Schools & Education

by Annette DeFuso The Adams County Library system offers over 100,000 items for our patrons to borrow. With over 300,000 total check-outs of our physical materials just in the last year, we strive to maintain our book, video, and audio collections in good circulating condition. Our most popular items circulate dozens and dozens of times,

Fourteen graduates from Adams County were celebrated by friends, family, and faculty this month as members of Reach Cyber Charter School’s Class of 2023. These students were among the 847 high school seniors who were honored in the unique, STEM-focused online school’s in-person commencement ceremony at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College on June 8.

by Robyn Woods Warmer days are here, and Summer is just around the corner.  With kids and teens counting down the days until the start of summer, I am also preparing for a Summer of fun.  The Adams County Library System is getting ready for SummerQuest and FunFest.  This year’s theme is “All-together Now,” and

230 Gettysburg Area High School (GAHS) seniors and their families filled Warrior Stadium last evening to accept their hard-earned diplomas. The event occurred on a beautiful spring evening and the students’ red gowns shone in the evening sun. Introductory speaker Zack Tipton said the class of 2023 was “strong and remarkable and determined.”  Tipton said

During the last couple of months, several of our collection purchasing staff here at the Adams County Library System have shared how ordering what they order has changed over the last decade. Today, I get to tell you all about the world of Ebooks & E-audiobooks. These looks into our ordering processes and experiences will

by Sara Edmiston Any resident of Adams County who is temporarily or permanently handicapped, elderly, or ill and is unable to physically visit the library is welcome to use our Library by Mail program.  We know that ebooks are not for everyone and are happy to offer Library by Mail to those who cannot visit

After more than a year of planning and construction, the new Biglerville High School (BHS) greenhouse was officially dedicated on Tuesday at the Upper Adams School District campus in a ceremony hosted by Biglerville Mayor Phil Wagner, President of Canner Funds. The event was attended by Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding and other dignitaries,

Gettysburg Area School District Business Manager Belinda Wallen proposed a draft 2023-24 district budget with a zero percent tax increase on Monday evening.  The Board of Directors voted unanimously to move forward with it. Wallen said the district expected to receive revenues of about $69 million, representing a 2.7 percent increase from last year. Expenses

Children of all ages and their family members gathered at the Vida Charter School in Gettysburg on Saturday to celebrate Día del Niño, a traditional annual event celebrating childhood and children, the arrival of spring, the Cinco de Mayo holiday, the coming end of the school year, and a spirit of community and belonging. The

During a feasibility study on Monday, the Conewago Valley school board directed its superintendent and the architectural firm it has contracted with to further explore renovating its schools rather than building a new facility. The district will also look more deeply into an audience member’s suggestion to pursue a modified version of its renovation plan.

by Ryan Huffman When tasked with writing about the latest trends in library technology, my brain often goes to what’s going on in the general tech world. I’m sure many of us have heard about the latest in artificial intelligence, peppered with varying degrees of concern for what the future holds. While pioneers forge ahead

Staring down a projected $1.8 million deficit for next school year, one Upper Adams School Board member predicted “serious trouble” ahead, should the district not increase taxes. Upper Adams School District Business Administrator Shelley Hobbs presented a financial update to the school board Tuesday. Board member Chris Fee was absent. Hobbs anticipates revenue for the

The GASD school board took a small step toward board review of library book purchases at the April 17 meeting. Board member Michele Smyers questioned a routine notification of book purchases for the library and suggested that board members should review such purchases before they are approved. She stated she had reviewed the proposed purchase

Some confusion over the wording of a motion to accept a recent resignation from the Littlestown Area School District Board of Directors resulted in procedural scrambling at Monday’s board meeting to allow enough time for a replacement. A motion was made, seconded, and approved to accept the resignation of board member Nicki Kenny “retroactive” to

The Bermudian Springs school board discussed a possible tax increase and setting up a comprehensive planning committee during two meetings this week. The board held a caucus meeting on Monday followed by a regular board meeting on Tuesday. On Tuesday, business manager Justin Peart offered the board a glimpse at its possible financial future if

The Conewago Valley school board eyed tax increases to cover budget shortfalls during its meeting on Monday evening. After reviewing the district’s finances and projected 2023-24 budget deficit, the board asked business manager Lori Duncan to bring more information about what a tax increase at the allowable index would look like. Duncan said the district

Twenty-six Building Trades students from the Adams County Technical Institute, along with their instructor Dave Snyder, recently enjoyed a morning away from their crafts workshop — only to visit another workshop, this one at the National Preservation Training Center (NPTC) in Frederick, Md. Helen Kachur, an NPTC wood-crafter, explains the intricacies of paint and shellac

Community members expressed concern during a Conewago Valley School District meeting on Monday when district administration said a data point used for enrollment projections was mistakenly calculated. The corrected data is being run, and the district does not anticipate a large shift in projections. The school board held a back-to-back feasibility study and study session

For more than ten years, the Lifelong Learning Academy has offered a free public service for senior citizens with curious minds.  The group meets informally twice a month for lectures and films in the Wellness Café at SpiriTrust just north of Gettysburg on the Old Harrisburg Road. Continuing its series of enlightening presentations, the Lifelong

The Littlestown Area School District Board of DIrectors is looking to fill a temporary board position created by the sudden resignation of Nicki Kenny on March 24. Elected in 2020, Kenny had served only two years out of her four-year term. The board hopes to find a temporary replacement who will fill the vacancy until

by Barbara Buckley Lately, I’ve been thinking a great deal about summer, even as the cold winds have been blowing outside.  Why? Each year, I select the professional presenters who will do their thing, whatever that thing is, at the Harbaugh-Thomas Library during the 10 weeks of SummerQuest. Families stream into the library for the

By Sherrie DeMartino I love sitting down and watching a good movie!  The movie theater would be my first choice of venue.  You can’t beat watching a movie on the big screen with surround sound and a big bag of buttery popcorn!  If you don’t get a chance to go to the theater, movies are

Upper Adams School Board in a 5-3 vote appointed Kay Hollabaugh to the board after Mikel Grimm recently resigned. Grimm left due to “personal conflicts,” effective Feb. 23, Board President Jim Lady said. The board accepted her resignation at its March 7 meeting.  The board had elected Grimm in April 2022 to fill the vacancy

Two parents expressed concerns at Monday evening’s Gettysburg Area School District school board meeting about the lack of administrative policy and action to protect students from hate speech and in-person or cyber-bullying at district schools. Jenine Weaver, who has four children in district schools, said that “hate speech is running rampant,” particularly slurs aimed at

After a month-long debate, Littlestown Area School District’s Board of Directors approved using McGraw Hill’s Reveal Math program for elementary students at their meeting on Monday, with three members voting “no.” Board member Nicki Kenny said she believed more research was needed regarding the success rate of Reveal Math before a decision was made. “I

By Stephanie Trout Spring is on the horizon, bringing with it thoughts of new beginnings. Mother Nature will start to make her grand entrance as flowers push through the dirt, robins sing, and trees blossom. The days will start to get longer, and the temperature will begin to rise. Many people will shake off the

The Conewago Valley school board filled its vacant position on Monday evening following a 7-0 vote. Beth Farnham was sworn in prior to the meeting, pending approval of the school board. Farnham’s term will expire this year. Farnham replaces Tara Bolton, who resigned. Safety and communications Matthew Muller, director of district safety and communications, said

by Robyn Woods When I was a kid, we would get the Scholastic catalog to take home.  This paper catalog had all of the new scholastic books that were available to be ordered.  I would sit at home and circle all the books that I wanted. My mom would then go through the titles and

by Sharon Lentzner During these past three years, we may not have all experienced or taken notice of the many wonderful events happening around us. As president of the Friends of the Littlestown Library, I would like to share one of those events with you.  This year our town celebrated the 11th anniversary of the

The Gettysburg Area School Board has approved a change to its library media policy that will allow parents to specify material that their children may not read. The new policy instructs the school system staff to develop a system that will allow parents to specify books their children shouldn’t have access to. Despite the potentially-contentious

Members of the Conewago Valley school community offered their feedback on possible district upgrades during a community forum on Monday as the school board continues to weigh options for building updates. The district began working with Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates in 2021 to gather data and map possible scenarios. Four options are currently on the

by Sherry Feeser In just a few short weeks, the temperatures will, hopefully,  be increasing, and many of us will be looking for something to do outside.  Several of the libraries in the Adams County Library System will have you covered.  We will be placing StoryWalks outside several library branches. StoryWalks are fun for all

by Mary Lou Berg The Friends of the New Oxford Area Library (NOAL) have been a partof the New Oxford Area Library since September 1982. The NOAL wasthe first Branch of the Adams County Library System (ACLS) to beestablished. Our mission is to provide a helping hand, promote and assist with thedevelopment of our Library.

by Erica Duffy Adams County Public Libraries are a vital part of our community’s learning network. FunFest is our free event that celebrates the kick-off into SummerQuest, the ACLS summer learning program. We encourage children and families to attend FunFest to learn more about SummerQuest. The program provides children the opportunity to experience everything the

The Upper Adams School District School Board on Tuesday approved more than $ 664,000 worth of largely maintenance projects and also gave the green light to sell nearly $100,000 in iPads and laptops for a technology “refresh.” The board unanimously voted to use approximately $664,200 of capital reserve funds for several 2023-2024 projects. Board member

An amended version of Gettysburg Area School District’s policy on library materials and resources was considered by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday evening, moving closer to formal board consideration on March 6. The only change to the policy is the addition of this line:   “The Superintendent or Designee will develop a procedure to

The Conewago Valley school board is looking for a new member following the resignation of a board member on Monday. Tara Bolton, the former representative of Region Two, resigned effective Monday. The board approved Bolton’s resignation during its meeting Monday evening and immediately began discussing the process of finding someone to take her place. According

The Bermudian Springs school board created a curriculum committee during its meeting Tuesday evening following a long debate. The committee will act as another layer between the curriculum council and the broader school board. The board has spent other meetings debating whether to create the committee and what its purpose would be. During Tuesday’s meeting,

By Robert Brown Have you ever wandered into your local library in the hopes of finding books organized by a theme or a topic?  You may not have realized it, but libraries do this all the time with their displays.  When you see a display in the library, know that someone has taken the time

Critical Race Theory (CRT) raised its controversial head at the Monday meeting of the Littlestown Area School District (LASD) Board of Supervisors. At issue is the “Reveal Math” program from textbook publisher McGraw Hill, a proposed elementary math curriculum that includes social-emotional learning (SEL) goals. According to the McGraw Hill website, Reveal Math is designed

The Upper Adams School District (UASD) Board of Directors on Tuesday approved a $155,000 proposal for architects to design and engineer a potential renovation of the girls’ and boys’ locker rooms and team rooms at Biglerville High School. The board also voted to seek bids for the physical process of renovating the locker and team

by Jessica Lagonsky One of the best pieces of my job is selecting books to purchase for the Adams County Library System. I think I can speak for my colleagues when I say there is great joy in connecting the community with a new favorite book or author, as well as making sure the latest

The Upper Adams School District (UASD) received an anonymous bomb threat on a document earlier today. UASD administrators immediately notified police and began dismissing all UASD students and adults from schools and campuses as a precautionary measure. Biglerville Police, in conjunction with Pennsylvania State Police, searched all UASD schools and facilities with the assistance of bomb-sniffing

by Annette DeFuso One of the responsibilities I have as the Technical Services Director is to participate in collection development. More specifically, I select for purchase new adult fiction books in print for the library system. There are thousands of new novels published each year, and it can be challenging to keep up with what’s

By Imari Scarbrough The Conewago Valley school board approved several administrative transfers and new hires during the board meeting Monday. The meeting was also the first for the new middle school principal and the last for the district’s assistant superintendent. Matthew Muller, principal of New Oxford Middle School, provided his final report in that role.

Locker rooms at Biglerville High School that have not seen substantial upgrades since the 1970s could be getting a multi-million-dollar renovation. Upper Adams School Board on Tuesday discussed a potential $2.86 million revamp of boys’ and girls’ locker and team rooms. Oversized locker and team rooms used by middle and high school students need a

by Sara Edmiston It’s one of the library system’s best-kept secrets that should be known by all in the county.  With your library card, you have access to millions of songs (the entire Sony Music catalog) that you can stream for 3-hours daily.  You can also download five songs weekly – and never have to

The Bermudian Springs school board accepted a late holiday gift during the regular board meeting on Tuesday when a church paid for the district’s outstanding food service debt. The topic of the donation initially came up during the board’s caucus meeting on Monday. Justin Peart, the district’s business manager, said Harvest Chapel in Abbottstown offered

Again, this year I have been tasked with writing the first Adams County Library System Gettysburg Times article of the year…. I believe this makes for at least four years running…. Past New Year’s library articles that I have written about included the “5 Best Kept Secrets of the Adams County Library System” and a

by Dorothy Puhl It is my privilege to serve as the current president of the Adams County Library System Board of Trustees. Like many residents of Adams County, I got my first library card as a small child and have enjoyed the library’s materials, programs, and services my whole life. Where else can you borrow

By Jeff Cann, ACLS Finance Director Three months ago, I wrote an article for the Gettysburg Connection explaining where the Adams County Library System funding comes from (https://gettysburgconnection.org/library-funding-101/). Today, I thought I’d give a quick overview of where it goes. The short answer is books, buildings, and people. The library expects to spend $2.8 million

School calendars were the topic of conversation at yesterday’s Littlestown Area School District (LASD) Board meeting. Calendar changes are needed to facilitate the upcoming renovation of the middle and high schools, but the district is also looking at potential long-term modifications. The board voted to adopt a one-year 2023-24 calendar in which the school year

Reference services. Guidance. Support. These are just a few of the terms that come to mind when I think about the relationship between the Gettysburg Library branch and my library, the Trone Memorial Library. As the center of all activity and services for the library system, the Gettysburg location offers the largest collection of resources

At its annual reorganization meeting this evening, the Littlestown Area School District Board of Directors re-elected Dolores Nester as President and Yancy Unger as Vice President. Board members Nicki Kenny and Jeanne Ewen voted against Nester; the vote for Unger was unanimous. The board also finalized the board and committee meeting schedules for 2023, which

At Gettysburg Area School District’ annual reorganization meeting last evening, President Kenneth Hassinger was re-elected as Board President for 2023 and Mike Dickerson was elected Vice President. Both votes were split with 8 members in favor and Amy Beth Hodges voting against. The board agreed to comply with state and federal laws, designated the Gettysburg

Here at the Adams County Library System, we receive regular shipments of books, DVDs, and audiobooks every week.  Some are upcoming releases heading for a release date the following week, but our materials also include endowments and specific order requests from patrons. Primarily, however, the responsibility of ordering materials is shared among a number of

The Gettysburg Area School District School Board voted yesterday evening to resume discussions about the proposed project to replace the HVAC system, roofing, lighting, and other facilities at Lincoln and James Gettys Elementary schools. The board had rejected a motion to move forward with the project in Sept. Board President Kenny Hassinger, along with board

The Conewago Valley school board approved hiring a new principal during the board’s meeting on Monday evening. Joshua Schaffer will begin working as the principal of New Oxford Middle School by Jan. 16, 2023 or once allowed by his previous employer, according to the board agenda. Schaffer will take the place of Matthew Muller, who

After voting down the proposed $33.8 million HVAC system upgrade for James Gettys and Lincoln Elementary schools at its Sept. meeting, the Gettysburg Area School District board of Directors will consider other possibilities for moving forward on the project. Saying that there had been interest expressed by the board in using different procurement methods for

Responding to the increased prevalence of flags (such as the intersex pride flag) being displayed in classrooms, The Bermudian Springs school board spent a long caucus meeting on Monday debating whether to make its existing flag policy stricter. The conversation was continued by members of the public during the board’s meeting on Tuesday. Board member

Written by Abbie James, Gettysburg Library Children’s Assistant  Scavenger hunts. Digging for pirate gold. Some fun childhood memories may have surfaced from reading those words. It turns out that hunting for treasure isn’t only exciting for kids—and I get to do it every time a patron comes into the Children’s Department and requests a book.

By Brandt Ensor, Assistant Executive Director, Adams County Library System In our budget year 2022, the Adams County Library System is scheduled to spend $165,711 on new materials of all types for the six branches of the Adams County Library System. This number also includes e-books and e-audiobooks for our Cloud Library electronic platform. I

It has been a very busy year for the New Oxford Area Friends. When you visit the library you will notice the new furniture. The Friends were instrumental in the acquisition of the new tables and chairs. These new furnishings are both practical and comfortable. They are easy to clean and sanitize and very easy