From Pizza To PSSA

At the final school board meeting before the first day of classes, Director of Food Service for Pottstown School District, Kim Holsonback, came bearing good news.

“I applied for a food services equipment grant through the Department of Education Nutrition Services,” said Holsonback. “There were over 280 school districts that applied and only 54 were chosen. I am happy to say Pottstown was one of them.”

The $50,000 grant allowed Holsonback to buy equipment that will benefit the students of Pottstown.

“I got to choose a piece of equipment that would bring something different, unusual and unique to the students of Pottstown,” said Holsonback. “What I chose was a pizza oven.”

But the pizza oven that will call Pottstown Middle School its home is not the only prize. There will be a big pizza party on the day it is installed.

“The company I am working with has agreed to supply the decorations and holding cabinets for no cost,” said Holsonback. “They are going to come and do a big promotion one day and will provide pizza for free to the whole school.”

As part of the deal, the pizza will be a healthy multi-grain option and the high school will receive a convection oven.

After the pizza presentation, Pottstown High School Principal Stephen Rodriguez presented his school improvement plan centered on PSSA scores.

“Pottstown High School as a result of not making AYP, which we are very disappointed with, needed to create a school improvement plan,” said Rodriguez. “I think all high schools are going through the pain we are going through because the 11^th grade test is the most difficult test and obviously had the most content. We are not experiencing anything unusual but we are definitely not where we need to be.”

The plan, which was unanimously approved by the board, focused on the April 2010 PSSA scores due to the one year necessary gap.

The plan seeks to improve PSSA scores in reading and math.

In reading, the plan creates a half-credit enrichment course to address specific reading skills in 9^th, 10^th and 11^th grade.

“We are creating an enrichment course to address specific reading skills,” said Rodriguez. “There is a lot of debate on whether to use reading in high schools but at this point our students have demonstrated that need.”

In math, Rodriguez, who claimed “to score poorly in geometry,” said the areas of geometry and data analysis need improvement. To improve, the high school will use a new classroom diagnostic tool this year.

“The state has come up with a new classroom diagnostic tool that allows us to test very specifically to the things that are tested in the PSSA,” said Rodriguez. “We are also going to more heavily utilize the PSSA course that we had and use assessment to drive instruction. All of our tests will reflect the kinds of questions our school receives in PSSA testing.”

The board also authorized Gordon Walker of Public Financial Management to prepare and submit documentation necessary to proceed with a bond closing to secure $15 million dollars from the June 2006 forward borrowing resolution to renovate the district's five elementary schools.

HOW THEY VOTED: (Yes - Authorize)

White

Hylton

Wilson

Harris

Huss

Weand

Hartman

Pargeon

Wausnock

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Absent

No

Absent

Yes