Mar 23, 2015 3 min read

MAPLETOWN – Students at Bobtown Elementary School, beginning next school year, will have the opportunity to experience the educational process in a slightly different manner.

The board in August voted to purchase a SMALLab (Situated Multimedia Arts Learning Lab) from SMALLab Learning LLC, at a cost not to exceed $35,000.

The lab provides an interactive learning environment and focuses on a method of instruction in which learning takes place by carrying out a physical activity, rather than by listening to a lecture, administrators said earlier.

The SMALLab provides the interactive environment by employing surround sound speakers, cameras and projectors in a virtual classroom environment.

Elementary Principal Rick Menear told the board Monday the equipment for the lab is expected to arrive early April. However, the lab will not be ready for use by students until next school year, he said.

In addition to constructing the lab, the district will need time to train teachers on its use, Menear said later. The district was able to purchase the lab through several grants.

In other business, the board awarded a contract to Slagle Roofing to replace the roofs over the 1924 and 1939 sections of Mapletown Junior-Senior High School.

The board accepted the company’s low bid of $87,490 to complete the project. The district replaced the roof over the school’s 1963 section in 2009, business manager Pat Sweeney said.

Both Menear and junior-senior high Principal Bart Donley reported on efforts to prepare students for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests, which will begin April 13 and run through the end of the month.

Menear said a “PSSA prep” is being held in the elementary each morning at 7:45 a.m. for students who need the extra help before classes begin for the day.

In the junior-senior high, a “PSSA boot camp” is being offered to students after school, Donley said.

The board accepted the resignations of Billie Jo Huffman, special education director, effective June 19; and Breanne Scears, secondary special education teacher, effective March 23.

Board member Gary Moser commended the two for their loyalty to the district. “They will be difficult to replace,” he said.

The board approved the appointment of George Chory to the position of middle school assistant softball coach at a salary of $1,350.

The board accepted a three-year proposal from the firm Cypher and Cypher to audit the district at a cost of $9,800 for 2015; $10,000 for 2016; and $10,200 for 2017.

The costs to audit the tax collector is an additional $1,200 a year; and to complete the federal single-audit act audit, an additional $2,100 a year.

The Darlene Phillips’ Award of Excellence was presented to the following students for the second grading period: Treslee Weston, first grade; Hailie Pattison, second grade; Morgan Franks, third grade; Alyvia Greene, fourth grade; Max Vanata, fifth grade; and Jadyn Rankin, sixth grade.

The awards also were presented for the third grading period to Toby Sell, first grade; Parker Ponzoo, second grade; Isabella Cunningham, third grade; Emma Switalski, fourth grade; Kaitlyn Kelly, fifth grade; and Jazlynn Spell, sixth grade.