Littlestown Area School District is beginning a new year with a new quarter and a move into a newly constructed Middle School/High School. Despite a late start due to below-zero temperatures, LASD high school students moved into the classrooms, culminating a two-day process in which staff prepared for the day.
“The commitment of our staff is second to none,” Superintendent Tim Mitzel said at Monday’s board meeting. “Many teachers came in Friday and Saturday. They really came through. Everyone did a great job.”

Maintenance and custodial workers came in following the snowstorm on Sunday, Mitzel said. They worked from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. to clear parking lots and sidewalks so teachers could begin to move classrooms on Tuesday, many of them coming in during the two-hour delay.
The move hailed the completion of Phase 1 of the 57-plus million-dollar project, which will re-design the high school into a multi-level building and move middle school students out of a nearly 100-year-old building. Phase II will be completed by the end of June, with the 26-month project estimated to be finished by November 21.
The board discussed calendar options for next year at committee and work sessions. They considered scenarios that could allow the middle school students to move into their new building in mid-February 2026. At the conclusion of the board meeting, however, the board voted for a calendar that would not include a move but leave open the option if it looked viable by December 2025.
During the work session on Jan 13, board members discussed whether a move in February would benefit the students. Dr. Mitzel explained that the move would have to be in February so it would not interfere with the state-mandated tests that begin in March. He also commented on the heat that plagued the old middle school building, sometimes causing the need to move students to cooler locations.
“I understand that it is hot,” said Board Chair Carl Thomspon, but added that there would only be an additional 54 days left in the school year after the proposed February move date. “So for 54 days, we’re going to disrupt students.” He said switching them over at the end of the year would make more sense.
“Generations of students have been through that middle school,” said Board Member Brian Lawyer. “I don’t think those 54 days are enough to move a whole school during the middle of a school year.”
“From my perspective,” Mizel said, “we have a really great new school for our kids and we spent an awful lot of money to build this school for our students, and I am looking at ways to make sure our kids can get that as soon as possible.” He said the board could consider letting the construction process dictate what happens, which could be re-visited on December 19.
The other changes to the school calendar that were approved included a start date on Aug. 20, instead of Aug. 21, to facilitate a day off the first Monday after Thanksgiving.
During public comment, Littlestown resident Susanne Johnson asked why the decision had been made to push the start date back from Thursday, August 21, to Wednesday, August 20, saying it would decrease the time teachers would have to get ready for the school year.
Board Member Brian Lawyer, a LASD teacher, said he would like to see teachers get another day. “The first couple of days are a rush. Another day would be fantastic.”
Board Member Janelle Ressler thanked Mitzel for the change. During a 45-minute discussion concerning the proposed calendar at the Jan. 7 Curriculum, Co-curriculum, and Planning meeting, Ressler said she would like to see the next school year start one day earlier.
“I would like to look at us bringing back the Monday after Thanksgiving when rifle season starts.” She was referring to the state laws that allow firearm hunting to begin on December 1. She said that LASD was the only district in Adams and York Counties that did not get that day off this year.
In addition, Ressler said she would like to see two traditional snow days reinstated into the school calendar by adding two days onto the calendar at another time that could then be used for make-up.
Currently, students often spend snow days doing mandated work as part of the district’s asynchronous flexible instruction days (FID). “FID days prevent students from being able to go outside and play,” she said.
Committee Chair Nick Lovell said, “I think we’re going to get just as many complaints when we have to make up a day. I think that people are going to be in an uproar.” The committee then discussed whether teachers would also have a free day, but Mitzel suggested they could be given a day of preparation and planning instead and asked to provide evidence of work if requested.
Mitzel later said that designing a school year calendar can be challenging. “It’s very difficult to put together a calendar everyone likes,” he said, adding that the Monday after Thanksgiving often had very low attendance rates for students in 2024.
As he reflected on his 111 days as the LASD Superintendent, Mitzel thanked the board, teachers, and community for supporting him as he works toward increasing literacy skills and mathematical thinking and improving student attendance, enhancing communication with students, supporting the recruitment, retention, and development of quality staff, and keeping students and staff safe while enhancing citizenship.
“We are the only district in south-central Pennsylvania that provides an opportunity for teachers to earn their master’s Degree by partnering with Wilson College.” Nine district teachers are currently enrolled in the program, taught by LASD teacher leaders using LASD resources, under the direction of Assistant Superintendent Judith Berryman. The three-year, 33-credit program is voluntary, but teachers are contracted to remain within the district for at least two years after completing their coursework.
“The ability to provide this opportunity with no out-of-pocket costs to new teachers immediately makes LASD attractive to recent college graduates,” Mitzel said.
In other board business, the board approved a bequest from the estate of Verda Schue-Hockensmith to create a scholarship in her memory. Funds will be transferred to the Thunderbolt Foundation to create the scholarship through the Adams County Community Foundation. The amount represents 36 percent of the estate.
Featured Image Caption: A new science lab welcomed LASD high school students on Wednesday as one of many new improvements added under Phase 1 of the new middle school/high school building.
Judith Cameron Seniura is a freelance reporter. She began her journalism career in the early ‘70s and has written for newspapers, magazines, and other media in Ontario, Canada, Alaska, Michigan, Nebraska, San Antonio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
To give students & teachers off the Monday after Thanksgiving, a school closing in March was removed. (This is to maintain the contracted 186 days for teachers.) The Thanksgiving Break change had no impact to the start of the school year. The teachers were already scheduled to work the entire 3rd week of August. The discussion was whether the students would start on Wed or Thur that week, which has no impact on the contracted 186 teacher days. Some school board members prefered students starting on Wed instead of Thur, which means teachers and staff have 2 instead of 3… Read more »
Thank you, Susanne.