The Blue Ridge Education Association, in conjunction with the BR Leo Club, sponsored its annual coat giveaway on November 19 at the Blue Ridge High School. In excess of 262 coats donated and purchased by the faculty and staff of the Blue Ridge School District as well as the American Legion members in both Hallstead and Montrose were distributed to community members in need. Coordinated and advertised by BREA, the giveaway helped to ensure warmth for many in our community during this winter season, once again caring for our children and their families.

After a 7 year absence, the Elk Lake Forensics Team returned to the Villiger Tournament at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia with vengeance.

Elk Lake junior Austin Cohen placed 6th in a field of 109 debaters from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania on November 18-19.

During the 5 preliminary rounds, Cohen compiled a record of 4 wins and 1 loss by defeating debaters from Dominion, Loyola Blakefield, Delbarton, and Pittsburgh Central Catholic. His only loss came to Robert Flatow from Regis High School.

As a result of his preliminary round record, Cohen was seeded 7th, out of 32, in the Double Octa-Final round. In that round, Cohen easily defeated Geffen Hauberman from Hunter College High School in New York and advanced to the Octa-Final Round.

In the Octa-Final Round, he defeated Loullyana Saney from Stuyvesant High School in New York City and advanced to the Quarter-Final Round.

Quarter-Finals was an east meets west Pennsylvania showdown as Cohen met Dwayne Coleman from Pittsburgh Central Catholic. In a split decision, Cohen lost to Coleman and placed 6th overall in the tournament.

“This was a great performance against some of the best debaters on the east coast,” commented EL Forensics Director Keith Brosious.

The team will travel to Wallenpaupack Middle School for a Scranton Catholic Forensics League Tournament on December 3.

In October, two of Mountain View Elementary School’s second grade classes spent the day at JoSan Farm, Susquehanna. Owned by Joe and Sandy Pavelski, JoSan Farm has been hosting school tours for over 20 years. Upon arriving, Joe and Sandy’s granddaughter and Susquehanna County Dairy Maid, Emory Bewley, showed the kids her calf Lily and told them about her experiences with Lily in 4-H. The kids entered the barn and they listened to an explanation about the milking equipment and bulk tank. Four Holstein cows were milked and the kids learned how the milk goes from the cow to the bulk tank and then to store shelves. Joe Pavelski told the kids about the baby calves and one calf was fed a bottle of milk.

Emory Bewley is a first year Dairy Maid with the Susquehanna County Dairy Promotion program. She is an 8-year-old third grader at Mountain View Elementary School and is the daughter of Owen and Cathy Bewley.

After the barn tour, the children ate lunch in the hay mow of the barn. Dairy Maid Emory Bewley spoke about the importance of eating three servings of dairy a day and how milk and milk products keep your body strong. She then shared shaker puddings with all of the children and chaperones.

When lunch was finished, the children enjoyed a hay ride and ice cream sandwiches.

The Mountain View School District will begin its Comprehensive School Planning Process next month. This six-year plan, formerly called the strategic planning, is a continuous process to ensure that all students are achieving at high levels. A committee of parents, teachers, board members, administrators and community members will explore and discuss needs, direction, and priorities for the district based on best practices and data. A framework developed by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills will be used to identify the knowledge, skills, expertise, and literacies students must master to be successful in work and life. It focuses on the mastery of core academic subjects and support systems needed for students to be successful.

High performing districts show evidence of nine common characteristics. These characteristics are: clear and shared focus; high expectations; effective district leadership; high levels of collaboration and communication; aligned curriculum, instruction and assessments; frequent monitoring of teaching and learning; focused professional development; supportive learning environment; and high levels of community and parent involvement. The Comprehensive Planning Committee will work hard to ensure that these characteristics are at the heart of its plan and implementation.

Any local business and/or community member interested in becoming a part of this process, please call Karen Voigt, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, at (570)434-2180, ext. 417. Your representation in this planning is vital.

Mr. Robert Keyes, Principal of Susquehanna Community Elementary School, announces the “Students of the Month” for October 2011 for Kindergarten through Sixth Grade.

Kindergarten, First, Second and Third

Pictured (l-r) above: row 1 - Kyrsten Carroll, Christopher Eger, Jackson Maby; row 2 - Justice Lesser, Brianna Bills, Tatum Norris, Katy Glover; row 3 - Robert Wolf, Jocelyn Wasko, Mackenzie Decker, William Steele, Hayden Butts; row 4 - Emily DeVries, Stephen Murphy, Emily Sheldon, Devyn Benson, Cortney Bennett.

Fourth, Fifth and Sixth

Pictured (l-r) above: row 1 - Jeremy Papocchia, Ryan Koziol, Samantha Fox; row 2 - Marisa Kenny, Jordan King, Paige O’Hara; row 3 - Becca Bushong, Kathryn Meck, Griffin Payne; absent - Airyll Rockwell and Noah Troup.