Education

Ellwood City Area School District Administrators, Staff Provide Updates

The administrators and staff of the Ellwood City Area School district gave updates of continuing education during the April 20 board of directors special meeting. School Superintendent Joseph Mancini said he is pleased with the overall transition to online learning and attributes the success of the challenging transition to the district’s staff. “I’d like to thank the teachers, administrators, staff, parents, and students,” he said. Mancini said efforts to keep the district’s students fed during this pandemic has been an impressive endeavor. He thanked Food Service Director, John Dzurina, as well as the numerous volunteers, drivers, and other staff involved…


EC School Board, Administrators Clash Regarding Grading Policy

The Ellwood City Area School Board’s Board of Directors voted Monday night to recommend the school district move forward with a modified system of grading for the last nine-week period of the 2020 school year despite administrative push to continue with the grading system that was in place before the pandemic. According to Kathy McCommons, a representative of the board’s education committee, administrators believe that using the regular grading system was the best way to proceed in the district’s continuity of education plan because that procedure keeps students motivated in continuing school work. Superintendent Joseph Mancini said that in most…


BC3 Moves Summer Courses To Remote Instruction

(Butler, PA) Butler County Community College will transition all face-to-face format summer credit courses to remote instruction and will cancel all face-to-face noncredit courses through at least June 30 with regard to COVID-19, BC3 President Dr. Nick Neupauer announced to the college’s board of trustees Wednesday. BC3’s decision follows statewide orders for residents to stay at home and for non-life-sustaining businesses to remain closed in response to COVID-19. It aligns with decisions made by the state’s other institutions of higher education for the summer of 2020. The commonwealth’s 14 state-owned universities, as well as a number of its 14 Pennsylvania…


Governor Wolf Extends School Closure for Remainder of Academic Year

Continuing his efforts to protect the health and safety of students and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Tom Wolf today announced that all schools will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year. The governor made the decision in consultation with Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine and Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera. Students and families can continue to pick up meals at designated sites. Although schools are closed, teaching and learning may continue: schools are strongly encouraged to provide continuity of education for all students in the most appropriate and accessible ways possible. PDE has…


Riverside Superintendent Discusses Continuity of Education During Coronavirus Crisis

Riverside School District Superintendent Bret Trotta said the district is successfully continuing education for the nearly 1,400 students served by his staff. The Riverside team of administrators and teachers are taking the review and enrichment approach to education during the Coronavirus crisis. He said they are working to meet the needs of all the students of the district. According to Trotta, getting everyone up and running with at home learning was a challenge. He said because a portion of the district is settled in more rural areas, some students lacked access to Internet. Others, he said, simply did not have…


Superintendent Provides Update on School’s Progress During Coronavirus Pandemic

The superintendent of Ellwood City Area School District said the last few weeks have been a challenge, but that district staff have come through in a big way. During Monday night’s online meeting of the Ellwood City Area School District Board of Director’s meeting, Joseph Mancini gave a personal thank you to the administrators, teachers, and cafeteria workers for a “continuity of education” and dedication to district students. “They have all gone above and beyond in this 180-degree pivot,” he said. Mancini said at least 978 students were fed today and 1,000 on Friday, numbers he found pride in. He…


Wolves Club Announce Scholarship Deadline Extended

The Ellwood City Wolves Club is once again offering scholarships to graduating high school seniors residing in the Ellwood City Area School District and Riverside Beaver County School District who plan to attend a four-year college, community college, trade or technical school following graduation. The deadline to return applications has been extended due to the recent school closures. Completed applications may be submitted by mail to the Wolves Club Scholarship Committee at 313 Petain Street, Ellwood City, PA 16117, postmarked no later than May 1 or returned to the high school Guidance Office if schools reopen prior to that date….


Ellwood City Resident Among Eight Students To Enter BC3 Int’l Academic Honor Society

New Castle, PA) Eight Butler County Community College students from Lawrence County this spring have accepted membership into BC3’s Rho Phi chapter of an international academic honor society that has attained Phi Theta Kappa’s ultimate five-star status for the fourth time since 1968. Members of Phi Theta Kappa, the society for two-year colleges and academic programs, must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.5. “By receiving an invitation to join Rho Phi, it shows students’ commitment to their academics,” said Morgan Rizzardi, BC3’s associate director of admissions and primary adviser to Rho Phi. “To have a 3.5 grade-point average or higher…


ECASD, RHS Release COVID-19 School Closure Information: Food Services

*Press Release from Ellwood City Area School District The Ellwood City Area School District will be providing meals to any child 18 and under. Breakfast will be from 8 to 9 a.m. and Lunch will be from 11:30-12:30. The locations for meal pick up are as follows: North Side Primary Perry Lower Intermediate Lincoln/Harman Any child 18 and under is eligible for free meals regardless of district, free, reduced or paid status.  Any child can go to any location – they do not have to go to the school they attend.  The child or children must be present to get…


Ellwood City Area School Directors Pass Amended Kindergarten Admission Policy

The Ellwood City Area School Directors approved Policy 201 Admission of Students during the Thursday night voting meeting. The policy was amended for early admission to kindergarten. The amended section regarding early admission to kindergarten now states: Physical, social and emotional maturity must be adequate to function satisfactorily in the Ellwood City Area School District’s kindergarten program. Criteria for early entrance includes the following: The child must turn five years old by September 15 of the school year of enrollment. The child seeking early entrance must have completed two years of preschool experience. A written letter of request from the…