A26-Uuwasl»r Farming, Saturday, February 24,1990 Kutztown Preserves KUTZTOWN (Berks Co.) The Kutztown Area School Board agreed to retain agricultural edu cation but cut the program to one full time teaching position, Mon day night The district had previ ously had 1 and 1/2 positions. That number was reduced when full-time teacher Donald Reinert took a sabbatical at the beginning of the school year. Seventy members of the agri cultural community attended the board’s regularly scheduled meet ing. Before the board made its decision. Robert Tercha, president of the Kutztown Young Farmers and member of the advisory coun cil, announced that the council had met to evaluate the current ag cur riculum. He told the board that two full-time teachers were recommended for vo-ag. He read portions of the council meeting minutes and reminded board members that they had been given a copy. Tercha then introduced Phoebe Bitler, advisory council secretary. Bitler was preparing to share the council’s recommenda tions for an up-dated course of agriculture study, when a school director called the question. All discussion on the subject could have ended there. The vote was 4 to 4 and the motion was defeated. Then Bitler was allowed to talk. Speaking briefly, Bitler outlined a number of possibilities including intro to ag. science in 9th grade; agri-science designed to fill a science credit for 10th graders, advanced ag science in 11th grade; and ag business or biotechnology in 12th grade. The recommendations also included a number of electives for secondary students, an ag literacy program, the FFA and a 1000 hours of Young farmer Work. Dr. Jerry Cal, Kutztown vo-ag instructor, announced that there is no way to reach the goal of an improved, more science oriented department with only one teacher. Cal who had taught agricultural as a half-time teacher for the last two years, is presently teaching full time while Reinert is on sabbati cal. “With only one teacher, ag will be alive for one more year,” Cal said. Cal added that he will seek legal advice on where he stands with the abolishment of the half-time posi tion. In response, Dr. Richard Karr, told the audience that the present Ea#,ly Connscti Forced Air/ i Hot Water P»Hmct For • Naw Hamas • Existing Hamas • Swimming Faals • Oraanhausa •km • mimM • OWlca • iwlmn Hm» UVW MONET Hoots your homo and domestic hoi wator (•ova lo J 5% of alectric bill). No naod for building or chimnay. lEH Furnoca tits oultlda aliminolat lira dongar and flua lira foravar. COWVIMIHI load hirnaco ovory 10-13 houra bum* log* up to Id" In dtamotar, 30" in length. position is actually more than one teacher. “There are eight periods more a week than a one person position because Harold Schaffer is teaching some of the mechani cal course work,’’ Karr said. According to Karr, Schaffer, an industrial arts teacher, became involved because Cal didn’t have much shop experience. Donald Reinert warned the board that this could create prob lems. “Schaffer has no vo-ag cer tification. This could jeopardize the department’s vo-ag certifica tion,” Reinert said. Karr said that he wanted to incorporate ag into more parts of the curriculum. “I see ag business possibly offered by the business department and ag science per haps being part of the science department. Schaffer has an industrial arts certification and these courses can in fact come under an industrial arts certifica tion,” Karr said. According to Larry Redding, program specialist for Penn sylvania agriculture education, it could be a real problem. “Voca tional agriculture shop courses Vo-Ag But Slashes' Half Position have got to be taught by a certified ag instructor,” Redding said. While Redding doesn’t foresee revoking the FFA charter at this point he said it could affect the school’s vocational funding. Redding stressed that vocation al numbers are not reported until the end of the school year. School districts received additional funds for each vocational student they have. The formula is complicated and results in different amounts of funding for different schools. Karr reported that there are 23 voca tional students in the Kutztown program at last Monday’s special meeting. Before the board voted, Karr reiterated the district’s support for theFFA. “While we may be using teachers in other areas we will be maintaining the FFA. No one wants to lose it,” Karr said. “We also want to maintain some sort of assistance for the Young Farmers,” he added. According to Redding this could be difficult to do. “In order to have an approved program there must be 240 hours of ag available for ninth grade students, The two pit balers in our facility in Philadelphia located at the foot of the Tacony Palmyra Bridge We Are The Major Philadelphia Distributor Of Baled, Shredded Old Newspaper And Magazines For Use As Animal Bedding Newspaper Is a completely natural product of neither dust nor fungus, mold or other diseases. It wood liber and hydrocarbon and vegetable oils. spreads better, decomposes faster in soil and slurry NEWSPAPER HAS MANY ADVANTAGES OVER STRAW systems and Is weed free. Moreover, It should equal or AND NO DISADVANTAGES. It Is priced significantly surpass sawdust, shavings, straw and com stover In lower than straw. It Is far more absorbent, provides providing necessary organic matter In the soil when better fly control, reduces ammonia odor, and carries . manures containing It are spread. Call Andrew Kronfeld for further information. Toll Froo: 1-800-347-3005 x M AMERICAN PAPER BEDDING INC. 360 hours of ag in 10th grade; 360 hours in 11th grade and 360 hours in 12th grade. Each year 120 hours can be in related areas such as SOE’s (Supervised Occupational Experience) All of the courses must be taught by certified vo-ag instructors.” Redding said. “In order to have an FFA you must have an approved program/’ he added. Requirements for Young Farm er programs are much more re laxed. “We have programs with SO hours and others with 2050 hours. In order to receive federal funding there must be at least 500 hours of instruction. Funding of $4OOO or $5OOO doesn’t seem like much when you consider the budget of the entire school dis trict,” Redding said. According to Redding, Kutz town did contract for 1000 hours of Young Farmer time to be used this year. ‘ * I understand that there is a let ter coming from the district explaining that they can’t meet that obligation. They didn’t apply for funds for next year but we are going to see if they can still access Our trucks deliver to your farm Our Baled Inventory: Stock may also be picked up F. 0.8. our facility those funds,” he explained. Redding said there is no penalty for not meeting that contract. As part of the vote, the school board empowered Karr to set up a committee to interview candidates in case of a vacancy and examine the department’s curriculum. Five members of the ag community are on the committee including; Robert Tercha, Phoebe Bitler, BUI Hughes, Larry Schrwader, and Dr. Sam Yoder. Also on" the commit tee are: Dr. Karr, Alan Machamer, Margaret Fenstermacher, Timothy Haas and Monte Schroeder. After some discussion Karr made clear that should there be a need to interview a candidate the ag. com munity would have, input The final decision however would be made by the administration and school board. Reaction to the vote was varied. One of the most even handed responses came from Monte Schroeder, school board president and crop farmer from Kutztown R.D.3. “There were two objec tives here. The first was the con tinuation of the ag program at (Turn to Pago A 27) One Independence Place Suite 2310 6th & Locust Walk Philadelphia. PA 19106 Local: (215) 664-8403 v ■»
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