DUBOIS – Schools across the tri county area are welcoming students back next week, we look at safety tips ahead of the school year.
We spoke to DuBois Superintendent Wendy Benton, on how you at home can look out for our local youth.
“We just like to, every year, provide a reminder to everyone out on the roads to exercise extra precautions as many of our young students are eagerly awaiting the start of the school year,“ explained Benton. “To just be extra cautious, slow down, be aware of the school zones, and just watch out for our kiddos.”
The district will welcome back staff on Monday the 19th and students return Wednesday the 21st.
A full look at the Superintendent’s report is below.
We are excited to welcome back teachers and staff on Monday, August 19 and the first day of school for students is Wednesday, August 21.
As always, I would like to remind everyone to please take additional time and safety precautions during your commutes as our drivers will be transporting our students to and from school.
Open House
August 19 5th & 6th Grade Open House – 4:30 – 6:00 PM
Elementary Open House Grades 1-4 – 4:30 -6:00 PM
August 26 7th & 8th Grade Open House – 4:30 – 6:00 PM
September 4th High School Open House for students in grades 9th-12th 4:30 – 6:00 PM
All are welcome and encouraged to attend Open House! This is a great opportunity for students and families to meet our staff, to visit their classrooms and to tour our new building projects!
Summer Food Program
The participation in our free summer food program continued to increase throughout the months of July and August.
As of today, we’ve proudly served 10,055 meals to students! A special thank you to our dedicated food service department for their unwavering commitment to nourishing the children in our community. I’m also thrilled to congratulate our Food Service Department for receiving an exemplary rating of full compliance during an unannounced site audit by the Pennsylvania Department of Food and Nutrition yesterday. The auditor visited multiple locations and followed the food truck throughout the community to observe and evaluate the program. Congratulations on a job well done, and thank you for your hard work this summer!
Thank you: Administration, Custodial, Maintenance & IT Departments and also to our Summer Workers, Staff and Teachers
I would like to thank everyone for all of their hard work over the summer in preparations for the 2024-2025 school year. The creativity, innovation and commitment of our team is unmatched and we are all looking forward to the start of a new school year! Our staff, students and families will experience fresh paint, new furniture and several new enhancements in many of our schools. Thank you to the board for your continued support and to our families for your support of all of our summer instructional programs!
We Care for Kids & the Community
Thank you to We care for Kids for opening the clothing closets at our open houses and orientations to support families in need! We appreciate everyone who contributes to the clothing closets and are fortunate to be able to assist our families. Thank you also for all of the donations of backpacks and school supplies which are also appreciated by our families!
Sports Hall of Fame
While former coach and mathematics instructor, John Wayne has retired from the school district, his commitment to the Sports Hall of Fame continues to remain strong! Mr. Wayne has requested that I extend an invitation to our school community to the Class of 2024 Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at our EJ Mansell Stadium on Friday, August 30th during half time at our football game. The members of the Class of 2024 include:
Dana Bogle
Jason Knarr
Deek Marshall
Josh Mowrey
Michael Robinson
Catherine (Sheffo) Joseph
Tom Sleigh
Kelsey Wilcox
And
Legacy Award Recipient
Dan Kohlhepp
Justice Works
As we look forward to the start of the school year, we look forward to the return of Justice Works in all of our schools to assist families in preventing truancy. While our attendance rates average, 95% throughout the district, we always continue to strive to increase attendance rates. I’ve received communications from Judge Ammerman and attended a meeting with Judge Foradora and District Magistrates Inzana and Bazaylak who all offer overwhelming support of Justice Works supporting students attending school. We are grateful for the continued funding through Children and Youth Family Services to provide this preventative program at no cost to the school district.
New Programs
This year, our professional development will focus on the new science standards—Science, Technology & Engineering, and Environmental Literacy & Sustainability (STEELS)—which guide the study of the natural and human-made world through inquiry, problem-solving, critical thinking, and authentic exploration. We will also emphasize structured literacy, a systematic and explicit approach to teaching oral and written language based on the Science of Reading. Additionally, we’re excited to announce two new courses at the High School designed to enhance career exploration opportunities.
Teachers of Tomorrow taught by Mrs. Puhala is designed to introduce high school students to the field of education, providing an overview of the historical, philosophical, and practical aspects of the profession. Students will explore the foundations of education, gain insights into various teaching methodologies, and engage in practical experiences to develop a foundational understanding of the teaching profession. The course aligns with Pennsylvania State Education Standards to ensure students receive a comprehensive introduction to education.
Aquaponics taught by Mrs. Stringer, a semester-long elective course, introduces students to the principles and practices of aquaponics, an innovative and sustainable farming technique that combines aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (soilless plant cultivation). The course explores the interdisciplinary nature of aquaponics, integrating biology, chemistry, environmental science, STEM and agricultural principles. We are most grateful to be awarded a grant during the 2021-2022 school year that enabled a full-size aquaponics system to be installed here at DAHS for the 2023-2024 school year.
PSU Industry 4.0 Academy
On March 6th, members of the Administration and High School Counselors met with representatives from Penn State DuBois to discuss a potential partnership with the High School. As we approach the new school year, we are proud to announce that four DAHS seniors have been accepted into Penn State DuBois’ Industry 4.0 Academy which features vocational certificates within robotics, automation, artificial intelligence – cybersecurity and additive manufacturing. Last night, I was honored to attend their open house with our students, their families and various community members to learn more about the program and to tour the Idea Lab, the Smart Lab and the Innovation lab. The facilities were remarkable!
Every successful candidate within the program will receive a certificate in each of the following areas: FANUC Robotics, PLC, Additive Manufacturing and AI/Cyber Security. Salary ranges within their certificates range from $50K to $120K though the United States and these certificates are sought out in our local region. Throughout the program, companies will be visiting the classrooms and networking opportunities will be available to our students. PSU is also exploring “pre-apprenticeship” programs which will aid in job placement. Great things are happening at Penn State DuBois and four of our seniors are incredibly fortunate to have this opportunity! We wish Penn State DuBois and our four seniors continued success!
