‘Smooth sailing’ as local schools begin new year

Local News

Related Photos

bus.jpg

Discussion

September 2, 2010

By Mary Spicer MEADVILLE TRIBUNE The Meadville Tribune Thu Sep 02, 2010, 07:00 AM EDT

MEADVILLE — It’s unanimous. The 2010-11 school year got off to a roaring start Wednesday in Crawford Central, Conneaut and PENNCREST school districts.

Closed for construction during the 2009-10 school year, Meadville’s East End Elementary School was open for business, giving Crawford Central School District a full complement of six elementary schools.

“I think it went very well,” Superintendent Charlie Heller said Wednesday afternoon. At the helm of Crawford Central since July 1, when he moved up from assistant superintendent following the June 30 retirement of Michael Dolecki, Heller spent Wednesday visiting all the district’s elementary and secondary buildings, speaking to all the principals and many teachers. “I think overall people were very satisfied with the start,” Heller said. “All the kids, from kindergarten through 12th grade, seemed to be excited to be back at school on the first day.”

Wednesday also marked the first opening day as superintendent for Connie Youngblood, who took the PENNCREST School District reins July 1. Youngblood made the move from assistant superintendent for personnel following the June 30 retirement of Richard Borchilo. “I visited the buildings and felt the excitement of the students and staff,” she said of her Wednesday activities. “Everyone I met was ready to be back in school learning exciting things.”

Superintendent Wendy Szallay also reported smooth sailing for Conneaut School District, where central office administrators were on hand in each of the district’s three attendance areas, Conneaut Lake, Conneaut Valley and Linesville.

“It was a wonderful first day,” Szallay said. “I was able to visit all the buildings this morning. Teachers were already teaching, students were happy and smiling and ready to start. I was very pleased.”

“All of our principals reported that this was one of the smoothest opening days in recent memory,” Youngblood said, noting that the countless hours the district’s custodial and maintenance staff spent during the summer to prepare the buildings for the students was clearly evident. “Every building was spotless and inviting,” she said. “Likewise, the teachers designed their classrooms to be friendly and welcoming to the students.”

With furniture and supplies needing to be retrieved from all over the district and put into place at East End, Crawford Central’s employees had an especially busy summer. “Our secretaries and principals and transportation director need to be commended for all their hard work and effort in putting together student schedules and rosters and bus routes,” Heller said. “It was well done. The buildings were in fine shape. The custodians and maintenance did a tremendous job. It looked very good.”

All three superintendents share a common wish for 2010-11. “I’m hopeful that things will continue like they started and we’ll have a very good year,” Heller said. Szallay and Youngblood agree.

Mary Spicer can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at mspicer@meadvilletribune.com.

Text Only

Local News

If Conneaut Lake was home for your ‘love story,’ tell it on Monday
Nancy Aubel remembers the summers she spent at Conneaut Lake in the 1940s and ’50s as if they were yesterday.

February 14, 2012
‘Thug behavior’ lands man in jail; bail $200,000
A Meadville man is in Crawford County jail in lieu of $200,000 bail following a dual arraignment on Pennsylvania State Police and Meadville City Police charges stemming from a string of events that began Sunday between 3 and 4 p.m. in West Mead Township and ended several hours later in Meadville.

February 14, 2012
Community agencies planning Children's Fair for April
As Crawford County child abuse numbers rank among the most disturbing in the state, officials of local courts and agencies are busy finding ways to increase public awareness of child abuse and its prevention.

February 13, 2012
Ice would be nice for upcoming fishing tournaments
The 2012 Conneaut Lake Ice Fishing Tournament is scheduled for Feb. 25, but organizer Jerry Van Tassel isn’t holding his breath when it comes to running the event as planned.

February 13, 2012 1 Photo
Budget, aesthetics a balancing act at Armory
The next time there’s a moment or two to spare for quiet contemplation, pause in the vicinity of the City of Meadville’s picturesque Diamond Park. Let your eyes rest on Parkside Commons, the meticulously refurbished structure at the northeast end of the park that was once known as “the old junior high.” Make a point of focusing on the windows.

February 12, 2012
Former rockers Drywater enjoying glow from album's rebirth
It’s funny how perceptions can differ from one person to the next; how what sparkles in one set of eyes can appear tarnished in another.

February 11, 2012
Edinboro site eyed for retirement homes
About two years after halting expansion plans into the Conneaut Lake area, Meadville-based Wesbury United Methodist Retirement Community now is looking to expand north into Erie County, possibly sometime in 2013.

February 10, 2012
Langley voted in as Meadville City Council's new member
“Pleased” is the word that best describes Bob Langley’s response to the news that he had been selected to fill Meadville City Council’s vacant seat.

February 10, 2012
French Creek conservation group to benefit from environmentalist's talk
When one of the world’s best known environmentalists, the author and activist Bill McKibben, speaks next week at Allegheny College, his audience will likely be putting some money where its heart is — right into French Creek.

February 10, 2012
Vernon Police chief suspects 'human interaction' in Sunday fire
An investigation is continuing into a weekend fire that destroyed a historic structure in Vernon Township, and Vernon police are urging anyone with information to give them a call.

February 10, 2012
More Local News Headlines

A clean-energy plan to use solar energy in eastern Pennsylvania has been met with resistance, even by environmental groups. Do you think solar energy has a future as a valuable energy source in Pennsylvania?

Local News

Search Results

Related Photos

Discussion

‘Smooth sailing’ as local schools begin new year

A clean-energy plan to use solar energy in eastern Pennsylvania has been met with resistance, even by environmental groups. Do you think solar energy has a future as a valuable energy source in Pennsylvania?

Site Map

Contact Us