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Last year, Solanco school officials wondered if the low kindergarten enrollment was a one-time occurrence or the beginning of a trend.
Now a trend seems more likely. Earlier this month, Scott Long moved across the office, down the hall, and into his new job at Solanco High.
He brings with him a vision for the school's future and plans to turn that vision into reality. "We need to do a better job with college and career readiness," he said. "We need to get kids ready for what they're going to do after high school. "College is not the be-all and end-all. We need to work with CTC [the county's vocational schools] as well as our own training here." Organizing Solanco High School's blood drives has become a tradition passed down from one small group of students to another.
Rachel Johnson and Gabi Dolan planned the most recent drive, which was held in the chorus room on May 30. Thanks to its Renaissance program, Solanco High School students are routinely recognized for outstanding academics, good attendance records, and exemplary behavior.
On Friday night, May 10, students will have the opportunity to display different types of skills. The school is hosting a talent/variety show Friday night at 7. Doors open at 6:30. Admission is $5. Members of Solanco High School’s football team spent Saturday morning, April 27, raking leaves and spreading mulch at the SECA grounds in Quarryville.
Solanco High School librarian Emily Dawley says students still love to read print books.
That's why she started The Great Book Swap seven years ago and why it's still a popular program today. "Generally, reading books might be down a little but we still have a lot of kids who absolutely still love reading books," said Dawley. "Reading is still a priority for kids. There are still a lot of kids who prefer print books."  Late Friday morning, February 3, three Solanco High School seniors began packing weekend food bags for 71 Clermont Elementary School students.
"We come every Friday to do this," said Michael Stock. Stock, like his fellow volunteers, is a member of the high school's FBLA chapter. The chapter members alternate to pack the bags. By late last week, property owners still owed the Solanco School District $1.3 million in real estate taxes.
That's about normal for this time of the year, said Dr. Timothy Shrom, the district's business manager. "By the end of the year, it's not unreasonable to believe we will have all but two and a half percent of the money, or about $500,000, in," Dr. Shrom said. Most of the remaining money will be paid in the last two weeks of the year. Santa will be making an early trip this month.
Instead of a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer, she will be driving south on I-95 to Baltimore. When she arrives, Santa will have a car full of toys for children who will be in Johns Hopkins Hospital on Christmas. When they take to the stage this week, Smith Middle School students will help their audience dig its way through ancient civilizations.
In Dig It!, adventurers Taki (Hannah Hargraves) and Tut (Nicole Kudia) start with an exploration of Ethiopia. There they encounter a skeleton (Sophia Steinhauer) who wakes up and takes them on a journey through the cultures that created the modern world. After a hiatus, the Mr. Solanco pageant will return to the high school.
The pageant pits senior boys in a structured competition for the title. Funds raised are used to help pay for incentives for the school's Renaissance Program. A month into its new truancy prevention program, Solanco's teachers and principals are starting to identify kids who don't come to school as often as they should. Now they're working with families to keep the problem from getting worse.
One of the first steps the school takes is to work with parents or guardians to set up a truancy elimination plan. The plan outlines how families can get their kids to school every day, sets goals, and establishes rewards for the students who achieve them. Hosting an all-night party for 200 teenagers is expensive.
Even if it's staffed by volunteers and many of the prizes are donated, the cost will go well over $10,000. Coming up with that money is one of the challenges Solanco's post-prom party committee faces every year. Parents planning the May, 2015, party are pinning their hopes on a major fundraiser they'll hold next month. Exhibitors spend Tuesday getting read for the he 65th Solanco Fair which runs from Wednesday, September 17 through Friday, September 19. The Fair Parade is Wednesday night at 6. The Baby Parade is Thursday night at 7.  Members of Solanco High School's FFA chapter have two goals for their annual Solanco Fair Parade float.
"We're trying to stay with the fair theme [sports spectacular]," said chapter vice president Andrew Aument. The chapter members also have a more personal message for the float. "We're trying to do a tribute to Brian Zug," Aument said. Zug, who died April 17 at the age of 39, had coached the FFA chapter's dairy judging team for years. Members of Solanco High School's 2014 marching band are playing music from their parents' era.
Many of the musicians' parents recognize the tunes in this year's program, band director Gary Doll said last week. "It's 70s jazz, stuff that a lot of their parents recognize," he said. "Most kids aren't exposed to jazz." The four arrangements in the show were composed by Chuck Mangione. They were written between 1962 and and 1978. Organizers are accepting registrations for September's Solanco Fair Baby Parade.
This year's parade is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 18 at the Solanco Fairgrounds. The Walking Division will have the following classes: Best Imitation of a Nursery Rhyme or Fairy Tale, Best Characterization, Most Original, Best Team, Girl in Fancy Dress, and Best Dressed Boy.  Solanco's summer reading and writing program added something new this year.
Math. "We've never done that [math] before," coordinator Robin Ball said last week. "Our teachers come from the elementary grades, so they could do it." Teachers and aides, with volunteers from the community, run the camp. The faculty of Swift Middle School has named the following students to the fourth quarter honor roll.
 For a quarter of a century, members of the Southern Lancaster County Historical Society have managed the Robert Fulton Birthplace for Pennsylvania.
Now the state may be willing to turn the site over to the nonprofit that has been running it. The change won't happen anytime soon. "It could take years," said Howard Pollman, spokesman for Pennsylvania's Historic and Museum Commission. Rubicon Wrestling Camp clinician John Little wants to convey the message that hard work and dedication are key to a successful wrestling career.
He didn't have to look far to find some good role models for the Rubicon participants.  For the past 56 years, his life has been ruled by the school calendar.
That changes on June 30 when Dr. Martin J. Hudacs retires as superintendent of the Solanco School District. "I've been in this routine all my life," he said last Thursday. That schedule began when he started attending public school in Scranton and continued through his college years. For the past 39 years, he's also worked under that calendar as teacher, assistant high school principal, high school principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent. Commencement exercises for Solanco High School's Class of 2014 will be held indoors this evening.
School officials made that decision at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 11. The decision was made due to the threat of rain and thunderstorms, officials said. Commencement will be held in the school's large gymnasium, starting at 7:30 p.m. This will be the third year in a row graduation has been held indoors. The school district schedules exercises in the high school football stadium with the indoor site as an alternative. The outdoor site allows more spectators. When commencement is held indoors, the district allows each student to give out two tickets to family members or friends. Anyone without a ticket can watch the ceremony on closed-circuit television. |
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