Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Students, staff and teachers in the Bradford Area School District gave their annual show of appreciation to school board members during Monday’s meeting. Along with gifts and cards, students performed musical selections and gave brief speeches – some from children of school board members. Also Monday, the board approved the LERTA ordinance passed by Foster Township supervisors in November. LERTA (Local Economic Revitalization Tax Abatement) is a five-year program authorizing local taxing authorities to provide for partial abatement for taxes in order to encourage economic development. The exemption rate will be 100 percent in year one; 80 percent in year two; 60 percent in year three; 40 percent in year four; and 20 percent in year five. Also Monday, the board accepted a $85,910 bid from Blue Bid Bus Sales of Pittsburgh for a 72-pasenger school bus. The other bids were for $86,500 and $89,335. The board approved the employment of Mike Leet to be the fitness center monitor for the new c...

Sandra Romanowski is retiring as superintendent of the Bradford Area School District effective June 29, and current assistant superindentent Katy Pude will take over on July 1. Sam Johnson will be the new assistant superintendent. After reading Romanowski’s resignation letter to the Bradford Area School Board during its meeting Monday night, board member Tim Bean said, “Sandy took over the district at a time of turmoil, to say the least. “But with that, she embraced the position. She embraced the challenges and she embraced the difficult decisions,” Bean said. “Under her decisive leadership, she led the district to not only a position of stability but as a recognized leader among districts in financial strength and student achievement.” In her letter Romanowski said, together we have be able to make this district a better place for our children.” She said she is sure Pude will have the same devotion and “I am confident that the best is yet to come for the Bradford Area School District...

Senior Judge John H. Yoder was the keynote speaker for the annual meeting of the CARE for Children Board of Directors held Thursday evening at the Bradford Club. The CARE for Children Board of Directors honored the Bradford Area School District Student Service League and Kinzua Outdoors, Thomas Means Director, with the organization’s Community CARE Award and Kirk Stauffer, PGA Professional with the CARE Volunteer Award. Mandi Wilton-Davis, Development and Marketing Coordinator at CARE, presented the Student Service League represented by Tim Bean, School Board President, and Sandy Romanowski, Superintendent of Schools with the award. “The board chose to honor the Bradford Area School District not just because of the philanthropic efforts of the Student Service League, but the everyday efforts of Bradford’s teachers, administrators, and support staff, in partnership with our therapists, who help children with disabilities and delays, realize their potential,” said Davis. Tina M. Martin, ...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director The Bradford Area School District is considering a whistleblower policy that would protect employees who report suspected improper actions by other employees. “The Whistleblower Law provides protection of employees against being discharged or discriminated against by reason of their filing good faith reports with an employer of suspected fraud, financial improprieties, irregularities, or conflicts of interest or cooperating in the investigation of such reports,” the policy states. The Director of Human Resources, currently Sam Johnson, would be the compliance officer. A complaint against the Director of Human Resources would go to the superintendent. The school board is expected to vote on the measure during its next meeting on August 9. Also Monday, the board approved on second consideration the budget for the 2010-11 school year, which, for the ninth straight year, includes no tax increase. In a meeting that lasted less than an hour, the board...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director The Bradford Area School District is buying the former Crosby's on Interstate Parkway and the house next door for a total of $254,000. The $169,000 to Reid Petroleum for the Crosby's property includes the removal of the gas tanks and the understanding the parcel be "environmentally clean" before the sale is finalized. During Monday's Bradford Area School Board meeting, district business manager Kathy Kelly said Reid wants to get it finished "as quickly as they can." Board member Joe Troutman said he believes the prices are "a little high," but on the other hand the properties are "like gold to us" because they're adjacent to school property. Board member Keith Hatch added that part of the board's long range goal is to pick up properties near the schools for possible future expansion. The money for the purchase of the two properties will come from the general fund budget. Kelly said the ...

The Bradford Area School District has decided it wants to get in on the Race to the Top. Race to the Top is part of the federal economic stimulus package, and offers grants to states for school reform, but only 7 to 10 states will be selected. If Pennsylvania is selected, it will get $400 million. The Bradford school district would get between half a million and a million and a half dollars, according to School District Superindentent Sandra Romanowski. She says Bradford schools are already following many of the program's guidelines. "This is everything we're supposed to do anyhow," she said during Monday's school board meeting, "so why would we not apply for money to do the things we're going to have to do anyhow?" Romanowski and School Board President Tim Bean have already signed off on the memorandum of understanding. The teacher's union is expected to address the matter during a meeting Tuesday.