MIFFLINTOWN — School administrators say the lack of the basic necessities, such as attire, hygiene items, footwear and outerwear, is one of the main reasons for students’ chronic absenteeism.

That’s where the Nurse’s Pantry, a community initiative of the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata, steps in.

Funded as an in-school resource for clothing, toiletries and other wellness products, the Nurse’s Pantry provides a vital resource to help elementary students in Juniata and Mifflin counties succeed in school and in life.

The Nurse’s Pantry is introduced to students by the school nurse, principal or guidance counselor. In addition to attire, The Nurse’s Pantry also provides undergarments and lice treatment kits to those students who need these basic necessities to attend school.

The Juniata County School District Board of Directors approved a $3,360 donation from the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata for the district’s Nurse’s Pantry at its monthly meeting at the administration building in Mifflintown on Thursday night.

“We are very appreciative of the funds that the United Way provides to Juniata County School District through The Nurse’s Pantry program,” said Kim Stuck, certified school nurse for the Juniata County School District, prior to Thursday night’s meeting. “The funds help us to purchase personal care items like clothing, underwear, hygiene items, and shoes. We also provide lice treatment kits to students who are in need of this service.

“Many of these items are used heavily because approximately 50 percent of our students in the school district are economically disadvantaged,” Stuck added. ” By having these items available for students, we are able to meet their needs at school and keep them in their classes to help them succeed.”

In other business:

Contracts and agreements

The school board approved contracts and agreements with:

• Mifflin County School District to provide Title I services for the 2025-26 school year to Sacred Heart School students who are residents of the Juniata County School District. According to the Per Pupil allocation assurances, the total non-public share of the 2025-26 funds for Sacred Heart is $1,439.50 per student with a total budget of $17,274 plus $174 for parent engagement funds.

• Letter of agreement with Youth Advocate Programs Inc., of Harrisburg, to provide SAP mental health liaison services.

Facility use requests

The school board approved the following facility use requests:

• Kurt Condo, Juniata Touchdown Club, Dietrick Field, football game, Sept. 17, 2025, no fee.

• Nancy Kramer, tutors for Paul W. Delauter Youth Center in Mifflintown, Juniata Elementary School cafeteria, afterschool tutoring, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, through May 26, 2025, no fee;

• Jennie Seigler, East Juniata High School Volleyball Boosters, banquet, Oct. 15, 2025, no fee;

• Heidi Mingle, Tuscarora Junior High School Home and School Association, Tuscarora Junior High School gymnasium, vendor show, Oct. 18, 2025, no fee;

• Maggie Shafferman, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Juniata Elementary School cafeteria, After School Good News Club, Mondays, November 2025 through March 2026, no fee;

Facility use requests

The school board approved the following facility use requests:

• Mark Fisher, Port Royal softball, Juniata Elementary School gymnasium, practice, Sundays, Nov. 9, 2025, through April 13, 2026; and

• Alice Arnold, Studio 32 School of Dance, East Juniata High School facilities, rehearsal date/variety show, Dec. 6-7, 2025, no fee.

Field trips

The school board approved the following field trips:

Juniata High School FFA, “Plant Yourself in Ag” event, Penn State, Thursday, Sept. 18;

Juniata High School student, community-based instruction, Port Royal Laundromat, Thursday, Sept. 25;

Juniata County School District fourth-graders and East Juniata High School FFA, Ag Day, Hart Farm, McAlisterville, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025;

East Juniata High School students (1-4), community-based instruction, Weis Markets in Mifflintown, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025;

Juniata High School creative writing students, Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, Manheim, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025;

Four Juniata High School students, Interscholastic Math Competition, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025;

*East Juniata High School senior class, class trip, Washington, D.C., Friday, April 24, 2026; and

*Juniata County Marching Band, Disney’s Magic Kingdom Performance, Bay Lake, Fla., Thursday, June 11, 2026, through Monday, June 15, 2026.

Personnel matters

The school board approved the following personnel:

Hiring of Erin Meixel as a driver;

Hiring of Emily J. Duncan, LPN/secretary at Juniata High School, at a rate of $22.76 per hour, effective Sept. 8, 2025, replacing Bayana Zimmerman, who transferred;

Ashlie Anderson, National Honor Society advisor at East Juniata High School;

Amanda Shelley, Heather Aurand and Christina Berry as PBIS coordinators at Juniata Elementary School;

Richard Meily’s request to attend the Association of School Business Officials’ Annual Conference and Expo in Fort Worth, Texas, from Oct. 21-23, 2025;

Resignation of Brian Robinson as East Juniata High School junior high girls soccer coach;

Establishment of a full-time multi-craft floater position; and

Learned that Sofia Pinto declined completing the student intern program at Juniata Elementary School which was approved in August 2025.

Other business

The school board approved the following slate of Pennsylvania School Boards Association officers:

Holly Arnold, 2026 president-elect;

Matt Vannoy, 2026 vice president;

Julie Preston, 2026-28 Central Zone representative; and

Kathy K. Swope and Roberta M. Marcus, PSBA Insurance trustees.

Next meeting

The school board will hold its monthly workshop meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2025, at 7 p.m.