Albert re-elected school board president
Page resignation accepted, effective Jan. 2
Jackson Albert
Ray D. Page
Jackson Albert
Ray D. Page
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MIFFLINTOWN -- Jackson Albert hoped to begin his second term as president of the Juniata County School District Board of Directors with a full contingent of directors.
He'll do so for about a month.
Albert was elected as school board president unanimously on Thursday night during the directors' reorganizational meeting, which was held prior to the board's regular monthly meeting at the administration building in Mifflintown.
He was easily elected to a new term over director Angela Varner, who had held the position prior to Jackson. Varner was also elected as a temporary board president to handle the reorganizational proceedings.
At the regular meeting, the school board accepted the resignation of Ray D. Page, who has served on the board on several occasions. The resignation of Page, who represents Region 5 which consists of Fermanagh Township, is effective Jan. 2, 2026.
With Joseph R. Shearer not being re-elected as a director during the November election, Terrence Shepler was elected as school board's new vice-president. Aleiha Rapp won the primary and now represents Region 8, which is Port Royal Borough and Spruce Hill and Turbett townships.
The school board also elected Shepler to the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11 Board of Directors and director Leslie Milliken to the position of Pennsylvania School Boards Association liaison.
The school board approved its 2026 meeting schedule, which continues with regular meetings held at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month with the exception of May. That meeting will be scheduled for May 14 in order to allow 30 days between the preliminary and final approval of the district's budget.
Additionally, regular meetings will not be held in July, unless specifically called by the board president as well as December, when the organizational and regular meetings will be held on the first Thursday of the month.
The school board is also eliminating its workshop meetings except May 5, June 10 and Aug. 12, 2026. Others will be held when deemed necessary. Juniata County School District Superintendent of Schools Christie Holderman said low attendance by directors and lack of agenda items were the main reasons for reducing the number of workshop meetings.
In other news, the board approved:
• Facility use requests by Aleiha Rapp, Helping Hands of Juniata County, East Juniata High School gymnasium, volleyball tournament, Dec. 28, 2025, no fee; Jazelle Bryner, Juniata County Youth Baseball, East Juniata Elementary School facilities, sign-ups, Jan. 7. 2025, no fee; Danielle White, Juniata County Youth Baseball, Juniata Elementary School facilities, sign-ups, Jan. 8 and 24, 2026, no fee; and William Gilson, Juniata Girls Basketball Booster Club, Juniata Elementary, Tuscarora Junior High and Juniata High schools facilities, tournament from Feb. 27 through March 1, 2026, no fee.
• Levi Fisher, Abigail Zimmerman and Joshua Wray as drivers.
• Field trips for the Juniata High School FFA to attend the Mid-Winter Convention in Harrisburg on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026; Tuscarora Junior High School Discovery FFA to attend the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026; Juniata High School FFA to attend a demonstration team presentation at the Farm Show in Harrisburg on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026; two Juniata High School students to attend the PMEA District 4/6 Orchestra Festival, Bellefonte, Thursday, Jan. 22 through Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026; Juniata High School FFA ACES Conference, Harrisburg, Saturday, Jan. 31 and Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026; and Juniata Elementary School fifth-grade students, tour, Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology, Lewistown, Monday, March 11, 2026.
• Employment of Kimberly Watts as a long-term substitute special education teacher at Juniata Elementary School, effective at a date to be determined and through the end of the 2025-26 school year. Watts is transferring from an East Juniata Elementary School Level 2 paraprofessional position and fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Rachael Lamey.
• Kelly Beward as a mentor for Kimberly Watts.
• A contract with Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11 for the provision of special education services, effective Sept. 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, at a cost of $115,954. The breakdown is $40,727 for children in Act 30 status and $75, 227 for school age. The program costs are estimated, and the district agrees to pay all program costs based on program utilization.
Next meeting
The school board will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan.15, 2026.