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MIFFLINTOWN -- After serving Juniata County students for 60 years, the Mountain View Elementary School in Mifflin was shuttered in 2018. Now, a for sale sign is about to go up on the property.
The Juniata County School District wants to sell the Mountain View Elementary School property, which consists of 8.3 acres of land and the building which occupies 16,380 square feet.
The school district's board of directors approved a request for the district to begin sale proceedings at their monthly meeting at the administration office in Mifflintown on Thursday night.
Juniata County School District Superintendent of Schools Christie Holderman said more information would be forthcoming about the sale proceedings. The first step was getting authorization for the sale, Holderman said.
Facility use requests
The school board approved the following facility use requests:
• Nicole Deihl, Juniata Elementary School gymnasium, one-on-one basketball coaching, as available, no fee;
• Wayne W. Dressler III, East Juniata Elementary School gymnasium, recreational community basketball, March through December 2025, no fee;
• Meagan Apple, East Juniata Boys Basketball Booster Club, East Juniata High School cafeteria, banquet, March 9, 2025, no fee;
• Becky Mosebey, 4-H, East Juniata High School cafeteria, informational event, March 13, 2025, no fee;
• Mandy Noss, Juniata County Children and Youth Services, Juniata Elementary School grounds, community awareness event, April 9, 2025, no fee;
• Nicole Kehler, Juniata High School After-Prom Committee, Juniata Elementary School facilities, After Prom, April 25-27, 2025, no fee;
• Beth Ann Austin, East Juniata Music Boosters, East Juniata High School cafeteria, banquet, April 27, 2025, no fee;
• Missy Swartz, East Juniata After Prom Committee, East Juniata Elementary School facilities, After Prom, May 2-4, 2025, no fee;
• Alice J. Arnold, Studio 32 School of Dance, East Juniata High School facilities, recital, June 6-8, 2025, $500;
• Erin Larzelere, Juniata Wrestling Club, Juniata High School facilities, tournament, Jan. 2-4, 2026, no fee; Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2026, no fee; and March 27-28, 2026, no fee.
Donation
The school board approved the acceptance of a donation of services by M&J Paving, Mifflintown, for rolling of the Juniata High School baseball field.
Personnel
The school board approved:
• Hiring of Amanda Strawser, driver;
• Retirement of Caroline E. Eberle, paraprofessional, East Juniata High School, effective May 31, 2025;
• Resignation of Makenzie L. Werner, certified school nurse, effective June 3, 2025;
• Establishment of following positions: Level 2 paraprofessional position at East Juniata High School; Level 2 paraprofessional position at Juniata Elementary School; School counselor position for the 2025-26 school year; and special education teaching position at Tuscarora Junior High School for the 2025-26 school year;
• Hiring of Rebecca Boyle, Level 1 paraprofessional, East Juniata Elementary School at a salary of $15,75 per hour and at an effective date to be determined; Kim Miller, Level 2 paraprofessional at East Juniata High School at a salary of
$18.75 per hour and at an effective date of March 18, 2025; and Tasha N. Brackbill, Level 2 paraprofessional at Juniata Elementary School at a salary of $18.75 per hour at an effective date to be determined;
• Transfer of Traci D. Miller from position of Tuscarora Junior High School LPN/secretary to the position of Tuscarora Junior High School building secretary, at a salary of $41,000, effective March 10, 2025;
• Issuing permanent professional employee contracts to Marcy J. Benner and Lilly M. Brown after three years of satisfactory service as temporary professional employees.
Field trips
The school board approved the following field trips:
• *East Juniata TAG Boosters Club, performance preview, West Perry High School, Elliottsburg, Monday, March 3, 2025;
• East Juniata High School FFA, State Legislative Leadership Conference, Harrisburg, Monday, March 24-Wednesday, March 26, 2025;
• East Juniata TAG Boosters Club, performance preview, Greenwood High School, Millerstown, Monday, March 24, 2025;
• Juniata High School music students, presentation, Juniata County Head Start, Mifflintown, Monday, April 7, 2025;
• Juniata High School choir student, All-State Choir, Pocono Manor, Wednesday, April 9-Saturday, April 12, 2025;
• Juniata High School FFA and Juniata High School biology students, Envirothon, Lewistown, Wednesday, April 23, 2025;
• Juniata High School FFA, public speaking contest, Millerstown, Thursday, April 24, 2025;
• Juniata County air rifle team, laser shooting systems training, Fort Indiantown Gap, Wednesday, April 30, 2025;
• Juniata High School FFA, trout release, Port Royal Lions Club Park, Friday, May 9, 2025;
• *Discovery FFA Club, field trip, Turkey Hill Experience, Columbia, Thursday, May 15, 2025;
• Juniata Elementary School fifth-grade students, tour, Tuscarora Junior High School, Monday, May 19, 2025;
• Juniata High School Class of 2025, senior walk, Juniata Elementary School, Wednesday, May 21, 2025;
• Juniata High School football team, team camp, Schuylkill Haven High School, Wednesday, July 9, 2025;
• *Juniata High School Class of 2026, class trip, Washington, D.C., Monday, Nov. 24, 2025.
*Indicates trips for which transportation is not district-funded.
Contracts and agreements
The school board approved:
• Contracting with Andrew Klein, of Lancaster, as a special education consultant, on an as-needed basis at an hourly rate of $300;
• Benefit and compensation plan for Certified School Psychologists 2025-30.
Shirk officially resigns
The school board formally accepted the resignation of director Martha Jane Shirk as board member representing Region 6, which includes Mifflin, Mifflintown and Thompsontown boroughs, effective June 30, 2025.
Other notes
Diane Crawford, a former driver for Rohrer Bus, spoke to the board during the public comment portion of the meeting. Crawford said she was terminated from her position by Rohrer, which is the district's transportation partner, for posting a racially insensitive note on one of its school buses on Jan. 31, 2025. Crawford asked the directors questions regarding her dismissal; however, per a statement by Holderman at a previous meeting, the school administrators and directors did not comment or answer her questions.
Next Meeting
The Juniata County School Board will hold its workshop meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9.