Aug 19, 2014 3 min read

JEFFERSON – Jefferson-Morgan School Board voted Monday to approve the district’s participation in “The Future is Mine” leadership program.

The program, sponsored by the nonprofit Consortium for Public Educations, allows students to explore career possibilities and develop leadership skills, Superintendent Donna Furnier said.

The after-school program will be open to all middle and high school students. A teacher in the district will be selected as sponsor and will be paid a stipend funded by the consortium, she said.

The program is aimed at helping students begin finding direction in regard to their career opportunities and understand the real-world relevance of their classroom learning, according to the consortium’s website.

Projects the students work on with other students or as a group help cultivate skills demanded in the workplace, from communications and collaboration, to creativity and critical thinking, it said.

One project the district is considering implementing, Furnier said, is the development of a mentoring program under which high school students would work with middle school students.

In other business, board member Bob Mitchell, chairman of the building and grounds committee, said his committee will be scheduling a meeting with the district architect to discuss building improvements.

The board has been considering renovating the middle-senior high school and asked its architect, Valentour, English, Bodnar and Howell, to prepare a feasibility study on needed improvements.

The board earlier determined the cost of completing a thorough renovation would be more expensive than the district could afford and decided to look at what has to be done to the building and what can be done with the money available.

It was announced that seventh-grade orientation will be held at 9 a.m. Friday in the middle school. The first day of classes for all students is Monday.

The board approved a motion allowing Brandon Robinson, the district’s new assistant principal for preschool through 12th grade, to transfer 52 sick days from his previous employer, Trinity Area School District.

Robinson was hired last month to replace Ronald Gallagher, who in June accepted the position of assistant junior-senior high principal at Carmichaels Area.

The board also approved a motion allowing Catherine Fischer, the new guidance counselor, to transfer 52.5 sick days from her previous employer. Fisher was also hired last month. She replaces Sandy Whetsell, who retired.

The board approved elementary and middle-senior high school sponsors and agreed to post for sponsors for vacancies for National Junior Honor Society, yearbook, student council and the Student Assistant Program team.

The board approved Furnier’s action to accept the resignation of personal care aide Amanda Maskil and to post the position. It voted to hire Ashley Cyr as a personal care aide.

The board approved participation in cross-country competition as a nonsponsoring member of the WPIAL at no cost to the district.