Pottsgrove, OJR Pressing Superintendent Searches

OJR Superintendent Susan Lloyd

Two local school districts are moving forward in their search for new superintendents.

Both Owen J. Roberts Superintendent Susan Lloyd and Pottsgrove Superintendent William Shirk have announced they intend to retire in June at the end of the school year.

In November, the Owen J. Roberts School Board hired the Chester County Intermediate Unit to conduct its search for a replacement for Lloyd.

Friday, it invited the public to participate in a focus group meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 13, to develop a candidate profile.

Across the river, the Pottsgrove School District has announced the hiring of the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit to hire a replacement for Shirk and have set Jan. 29 as the deadline for applicants to apply.

Initial interviews for the Pottsgrove post will take place Feb. 15 through 18, with finalist interviews beginning in March. No process for public participation has yet been announced in Pottsgrove.

The OJR position is being advertised locally and nationally. Deadline for submission of applications is Jan. 15. The first round of interviews is scheduled to begin in early February.

Pottsgrove Superintendent William Shirk

The OJR focus group will be held on Jan. 13 from 7 to 8 p.m. via Zoom. All interested members of the community are invited to attend.

To assist with the planning of the focus group, attendees are asked to register in advance at www.cciu.org/ojr-focus-group.

Upon registering, attendees will receive a confirmation email containing instructions for joining on Jan. 13.

"The perceptions, experiences and recommendations of focus group participants will be utilized to develop a candidate profile and interview questions for the next OJRSD superintendent," according to a release issued by the CCIU.

"Focus group sessions are being conducted with all district stakeholders, including parents, staff, high school students and the community at large. Parents and staff have been invited to attend focus groups via the district’s email notification system. Students will be notified by their principal," the release said.

At the focus groups, participants will be asked to identify the following:
The qualities of a superior school leader;
The strengths and skills essential for Owen J. Roberts’s next superintendent to demonstrate;
The key issues facing the district in the next five years; and,
The obstacles to student achievement and strategies to overcome those obstacles.

Tompkins Bank Donation to Aid Outdoor Education

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust

Tompkins VIST Bank in Boyertown has contributed $5000 to the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust to expand outdoor classroom through PA DCED’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC).

The COVID-19 global pandemic has wreaked havoc on all of our lives, but perhaps most profoundly, our children’s education. Kids are stuck at home, isolated from friends and their ‘normal’ daily routines.  

Addressing this seemingly impossible crisis – the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust, with the generous support of key businesses like Tompkins VIST Bank, is joining a national movement to respond and offer an antidote: outdoor classrooms. 

Together with strong, established allies who bring more than 155 years of experience to outdoor recreation and education, equity and service to underserved and disadvantaged students, the Colebrookdale Railroad is expanding their core curriculum and educational outreach to meet the needs of the community. 

Contributions like this from Tompkins VIST Bank will enable the CRPT to respond more quickly to preparing and building out the site to serve more children at this hour of need.

“I am so proud to be a member of the VIST team that is so supportive of our community. This was very important to me as I love the town and the people. We are so pleased to support the [Trust] and the Boyertown School students from where my children and grandchildren have graduated,” said Lori Carnes, Assistant Vice President, Boyertown Branch Manager, Tompkins VIST Bank.

The Children’s Education Grove will be accessible by rail bikes – allowing teachers, parents, and students to safely distance even when traveling to the outdoor classroom space. “Rails of Revolution” is the state-aligned and approved curriculum addressing core standards in history, math, science, engineering, technology, arts, culture, literature, and languages.

The following conditions are threatened by COVID-19 and can be addressed by using outdoor spaces:

• Equity. This health crisis is exacerbating existing inequalities across America. There are vast disparities in students’ access to online learning, adequate food, stable housing, medical care, and access to nature.
• Learning. Despite best efforts by school districts to provide distance learning, students are experiencing significant academic disruptions and loss.
• Mental Health. This crisis is causing substantial adverse experiences for children and adults. Students will return to school with a mental health burden caused by social isolation, uncertainty, trauma, and stress.
• Physical Health. Most children and youth are spending their time indoors on electronic devices. It is likely that many will return to school at a reduced fitness level. Some may also have suffered from COVID-19.
• Economic Health. Our country’s economic strength and security are threatened when much of the workforce stays home and businesses close. Many school and childcare programs that allow parents to return to work are closed.
• Education Workforce. The non-formal education sector is facing large scale job loss. If these skilled, professional outdoor educators, naturalists, and museum staff leave the field, schools will lose vital academic program partners.”

Challenger Center Bringing STEM Ed to Pottstown

Image of the Challenger Learning Center at Scobee Education Center, San Antonio College. Courtesy of Challenger Center.

Blogger's Note: The following was submitted by Montgomery County Community College.

Challenger Center, a nonprofit science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education organization and Montgomery County Community College are teaming up to bring a Challenger Learning Center to the College’s Pottstown Campus, the only one in Pennsylvania. 

Challenger Learning Center at Montgomery County Community College will be the first Challenger Learning Center in Pennsylvania. The center will bolster the state’s ongoing STEM education initiatives by providing hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for thousands of students each year.

“We are delighted to announce this collaboration with Challenger Center to offer these valuable STEM educational resources,” said Dr. Victoria L. Bastecki-Perez, MCCC President. 

“As the communities’ college, MCCC truly serves the educational needs of students at all ages and stages through innovative, meaningful learning experiences," she said. "The Challenger Learning Center will not only introduce students to STEM, but it also will inspire them to pursue higher education, hopefully in STEM fields, that will lead them to high-demand careers with family-sustainable wages. This workforce pipeline will help Montgomery County and the region during this time of economic recovery.”

One of the many goals for Challenger Learning Center at Montgomery County Community College is to serve students in traditionally underserved populations and increase their interest in STEM. 

In its first year of operation, Challenger Learning Center at Montgomery County Community College hopes to serve approximately 7,000 students in grades five through eight, with at least 50 percent of students from underrepresented and underserved student populations.

The new Challenger Learning Center will join a network of Challenger Learning Centers that have reached more than 5.5 million children around the world. Challenger Learning Centers offer a variety of hands-on STEM programs, with the core being its simulated space-themed missions that take place in a fully immersive Space Station and Mission Control. Aligned with national education standards and informed by real science data, these Missions excite students about STEM, introduce students to careers in these fields, and help students build critical 21st century skills.

“We are thrilled to welcome Montgomery County Community College to the Challenger Center network and look forward to serving the students, teachers, and parents in the surrounding communities,” said Lance Bush, president and CEO, Challenger Center. 

“For nearly 35 years, we’ve delivered experiential STEM programs that help students explore the endless possibilities in STEM. Together with Montgomery County Community College, we will continue this mission and create a passion for learning in Montgomery County students,” Bush said.

Expected to open in Fall 2021 inside Montgomery County Community College’s Sustainability and Innovation Hub building, Challenger Learning Center at Montgomery County Community College will be a hub of STEM-learning in the region. Beyond Challenger Center Missions, the facility will host summer camp programs, elementary school programs, professional development, teacher training, corporate missions, and more.

About Challenger Center

As a leader in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, Challenger Center provides more than 250,000 students annually with experiential education programs that engage students in hands-on learning opportunities. These programs, delivered in Challenger Learning Centers and classrooms, strengthen knowledge in STEM subjects and inspire students to pursue careers in these important fields. Challenger Center was created by the Challenger families to honor the crew of shuttle flight STS-51-L. For more information about Challenger Center, please visit www.challenger.org or connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Limerick Eyes Leasing, Not Owning, Vehicles

Image from screenshot

Kara Shuler, third from right, was elected Chairwoman of the Limerick Board of Commissioners Monday night. Michael McCloskey, second from left, was elected Vice Chairman.

Lease or own?

A question asked by many looking for a new vehicle is now being asked by the Limerick Board of Supervisors.

During Monday night's reorganization meeting, during which Kara Shuler was elected as the new board chairwoman and Michael McCloskey elected vice chairman, the matter was brought up for discussion.

Assistant Township Manager Beth DiPrete said the township has been in discussions with Enterprise, the rental car company, about leasing police and township vehicles instead of buying them.

She said the police would still get to choose their vehicle, but that Enterprise could get is cheaper and resell it for more money because of its access to a larger resale market.

"I think we can definitely save money in the long-term," said DiPrete.

Over the course of 10 years, if could save the township as much as a half-million-dollars DiPrete said she was told by the Enterprise representative.

She assured some doubtful supervisors this was true, even with the holes and other damage imposed by the mounting of police equipment like lights, radios and other equipment.

At least two township supervisors expressed their doubts.

McCloskey said the information provided by Enterprise "doesn't pass the smell test."

He said he knows the Piazza family, which owns four dealerships in the township, "and I don't know Enterprise."

The township, McCloskey said, should "support local businesses."

Supervisor Ken Sperring Jr., who owns Limerick Collision Center, said he wanted to hear that estimate and those assurances in person at a public meeting "so we can get it on the record. It sounds too good to be true."

DiPrete said she can arrange for an Enterprise representative to give a presentation at the next supervisors' meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday, June 19.

Click here to see the Tweets from the meeting.

Online Fundraiser for Steel River Playhouse Friday

Blogger's Note: The following was submitted by Steel River Playhouse.

There is a tradition at Steel River Playhouse of kicking off the year with the N Crowd, Philadelphia’s hilarious improvisational comedy troupe. 

Although the playhouse can’t welcome everyone in person this year the show will go on – online to be exact!

On Friday, Jan. 8, at 8 pm, Steel River will be hosting the annual show online via Twitch. The N Crowd is generously donating all proceeds from this show (Ticket sales + PayPal donations) directly to Steel River Playhouse, so you get a great night of comedy all for a good cause. 

Not a Twitch user? No problem, There are several other ways to watch – just go to the Steel River Playhouse Facebook page or directly to https://www.facebook.com/events/2913901755509726/ for all the viewing options. 

Tickets are free, although a donation of $5 is suggested and of course additional donations will be appreciated.

That’s not the only thing happening at Steel River Playhouse this week. 

On Thursday Steel River will be part of a livestream of Porchcast Pottstown with Matt Green and Amy Wolf. 

In addition to discussing the upcoming N Crowd fundraiser special guests from Steel River and announcements on virtual classes coming up in 2021 will be featured. 

You can find Porchcast Pottstown at the Porchcast Pottstown Facebook page or click directly to https://www.facebook.com/events/1103025750217321

The staff of Steel River Playhouse is looking forward to a great year – let’s get it started with laughter and
fun.