Public Education

Jodi McLaughlin was holding back tears Tuesday as she was describing how teachers, staffers, parents and students would miss Sandra Duffy, who retires this week after 22 years as principal at Rosemont Elementary School. “She always went above and beyond for the students,” said McLaughlin, a kindergarten aide for nine years and former parent of two Rosemont students. “Things were never dull. She made it fun for the students and for everybody.” McLaughlin said Rosemont's long record of being named a West Virginia School of Excellence points to Duffy's years of dedication to the students and her caring, and understanding of everyone connected to the school.

Education tops the agenda at State of the County address The Washington County Commissioners reviewed past accomplishments and reiterated future goals focused on public education and land use at Tuesday's State of the County address. "While we would be very proud of our accomplishments, we should not be complacent," Commissioners President Gregory I. Snook said during his Tuesday morning address at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel on Dual Highway. More than 150 civic and business leaders attended the breakfast event sponsored by Allfirst and hosted by the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce.

As the saying goes, excellence in the classroom begins with excellence in the boardroom. For the past 13 months of service on the board, I have consistently heard the school system compared to a large corporation: The Board of Education is the "Board of Directors" and the Superintendent is the "CEO. " I couldn't disagree more. The superintendent is hired, by the Board of Education, to be the professional education leader. The Board of Education is composed of citizens, elected by citizens, to keep an eye on the public's investment.

Munson should step down To the editor: Seldom does one see such a blatant betrayal of a public trust as that demonstrated by Commissioner John C. Munson. This irresponsible put-down of public schools is intolerable. Every supporter of our public school system and every educator who has given dedicated service to this community should be revolted at such an irrational outburst. Munson has disqualified himself from dealing with issues regarding public education.

The Washington County Retired School Administrators are endorsing and supporting candidates for the Board of Education of Washington County and County Commissioners in the 2006 General Election. As an association, we are committed to quality public education in Washington County. To achieve that goal, we need quality individuals who possess the personal and professional skills to be effective members of a school board that has school system oversight and accompanying responsibility to the citizens of Washington County.

BOONSBORO -- Fourteen years ago, when Jenny Sarnecki moved from Montgomery County, Md., to Boonsboro, she brought her blue recycling bin with her. She filled it with recyclables and set it out at the curb. "Nobody picked it up. I was shocked," Sarnecki said. "A neighbor said, 'No, we don't recycle here.'" Since then, she said, conservation efforts within the community have been lackluster. People who chose to recycle took items to a Dumpster provided through a Washington County program.

Seven Washington County Public Schools - including Bester and E. Russell Hicks - are named for people or families, but at least one board member wants that practice to stop. School board member Karen Harshman raised questions about the practice during an April 2 board meeting. One of her concerns, she said, is a belief that many people, especially over time, don't have any knowledge of the person for whom a school was named. Harshman also questioned how the board can determine that one person is more deserving than others for the honor, and noted that at one time, it appears that if a group raised enough money to be the main contributor for a facility, it could get naming rights.

Letters to the Editor 11/6 Election important to school progress To the editor: The governance of public education involves an important trust placed in boards of education. The system of representative government (our American democracy) is dependent upon the impartiality and independent judgment of public officials. True vision and mission of educating all students well is a requirement for board of education members. The Washington County Board of Education adopted the Code of Ethics of the National School Boards Association which states: As a member of my board of education, I will strive to improve public education, and to that end I will: Attend all regularly scheduled board meetings insofar as possible, and become informed concerning the issues to be considered at those meetings; Endeavor to make policy decisions only after full discussion at publicly held board meetings; Make decisions in terms of the educational welfare of all children in the district; Base decisions on available facts and my independent judgment, refusing to surrender that judgment to individuals or special interest groups; Encourage the free expression of opinion by all board members, and seek systematic communications between the board and students, staff, and all elements of the community; Work cooperatively with other board members to establish effective board policies and to delegate authority for the administration of...

W.Va. lawmakers meet with business leaders By CHUCK MASON / Tri-State Editor MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Eastern Panhandle lawmakers told business leaders Friday morning they will attempt to craft legislation geared toward solving the unique problems growth brings to Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties in West Virginia. They, in turn, were told by the business leaders not to consider tax increases despite the last state budget being balanced with proceeds from a windfall tobacco settlement and liquor money.

Brian Ansel and Kris Pearl thought they were going to spend Tuesday morning observing and helping another teacher work with her students at Bester Elementary School, but the pair was surprised when a group of people walked into the classroom with balloons. Schools Superintendent Clayton Wilcox and officials from the Washington County Public Schools Education Foundation then presented Ansel and Pearl with a large ceremonial check for $1,000. “I was amazed. I was astonished. I was overwhelmed.

There is no secret to the relentless attempts to get public funds to support religious schools. The constitutionality of the use of vouchers is being tested in state courts at the moment with the Indiana Supreme Court upholding vouchers. One notable enthusiast for vouchers is using an atypical defense to support their use. Michael Gerson (published March 2 in The Washington Post), a former speechwriter for George W. Bush and a fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, has borrowed from economic theory what he supposes will bolster the case for vouchers.

Seven Washington County Public Schools - including Bester and E. Russell Hicks - are named for people or families, but at least one board member wants that practice to stop. School board member Karen Harshman raised questions about the practice during an April 2 board meeting. One of her concerns, she said, is a belief that many people, especially over time, don't have any knowledge of the person for whom a school was named. Harshman also questioned how the board can determine that one person is more deserving than others for the honor, and noted that at one time, it appears that if a group raised enough money to be the main contributor for a facility, it could get naming rights.

As a Washington County Board of Education member for almost eight years, Wayne D. Ridenour said he's enjoyed being part of something that's been an integral part of his life - public education. “It's possible for us to continue to give students better and better opportunities, and that's what it's all about,” Ridenour said. Ridenour, who taught history and government for about 30 years at Boonsboro High School before retiring in 2003, filed Jan. 6 to run for a third term on the school board.

Tom Perry has been awarded the National Honor Roll Award from the Izaak Walton League of America for his work on the Big Slackwater Restoration Project along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath. The award is designed to recognize nonmembers (groups or individuals) who have achieved outstanding accomplishments involving conservation, public education, or publicity efforts in keeping with the League's goals. The award was presented by Del. John Overington; Charles Wiles, past IWLA national president; Gary Meade, IWLA national executive board; Pat Crouse, IWLA membership coordinator; and Dawn Merritt, IWLA national communications director.

Jodi McLaughlin was holding back tears Tuesday as she was describing how teachers, staffers, parents and students would miss Sandra Duffy, who retires this week after 22 years as principal at Rosemont Elementary School. “She always went above and beyond for the students,” said McLaughlin, a kindergarten aide for nine years and former parent of two Rosemont students. “Things were never dull. She made it fun for the students and for everybody.” McLaughlin said Rosemont's long record of being named a West Virginia School of Excellence points to Duffy's years of dedication to the students and her caring, and understanding of everyone connected to the school.

Vote Murphy for attorney general in Pa. primary To the editor: As a college student, I am very concerned with the proposed budget cuts that once again face higher education. As a student at Shippensburg University, I have already seen higher tuition rates because of last year's budget proposal by Gov. Corbett. Once again, the governor has targeted higher education in the 2012-13 state budget, decreasing it by 30 percent. Coupled with the previous cuts, it will almost amount to a 50 percent cut in state funding.

A former public schoolteacher has announced her intentions to run for Pennsylvania's 33rd Senate District. Susan Spicka of Shippensburg plans to run for the Senate seat that serves portions of Cumberland, Franklin, Adams and York counties. In a news release, Spicka, 41, said she has been spending time talking to residents from across the four-county district and listening to their concerns as she weighs her first run for political office. With district boundaries changing for 2012, Spicka said she feels there is an opportunity for change and now is the ideal time to run. "There are nearly half a million people in Pennsylvania unable to find work.

Thousands of students descended on the Chambersburg Area Senior High School field house Friday for the first Franklin County Student Career Expo. About 3,200 eighth- and 10th-grade students from Chambersburg, Fannett-Metal, Greencastle, Shalom Christian Academy, Shippensburg, Tuscarora and Waynesboro schools attended the event sponsored by the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce (Franklin County Student Career Expo Committee) and the South Central Tech Prep Consortium. “This is a pilot program.

More than 50 local taxpayers, teachers and education officials came out to the Capitol Theatre on Tuesday night for a showing of the 2010 documentary, “Waiting for Superman.” The 111-minute movie, written and directed by filmmaker Davis Guggenheim, chronicles four families in urban and suburban areas of the United States who fear the public education system is flawed, causing them to seek out exclusive charter schools that boast higher graduation...