Photo by Harper Cipro
Welcome to the Bellefonte Area School District!
Dear BASD Community,
It is with great pride and excitement that I welcome you to the Bellefonte Area School District. As Superintendent, I am honored to serve this vibrant and supportive community, united by our shared commitment to educational excellence. Our district’s mission is clear and compelling: To Inspire and Prepare Today’s Learners To Embrace Tomorrow’s Challenges. This mission drives every decision we make and every opportunity we create for our students.
At BASD, we believe collaboration is the cornerstone of success. Working together with families, educators, and community members, we strive to ensure our students reach their highest potential. By fostering partnerships, we create a learning environment where students are challenged academically, supported emotionally, and inspired to grow as future leaders.
We hold ourselves to high expectations for student achievement while nurturing and protecting a caring culture. We want every child to be valued, supported, and encouraged to thrive. We know that when students feel connected and safe, they are more likely to achieve their goals and pursue their dreams.
Fiscal responsibility is a key priority as we look to the future. We are committed to using our resources wisely to ensure sustainable growth and innovative programming. By balancing tradition with forward-thinking practices, we are preparing our students not just for the challenges of tomorrow, but for opportunities that are yet to emerge.
Thank you for your trust and partnership as we work together to make BASD a district where excellence is the standard and every learner is prepared to succeed. I invite you to explore our website, engage with our schools, and join us in shaping a bright future for all.
Sincerely,
Dr. Roy A. Rakszawski
(814) 355-4814, Extension 3005
Objective Performance Standards Goals for 2026-2027:
Data Culture - Promote the use of data-driven practices, empower all educators to collect, analyze, and apply multiple data sources to differentiate instruction, monitor student progress, and ensure a responsive learning environment for every student. This includes expanding the use of common assessments, MTSS processes, and data warehouse tools. Evidence of success includes a District assessment calendar implemented across grade levels, revised Data Team protocols, MTSS meeting cycles at each building, expanded administrator and teacher use of District data warehouse tools, and an annual report to the Board summarizing how data sources informed instructional decisions.
Bullying - Provide a safe school environment to support learning and mental health by implementing recommendations for communicating bullying reporting protocols to parents and expanding the District’s knowledge base of strategies for bullying prevention and response. Evidence of success includes Parent Information sessions, bullying reporting protocols published and distributed to families at every building, administration of the annual Bullying and Safety Survey with results reported to the Board, documented staff learning opportunities on prevention and response strategies, and documented building-level actions taken in response to survey and reporting data.
Comprehensive Plan - Lead the development of the District’s next Comprehensive Plan through a structured engagement process that produces shared priorities and measurable goals, grounded in needs assessment data, pursuant to Pennsylvania Department of Education requirements. Evidence of success includes a seated planning committee representative of students, staff, families, and community partners; a completed needs assessment drawing on District academic and perception data; documented engagement sessions with each constituent group; and a draft plan framework presented to the Board for review within the timeline established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Collaborative Culture - Strengthen a culture of collaboration by expanding shared decision-making structures, increasing leadership visibility in schools, and using perception data to inform actions that ensure that staff, families, and students have meaningful influence on decisions that affect them. Evidence of success includes administration of a staff survey with results reported to the Board and shared with staff; a documented schedule of Superintendent school visits; expanding the Parent Advisory Committee and the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Committee (SuperSAC); and identified actions taken in response to stakeholder input.
Objective Performance Standards Goals for 2025-2026
Superintendent’s Contract (includes Objective Performance Standards Goals for 2024-2025)
BAMS SuperSAC