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District issues follow-up on EMS incident
By GARY P. KLINGER
Ephrata Review
Published: May 07, 2008 10:42 AM EST
EPHRATA - Several weeks after an incident involving Ephrata Middle School students,
an Ephrata resident inquired for further information at the Monday night
Ephrata School Board meeting.
Brian Hoffman of Ephrata was one of
three people from the community to attend the meeting.
He asked the
board for an update on the situation. Board President, Robert Miller
declined further comment, saying that the position of the school board was
to neither confirm nor deny any of the rumors or innuendo that had been
floating around the community. He explained that this was at the strict
advice of the district's solicitor.
Assistant Superintendent Ken
Porter added that it was not that the district didn't want to release more
information but that they couldn't for reasons of confidentiality to
protect students and the teacher.
"Legally, we just cannot say much
at all; in addition, we cannot say much until an investigation has been
completed," Porter said. "Unfortunately we are in a position where the
kids are free to go home and state immediately their version of events
while we just simply cannot."
Pressed by Hoffman about the fate of
the teacher, Superintendent Gerald Rosati said that it was a personnel
issue and that the district does not discuss personnel issues in public
meetings. He did say, however, that the teacher was in the classroom but
not aware of the situation until after class.
Hoffman said the
community knows more through word of mouth than from communication from
the district and accused the district of only having communicated the
event once news of this hit the press.
Rosati said that was false,
stating that the district was the one that contacted the press on the
incident with the submission of a press release. In addition, the district
took the initiative to contact and speak with the parents of each of the
students in the classroom during the incident.
"The press didn't
come after us; we released first. We also spoke with every parent of the
class in question. Again, it was the district took that action
proactively," said Rosati.
District spokesperson, Stephanie
Gingrich, noted that in additional contacts with the parents and with the
press it was made clear that the incident "was non-violent, that it did
not involve weapons or drugs of any kind, that the incident was mutually
consensual and that the teacher was not involved in the
incident."
Gingrich added that she hoped "the community would
understand and appreciate the district's concern over the privacy of the
students and the teacher. I mean what if this were one of our own kids?"
She noted that as a result of the incident an investigation had been
launched and changes were being made to hopefully prevent a similar
incident in the future. She said that first and foremost the district had
done all it possibly could to communicate with the parents of those
students in the classroom. And, she explained that in all cases the
district works very hard to keep open the lines of communication between
parents and the community and the district. "We are always open to phone
calls or emails anytime anyone has a concern."
***
In other
business, the Personnel Committee submitted a list of several personnel
changes to the board. Included in the list were one retirement, two
resignations and a number of transfers. Assistant to the Superintendent
for Elementary Education Kim Schlemmer explained to the board that most of
the transfers were from the various elementary schools to the new
Intermediate 5/6 building which will open for classes in the fall. The
complete list of personnel changes will be voted upon at the next Meeting
of the Whole on May 12.
The board also discussed the creation of a
new "Classrooms for the Future" coach position for the 2008-2009 school
year. Creation and board approval of this position would be required in
order to qualify for a Classrooms for the Future grant through the state.
This coach would receive extensive technology integration training and
would in turn be responsible as a trainer and resource person to other
teachers. The person filling this position would work with teachers to
assure integration of the latest technology into the classroom. Dr. Rosati
noted that he intended to place an in-house person who is already very
immersed in technology plus perhaps another person in the district so that
we don't have just one person with this training in the district. The
salary of $30,000 for this position would be covered in the grant, which
is expected to be for $432,302. Teachers included in the program would
also undergo training with the coach being there to assist the teachers in
full implementation. The grant and the coach would provide help with use in
such things as the SMART board, teacher training and staff development. The
grant is for a 2-3 year period; however it would only provide funding for
the person in this position for the first year.
It was noted that
the position needs to be created and approved in order to qualify for
grant money but that the ideal candidate would only be placed if the grant
is received. The intention of the grant is to help the district move into
the standards of the curriculum.
Mrs. Schlemmer noted that this is
not for the entertainment of the students. "The use of the active boards
has really significantly increased the degree to which the students are
becoming engaged in the educational process." She added that the state is
looking for the district to make a significant commitment to this program
in order to award grant funds.
Dr. Rosati discussed the future of
both primary and secondary staffing.
"Five years down the road we
may need to look at staff reduction," said Rosati. "Hopefully through
retirement and attrition and consolidation this won't be necessary but
just with the increases in utilities and fuel oil alone it may need to
become a budgetary reality. We are working hard to stay below our budget
and operate as cost effectively for the tax payers, yet not compromise
educational standards. The redesign of the 5/6 model gave us some really
great opportunities to take things apart and to tighten the ship through
shared staffing, facilities and the like. We would like to explore other
similar opportunites."
Robert Miller asked Rosati about projected
increases in the population. Rosati expressed confidence that the district
will still see those increases but perhaps not as fast as projected under
the current housing, credit and economic situation.
***
A
proposed change to the manner in which school physicals are now
administered was also discussed. Currently sports physicals are offered
two different times throughout the year.
The district is looking at
having only one round of physicals, to be held during the summer over the
course of a few days. In the past some kids would need to wait for
physicals in order to start sports. As proposed, physicals would now be
held in June and cost students $5.
PIAA would require
recertification for later sports, such as basketball. The June physical
would fit for football. Recertification would amount to a parent signing a
form indicating that no injuries or changes to the student's physical
condition had taken place since the June physical in order to play
basketball. According to Rosati, athletics director Tommy Long will also
get a lot of information out to the parents.
The next meeting
of the Ephrata Area School Board will be a meeting of the whole and will be
held at 7:30 on May 12 at the Highland Elementary School.
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