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MIFFLINTOWN -- The new school year in Juniata County is barely underway and already students of all grade levels find themselves on the go.
Whether it’s East Juniata High School FFA members heading to a "Plant Yourself in Ag" event in Pennsylvania Furnace on Sept. 17 or career development programming in Huntingdon on Sept. 23 to Juniata and East Juniata Elementary School fourth-graders heading to the Groninger Homestead Farm in Port Royal for Ag Day on Oct. 7, the field trips are keeping them busy.
It was one of the topics discussed at the Juniata County School District's Board of Directors meeting at the administration building in Mifflintown on Thursday night.
Besides those field trips, directors also approved:
•East Juniata Advanced Placement Literature and Composition/Intro to Theater students, Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire School Day in Manheim, Oct. 1;
•Five East Juniata High School students, community-based learning, Weis Markets in Mifflintown, Oct. 1;
•East Juniata High School FFA, leadership conference in Altoona, Oct. 6;
•Juniata High School music students, concert at Elizabethtown, Oct. 19;
•Juniata High School music students, concert at University Park, Dec. 1.
Personnel
The board approved the following personnel matters:
•Creating one Level 1 paraprofessional position and two Level 2 paraprofessional positions at Juniata Elementary School for the current school year;
•Resignations for Selina A. Cleck, Level 1 paraprofessional at East Juniata Elementary School, effective Sept. 7; Lindsay B. Parson, Level 1 paraprofessional at Juniata Elementary School, effective Sept. 14, 2026; Shane N. Yeater, multi-crafter at Juniata High School, effective Sept. 25, 2026; and Layne Greenholt, head volleyball coach at Juniata High School, effective Sept. 17, 2026.
•Hiring of Kennedy D. Yoder, Level 1 paraprofessional at East Juniata Elementary School, at a salary of $16.54 per hour, effective Sept. 14, 2026, due to Selina Cleck resignation; Amie N. Adams, Level 1 paraprofessional at Tuscarora Junior High School, at a salary of $16.54 per hour, due to Samantha Hile transfer; Hayden I. Burda, Level 1 paraprofessional at Juniata Elementary School, at a salary of $16.54 per hour, effective Sept. 10, 2026, due to a new position; Brittany A. Hockenberry, Level 2 paraprofessional at East Juniata High School, at a salary of $19.70 per hour, effective Sept. 21, 2026, due to Justin Austin transfer.
•Supplemental positions of Tasha Geibel, PBIS coordinator at Juniata Elementary School; Erin Pray, SAP team at East Juniata High School and East Juniata Elementary School; and Melissa Shepps, SAP team at Juniata Elementary School, Tuscarora Junior High School and Juniata High School.
•Wendy Lauver as a mentor for Rylee Close.
•Jordan Taylor as a volunteer volleyball coach at Juniata High School; Hannah Graybill as a volunteer junior varsity volleyball coach at Juniata High School; Laresa Paden, volunteer girls soccer coach at Juniata High School; Fletcher Hart, volunteer football coach at Juniata High School; Johnny Dessin, volunteer boys soccer coach at Juniata High School; and Kalynn Brown, volunteer cheerleading coach at Tuscarora Junior High School;
•Lauren Mowery to attend NAME Conference in Chicago, from Sept. 15-18, 2026;
•Hayley Engle, Pennsylvania School Counselor Association Conference in State College, on Dec. 3, 2026.
Contracts and agreements
The board approved a teacher induction/mentor agreement with Tuscarora Unit #11 - Early Childhood Services.
Donations
The board approved the acceptance of donations of 15 percent of sales from Lauver's Concessions at all home varsity football games to the Juniata High School Student Council.
Elections plus
•The board approved the following candidates as Pennsylvania School Board Association officers: Matt Vannoy, 2027 president-elect; Kristy Bolte, 2027 vice president; David Hein, 2027-29 treasurer; and further approve Marianne L. Neel and Dr. Michael Faccinetto as PSBA Insurance Trustees for three-year terms.
•Helen Casner was recognized by the PSBA for her five years of service as a board member.
Next meeting
The school board will meet on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. at the administration building in Mifflintown.