‘A true Indian,’ Juniata’s Hart retires from teaching
Her career spanned 34 years
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MIFFLINTOWN -- For much of her life, Kim Klingensmith Hart has been a true Juniata Indian.
The Juniata County native has graduated from Juniata High School in 1986. She returned to teach in the Juniata County School District for 34 years - 28 of those at Mountain View Elementary School, one at Juniata Elementary School and the last five at Tuscarora Junior High School - and coached Juniata High School track and field for 32 years.
Hart, the daughter of legendary Juniata head football coach Gary Klingensmith, retired from the coaching ranks a few years ago.
Now, she has decided to retire from teaching as well, effective Jan. 23, 2024. The Juniata County School District Board of Directors approved Hart's retirement at their regular monthly meeting at the Administration Building on Thursday night.
In other news, the school board approved:
· The 2024-25 school year calendar, with the first day of school being Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, and the last day of school being Friday, May 23, 2025.
· A donation of $4,000 from a local business to offset delinquent meal accounts.
· A facility-use request from Al Ream for the Juniata Boys Basketball Booster Club to use Juniata High School, Tuscarora Junior High and Juniata Elementary School for a tournament on Feb. 17, 2024.
· The following extracurricular positions for the 2023-24 school year: Mamie Magill, musical co-director at Juniata High School; Bradley Eargle, May Day advisor at Juniata High School; and Logan Aurand, tennis coach at Juniata High School.
Field trips
The school board approved the following field trips:
· Six East Juniata High School band members to district band, Flinton, on Jan. 11-13, 2024.
· East Juniata and Juniata high school freshmen, "Closer Look" tours, Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology, Lewistown, Jan. 25, 2024.
· Four Juniata High School choral students, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 4 choir, Selinsgrove, Jan. 25-27, 2024.
· Tuscarora Junior High School student, community-based instruction, Weis Markets, Mifflintown, Jan. 30, 2024.
· Three to five East Juniata High School students, Poetry Out Loud competition, Newport, Jan. 31, 2024.
· Nine Juniata High School band members, regional band rehearsal, Lewistown, Feb. 1, 2024.
· 24 Juniata Elementary School fifth-graders, JA BizTown program, York, Feb. 5, 2024.
· 13 Juniata and East Juniata high school students, community-based instruction, Abundant Blessings, Mifflintown; Sal's OIP, McAlisterville, Feb. 15, 2024.
· Eight East Juniata High School career and consumer science students, Husky Dog Pound Competition, Bloomsburg University, March 21, 2024.
· Tuscarora Math, Science, Engineering and Technology (STEM) Group, Autobahn Indoor Speedway STEM Academy, PA Autobahn Indoor Kart facility, Lemoyne, March 22, 2024.
· Juniata and East Juniata elementary schools safety patrols, Zembo Shrine Circus, Harrisburg, March 22, 2024.*
· Tuscarora Junior High School Conservation Club, trout release, Port Royal Lions Club Park, May 17, 2024.
*Indicates trips for which transportation is not funded by the district.
Personnel
The school board approved the following personnel matters:
· Hiring of bus drivers Travis Hartzler, Keith Yoder, Larry "Dale" Searer Jr. and Kendra Swartz.
· Resignations of Andrea Rygle, musical co-director, Juniata High School; Donald K. Peters, part-time cleaner, East Juniata High School; Hope L. Rhea, Level 2 paraprofessional, Juniata Elementary School; and Karly S. Dressler, LPN/secretary, Juniata High School.
· Transferred Dorothy Boreman from Level 2 paraprofessional at Juniata High School to Level 1 paraprofessional at East Juniata Elementary School at an hourly rate of $15.13, effective Jan. 3, 2024. Boreman replaces Chanda Everett, who resigned.
· Created a special education resource teaching position at Juniata Elementary School and approved the transfer of William Hiemer from school psychologist to special education resource teacher, effective Jan. 8, 2024.
· Jeffrey L. Keefer, temporary multi-crafter at Juniata Elementary School, at a salary of $22.52 per hour, effective Dec. 11, 2023. Keefer fills a temporary vacancy.
· Kelly E. Farrell, LPN/secretary at East Juniata Elementary School, at a salary of $19.48 per hour, effective Jan. 3, 2024. Farrell replaced Makenzie Werner, who transferred.
· Molly K. Diehl, temporary Level 2 paraprofessional at East Juniata High School, at a salary of $14.50 per hour, effective to be determined through March 19, 2024. The position was established on Sept. 23, 2023.
· Tiffany J. Peck, Level 2 paraprofessional at Juniata High School, at a salary of $18.11 per hour, effective Jan. 11, 2024. Peck replaced Dorothy Boreman, who transferred.
· Seth E. Mattern, part-time cleaner at East Juniata High School, at a salary of $15.83 per hour, effective Jan. 22, 2024. Mattern replaces Donald Peters, who resigned.
Conferences
The school board approved the following conferences:
· Laura Toth, Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference, Hershey, Feb. 5, 2024.
· Marcus Brothers, Kurt Condo and Ben Laver, Glazier Clinic, Towson, Md., March 1, 2024.
· Daniel Smith, Technology Symposium, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, April 15, 2024.