LOYALTON — The images can speak for themselves, Upper Dauphin Area High School Principal Matthew Schwenk told those gathered at Tuesday’s school board meeting.
“Culture impacts outcomes,” he said.
Schwenk showed videos of UDA High School students in action as part of the school’s Discovery Program. Two examples of the students’ community service efforts showed them collecting and distributing Easter baskets and presenting historical insights at the Elizabethville Founder’s Day. Other images showed accomplished high school graduates.
Schwenk said the high school began its culture-enhancing Discovery Program in January. He described it as a “standard operating procedure for how we interact with other people.”
The program has five components: 1. Academic, for enrichment or intervention; 2. Community service; 3. Discussion seminars about life lessons and character building; 4. Activity clubs; 5. Team-building activities where students frequently participate in the gym to problem solve or complete an objective or obstacle course.
Schwenk said there are about 20 Discovery groups, made up of 18 to 20 students each, and are mixed groups comprised of students in grades 9 to 12. There’s a schoolwide flex period built into the schedule where students can take their Discovery program. “Good News Postcards” are sent home to parents when someone sees their child doing well. Each Discovery group gets points for how many postcards get sent home, and there’s a Derby Cup for the team that garners the most points.
Victoria Koontz, a senior, Vicky Smith, a high school biology teacher, and Eric Fite, a high school English teacher, also addressed the board about their experience with the Discovery Program. Koontz said she’s more considerate toward others and described the Easter basket distribution as one of the highlights of her high school career. She also offered to serve as a student math tutor.
Fite and Smith confirmed that the remedial portion of the program had already shown benefits. Fite said teachers were using a USA test prep system that enabled students to work on their skills anywhere.
“It made a much bigger difference than I would have expected,” Smith said.
Schwenk said although there are many factors that contributed to improved student performance, it appears the Discovery Program has proved to be a positive influence. There’s been an 11 percent reduction in overall discipline referrals from the first semester to the second semester at the high school, Schwenk said. The program takes a proactive approach and fosters resiliency, according to Schwenk. A link to the videos is on the districts website, www.udasd.org.
Directors Roni Mace and Angela Mattern were absent.
In other business, the board announced a negotiating meeting was planned between the board’s negotiating committee and the teachers’ union. A contract for the Upper Dauphin Area Education Association expires next month.
The last contract for the education association ran July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2016, according to Superintendent Evan Williams. That pact was extended for a year through June 30, 2017. An education association representative attended Tuesday’s board meeting but offered no details on the current talks.
The board entered into an executive session to discuss negotiations and personnel.
In other action, the board approved:
• The Nutrition Group to provide cafeteria services, beginning the 2017-18 school year with the option to renew for four additional years.
• Fall coaches for the 2017-18 school year, with Director Kathryn Talhelm voting “no.”
• Support staff substitute starting hourly wages for the 2017-18 school year, with Talhelm abstaining.
• Support staff increases, with Talhelm abstaining and the Rev. Nathan Minnich, director, opposed.
• Switching the positions of the health and physical education teachers. Anthony Weaver, currently serving at the high school, will move to the elementary position while Brian Hoover, currently at the elementary school, will move to the UDA high school, effective July 1. Superintendent Evan Williams said the move was a voluntary one on behalf of the two staff members.
• A request from Fran Eure to retire, effective at the end of the 2016-17 school year.
• A $700 stipend for the archery adviser for the 2017-18 school year.
• Weight room donation, including two 65-inch televisions, sound system and speakers, cable mounts and adapters, and a Trojan Strength sign board.
• Committing any remaining fund balance as follows: 80 percent to capital reserve and 20 percent to Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System reserve.
The next board meeting will be at 7 p.m. June 6.
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