Staff, students, and members of the community joined together at the Littlestown Area School District (LASD) board meeting on Monday night to celebrate the achievements of district students.
The students addressed the board, reviewing many student activities, events, and sports news. The students spoke fondly of current events at their school and eagerly about upcoming events.
Students also described the Cultural Week being orchestrated by the social studies department, saying all grades and students have come together in an act of cultural diversity and respect to promote interconnectedness throughout the building – from the 150 flags in the social studies wing to the food being served in the cafeteria.
The high school prom will be held May 14th from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. with a theme of “rustic.”
The district also honored the April Students of the Month: Ava Clark (2nd Grade), Kaily Miller (12th grade), Gabriel Eaves (12th Grade), Caden Schachle (5th Grade), and Jacob Duttera (6th Grade). The board said these students display some of the greatest qualities of motivated, successful, academically focused, and community-driven young people in the state.
33 of the district’s students attended the recent Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA) leadership conference and 3 of Littlestown’s own are heading to a leadership conference in Chicago in June.
Graduating senior Nick Lovell, the PA FBLA State President, spoke of his time in the district. “FBLA has been one of the world-class opportunities that being a Littlestown student has provided me and I am confident that it will help many more in the future,” he said.
Lovell helped create the bridge among online, hybrid, and in-person events and fundraising opportunities. Lovell said the district had a bright future ahead of it, and the district congratulated him on a job well done.
The district also honored Heidi Merwede as the Adams County Educator of the Year saying that in her 9 years as an employee of the district, Merwede has exceeded in each of the qualifying areas to be not only an exemplary member of the district but also of the community. The board said Merwede was an advocate for students and a proud example of professionalism and dedication in the field of education.
The board discussed the need for a new building to replace the Maple Ave. Middle School. Response to the plans was overwhelmingly positive from parents and community members as they spoke of accepting a tax increase to support the construction of a new building. Speakers said they hoped the building would provide safety, efficiency, and security for staff and students, and draw new members into the community.
A point of contention was the purchase of a brand new 2023 Chevy 2500 Pickup Truck with a snowplow for a price of $44,000. “Does the county plow our lots or are we responsible for that? Do we not have other equipment that we could fix a snowplow to rather than spend $44,000 on a brand new truck?” asked board member Nikki Kenny.
The board said the truck was already budgeted for and was necessary. The motion carried at a vote of 7-yes, and 2-no.
Featured Image caption: Clark, Miller, Eaves, and Duttera.
The next meeting of the LASD board of directors will be Monday May 9 at 6:00 p.m. at the Littlestown High School.
Hannah Eastham is a freelance journalist and travel writer. Hannah has a strong background in writing with a degree from university in Marketing and Communications with a focus in journalism, and has held staff positions on various publications before swapping to freelance. Now a full time educator and a part time freelancer, Hannah enjoys practicing what she teaches with keeping her writing relevant and current.