Vol. 115 No. 12
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The Back Mountain's Newspaper Since 1889
March 21 to March 28, 2004
SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS & LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS
By RONALD BARTIZEK
Post Staff
BACK MOUNTAIN — Go directly to jail.
Those could be the words two parents hear
~ as a result of their children’s continued absence
‘from school. But they are the exception, as lo-
cal school districts work to improve student at-
tendance rates. School officials say a five-day
jail term for parents is a last resort, but despite
fttempts to work with families, it is sometimes
eal possibility.
Administrators in the Dallas School District
are stepping up efforts to reduce missed school
days in part by looking more closely for pat-
terns of attendance — or lack of it — in both
individual records and the school calendar as a
whole.
The Lake-Lehman district instituted an atten-
dance policy in the late 1980s that is still in use,
and can result in a student being withdrawn
from a class if too many days are missed. Today,
the policy is being enforced with new vigor, and
parents are receiving forceful reminders by mail
8 Schools fight absences with velvet glove
when their children have been absent without
notification.
The emphasis on attendance is driven in part
by requirements of the federal No Child Left
Behind act. Beyond test scores and graduation
rates, the federal government requires states to
select another indicator of academic perform-
ance. Pennsylvania chose attendance.
The act requires an attendance rate of at least
95 percent, or year-over-year improvement in
the rate if it falls below that.
See ABSENCES, pg 3
Fines, even jail, are last
stop for parents of truants
Under state guidelines, every student is entitled
to three unexcused absences a year. After that, dis-
tricts handle matters in different ways.
Dallas School District employs a Home and
School Visitor, and among his duties is dealing
with students showing chronic absenteeism.
Norm Swithers has held the post for six years.
Even though legal action is an option, he sees it as
a last resort.
“If I have to go to the magistrate, I think I've
See FINES, pg 3
oung man has
igh hopes for a
olitical future
i Nick Kon, Jordan Mullen and Josh Perella compared and showed off their cars at a recent Cub Scout Pinewood Derby
held by Gate of Heaven Troop 232. More photos on page 3.
Po
FOR THE POST/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK
irt road will be paved, but not right away
By RONALD BARTIZEK
Post Staff
DALLAS TWP. — Helena
Kuczura has been waiting 22
years for the road that runs by
her secluded home to be
paved. Her family built the first
house in the upscale Glen-
dalough neighborhood off Up-
per Demunds Road, a develop-
ment that can be glimpsed
through the trees only when
“ there are no leaves.
Restaurant
to reopen
By ERIN YOUNGMAN
Post Staff
TRUCKSVILLE — The
ilding at 111 South Main
Wireet that used to house Yes-
terday’s restaurant could
soon see new life.
A notice of application
posted in the former restau-
rant’s window states the com-
pany M & M Restaurants,
LLC., has applied for a trans-
fer of liquor license for the
property.
Kingston Township Zoning
Officer Bill Eck said he has
been told the building’s cur-
rent owner, Paul Klug, will
retain ownership of the prop-
erty and lease it to M & M
Restaurants.
“It’s going to be a family
style restaurant — basically
See YESTERDAY'S, pg 2
“This road is a mess,” espe-
cially now, she said earlier this
month. ,
Actually, about half of the
road is paved, but not the por-
tion that runs by seven homes
including Kuczura’s. :
Kuczura says she has im-
plored the township to im-
prove the road, but her pleas
have fallen on deaf ears.
Township Secretary Leonard
Kozick said Glendalough was
developed with private roads,
and property deeds stated as
much. But after residents com-
plained, the township agreed
to take over the roads in the
mid-1990s, once they were
brought up to required specifi-
cations for width and drainage.
More than half has been
paved since then. The rest will
have to wait until the township
has enough extra money to fin-
ish the job, said Frank Wagner,
vice chairman of the supervi-
sors. “We will do it gradually,”
he said, “but we're not going to
go into debt for it.”
That has been the pattern so
far. Wagner said the township
first paved the portion of Glen-
dalough Road that runs across
an earthen dam. “We couldn’t
hold the road,” when it was
gravel, he said.
Next, asphalt was laid down
on a portion of Glendalough
Road that runs to Raintree
Road, past six homes. Then
See DIRT ROAD, pg 3
By ERIN YOUNGMAN
Post Staff
DALLAS TWP. - Todd
Buckley may be a “regular” col-
lege student, but this 19-year-
old Dallas graduate aspires to a
position few of his peers relate
to.
On two Monday evenings a
month, as many fellow King’s
College students retreat to the
comfort of their dorm rooms,
Buckley climbs into his car and
heads to the Dallas School Dis-
trict Administration Building.
Last November, after losing a
bid to replace resigned board
member, Anthony Barbose, the
ambitious business administra-
tion major resolved to attend
as many school board meetings
as possible.
“From that time on, I felt
that if I wanted to be on the
board, I should be informed
about what’s going on.” He has
been attending ever since, and
— at times — actively partici-
pating in the process. He re-
cently spoke up about an over-
crowding situation at a district
open swim.
“lI am really just like every
other college student,” he said
during an interview at his par-
ents’ home last week. “I do
hang out with my friends and
everything, but I do make it a
point to go to the board meet-
ings.”
It's possible the aspiring
board member is the youngest
ever to seek such a position in
the Dallas School District, or
in the state. He plans to throw
his hat in the ring a year from
this May, when several seats
will be up for grabs.
He acknowledged last year’s
competition was stiff. He was
up against 30-year board veter-
an Ernest Ashbridge, outgoing
board member John Litz and
voter favorite Dennis Gochoel.
Gochoel ultimately ended up
securing the position. +
Nonetheless, he hasn’t been
deterred and the loss, or what
he calls the “learning opportu-
nity,” has only strengthened his
resolve.
He believes himself to be a
strong candidate that would
bring unique experience and
insight. After all, he pointed
See FUTURE, pg 3
POST PHOTO! Ean TOUGH
Todd Buckley, 19, is plan-
ning to run for the Dallas
School Board. After that,
who knows?
Dallas grows
a big crop of
Student Achievers
future tycoons
By ERIN YOUNGMAN
Post Staff
DALLAS TWP. — Members of the Fu-
ture Business Leaders of America Club at
Dallas High School have made it past re-
gionals and on to the state competition for
years. This is the first year, though, that 15
club members have won the right to ad-
varnce.
“This is the largest region in Pennsylva-
nia, that’s why it’s so great that we have so
many going,” said the club’s advisor, Linda
Shrader. The group had to compete against
12 other schools to earn spots at the compe-
tition.
month.
Fifteen members of Dallas High School’s Future Business Leaders of Amer-
. ica Club have won the right to compete at the state competition later in the
Shrader, who has been advisor to the club
for six years, takes no credit for the success
— “I just think they are very bright people
See TYCOONS, pg 2
Pictured from left, first row: Shannon Kotch, Gillian Libenson, Sam
O’Brien, Nikki Pisacano. Second row: Jon Baker, Michael Kowalski, Jon
Stevens, Adam Snider, Ryan McHale, Kevin Roman, Linda Shrader, advisor.
POST PHOTO/ERIN YOUNGMAN
Standouts in
science win
state berths
By M.B. GILLIGAN
Post Correspondent
LEHMAN TWP.
teams qualified to attend the state level
of the Science Olympiad after compet-
ing in the Northeast Regional event,
which took place at Penn State Wilkes-
Barre campus on March 10.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Jean Lipski,
who along with Sandy Boyle, coaches
the Lake-Lehman High School team.
“The kids are really excited. It is the
first time that our two teams will be go-
ing to states at the same time.”
Both Lake-Lehman Junior High, with
— Several area
a sixth place finish, out of 28 teams,
and Lake-Lehman Senior High, which
placed seventh out of 36 teams, earned
See SCIENCE, pg 2
INSIDE THE PosT
12 Pages, 1 Section
Calendar.
Legion Auxiliary
plans salute to
Iraq soldiers
Back Mountain honor
students at Bishop O’Reilly
Page 10
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