Down River – Nov. 6, 2014
Keystone Conundrum:
Is it just me or does the Keystone Central School District seem to get its heinie caught in the wringer more than most governmental entities?
We haven’t even had a chance to completely fathom the ongoing curriculum dispute between the district administration/most board members versus several other board members when along comes the fallout from district efforts to bring the Central Mountain band parents organization into compliance with state and federal dictates.
We can appreciate the district had to move to treat the band parents group the same as other district booster groups are treated; the ground rules and applicable governmental regulations have to be the same for one and all.
But why do these issues all too often get sidetracked and blown-up? Everyone, from disgruntled former district teachers to uninformed members of the public all piling on.
This ties in with something written here a month or so ago: sometimes our district is its own worst enemy, on too many occasions taking a public relations beating because it is reactive rather than pro-active in anticipating and responding to some of these situations.
The district comes across as well intentioned in the band booster dispute and perhaps nothing could have been done to prevent the flare-up of last week which has left 65 district students without a place to go to participate as part of the color guard, majorettes or dance team.
And this is where we jump in and ask why these 65 kids were caught in the middle of the crossfire between the adults? “Hey kids, no practice tonight, the adults in this issue couldn’t work it out, so don’t worry about it; it’s a lesson learned – adults don’t always get it right.”
That’s the best we can do? That’s the best the longtime members of the band parents group can do? That’s the best the district can do?
We’ll take district superintendent Kelly Hastings at her word that the potential exists that something positive can come out of this, that ultimately the district can “grow” the existing Central Mountain High School band.
In the meantime no one has benefitted from this latest scrum which has turned these well-intentioned adults against one-another; kids, take a lesson and do it better when you become adults.
In the meantime, practice those color guard moves at home.
New Hires:
Time will tell if the transition in the City of Lock Haven administration is underway.
City officialdom is applauding its recent hire of a former Lock Haven resident to become the city’s first assistant city manager.
He is Gregory Wilson, most recently of Warren and a graduate of Lock Haven High School and Lock Haven University; he also holds a degree in public administration from Penn State.
Mayor Rick Vilello lauded the hiring announced by longtime city manager Rich Marcinkevage on Monday of this week. Vilello didn’t say so but it is unlikely Marcinkevage will be city manager forever.
If things work out it could someday be a seamless transition in the city manager’s office.
Vilello also noted the city checked the legality of the hire being made by Marcinkevage (rather than a city council appointee) and got a thumbs up from city solicitor Larry Coploff.
And Clinton County commissioner Joel Long says it will be a matter of weeks, not months, for the county to replace Amy Dicello as chief clerk.
Long said 18 individuals had submitted applications for the job as of the deadline of 5 p.m. election day. Dicello’s last day as chief clerk is Friday.
Happy Valley Sighting:
Just when we thought the Joe-bots had control over the minds and movie viewing choices of mid-state filmgoers we learn that a documentary look at the Jerry Sandusky affair will in fact soon be available for public consumption.
We’re writing here of the much-acclaimed “Happy Valley,” a documentary that played to solid reviews at film festivals earlier this year then disappeared from sight. Now comes word it will be released in New York November 19, national distribution to follow.
We have no reason to believe it won’t get a showing in Happy Valley itself, the State College market.
NBC sportscaster Bob Costa was part of a special screening of the documentary in New York City last week and said the film doesn’t take sides as much as it shows all sides:
“So is it the entire truth? No film, no matter how well made, and this one is very well made, can tell the entire truth. But is it a contribution to the truth? Damn straight.”
Another interesting critique came this week on the pennlive.com website from none other than Dottie Sandusky, wife of the convicted pedophile.
She didn’t quite have the same view as Costas, stating she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and claimed “almost none of this ‘documentary’ is based on the truth.”
I suspect a lot of central Pennsylvania people will be anxious to see the film as we all continue our quest to find the “truth” in the sordid Sandusky affair, for which the final chapter in that quest has yet to be written.
