Bellefonte Area School District

A snapshot of some of the major senior events that the Class of 2025 will be participating in. You can find more events at the Bellefonte Area High School webpage.

Good morning! Your Friday Morning Coffee Break for April 11 features BASD employee, Brooke Knight, and Class of 2025 student, Kay Miller. There is a record breaker and a few key senior events highlighted, along with collaboration experience between BASD and SCADS art teachers! Have a great Friday, everyone!

It is National Assistant Principal Appreciation Week! Sometimes, being an Assistant Principal can be a thankless job, but we appreciate ours! They are often the ones that are dealing with the issues of the buildings and it can be a stressful job. Thank you so much to our assistant principals for their hard work every day!

A message from the Superintendent: Dear Bellefonte Community: I am writing to share two important outcomes from last night’s Board of Directors meeting. First, I am pleased to announce that Mr. Steven White has been appointed as the next principal of Marion-Walker Elementary School. Mr. White brings with him a wealth of experience as a school administrator and is highly qualified to take on this leadership role. Although Mrs. Krisch will leave big shoes to fill, we are confident that Mr. White’s steady leadership, student-centered mindset, and commitment to excellence will benefit the Marion-Walker community in meaningful ways. Second, the Board has officially selected the name Bellefonte Elementary School for our new elementary school. This decision followed a thoughtful and collaborative process that included a naming committee made up of board members, administrators, and a teacher. The committee carefully considered community input before making a recommendation to the full Board. Thank you to all who submitted ideas. We look forward to proceeding with the new name. Both of these decisions mark important steps forward for our district. Mr. White’s appointment ensures strong leadership at one of our elementary schools, and the naming of the new school brings us closer to opening a state of the art learning space for our students. These outcomes reflect our shared values of thoughtful planning and community involvement in shaping the future of our District. Thank you for your continued support of our students and schools. As always, we remain committed to keeping you informed and engaged as we move forward together. Sincerely, Dr. Roy A. Rakszawski

There is a Board of Directors meeting this evening at the CPI Building in Pleasant Gap. The meeting begins at 7:00PM. The public is encouraged to attend! You can learn about the minutes and see the School Board calendar here: https://www.basd.net/page/school-board

This past week, the BAHS Drama Club put a remarkable performance of Fiddler on the Roof! The level of talent was extraordinary and the audience loved every minute of the shows. Great job to everyone involved with this undertaking!

The Palmer Museum of Art invited BASD and SCASD Art Teachers to a professional development workshop inspired by the museum’s special exhibition, The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art. They were given the chance to explore the cultural context and visual language of Art Nouveau through 120 of the finest treasures including painting, prints, sculptures, glass, ceramics, and decorative arts. The teachers enjoyed a brief gallery talk by museum staff, discovered Art Nouveau-inspired resources and lesson plans developed for art educators, and were given time connect with fellow teachers. This program was developed through a collaboration between the Palmer Museum Education Department and art educators Danielle Crowe (SCASD) and Erin Bolger Welsh (BASD). The art teachers were very grateful to have a chance to meet with other art teachers in a different district! Such a great experience and chance for collaboration and growth!

Bellefonte Area High School has a Rock Studio class in which students can really delve into the rock category of music. Some play instruments and others sing. Generally, this show is played during a Raider Period, but this year they hosted it on a Friday night and had great success! The audience loved the show and the students did an amazing job!

The Bellefonte Area School District is hiring! Listed below are some of the highlighted positions: 1. 3 Elementary Teacher Positions! - PG, BN, and MW 2. School Counselor at Bellefonte Area Middle School 4. Learning Support Teacher - BAHS 5. Custodian - 2nd Shift 6. Elementary Life Skills Support Teacher There are many more listed on our website, which can be viewed here: https://bellefonte.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx Please share with family and friends - a fully employed school district is what our children deserve!

Members from the cast of BAMS Drama Club's production of The Little Mermaid traveled to several local senior living communities including Centre Care, The Oaks, and Eagle Valley Personal Care Home on Saturday, March 22. They performed a selection of songs and scenes from their show that was performed at the beginning of March. They had a great time getting to perform again and enjoyed the opportunity to perform for the seniors in our community!

Effective April 4, 2024, a vacancy exists on the nine-member Board of Directors of the Bellefonte Area School District. The Board intends to appoint an individual to fill this vacancy that expires in December 2025. Interested individuals must be at least 18 years of age and must have been a resident of the District for at least one year prior to the date of the appointment. Please note: Letter of interest, resume, and application are due by noon on Monday, April 18, 2025. Candidates will be interviewed at 7 p.m., April 22, 2025, at the regular meeting of the Bellefonte Area School District Board of Directors at the Bellefonte Area Middle School cafeteria. More information can be found on the District website at www.basd.net. Application Form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v5YgdbhPNHxTcTAjgwOOo7qXMB_0A3-E/view?usp=sharing Please return applications packets to: Mrs. Leslie Elder 318 North Allegheny Street Bellefonte, PA 16823 or lelder@basd.net

On another note, the first Wednesday in April is Paraprofessional Appreciation Day - which this year was April 3rd. We have excellent paraprofessionals that put their hearts and souls into our students. Thank you so much for the work that you do!

Greetings! Recently, I decided to modify the weekly two newsletter system to once a week: your Friday Coffee Break. Same great content, fresh new look. Consistent & compact. With your coffee break ☕, you'll learn about our staff member, Mr. Seth Decker - and the Class of 2025 senior, Jane Burgess, who is playing the character Yente in Fiddler on the Roof (tix: https://cur8.com/1587/project/131036)! The newsletter also includes a 🗓️ District Calendar and last week's 🏆varsity scores and the upcoming JH and JV/V athletic on-campus competitions. Hope that you enjoy it and have a great weekend!

The Bellefonte Area School District is hiring! Listed below are some of the highlighted positions: 1. 4 Elementary Teacher Positions! - PG, BN, MW, and District 2. School Counselor at Bellefonte Area Middle School 4. Accounting Secretary 5. Custodian - 1st Shift 6. JH Assistant Boys' Soccer and Girls' Volleyball Coaches There are many more listed on our website, which can be viewed here: https://bellefonte.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx Please share with family and friends - a fully employed school district is what our children deserve!

Congratulations to Christian Larson for being nominated as the April ELKS Teen of the Month! Christian is an exceptional senior who embodies the qualities of dedication, leadership, and passion that this award recognizes. Christian has consistently excelled in his studies, maintaining an incredible GPA by taking a rigorous course load that includes honors and dual enrollment classes. His intellectual curiosity and strong work ethic set him apart, and he approaches even the most challenging subjects with enthusiasm and determination. Beyond his academic achievements, Christian is deeply engaged in his community, serving as a student representative for the Bellefonte Borough Council. This role requires maturity, responsibility, and an ability to navigate local government, and Christian has embraced these responsibilities with poise and dedication. Christian’s leadership extends beyond the classroom and council chambers. He is a distinguished recipient of district and regional awards from the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), demonstrating his ability to think critically, collaborate effectively, and succeed in competitive business environments. His involvement in FBLA has helped him develop valuable skills that will undoubtedly serve him well in his future endeavors. Congratulations, Christian!

The Bellefonte Area High School Drama Club will present its spring musical, Fiddler on the Roof, on April 3, 4 @ 7 p.m. and April 5 @ 1 & 7 p.m. The show features a cast of 43 (plus 2 elementary guest stars!) and a crew of 37, with 3 current students and 3 alumni in the pit orchestra. Tickets (reserved seating) may be purchased online here: https://cur8.com/1587/project/131036 $10 Adults $7 Students $5 Children 12 & under Tickets will also be available at the door. Hope to see you there!

Seniors, Annie Cernuska and Ruthann Smoyer participated in the Husky Dog Pound Competition, a Shark Tank-inspired business pitch competition, sponsored by Commonwealth University at Bloomsburg Zeigler College of Business. Cernuska and Smoyer pitched their business "Varsity Valet," a valet service for student drivers, offering convenience and increasing safety during arrival and departure times of the school day. Although their team did not place in the top 30 of the high school and middle school division, it was a great opportunity for them to extend their learning in the Entrepreneurial Mindset class.

The BAHS National Honor Society put together 25 Jared Boxes as one of their service projects. The Jared Box Project was started in 2001 by the children of Our Lady of Victory School in State College to honor their classmate and friend Jared. A Jared Box is a plastic storage box filled with gifts, toys, games, and activities that are given to children in the hospital to lift their spirits.

Good afternoon! Please enjoy the Friday Sports Wrap newsletter for March 28th. Today's newsletter features senior student-athletes: Isobel Herr and Preston Smith. Have a great weekend!

The Bellefonte Area School District is hiring! Listed below are some of the highlighted positions: 1. First Grade Teacher at Pleasant Gap Elementary 2. Anticipated Elementary Teacher - District 3. School Counselor at Bellefonte Area Middle School 4. Elementary Life Skills Support Teacher 5. Cafeteria Workers - at all buildings 6. Custodial Staff - at all buildings There are many more listed on our website, which can be viewed here: https://bellefonte.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx Please share with family and friends - a fully employed school district is what our children deserve!