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New program introduced at school

Juniata Elementary partners with Cedar Grove Brethren

Sentinel photo by ERIN THOMPSON
Juniata County School District’s Board of Directors discuss routine business during the board’s Wednesday workshop meeting

MIFFLINTOWN — A program that provides meals to students after school will be introduced at Juniata Elementary School thanks to a partnership with Cedar Grove Brethren in Christ Church.

Juniata County School District Superintendent Gary Dawson told the board of directors during its workshop meeting Wednesday that the church will coordinate a Backpack Blessings program to serve student within the community.

“These backpack programs are becoming an integral part of our schools,” Dawson said. “They serve a large number of families in our community by providing meals for students during off-school hours. I think this is a great program to make sure our students have adequate nutrition when they’re not in school. It makes me really happy to see there are local charities and churches to support this fantastic program.”

Dawson said East Juniata Elementary School already has a comparable program.

Among agenda items that the board plans to vote on during its meeting on Nov. 21 is a request to accept monetary donations to help students cover cafeteria costs.

“We have had a number of people in our community who have been very generous and willing to step up and help students … we are certainly appreciative of those community members who are willing to help those who are perhaps less fortunate than themselves,” Dawson said.

The board will also vote on an agreement with Telelanguage Inc. to provide interpretation services for the school district.

Dawson said the service will be used during the student enrollment process for families who speak limited or no English.

“The number of Spanish-speaking families coming to our district is large,” he said. “I see them on a daily basis.”

The service will cost the district 89 cents per minute for Spanish translations and 99 cents per minute for other languages.

The board will also vote on an agreement with Community and School Based Behavioral Services to provide mental health services at East Juniata Elementary School beginning in February.

Dawson said he hopes that program will eventually be able to expand to other schools in the district.

“These are services that are sorely needed. I think all of our administration would agree with that,” he said. “Providing these mental health services are difficult to come by in rural Pennsylvania.”

The board also is set to approve a four-year lease agreement with Apple Financial Services to lease 250 Macintosh laptop computers that will be used for staff.

In other news, East Juniata High School Principal Wendy Jerrehian announced that East Juniata will hold its fall play at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights. The play will be a comedy/mystery called “Murder can be habit forming.”

The board held an executive session after the meeting to discuss personnel issues and contract negations.

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