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MIFFLINTOWN -- Student voices will have a seat at the table in the Juniata County School District this year.
On Thursday night, the school district's board of directors welcomed and approved three new student representatives: Noah Kauffman, of Juniata High School; and Lewis “Kole” Boop and Cohen Apple, of East Juniata High School. While Kauffman was in attendance, Boop and Apple were not present due to other extracurricular activities.
This was the trio's first meeting at the administration building in Mifflintown. While the students do not have voting privileges, they can participate in discussions and offer input on issues facing the district.
Facility use requests
The board approved the following facility use requests:
•Katelyn Frontz, East Juniata Elementary School boys basketball, use of East Juniata Elementary School facilities for practices from October 2026 through March 2027, no fee;
•Robert Digon, Tuscarora Intermediate Unit Early Childhood Services, use of Juniata Elementary School facilities for Family Curriculum Night on Nov. 17, no fee;
•Krissy Dressler, Juniata High School Junior Class Parent Association, use of Juniata Elementary School facilities for After Prom activities from April 23-25, 2027, no fee.
Field trips
The board approved the following field trips:
•Nine Juniata High School students attended the Penn State Brass Chamber Concert in University Park on Oct. 1.
•Approximately 70 East Juniata High School students attended a college and career fair at Juniata High School on Oct. 7.
•Four Juniata High School students to attend the Capital Area Interscholastic Math Competition in Carlisle on Oct. 20.
•Unified bocce players to attend Special Olympics events during the 2026 Capital Area Youth Summit in Middletown on Oct. 27.
•East Juniata Elementary School fourth- to sixth-grade students attending the Fall Play Preview at East Juniata High School on Oct. 30.
•Juniata High School ninth-grade students to tour the Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology in Lewistown on Nov. 10.
•Five East Juniata High School students to participate in community-based instruction at the Juniata County Courthouse in Mifflintown on Nov. 16.
•East Juniata High School National Honor Society members to volunteer at a Read-A-Thon event at East Juniata Elementary School on Nov. 19.
•*Juniata High School FFA to attend a tour for the Northeast Fishery Center in Lamar on Nov. 20.
•*East Juniata Elementary School fifth- and sixth-grade students to travel to JA BizTown in York on Jan. 6, 2027.
•Juniata High School ninth-grade students to participate in Closer Look Tours at the Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology in Lewistown on Jan. 7, 2027.
•About 26 Tuscarora Junior High School students will attend the Middle School Reading Competition in McVeytown on Feb. 23, 2027.
•*Juniata High School FFA members to visit the Port Isobel Environmental Education Center in Virginia from April 5-7, 2027.
•Approximately 20 Tuscarora Junior High School Great Outdoors Club members and Juniata Elementary School second-grade students to attend a trout release in Port Royal on May 14, 2027.
*Indicates trips for which transportation is not district-funded.
Personnel
The board approved:
•Hiring Tina Hayes, Erik Leibgott, Ruth Ann Helwig, Jeremy Boozel and Mandi Kerstetter as drivers;
•The resignation of Paulina Armstrong, a Level 2 paraprofessional at Juniata Elementary School, effective Oct. 9;
•Hiring Tori A. Davenport as a Level 1 paraprofessional at Juniata Elementary School at $16.54 per hour, effective on a date to be determined, replacing Lindsay Parson;
•Hiring Hunter M. Meifert and Kassidy Greene as Level 2 paraprofessionals at Juniata Elementary School at $19.70 per hour due to the creation of new positions. Meifert began Oct. 8, while Greene’s start date is to be determined;
•Changing the employment status of Nicholas P. Messick and Justin L. Austin to temporary professional employee, retroactive to Aug. 20,
•Transferring Ann M. Uhler from a Level 2 paraprofessional position at East Juniata High School to a Level 2 paraprofessional position at Juniata Elementary School, effective Oct. 12.
Other business
The board also approved:
•A contract with Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11 of McVeytown for special education-related services from Sept. 1, through June 30, 2027, at a cost of $146,286.47;
•Authorization for the administration to advertise for and accept sealed bids for the sale of a 2016 Ford Transit van;
•A memorandum of understanding with Wilkes University regarding education certification programming and the Foster Grandparent Program of Central Pennsylvania in Selinsgrove.
Next meeting
The board’s next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 19 at the district administration building in Mifflintown.