Huntingdon School Board Approves Strategic Plan

HUNTINGDON - The Huntingdon Special School District Board of Education approved an updated five-year Strategic Plan for the years 2025-2029 during its May meeting.

Dr. Jonathan Kee, the director of schools, presented an outline focused on providing standards-aligned education, expanding STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) offerings for students, more career development, and placing greater emphasis on fine arts for students in grades K-12.

The district recently implemented support for students’ holistic well-being by introducing on-site medical practitioners plus the school nurses, and behavioral health services. The services will continue in the new school year.

For instructional support, the faculty now includes instructional coaches in English Language Arts (ELA) and math, along with a New Teacher Academy that provides extra mentoring for new teachers from their peers.

The long-term plan also encompasses upgrades to athletic facilities. A new baseball press box is currently under construction and renovations are underway for the football/soccer fieldhouse.

Additional campus improvements in the. long-range plans include enhancing lighting for softball, baseball, and band, developing a new tennis and pickleball complex, adding a greenhouse for FFA, replacing windows at Huntingdon Primary School, and implementing audio/visual upgrades at both Huntingdon Primary School and Huntingdon Middle School in the gymnasium and cafeteria. New audio enhancements in all classrooms will provide surround sound, ensuring uniform amplification of sound throughout the room.

One key initiative aims to improve community engagement and communication.

To support faculty and staff, the Board approved bereavement leave of three days.

The Board also approved a bid of $110,500 to pave the rear parking lot at Huntingdon High School (HHS).

Two students from HHS were appointed as student ambassadors for the monthly Board of Education meetings. Initially, the Board had planned to select one student representative, but Dr. Lee Carter, chairman of the board, stated that both applicants were exceptional. Consequently, the selection committee decided to include both young women, Madison Dill and Paige Costello, who were administered the oath of office by Dr. Kee.

Additionally, Dr. Kee submitted a list of administrators for the 2025-26 school year: Vicki Crossno as Principal of HPS; Rachel Williams as Principal of HMS; Porsche McClerking as Principal of HHS; Alan Eubanks as Supervisor of Federal Programs and Attendance; Scott Carter as Supervisor of Technology; Christy Carey as Supervisor of Special Education and Student Development; and Robbie Carlton as Supervisor of Food Service.

New associates were also announced, including Emily Hampton for HPS Special Education, Dalton Cook for HHS Special Education, and Michelle Forbess for HHS Science. The board was informed of Stacey Johnson's resignation from the role of HHS Special Education.