New KCSD Super Impresses During CCEP Presentation
By Scott Johnson
LOCK HAVEN – “I believe this school district has a bright future ahead of it. We have the ability to become a cutting-edge district in the state.”
Those were the closing remarks of an over 90-minute-long presentation by Keystone Central School District Superintendent Jacquelyn Martin at Wednesday night’s Clinton County Economic Partnership’s quarterly meeting at the Best Western Hotel.
These were the first public remarks given to the group of business, industry and recreation officials since she was hired earlier this year to a five-year contract to the school district.
However, she also acknowledged that KCSD has been a “black-eye” for the county for the last few years. Martin led each leader through her story, why she returned to the district and her optimism for the future.
Firstly, she said the main focus in her life is her only child
Abby, who graduated from Penns Valley Area High School in 2017 before enrolling at Penn State-Erie, before transferring to Lock Haven University this current school year.
Martin she was one of a class of 17 who graduated from the former Sugar Valley High School in 1986, then LHU in 1990, before embarking on her professional journey in education.
That journey led from the Pocono Mountain School District, onto Penns Valley Area School District and the State College Area School District until ending up at KCSD this year.
Martin said why she is now back at KCSD is, “location, location, location.”
“This is an amazing location, an amazing county and a great place,” she said, noting that during her job research, she found the county has strong local governments, land development and protection and emergency services.
Further, Martin pointed out the area’s culture with the Lock Haven
Summer Concert Series, Millbrook Playhouse and other places and the area’s natural beauty “We have it all right here,” she said, pointing out the area’s deep culture and good people.
“Just shoot straight and we’ll all get along,” Martin said.
The one problem she did note is the school district did not have the right people in the right positions. Martin said she wants to foster a collaborative voice for the Keystone Central School District, build a relationship and trust with the school board and the staff and to collaborate and support the evolution of the district as a whole.
That includes having a vision of what students should learn, how to know when they learn it, and having timely and targeted intervention. It also includes, Martin said, the understanding and fiscal management of its operations, to identify areas for reductions and revenue improvements, and for communications and courage.
“We need innovation and problem-solving becoming the product of team-working, not individual architects,” she said, adding she wants the district administration to be different “teams:” A Team of 10 comprised of her and the board, an administrative team and school teams.
The entire gathering of around two dozen people applauded following her presentation and many stated Martin is exactly what the Keystone Central School District needs.
