No comments were offered by the public at the Williamsport Area School Board's Act 34 public hearing Tuesday night on the Roosevelt Middle School proposed renovations and additions.
A public hearing is required by Act 34 of the Pennsylvania School Code for the construction of new school buildings or substantial additions to existing school buildings, in order for district residents and employees to receive information and express any opinions on the project. No written comments were submitted before the meeting and only two members of the public were in attendance.
The project cost is estimated at $36,784,665. Details of the plan including projected enrollments, costs and renderings of the finished building all are available to the public on the WASD website. The district will continue to accept written comments on the plans until June 3. Comments are to be submitted to district Business Administrator Jeffrey Richards.
In other matters, Williamsport Area School Board approved in an 8-0 vote an agreement with New Remote Productions Inc., also known as MTV, to hold a casting call at Williamsport Area High School students "MADE," a self-improvement based reality TV show. The casting call will be held after school on Wednesday, May 11.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Don Adams said MTV approached the high school principal about allowing students to participate in the casting call, but there is no guarantee that a WAHS student will be chosen for the show.
"It has sparked a lot of interest with students at the high school," Adams said.
The board approved the retirement of three long-time employees. Christine A. MacKenzie Kelley, an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher at the high school, will retire after 23 years of teaching in the district. Terry L. Carpenter, an administrative support staffer in the special education department at the district service center, will retire after 23 years of service. Barbara L. Cioffi, a language arts teacher at Lycoming Valley Middle School, will retire after teaching for 36 years in the district.
