MIFFLINTOWN — Planning for continuous improvement of leadership, teaching and learning is critically important for the Juniata County School District to ensure that its students have access to an education that prepares them for college, career and life.

That’s why the school district develops a comprehensive plan to outline the goals, strategies and actions necessary for improving education outcomes.

The school district’s board of directors approved a comprehensive plan for 2025-28 at its regular monthly meeting, held at the administration building in Mifflintown on Thursday night.

Administrators said students in the district typically fall below the state average for testing in mathematics and English Language Arts and above the state average in science.

“Depending where your test scores fall, the state puts you into a category,” Juniata County School District Superintendent of Schools Christie Holderman said.

She explained that the district has tried to improve test scores by using a variety of programs, including student tutors and teachers providing additional instruction during study halls. Students can also have resources available at the Paul W. Delauter Youth Center in Port Royal. Holderman said the number of students enrolled in after school educational programs at the youth center has increased from eight to 20.

During the public comment part of the meeting, area resident Deb Best addressed the school board on behalf of bus driver Diane Crawford. Best said Crawford was terminated due to hanging a sign on the school bus on Jan. 31, that read, “Out of respect to English only students there will be no speaking Spanish on this bus!”

Best said she felt Crawford was unjustly let go for her actions, without being able to share her side of the story about the incident.

Best explained that Crawford hung the sign because she felt threatened when students spoke Spanish and she didn’t understand what they said.

Rohrer Bus, of Duncannon, which employed Crawford, and the school district issued separate statements on Feb. 1, about the incident. The press releases said officials were investigating the matter and they did not identify Crawford.

Best asked the board to reinstate Crawford to her position.

At the start of Thursday’s meeting, Holderman read a prepared statement, which said the incident took place on Jan. 31, was investigated and the driver was an employee of the bus company and not the district. She added the district would not have any additional comments about the matter. The board did not respond to Bests’ comments.

Contracts and Agreements

The school board approved:

Contract with Family Practice Center for school physician services. The overseeing physician will be paid $2,500 per school year for student state-mandated yearly physical examinations for kindergarten, sixth- and 11th-grade students; student-athlete physical examinations, as needed; consultation sessions as needed provided to school’s injured athletes managed by the school’s athletic trainer; and consultation sessions with school’s nurse regarding education, communication and response to any health-related topics or medical questions, including disease outbreaks, safety issues or policies or procedures and oversight of any accidental exposure to blood borne pathogens;

Clinical education experience agreement with Misericordia University, of Grantham, for the university’s college of health sciences and education for additional training, education and practical experience.

Quici hired as virtual academy coordinator

Travis W. Quici, who currently serves as the school district’s athletic director, was hired as the virtual academy coordinator, effective July 1, 2025, at a stipend of $15,000 per the Act 93 Agreement.

Donations

The school board approved the following donations:

Assortment of medical supplies from Bettina Peterson to the district’s health professions program;

$50 to each building, for a total of $250, to be used for staff programs.

Elections for TIU

The school board approved the following individuals to serve as board member representatives to fill three new terms on the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit Board of Directors: Jason C. Carbaugh, Central Fulton School District; Britney N. Rutter, Huntingdon Area School District; and Kylee Ruiz, Southern Huntingdon County School District.

Sale of property

The school board approved the sale of the following vehicles to the highest bidders: 2015 Ford Transit, $22,500; 2017 GMC Sierra 2500, $24.400; and 2023 Chevrolet Traverse, $39,000;

Extracurricular activities

The school board approved Angela Rohrbach as a volunteer theater club advisor at East Juniata Elementary School.

School calendar

The school board approved the 2025-26 school calendar, which has school starting on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, and ending on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Facility use requests

The school board approved facility use requests for:

Frank Reasner, Cocolamus softball, East Juniata Elementary School facilities, sign ups and workouts, Jan. 23, and as needed during the 2024-25 school year, no fee;

Doug Brubaker, Scouting America, East Juniata Elementary School facilities, recruitment, Feb. 13, no fee;

Ryne and Tabitha Dunn, Port Royal girls softball 14-year-old team, Tuscarora Junior High School and Juniata High School gymnasiums, practice, Sundays through Thursdays during February through May at no fee;

William Gilson, Juniata Girls Basketball Club, Tuscarora Junior High School and Juniata Elementary School gymnasiums, tournament, March 7-8, no fee.

Stephanie Bonnell, Juniata Wrestling Club, Juniata High School cafeteria, banquet, March 10, no fee.

Robert Digon, Juniata County Early Childhood Services, Juniata Elementary School cafeteria, Family Curriculum Night, March 13, no fee.

Jennie Seigler, East Juniata girls basketball team, East Juniata High School cafeteria, banquet, March 15, no fee.

Sharielle Willow, Juniata Elementary Parent Teacher Organization, Juniata Elementary School facilities, vendor show, March 29, no fee.

Robert Digon, Juniata County Early Childhood Services, Juniata Elementary School cafeteria, Family Curriculum Night, April 10, no fee.

Steve McLaughlin, East Juniata High School FFA, East Juniata High School cafeteria, banquet, April 26, no fee.

Chris Shellenberger, Tuscarora Junior High School Home and School, Tuscarora Junior High School facilities, vendor fair, May 2-3, 2025, no fee.

Stephanie Bonnell, East Juniata boys soccer team, East Juniata High School facilities, tournament, June 14, no fee.

Field trips

The school board approved:

Eight Juniata High School students, regional band rehearsal, Lewistown, Thursday, Jan. 30;

63 Juniata High School students, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 4 Jazz Festival, Selinsgrove, Friday, Feb. 14-Saturday, Feb. 15;

East Juniata Elementary School students, preview of musical Disney’s “Frozen Jr.,” East Juniata High School, Friday, Feb. 21;

Juniata High School drama students, musical performance of “The Music Man,” Juniata Elementary School, Friday, Feb. 28;

Juniata High School FFA, leadership development events, Cassville, Wednesday, March 5;

Eight Juniata High School students, Region III band, Altoona, Wednesday, March 5-Friday, March 7;

East Juniata FFA officers, legislative breakfast, Middleburg, Friday, March 7;

Juniata Elementary School fifth-grade students, tour, Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology, Lewistown, Monday, March 10;

Eight East Juniata and Juniata high school students, PMEA Region III Choir Festival, Bellefonte, Wednesday, March 12-Friday, March 14;

Juniata High School SADD, Project Sticker Shock label distribution, area businesses, Thursday, March 27;

East Juniata Elementary School third-grade students, grade level field trip, Whitaker Center and Capitol, Harrisburg, Tuesday, April 1;

Five East Juniata High School students, community-based instruction, Strasburg Railroad of Ronks, Shady Maple Smorgasbord of East Earl, Sweet to the Soul of Newport, Friday, April 4;

Sixty East Juniata Elementary School students, performance, FNB Field, Harrisburg, Thursday, April 10;

East Juniata Elementary School fourth-grade students, grade level field trip, Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park, Centre Hall, Tuesday, April 15;

Juniata High School FFA and biology students, Mifflin-Juniata Envirothon, Kishacoquillas Park, Lewistown, Wednesday, April 23;

Juniata High School student, All-Eastern Festival, Hartford, Conn., Thursday, April 24-Sunday, April 27;

Five East Juniata Elementary School students, Sixth Grade Band Fest, Mill Hall, Friday, April 25;

Physics students, Physics Day, Hersheypark, Friday, May 9;

Juniata Elementary School students, grade level field trip, Lake Tobias Wildlife Park, Halifax, Friday, May 9;

Tuscarora Junior High School Conservation Club, trout release, Port Royal Lions Club Park, Friday, May 9;

East Juniata Elementary School students, grade level field trip, Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland, Allenwood, Thursday, May 15;

Eight Tuscarora Junior High School students, IU Math 24 competition, Mill Creek, Friday, May 16;

Tuscarora Junior High School chorus and band members, performance, FNB Field, Harrisburg, Tuesday, May 20; and

East Juniata National Honor Society, East Juniata Elementary School Field Day, Basom Park, Richfield, Thursday, May 22;

Next meeting

The school board will hold its monthly workshop at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, at the administration building.