Bellefonte Area School District

Bellefonte Area School District New Hire Spotlight: BASD welcomes Cindy Rogers to our staff! Cindy is a paraeducator at the Marion-Walker Elementary School. Below is a little questionnaire about her: What is something you are passionate about outside of work? Something I am passionate about outside of work, is a program that is dear to my heart- Clinton County Camp Cadet and the Lacy Day Program. Lacy Day is a special needs camp for Children and Adults with special needs. Who would you choose if you could pick 1 person (living or not living) to have dinner with? My son, Timothy. Timothy was a special needs child that has gone to Heaven and I miss him very much. Using 3 different adjectives, describe yourself in 3 words. Caring, Curious, and Spontaneous. What is the best piece of advice someone has ever given you? When you fail in something in life, it is just a little hiccup. Why did you choose BASD? I have chosen BASD, for the learning support program. Since my son's passing, it has been a void in my life. I love working with children of special needs. We hope that you enjoyed learning a little about Cindy and are excited to have her on our staff!

Attention to the Residents of the Bellefonte Area School District: There is a Board of Directors Vacancy Please click the following link to fill out the application form: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:c06b0ae8-037b-48e7-a78a-fbe4c776ab30 Effective October 3, 2024, a vacancy exists on the nine-member Board of Directors of the Bellefonte Area School District. The Board intends to appoint an individual to fill this vacancy that expires in November 2025. Interested individuals must be at least 18 years of age and must have been a resident of the District for at least one year prior to the date of the appointment. Applications are due by noon on Friday, October 11, 2024. Letter of interest and resume are optional. Candidates will be interviewed on October 15, 2024, at the regular meeting of the Bellefonte Area School District Board of Directors at the Bellefonte Area Middle School. Application packets should be returned to: Mrs. Leslie Elder 318 N Allegheny Street Bellefonte, PA 16823 or by email to lelder@basd.net

On September 20th, Student Council sponsored a Gold Out game for the home football game against Penns Valley. They sold shirts prior to the game and canned at the game. In total, Student Council was able to raise $2,100 for Mini-THON from these activities! That is awesome!

Bellefonte Area School District New Hire Spotlight: BASD welcomes Preston Bradley to our staff! Preston is a paraeducator at the Bellefonte Area Middle School. Below is a little questionnaire about her: What is something you are passionate about outside of work? I would say that I am passionate about a lot of things outside of work! But if I had to narrow it down, I am most passionate about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Self care is important for everyone! Who would you choose if you could pick 1 person (living or not living) to have dinner with? I would have to choose Michael Scott - not to be mistaken for Steve Carell - to have dinner with. Using 3 different adjectives, describe yourself in 3 words. Three words to describe myself would be honest, humorous, and dedicated. What is the best piece of advice someone has ever given you? I've been told by many people to turn hardships into meaningful experiences, as this is how one grows. In other words, turn a negative situation into something positive. Why did you choose BASD? I chose BASD because this is where I went to school and I wanted to give back to the community. Throughout my years at BASD, I crossed paths with many helpful educators and staff that I looked up to and I wanted to be that someone students can count on. ​ We hope that you enjoyed learning a little about Preston and are excited to have her on our staff!

Bellefonte Area School District New Hire Spotlight: BASD welcomes Marielle Fetterolf to our staff! Marielle is the technology education teacher at the Bellefonte Area Middle School. Below is a little questionnaire about her: What is something you are passionate about outside of work? Flower Gardening as well as gardening in general- I hope next year to have a flower stand! Who would you choose if you could pick 1 person (living or not living) to have dinner with? Ruth from the Bible, her story is so interesting I would just love to hear more from her. Using 3 different adjectives, describe yourself in 3 words. Funny, Empathetic, and hardworking What is the best piece of advice someone has ever given you? My husband always says that being flexible is too rigid, you need to be fluid... I think that applies really well working as a teacher. Why did you choose BASD? It had a middle school opening and I love teaching that age group, plus it was close to home and a nice sized district. We hope that you enjoyed learning a little about Marielle and are excited to have her on our staff!

Today is National Custodian Appreciation Day! Thank you to our many custodians for the hard work put in every day to keep our facilities clean. We appreciate you!

It's Worker Wednesday! The Bellefonte Area School District is hiring. Listed below are some of the highlighted positions: 1. School Counselor - Bellefonte Elementary 2. Utility Assistant - Marion-Walker Elementary 3. Custodian, 2nd Shift - BAMS 4. Cafeteria Help at all Building Locations 5. Mechanic - BAHS There are many more listed on our website, which can be viewed here: https://bellefonte.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx Please share with family and friends - a fully employed school district is what our children deserve!

Bellefonte Area School District New Hire Spotlight: BASD welcomes Melanie Schramm to our staff! Melanie is a second grade teacher at the Bellefonte Elementary School. Below is a little questionnaire about her: What is something you are passionate about outside of work? I am passionate about outdoor activities, especially running, skiing, and mountain biking. I love the sense of adventure while also staying healthy and active. Who would you choose if you could pick 1 person (living or not living) to have dinner with? I would love to meet Shel Silverstein, the poet, singer, and cartoonist. He brought light and humor to sensitive topics, drawing attention to things many people often avoid. Zany, creative, and eccentric, he had a unique perspective on the world and wasn't afraid to share it. That fearless authenticity is what I admire most about him. Using 3 different adjectives, describe yourself in 3 words: Driven, outgoing, and energetic What is the best piece of advice someone has ever given you? "Take a book wherever you go." Why did you choose BASD? I chose BASD because it was clear to me that BASD has strong community values and a commitment to student success, two aspects of education that are important to me. Additionally, my fiancé teaches here, and being a part of the same district allows us to support each other professionally while being involved in our community together. I have heard many positive things about BASD and am thrilled to be a part of it. We hope that you enjoyed learning a little about Melanie and are excited to have her on our staff!

The Tides Program provides in-school grief support groups for BASD students who have experienced the death of a loved one. Tides is a local grief support, awareness, and education program that has already run multiple groups for our district, and has a long history of caring for our local community outside of school, as well. We are excited to take advantage of their help and expertise for another year! School groups will start in different school buildings at different points during the year, but if you are interested, please sign your child(ren) up as soon as possible. To request a permission slip, email school social workers (Miss McClatchey mmcclatchey@basd.net and Miss Irwin jirwin@basd.net) and a slip will be sent home for you to sign and return to school. Permission forms have more detailed information that you can review. You can also visit tidesprogram.org to learn more about the organization and programming as a whole.

The Tides Program provides in-school grief support groups for BASD students who have experienced the death of a loved one. Tides is a local grief support, awareness, and education program that has already run multiple groups for our district, and has a long history of caring for our local community outside of school, as well. We are excited to take advantage of their help and expertise for another year! School groups will start in different school buildings at different points during the year, but if you are interested, please sign your child(ren) up as soon as possible. To request a permission slip, email school social workers (Miss McClatchey mmcclatchey@basd.net and Miss Irwin jirwin@basd.net) and a slip will be sent home for you to sign and return to school. Permission forms have more detailed information that you can review. You can also visit tidesprogram.org to learn more about the organization and programming as a whole.

Bellefonte Area High School’s Student Council would like to congratulate Annie Cernuska for earning the ELKS Teen of the Month Award for the month of September! Annie Cernuska is one of the most motivated and hard working students in our school. Annie combines natural talent with a tremendous work ethic to thrive academically. What truly distinguishes Annie, however, is her character. She embodies integrity, humility, and kindness in everything she does. Whether supporting her classmates or mentoring younger athletes, she is consistently generous with her time and talents. Her resilience, strong work ethic, and ability to remain calm under pressure make her an extraordinary young woman, capable of achieving greatness in whatever she sets her mind to.

Good afternoon! It's Homecoming Week! This is what you have to look forward to: -Many of the buildings are participating in Spirit Week. -Thursday, Oct. 3rd, 6:00PM - Homecoming Parade -- downtown Bellefonte > Allegheny and Bishop Streets. -Friday, Oct. 4th, 7:00PM - BAHS Football vs. Philipsburg-Osceola -- Rogers Stadium. -Saturday, Oct. 5th,7:00PM -- HOCO Dance (high school/BAHS students only) Grand Marshals for the Parade: Mr. Steve Klein and Mrs. Jeanne Weaver "Mr. Steve Klein and Mrs. Jeanne Weaver have had an amazing impact on our entire community. They left a lasting impression on the students they taught and aided over the years. Each of them always showed a willingness to make the day memorable for their students at both the secondary and elementary levels. Students often comment on their warm smiles and great conversations whenever they crossed paths with these two caring educators." I hope that you can make some of these events!

Bellefonte Area School District New Hire Spotlight: BASD welcomes Emily Bunk to our staff! Emily is a school counselor at the Bellefonte Area Middle School. Below is a little questionnaire about her: What is something you are passionate about outside of work? I love to sing and spend time with people I love! I also really enjoy hanging out with my cat - Soup. Who would you choose if you could pick 1 person (living or not living) to have dinner with? If I could have dinner with one person, I would pick Kristin Chenoweth. I think it would be so much fun! Using 3 different adjectives, describe yourself in 3 words. Energetic, Outgoing, Loving What is the best piece of advice someone has ever given you? I had an old supervisor who would always tell me "at the end of the day, people will always remember the way you made them feel." It always reminds me to do my best to be kind, think of others' feelings, and treat people with the respect they deserve. Why did you choose BASD? I chose BASD because I wanted to be a part of a community that was similar to the one I grew up in. I love that BASD is on the smaller side while still having plenty of people from different walks of life. We hope that you enjoyed learning a little about Emily and are excited to have her on our staff!

Miss D’Ambrosia came and helped Marion-Walker Elementary first graders with a STEAM lesson focusing on coding. The students had to help Rosie the dog make it to her doghouse without landing in the mud, and picking up some bones along the way.

Bellefonte Area School District New Hire Spotlight: BASD welcomes Emma Lusk to our staff! Emma is an Emotional Support and Gifted Teacher at the Bellefonte Area High School. Below is a little questionnaire about her: What is something you are passionate about outside of work? One thing I am very passionate about outside of work is my Havanese Toy Poodle mix- Pepper. She is an adorable little handful and I love her. Who would you choose if you could pick 1 person (living or not living) to have dinner with? I would love to have dinner with Betty White. Using 3 different adjectives, describe yourself in 3 words. I am empathetic, funny and creative. What is the best piece of advice someone has ever given you? My dad is a retired professor from PSU and has 37 years for teaching experience- the best advice he has given me is “put the student first and the rest will fall into place.” Why did you choose BASD? I am born and raised in State College and I have always loved Bellefonte. The history and supportive community here is important to me, and I knew it was a great place to plant roots and begin my first year of teaching. We hope that you enjoyed learning a little about Emma and are excited to have her on our staff!

Next week is Homecoming Week! This year's Grand Marshals for the parade are Mr. Steve Klein and Dr. Jeanne Weaver. "Mr. Steve Klein and Dr. Jeanne Weaver have had an amazing impact on our entire community. They left a lasting impression on the students they taught and aided over the years. Each of them always showed a willingness to make the day memorable for their students at both the secondary and elementary levels. Students often comment on their warm smiles and great conversations whenever they crossed paths with these two caring educators." The parade is Thursday, October 3rd at 6:00 - we hope to see you in downtown Bellefonte!

Today is Human Resource Professionals Day! Everyone in our Human Resources Department works so hard to help cultivate a positive working environment throughout our district. We appreciate you and are grateful for the work that you give us, every day!

At the Bellefonte Area Middle School, they hosted a virtual author visit with Alan Gratz! Mr. Gratz has written 19 novels for young readers including Refuge, Ground Zero, and Code of Honor. Students listened as he spoke about his inspiration, writing process, and life as an author. Students were able to engage with Mr. Gratz and ask questions at the end.

Bellefonte Area School District New Hire Spotlight: BASD welcomes Brian Burn to our staff! Brian is a special education teacher at the Bellefonte Elementary School. Below is a little questionnaire about him: What is something you are passionate about outside of work? I am a passionate sports and coaching, having coached on a number of school and recreational teams/programs. What I love most about coaching is the relationships and trust that are developed between a coach and a player. I enjoy working with the kids and watching their skills grow over the course of a season, especially between seasons. I have three kids, all in sports. I have had the opportunity to coach all three of my kids at various stages of their childhoods. They are 14, 10 and 7 years of age. Who would you choose if you could pick 1 person (living or not living) to have dinner with? I'd love to sit down and have dinner with my grandfather. He passed away when I was a 12 years old. I'd tell him how much I miss him, how I wish he could have seen me grow up and the family that my wife, Emma, and I have together. Using 3 different adjectives, describe yourself in 3 words: Empathetic, Funny, Patient What is the best piece of advice someone has ever given you? My grandmother said "Don't bite the hand that feeds you". It took me a while to figure out what she meant but as I got older I realized, it means to respect, be thankful and appreciative to the people who have helped you along the way. Why did you choose BASD? I student taught for BASD while I attended PSU. I fell in love with the students and people in the district. They were all very welcoming, professional and passionate. I knew from the very beginning that this is a district that I wanted to be a part of. We hope that you enjoyed learning a little about Brian and are excited to have him on our staff!

For your Calendars: Would you like your opinion heard? The BASD Board of School Directors will be holding a public hearing to receive and consider comments from the public on the issue/question as to whether one or more of the District’s elementary schools should be permanently closed and/or explore other options. This will be held at the Bellefonte Area Middle School on Thursday, September 26th at 7:00PM. Please see the message below for the formal statement provided by the Board of School Directors: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Bellefonte Area School District Board of School Directors will be holding a public hearing pursuant to Section 780 of the Public-School Code of 1949, as amended, to present information as well as to receive and consider comments from the public on the issue/question as to whether one or more of the District’s elementary schools should be permanently closed and/or explore other options. The hearing shall be held in the Cafeteria at the Bellefonte Area Middle School, 100 North School Street, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania 16823 on Thursday, September 26, 2024, at 7 p.m. Any questions, please contact Dr. Roy Rakszawski, Superintendent.