Jersey Shore seniors propose remembrance garden to honor Max Engel
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JERSEY SHORE -- Members of the senior class at Jersey Shore Area High School presented to the board their vision for a remembrance garden to honor their classmate, Max Engel, who passed away in September after being injured in a football game. They also would like to designate the area, which will be located near the tennis courts, in remembrance of all students, past, present and future, whose lives were taken too soon.
Seniors Celia Shemory, Kaitlyn Herman, Jocelyn McCracken and Matthew Fravel shared with the board that they had raised funds during the school year and those, along with donations from the Engel family and other clubs, would cover the cost of constructing the garden.
"We have an amazing opportunity to work with Dr. Mike Dincher and his PCT (Pennsylvania College of Technology) landscape and design students," said Shemory.
The students' goal is to begin working on the project as soon as possible because of the college's school year.
"Our goal again is to provide a nice space for not only those grieving the loss of our friend Max, but for anybody past, present or future. We hope this garden will provide a place to reflect in peace and tranquility," Shemory said.
A vote on the project is expected at the next board meeting, April 8, but a request was by senior high Principal Justin Armbruster to begin the One Call process in anticipation of that vote. One Call is used to determine the location of utilities and must be done before any construction begins.
Total cost of the project is expected to be around $15,000.
Armbruster also presented a request by high school football Coach Thomas Gravish to memorialize Engel's locker space.
"His hope is to add some LED lights and have a No. 4 jersey folded inside the locker on a stand and have one hanging from the hook," Armbruster said.
"He'd like to leave some personal items with the family's help to sort of create a space for the team to reflect on," he said.
The coach had also asked that Plexiglas could be placed over the locker, which brought up the question of whether that would come under a district policy about retiring school property, because it could no longer be used as a locker.
The board would have to approve any move to do that, according to Dr. Brian Ulmer, superintendent, who suggested that the district's solicitor be contacted to weigh in on the issue before it was placed on the agenda for the next board meeting.
Board member Mary Thomas feels more discussion is needed.
Under personnel, the board approved the following: the opening of the boys' head basketball coach position; letters of resignation from Crock Herman, head wrestling coach, Cindy Wilson, athletic game staff, and Laura Eck, assistant middle school cheer coach; Mallory Waltz as special education K-5 learning support paraprofessional at Avis Elementary, $19,755 per year; and Jeremy Tyson as a volunteer football coach.
The following winter sport head coaches were retained: Kelly Butzler, varsity swimming; Mike Schall, varsity girls' basketball; Laura Eck, varsity cheerleading; and Steph Machmer, varsity Bocce ball.
Under financial items, the board approved a contract with Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit to provide computer services for fiscal year 2024-25 and an agreement with INFOCON to convert the district's tax collection system to a web-based version.
The next regular board meeting will be at 7 p.m. April 8 at the District Administration Building, 175 A&P Drive.