💙💛 Board Highlights – January Recap 💛💙
Board Highlights is a quick, big-picture look at what your Littlestown Area School District Board of School Directors has been working on each month. For full details, including public comments, please see the official agendas, minutes, and recordings on the District website.
In January, the Board met for Committee Meetings on January 6, a Work Session on January 12, and the Regular Meeting on January 19. All meetings were held in person and livestreamed for public convenience.
💙💛 How the Board Makes Decisions 💙💛
Most Board decisions move through three steps:
Committee Meetings – Smaller groups of Board members review topics in detail and develop recommendations.
Work Session – The full Board discusses items, asks questions, and requests any additional information.
Regular Meeting – The Board takes formal action and votes.
This process is designed to support thoughtful, transparent decision-making focused on what is best for students, staff, and the Littlestown community.
💙💛 Note on Public Comment
Board Highlights focuses on Board work and decisions. Public comment is always welcome and is briefly documented in the official minutes and fully available in the official recordings.
🔎 January at a Glance
During January, the Board:
Reviewed 15 years of financial trends and received a clean audit for the 2024–2025 school year.
Confirmed that major building projects are on schedule and nearing key completion milestones.
Advanced the proposed 2026–2027 academic calendar and reviewed updated policies, including a new Local Taxpayer Bill of Rights policy.
Celebrated student achievement and expanded academic supports, especially in math.
Received updates on AI, safety, and technology planning for our K–12 schools.
Heard about strong community support from the Thunderbolt Foundation and our regional career & technical partners.
🎓 Students, Teaching & Learning
Students of the Month
The Board recognized the December 2025 Students of the Month for their academic achievements and positive contributions:
Alloway Creek Elementary School (ACES):
Brynlee Waltz (Grade 2)
Bryce Glass (Grade 5)
Maple Avenue Middle School (MAMS):
Eli Shinderman (Grade 8)
Littlestown High School (LHS):
Carrie Eyer (Grade 12)
Jackson Bacher (Grade 12)
⚡The Board congratulates these students for their hard work and positive contributions across their schools! Photos and additional recognition are available on LASD social media and the District website.
Academic Supports & Interventions
This month’s reports highlighted several ways the district is supporting student learning:
Math Intervention (MAMS & LHS) – Continued use of tools like XtraMath in Grade 6, after-school Algebra prep to support success on the Keystone exams, and extra homework help opportunities for students who need more time and support.
iReady Diagnostic – Students began their second iReady diagnostic of the year, and early data—especially for learning support students—shows encouraging growth.
Special Education Services – As part of the state-required December 1 “child count,” the district reported 257 students receiving special education services, up about 20 students since December 2021. Planning for next year’s staffing and services is underway.
Curriculum & Guidance Planning
Every three years, LASD develops a new K–12 guidance plan; work on the next plan is now in progress with counselors and administrators.
Professional development during the January in-service focused on math and ELA, small-group instruction, curriculum writing, and strategies to support students with behavioral and academic needs in the classroom.
📅 Calendar, Policy & Technology Work
2026–2027 Academic Calendar
The Board reviewed and advanced the proposed 2026–2027 academic calendar, which features:
A slightly later start to give families more time in late summer
An anticipated end before Memorial Day, pending final approval
Policy Updates
The Board also reviewed several policies for first reading, including:
Updates to policies on tobacco and vaping, controlled substances, tuition income, and federal travel reimbursement, mostly to align with PSBA formatting and guidance.
A new Policy 621: Local Taxpayer Bill of Rights, which outlines how taxpayers can seek information and clarification regarding local tax matters.
AI, Safety & Technology
The Board received updates on work to bring newly renovated areas of the Middle/High School online with network and safety systems.
Administrators are participating in state and regional trainings on school safety (including bomb-threat response) and K–12 AI readiness, which will inform LASD’s future AI policy and best practices.
💰 Finances, Facilities & Long-Term Planning
15-Year Financial Review & 2024–2025 Results
The Board reviewed a 15-year history of budgeted vs. actual revenues and expenses:
Over time, LASD has maintained conservative budgeting, with actual revenues and expenditures typically within a few percentage points of the budget.
For 2024–2025, the District budgeted for about a $1.2 million deficit, but ended the year with roughly a $1 million surplus.
Key factors this year included:
One-time additional revenues such as higher-than-expected interest earnings, a healthcare accrual adjustment, increased state funding, a land sale, and an insurance reimbursement related to water damage at MAMS.
Higher charter and cyber school tuition costs and expenses connected to building projects and capital improvements.
Clean Audit & Budget Timeline
Independent auditors Zelenkofske & Axelrode LLC presented a clean audit for the 2024–2025 school year. Supporting documents, including the Final Governance Letter, Financial Audit, and Single Audit, are available in the Board documents. Looking ahead:
A preliminary 2026–2027 budget will be presented to the Finance, Property & Supply (FP&S) Committee in April.
A proposed budget will go to the full Board in May.
Final budget adoption is planned for June.
Building Projects & Facilities
The Middle/High School project continues to move forward, with Phase III expected to reach final completion around January 31, 2026.
The Board reviewed progress and next steps for the Baseball/Softball field project, confirming that the total project budget (originally tied to land sale revenue) includes design and feasibility costs, and that necessary safety items like fencing remain in the base project scope.
Improvements at ACES, including camera upgrades and playground refresh work, are moving ahead as part of ongoing safety and facilities work at the elementary level.
👥 People, Staffing & Operations
To help support day-to-day operations and student services, the Board:
Supported an increase in the LPN hourly rate (from $20 to $25) to help attract and retain licensed nursing staff at ACES.
Continued exploring options to supplement custodial services, as the district frequently operates with several open custodial positions despite ongoing hiring efforts.
Approved a long-term substitute for Grade 6 Science and Social Studies to ensure continuity of instruction.
🤝 Community, Activities & Foundation
Student Activities & Athletics
This month’s reports celebrated:
Continued growth in student clubs and activities such as FBLA and Astronomy Club, with students participating in competitions, fundraising for community causes, and planning new events.
A strong winter season for athletics, including promising results for girls’ basketball, strong performances in wrestling, and high levels of collaboration between varsity programs and youth leagues.
Thunderbolt Foundation
The Thunderbolt Foundation shared several highlights:
The Care Closet is serving students across the district with clothing and food, supported by community donations and partners like Stony Point Snacks.
Scholarships are posted for this year’s seniors, including business-supported awards.
Proceeds from recent drives are supporting Ruth’s Harvest and other student-centered initiatives.
The Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Adams County continues to grow, with over 1,000 children registered.
Planning is underway for the Foundation golf tournament on May 22 at Quail Valley, which helps fund scholarships and student programs.
Regional Career & Technical Education
Through the Adams County Technical Institute (ACTI), the Board heard updates on:
A recurring donor commitment to support ACTI’s programming.
Ongoing planning for future facilities and land options to best serve students across the county.
Donations: The Board received generous donations from Plainsville Farms (book donation), Stony Point Snacks (care closet), and an Anonymous donor ($5,000 towards negative lunch balances).
🏛️ Governance, Communication & Next Steps
January is School Board Appreciation Month, and several reports recognized the Board’s work in setting vision, policy, and budget priorities, and representing the community’s values in a positive manner.
The Board also:
Confirmed that meeting minutes will focus on actions, motions, and decisions instead of being written as detailed transcripts, while recordings remain available for those who want full dialogue.
Continued through the Superintendent Search process, which is scheduled to conclude in mid-February.
🗂️ View Full Meeting Materials
To listen to full meetings and view all Board documents, visit:
https://www.lasd.k12.pa.us/page/2025-2026-board-documents
📅 Upcoming Meetings
Due to the Superintendent Search, the January 27, 2026 Committee Meetings were cancelled.
The next Work Session Meeting of the full School Board will be held on:
📍 Monday, February 2, 2026 at 6:00 PM in the Board Room
✨ The Board remains committed to transparent communication, continuous improvement, and responsible stewardship of district resources—always with the success of every Littlestown student at the center of our work.