writing and comprehension; arts and

humanities; science and technology;

health; and environment. The curriculum

should integrate all subjects, one to

another. For example, in my art room we

must understand math and

measurements in order to matte a print

correctly, and know that hydrochloric acid

is a chemical used to clean metal. With

an integrated curriculum, students should

immediately understand that what is

being taught has a purpose.

The curriculum should challenge the

learner to become a cognitive person,

through experiences, demonstration and

teaching. An activity period should be

developed to help the child learn how to

play and socialize cooperatively;

kindergarten through twelfth grade.

The school must set high standards and

expectations for the students. I believe if

a person has goals to meet that are

challenging, but not impossible, then this

person is more likely to be successful

with the help of good instruction, positive

reinforcement, praise, and caring than a

person who has little or nothing expected

of him. Also, some degree of

competition but it should not be the only

means of evaluation. Nobody “fails”

unless he/she chooses to fail.

The methods employed to teach the

curriculum must be flexible to be useful

for the many different learning styles of

the students. One method or set of

methods may work for one teacher and

subject but be totally wrong for another.

Students learn best by doing through

experiences, activities, and Continued on page 2

h as scrabble would be appropriate in an

Karen E. Jez

Superintendent

School Directors

Timothy G. Harger

(President)

Jack D. Roberts

(Vice President)

Kevin J. O’Neill

(Secretary)

Ronald G. Lytle

(Treasurer)

Members:

Lynn J. Cressman

Richard E. Skinner, Jr.

Jean M. Spence

Carol J. Shaffer

Dwight S. Proper

Inside this issue:

Thoughts on Education

Mass Customized Learning

Pilot at Hydetown

Elementary

Welcoming Our Newest

Educators

TASD Featured in National

Magazine

Elementary Social Worker

Building Bridges in our

Brains

Buildings & Grounds

Summer Projects

1

2

3

4

5

5

6

A school's effectiveness must extend beyond the measures of student performance highlighted in government rankings or standings published in national and regional magazines. It must also take into account factors such as: 1. Quality and continuity of the

school's leadership and governance

2. Condition of school facilities 3. Finances and fiscal stability 4. Effectiveness of student

services 5. Health and safety 6. Staffing 7. Long-range planning All of these factors directly contribute to student performance. School reform takes time, often more time than the tenure of the school's leadership. Schools that develop comprehensive plans for improvement through the process of accreditation have a road map for long-term improvement that withstands the test of time, including changes in board guidance and administrative leadership.

“Your mind is like a sponge …Soak up as

much knowledge as you possibly can

because you don’t have to pack it when

you move.”

Grandmother Olive Enos

Titusville Area School District

301 E. Spruce Street

Titusville, PA 16354-1948

www.gorockets.org

(814) 827-2715

Thoughts on Education Continued from Page 1

So…What’s Happening at Hydetown School? By Lisa Royek, Principal

When you want to listen to a song, you get on your phone, go to iTunes and download the exact song you want and listen to it. When you want a cup of coffee with caramel and coconut flavoring and lots of cream with low sugar you go to Starbucks and get it. When you want to know how to build a dog house you Google it and watch a YouTube video that teaches you and if you need to you can watch it five times to learn.

When you want to learn about comparing fractions so you can add them in today’s industrial-age designed schools, you have to wait until you are 10 and in the fifth grade. This is true even if you are in second grade and ready for more advanced skills. On the other side of the spectrum, if you struggle with a math concept, you are forced to accept a “low grade” and move on in content.

Mass Customized Learning (MCL) is an approach that doesn’t make you wait until you are old enough or sit through five years of education and get more and more behind every year. MCL’s concept is --if you are ready to learn something and you’ve shown mastery of content-- you should move on regardless of how old you are or what grade you are in. If you need some extra time you should get it. Mass Customized Learning personalizes every child’s educational experience much the same way that Amazon does online.

This concept was first explored in a book called “Inevitable” written by Bea McGarvey and Chuck Schwahn. Since its release in 2012, the book has sparked much discussion and interest in public education about how to best accommodate the learners of today who live in a digital and instant world. Hydetown Elementary is part of a group of vanguard schools working with Mr. Schwahn to explore the logistics and instructional delivery needs to make this concept work.

Upon his request to have a small rural elementary school incorporate MCL into its day and work with the Agilix software company on a Learner Management System, Ms. Jez (who is on the regional Mass Customized Learning board) approached

Hydetown students SOAR video

Mrs. Royek about Hydetown being a part of this pilot program.

The Hydetown staff had been participating in Professional Learning Community discussions centered around student mindsets and personalized learning. When approached they were intrigued and enthusiastic at the chance to make learning more meaningful for our students. So, the decision was made to move to a Mass Customized Learning Model at Hydetown Elementary.

Teachers (now known as learning facilitators) met all summer to prepare for this transition. Classrooms were renamed and revamped to suit learner needs. Curriculum was examined to understand non-grade level continuums of instruction and systems to keep track of students progress were put into place.

Mrs. Royek and Ms. Jez attended a national conference in South Dakota and presented their plans for Hydetown School. Relationships were formed with other schools moving to MCL or personalized learning.

Hydetown opened its doors to a new system of educating learners with one-to-one Chromebook implementation with our older learners and a new outlook on what school could look like in the future. While technology integration is a key part of this initiative, it’s not the only consideration and doesn’t replace instruction as we’ve known it. The audience is just determined differently.

Another important component of this pilot is helping learners develop intrinsic motivation and responsibility for learning. Hydetown has already seen a huge change in attitudes among our learners and they feel success in each of their courses.

While there are still many challenges in completing this transition to Mass Customized Learning and all that it entails, the staff at Hydetown is excited and committed to excellence in the tradition of the Titusville Area School District. Innovation in education is essential as the digital age progresses.

demonstrations. Teachers should

strive to utilize as many different

methods as possible; for example,

games such as scrabble would be

appropriate in an English

curriculum.

The teacher should be a positive

role model, upholding the laws and

values which govern the society.

The teacher should be a guide and

mentor for his/her students.

Teachers need to be empowered to

make decisions in the classroom.

Just as different people learn

differently, teachers can teach

differently with success.

The student has to be made

responsible for his/her education,

just as he/she is responsible for

making his/her bed. If the student

is given the opportunity to make

decisions and choices within the

educational system, he/she will

become responsible if held

accountable for their decisions.

Because the students come from

varied cultural backgrounds,

religious beliefs, and abilities,

cooperation between the students

can benefit all.

There is a sign prominently

displayed in my office as a

reminder of our purpose, it reads:

“EDUCATING CHILDREN, the

most important thing our

community does.”

This message touches my heart

every day. My wish for our

students is success in whatever

vocation they choose.

2

So…What’s Happening at Hydetown School? By Lisa Royek, Principal

When you want to listen to a song, you get on your phone, go to iTunes and download the exact song you want and listen to it.

3 Welcoming

New

Teachers

Marissa Hanely – Library Science – Elementary Miss Hanely was born and raised in Neiltown, PA. She attended Venango Catholic High School and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Library Science. In her spare time she is a climbing/COPE instructor at a Boy Scout Camp, a religious education teacher in the Catholic Community of Titusville and enjoys kayaking and reading. Courtney Kline – Speech & Language Therapist Miss Kline completed her undergraduate and graduate work at Clarion University where she earned her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology. She started her career in the medical field providing adult speech and language therapy in rehabilitation facilities in the Altoona and Clearfield areas. Miss Kline has also worked at Franklin Area School District providing services to grades K-12. She is a member of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association along with the Pennsylvania Speech and Hearing Association. Bryan Couts – Technology Educator - Middle School Mr. Couts is graduate of California University where he earned a Master’s Degree in Technology Education. He teaches Video production, Publications and Tech Challenges at the Middle School. Mr. Couts is also the Middle School Yearbook advisor and produces the morning announcements at the school. His hobbies include woodworking, metal working and doing anything outdoors with his family.

Lauren Hopwood – Reading Specialist - Hydetown Miss Hopwood is a graduate of Titusville High School. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education as well as a Master’s Degree in Reading from Edinboro University. Outside of school, Miss Hopwood enjoys walking and exercising, spending time with friends and family, kayaking, antique shopping and crafting. Joey Timon – Health & Physical Education Teacher - Elementary Mr. Timon earned his undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science from Gannon University, and a Master’s in Educational Leadership and a Teaching Certificate in Health and Physical Education from Edinboro University. Mr. Timon is teaching as well as coaching Girls Varsity Soccer. He enjoys volunteering for the Big Brother’s program, playing soccer and spending time with family and friends.

Seth Come – Science / Biology Educator Mr. Come is a first year teacher at Titusville High School. In addition to teaching he also volunteers with coaching for the High School Boys Soccer team and was hired as assistant swim coach at THS. Mr. Come is a proud graduate of Titusville High School. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry and a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education from Slippery Rock University.

New TASD Educators 2016-17 (L-R) Lauren Hopwood, Marissa

Hanely, Courtney Kline, Bryan Couts, Joey Timon and Seth Come.

Also shown is FCCA Pre-K Counts teacher, Lori Sanner.

Happy To Have

You Join Us

Middle School

Leadership

Changes

Ms. Stover and Mr. Houck are

serving interim positions at the

Titusville Middle School this

year.

Jessica Stover is taking the

leadership role as Principal,

having served as Assistant

Principal for the last two years at

the Middle School.

Gregory Houck is now serving

as Assistant Principal. Mr.

Houck was working as a High

School Guidance Counselor.

Gretchen Skiba Howard, LSW, has been hired by the United Way of the Titusville Region for the position of Social Worker within the Titusville Area School District. The position is a collaborative effort between the School District and the United Way to provide social work services for elementary grade students in the District. Mrs. Howard will provide supportive case work to children and their families, including parent education and self-advocacy; parent counseling and training to help them with skills to support the implementation of their child’s specialized educational programs; assist in planning of therapeutic, remedial and behavioral modification activities; provide direct interventions to students including individual and group therapy, counseling and educational and informational programs. Mrs. Howard graduated Magna cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Bachelor’s Degree in History of Arts and Architecture. She then earned her Master of Social Work from Edinboro University. Gretchen is a familiar face in the community. She began her professional career as a Counselor-Advocate at PPC Violence Free Network, managing the Titusville office and providing counseling, accompaniment and advocacy for victims of all ages of domestic and sexual violence and other violent crimes; facilitated support groups; assisted with prevention education presentations and facilitated social skills groups at the Titusville Area School District Alternative Education program. Mrs. Howard’s most recent position was with Family Service and Children’s Aid Society as a Therapist in the General Counseling Program.

Her duties included conducting assessments; providing brief or long term therapy with a focus on individual, family, couple or group treatment; providing counseling services in the area of relationship problems, family issues, bereavement, stress management, anger management and trauma. Mrs. Howard resides in Titusville with her husband William and sons Orrie and Cooper.

Patrick Vetter Instrumental Music Titusville Middle School

Mr. Vetter grew up in Northern

New Jersey where he became

active in his local sports, music

and scouting programs. He

earned his Eagle Scout rank in

high school and also was involved

umpiring in local baseball

leagues. Patrick attended

Duquesne University in Pittsburgh

where he performed in the

Duquesne University

Tamburtizans and graduated with

a degree in Music Education. He

has taught in both Pennsylvania

and New Jersey as a substitute

and part-time in orchestra and

beginning band settings. Patrick is

excited to be a part of the Titusville

community.

Jeffrey Herwig

Music Instructor

THS

Mr. Herwig grew up in Beaver, Pennsylvania. He earned his Bachelors of Music in Music Education/Saxophone from Slippery Rock University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. While at SRU, Mr. Herwig studied saxophone with Dr. Jason Kush and instrumental conducting with Dr. Stephen Barr. He completed his student teaching in both the Mercer and Butler Area School Districts; having spent two years as the assistant marching band director at Beaver Area High School while completing his undergraduate degree.

Stacy Houck Assistant Principal

THS

Mrs. Houck has accepted the position of Assistant Principal at the high school. Previously she worked at the Middle School in Library Science. Mrs. Houck holds a B.A. degree in accounting and business administration from Thiel College. She received her teaching certification through Notre Dame College of Ohio. She earned a M.Ed. in Library Science from Mansfield University as well as K-12 Administrative Certification from Gannon University. She taught at Riverside High School and Cochranton Junior-Senior High School before being hired by the Titusville Area School District in 2003. Mrs. Houck taught business education at THS for 3 years and served as the library media specialist at Titusville Middle School for 9 years. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Mrs. Houck has coached varsity volleyball and middle school basketball. She has served as a department lead, Act 48 committee member, student assistance program member and TIMS committee member.

Elementary

Social Worker

4

Gretchen Skiba Howard, Licensed Social Worker (LSW)

Jessica Stover

The following article was published in the Sept. 2016 national magazine, School Administrator’s:

Applying Ratey’s Ideas to Our Daily Regimen By Karen E. Jez

At Titusville High School, it’s not uncommon to see students running through the halls, down the stairs, out the front door, then back to their classroom. These students aren’t misbehaving; they’re following their English teacher’s instructions. About 20 minutes into each 43-minute class, English teacher Judy Millar has her students do something she calls a “brain boost” -- a break in instruction for physical exercise. “Mentally, I have them for the rest of the class after that,” she says. Millar isn’t alone in this endeavor. Many teachers in our 2,100 student school district in the rural north- western corner of Pennsylvania have adopted John Ratey’s conviction that exercise is like Miracle-Gro for the brain. For more than 15 years, inspired by the success of the PE4life movement implemented in Naperville, Ill., our district’s physical education program has promoted active and healthy living through quality, daily physical activity. Students are assessed on progress toward physical fitness rather than athletic prowess.

Physical activity is incorporated into the student’s day at all grade levels. Pre-K and Kindergarten:

Every 4-year-old half-day kindergarten student participates in PE twice a week. Starting in 2016-17, all 4-year-olds will participate in PE prior to the start of the academic day to promote blood and oxygen flow to their brain.

Every 5-year-old kindergarten student has daily PE for 20 minutes. The approach is linked to the English Language Arts curriculum by incorporating letter recognition, letter sounds, sight words and visual motor position concepts. For example, moving the whole body from left to right and top to bottom can support students’ reading ability.

Elementary School:

Our school board adopted a wellness policy discouraging removal of a student from recess as a consequence for not having met academic responsibilities, recognizing that disruptive students may be the ones who benefit most from physical activity.

Some teachers have found the benefits of using exercise balls as chairs in the classroom, which give the students the ability to “fidget” while still paying attention to the lesson.

Middle School:

Middle school students participate in daily PE for one semester each year, where they are exposed to activities ranging from cross-country skiing to skateboarding.

Students learn sports-based skills in a manner that guarantees success to the student. For example, basketball is played in a small-sided format (3-on-3) so students get their heart rate in the target zone to attain maximum fitness benefits.

High School:

A 9th period was added to our high school’s master schedule to enable every THS student to take PE daily, fulfilling a graduate requirement of four PE credits. Students select from a variety of activities, such as swimming, cardio, weightlifting and indoor climbing.

Continued on Page 5

I have the best job in the world: Kindergarten Gym Teacher!

More professionally known as Physical Educator, I’m the one who gets to spend all day, every day, in the GYM with the most entertaining, loving, and excitable people on earth --Kindergarteners.

Among my many responsibilities as an educator, there are a few extras that come with the territory. For example, I have become a master shoe tier, and have been known to tie nearly 70 shoes in a day. I am a listener of many interesting stories. Some of these stories cause me to wonder (or cringe) over what information that my own children may have once deemed necessary to share when in kindergarten!

I have several of what I call “mini-heart-attacks” per day, as I watch collisions of these little people: with each other, with the walls, with the floors, an occasional table, and sometimes even themselves. Yes, that can happen. I have seen, smelled, touched, and heard things that have made me laugh, choke, cringe, and cry. All in a day’s work. These are the pros and cons of teaching 5- and 6-year olds, and it makes for a very interesting day!

But what I really love about my job is when I get to see the looks on their faces when they come to the gym and see what new and exciting adventures are awaiting them. They often arrive in the gym chanting “Something new! Something new!” and I ponder as to why they are surprised by this discovery because there is something new for them every day!

As the gym teacher (aka physical educator) at the ECLC for the past 11+ years, I like to say we are “building bridges in our brains”, because that is essentially what happens in the gym every day. We realize the value of daily exercise and physical activity, not only as they pertain to health and

Great Community Support

physical fitness, but also as a tools to stimulate the brain in ways which enhance learning and develop- ment! Our kindergarten students are some of the luckiest kids around because they actually get to participate in PE on a daily basis.

The PE program at the ECLC has been designed to suit the unique needs of the kindergarten student. These young learners thrive on routine and consistency, yet are highly motivated by novelty and excitement; hence, the station-to-station format. They work in 2-3 minute stations to accommodate a limited attention span. As mentioned earlier, new and exciting activities are added to the station circuit on a daily basis.

The skills performed at stations are in place to give our kindergarten students practice in developmental movements that they may not be getting in their busy little worlds. They creep and crawl not only because it is physically challenging, but also because learning to coordinate the movement of arms and legs helps to build better communi-cation between the quadrants of the brain associated with learning academic skills.

They spin round and round in a variety of ways. Not only is this a joyful experience, but it helps them to develop balance, focus, and self-regulation skills. They toss, catch, throw, launch, kick, roll, and strike things because these are

Building Bridges In Our Brains!

ECLC Physical Education By Jennifer Tridico

fundamental skills needed in order to play games. They also happen to be skills that develop ocular pursuit and tracking, which are essential in learning to read from left to right across a page.

Through obstacle courses, they learn to move their bodies purposefully, thinking and concentrating on placement of hands, feet, and knees. This enhances their perceptual motor awareness and also helps them to gain control of impulsivity. They even practice a variety of ways to navigate from beginning to end of a ladder on the floor! This is motor planning; the ability to carry out a skilled, non-habitual motor act in the correct sequence from beginning to end. Imagine all of the instances in life where this would come in handy (especially when learning to write)!

Magazine Article, continued from page 4

Applying Ratey’s Ideas

In high school, but increasingly at all grade levels, students are given brain boost time prior to sitting for state standardized tests.

Measuring Progress Our district began tracking data early in the transition and found that disciplinary incidents declined and student attendance approved. Anecdotal evidence also suggested a positive transformation in the overall climate of the schools. Because the PE program provides a wide variety of sports and fitness activities available for all students, no one is teased or ridiculed for a lack of athleticism. Our district and the community as a whole have greatly benefitted from a health and wellness-focused curriculum.

5

was sworn in at the December 7, 2015 Board

Reorganization meeting and will serve a four-

year term. In addition to attending the full

board Committee and Regular meetings, she

serves on the Policy, Transportation & Food

Services and Instructional Student Services

committees.

THS Science lab with cleaned and organized furniture and refinished floor

6

Not shown: Helen Byler, Nancy Clark, Lane Fortney, Linda Lyons, Sue Peterson and Martha Sparks.

We were pleased to honor and recognize the past year’s retirees at our annual Christmas Tea & Employee’s Reception held December 17, 2015. These dedicated support staff, teachers and administrators have a combined 209-1/2 years of service to students and the district!

Titusville Area School Board of Directors January 2016: Seated L-R: Carol J. Shaffer, Lynn J. Cressman,

Jean M. Spence; Standing L-R: Kevin J. O’Neill, Richard E. Skinner, Jr., Ronald G. Lytle, Timothy G. Harger, Jack D. Roberts, Dwight S. Proper.

Recognizing School Board Directors!

January is national School Board of Directors month, and the district recognized our School Directors at the January 11th meeting. Ms. Jez presented a certificate of appreciation and praised members for their devotion to students, our educational system and the community.

She added, “Public education is more than just learning the basic math, science, English and history; it’s a platform for students to reach their potential. It inspires hope for a new generation and a successful future. The Titusville Area Schools exist, in part, because individuals volunteer their time to make informed decisions about the issues facing public schools.

School directors, on average, volunteer 20 hours a month to help run the schools in our community. The directors make difficult decisions for the betterment of our students. They vote on multi-million dollar budgets, hire staff, and select textbooks, review bus schedules and curriculum.

These dedicated volunteers reside in our community. They are our friends, neighbors, community leaders, parents at your school and engaged senior citizens”.

Thanks to the generosity of time, talent and donations by many people, the Hydetown students and faculty are enjoying a new pavilion.

This past fall, students enrolled in the Construction Technology classes at Titusville High School were involved in the design of the pavilion along with the creation of a materials list. The students began building the pavilion on a concrete slab that was put in place by the district maintenance staff with concrete donated by the Hasbrouck family and Titusville Supply Company of Hydetown.

Students continued construction work until the last shingle was nailed in place. The project was made possible through the Hydetown PTG and community donations. The new pavilion will be used as an outdoor classroom allowing students to enjoy and learn in a unique and comfortable setting.

Welcome The Titusville Area

School District welcomes

Mrs. Shaffer

Buildings & Grounds

Summer Projects

Workers from Northwestern Roofing installing insulation and roofing felts on a section of the Middle School

By John Cowan, Director of Buildings & Grounds

Carter Field Bleacher cap replacement

Exterior panels and trim were painted at the Early Childhood Learning Center and new carpeting and vinyl tile flooring were installed in several areas of the High School. Asphalt work was completed in the staff parking lots at Main Street and asphalt repairs were made to the playground area at Hydetown. The Hydetown gymnasium floor was sanded and refinished and the District’s Maintenance staff retrofitted the overhead lighting to LED. The had a productive summer completing several hundred corrective repair work requests at the buildings and completing preventive maintenance work on all of the rooftop air handling and air conditioning units as well as numerous exhaust fans. Several sections of concrete sidewalks were replaced, including sections at Hydetown and Main Street Elementary Schools and the High School. One of the larger in-house projects included the replacement of the bleacher caps on the visitor side at Carter Field. All of this work was completed in addition to the routine maintenance of the grounds of the schools and athletic facilities as well as other standard services. Each of the Buildings and Grounds staff worked diligently throughout this summer in readying all of the District’s grounds and buildings and remains proud of what the facilities offered for the return of the students and staff.

Below are photos of some of these projects:

Hydetown gymnasium floor refinishing

Middle School Roof near completion

The summer months of 2016 were busy and productive for the custodians and maintenance staff of the Titusville Area School District in preparing the buildings for the return of students and staff. Numerous projects were completed by in-house staff and a number of major projects were completed by outside contractors. The custodial staff at each building begins their summer by doing a “spring cleaning” of each classroom. The cleaning process begins working from the ceiling light fixtures to cleaning all desk and table furniture, window and wall cleaning and either refinishing the tile floors or extracting the carpeted surfaces. The custodians take great pride in readying these rooms and they look like new by the start of the school year. The largest project of the summer was the replacement of the roof at the Titusville Middle School. The warranty on the roof had expired 7 years earlier and was in dire need of replacement. The project included the removal of a rubber membrane and gravel and was replaced with a 3-ply fiberglass felt and asphalt roofing system topped off with a flood coat of asphalt with embedded gravel that has a 30 year warranty. This work was completed by Northwestern Roofing Company of Meadville, PA. Many other projects were completed by contractors that enhanced the aesthetics and safety at all of our schools. Epoxy painting of eight (8) restrooms at the High School and the 2 locker rooms at the Middle School was completed. was completed in the staff parking lots at Main Street and asphalt repairs were made to the playground area at Hydetown. The Hydetown gymnasium floor was sanded and refinished and the District’s Maintenance staff retrofitted the overhead lighting to LED. The District’s Maintenance staff had a productive summer completing several hundred corrective repair work requests at the buildings and also did the preventive maintenance work on all of the rooftop air handling and air conditioning units as well as the numerous exhaust fans. Several sections of concrete sidewalks were replaced including sections at Hydetown and Main Street Elementary and the high school. One of the larger in-house projects included the replacement of the bleacher caps on the visitor side at Carter Field. All of this work was completed in addition to the routine maintenance of the grounds of the schools and athletic facilities as well as other standard services. Each of the Buildings and Grounds staff worked diligently throughout this summer in readying all of the district’s grounds and buildings and remains proud of what the facilities offered for the return of the students and staff.

Below are photos of some of these projects: