A brief summary of the topics presented and information shared during discussion is provided below.
Fundraising
Dr. Stoltz shared progress being made to clarify fundraising
requirements for various groups, including school-sponsored student
groups, PTOs, and Booster Groups. Important factors used when
considering each fundraising request include the intended use of funds
raised, frequency, impact on the local community, student involvement,
and use of District facilities. We are continuing to review these
fundraising guidelines and are also assessing the impact facilities
usage costs have on the fundraising efforts of different groups.
Current guidelines for fundraising and the Fundraising Request Form can be found on the website
under the Community section. The intent of these guidelines is to
assist groups in navigating the proper steps for District approval and
ensuring a successful fundraiser.
Activity Fees & Uniforms
As an offshoot of the fundraising discussion, activity fees and
uniforms were discussed briefly. For purposes of clarification,
activity fees are applied to a variety of activities at the middle and
high school level. Activity fees are meant to assist in offsetting the
cost of supporting these programs; they are not intended to be the sole
source of funding for any activity. Once collected, activity fees are
applied generally to all activities. For additional information on
activity fees, click here.
Earlier this year, uniforms were purchased for a number of
athletic programs. The new uniforms replaced old uniforms that were
due, and in some cases overdue, for replacement. For the past several
years the District has had an agreement with Pepsi stipulating the
exclusive sale of Pepsi products in our schools and concession venues.
Funds which were used to purchase the new uniforms were available as a
result of this agreement with Pepsi.
Flexible Instructional Days
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has developed a
pilot program for local districts to seek PDE approval of alternative
methods for delivering instruction when faced with the loss of
instructional days due to severe weather. The District will carefully
consider this option as additional information becomes available from
PDE. The program may be online, offline, or a combination of the two.
If any portion of it relies on internet access, accommodations must be
made for those students and teachers who are unable to access resources
due to a lack of power, technology, and/or connectivity.
Cumberland Perry Area Vocational Technical School (CPAVTS)
The fall edition of District News highlighted
increased enrollment in the programs offered by CPAVTS. Dr. Stoltz
shared additional information including program quotas, determination
of school district costs, availability to earn college credit,
availability of jobs, and the overall quality of programming offered to
our students. This discussion tied nicely with the recent visits by
current eighth grade students to CPAVTS and the District’s Middle
School Career Awareness Fair in November.
Volunteers
There was some discussion and concern about changes in the
handling of volunteers, particularly related to classroom parties. Last
spring, an administrative committee reviewed our requirements for volunteers,
based on concerns expressed by parents at that time. This school year,
individuals who wish to volunteer are required to complete an
application process and obtain State Police clearance prior to being
approved as a volunteer. Dr. Stoltz shared that changes to the law and
requirements for volunteers may result in additional changes to the
District’s procedures in the future. Those changes could include the
stipulation that volunteers obtain the same clearances required by
persons seeking employment with the District. Unfortunately, the
definition of volunteer versus “visitor” has not been defined. As we
move forward, we will seek additional guidance from both PDE and our
solicitor to ensure we are compliant with all laws and regulations;
however, we will make a conscious effort to balance our commitment to
protect students and staff with our desire to promote the involvement
of parents and the community in our schools.
Community members are reminded they can submit ideas for future topics of discussion to any District Voice representative.
Next Meeting: December 10, 2014