&- Chris Plaviak, social stud- e>tarbucks to open Vol. 118 No. 36 THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889 September 9 - September 15, 2007 The DaAr1As Post. SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS AND LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS ood ole enthusiasm , for a new school year The playgrounds and swimming pools are empty. Bicycles rest in driveways and garages. The official autumnal REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com equinox may not be until September 23, but summer has ended for hundreds of Back Mountain children. Students in the Dallas and Lake-Lehman School Districts returned to school Tuesday. Jeff Shaffer, principal of Dallas High School, says the first day of school went very well. “There’s just a general spirit of enthusiasm here,” said Shaffer. The principal credits the successful start to the staff and students. Enrollment at the high school this year is at 880, just 70 stu- dents away from the 950 capac- ity the school can hold. Shaffer says the student population has been increasing steadily every year. Dallas graduated 198 se- niors in 2007 and the 2007-08 freshman class has 240 mem- bers. This year, Dallas High School has added an extra lunch period due to its growing stu- dent body. But Shaffer says the district ex- pected to get even more students than they did after several local Catholic schools closed their doors. Dallas High School has also added two new modular class- rooms and a nine-day freshman orientation program. The pro- gram was developed by teachers Sarah Kashatus and Kevin West to introduce incoming students to school clubs, activities, and policies. New teachers at Dallas High School include the following: Morgan Jones, Dan Nestorick ies; Jennifer Pokrinchak, En- glish; and Nicole math. The first day of school at Lake-Lehman Junior/Senior High School also went smoothly. Principal Tracey Halowich attributes the prob- lem-free day to the time spent preparing for it. “There’s a lot of work that goes on in the summer behind the scenes,” said Halowich. Teachers also had in-services for two days before the students came back to get ready. Halowich estimates there are 725 students in grades nine through 12. She thinks enroll Poluske, Katie Supey, left, and Hannah Stull enjoy a laugh together before their first day of school at Lehman-Jackson Elementary School. See SCHOOL, Page 8 CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Dallas Junior High School principal Anthony Martinelli gives eighth grader Nick Delmar a big welcome back to school. REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com If you dread getting out of bed early in the morning and just can’t seem to func- tion without caffeine, fear no more. Sha- vertown is getting in on the Starbucks coffee craze. The first Starbucks location in the Back Mountain will open on Thursday, Sept. 13, on Memorial Highway next to McDonald's. A friends and family event with a fall theme from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12 will give the public an opportu- nity to stop in, enjoy live music and sample complimentary drinks, includ- ing Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spiced Latte. Fifteen employees, all residents of the Dallas and Shavertown area, have been hired to work at the new location. The store his inside-only seating for 15 and no drive-thru. In July, the future co-workers and oth- ers came together for “Make Your Mark,” a Starbucks event in which $10 is donated to a charitable cause for ev- ery hour a volunteer puts in toward the cause. “Make Your Mark” is held every time a new Starbucks opens. The Dallas Starbucks employees and volunteers in Shavertown Dallas Starbucks 184 Memorial Highway (next to McDo- nald’s) Shavertown Phone: 675-7998 worked at the Back Mountain Memo- rial Library’s annual auction for all four day and raised a total of $1,000 for the library. The check will be pre- sented to library director Martha But- ler at the Starbucks friends and family event. Cordie Braun, a Dallas resident, is the store manager of the Dallas Star- bucks. Braun worked for Burlington Coat Factory in Baltimore, Md. and came to the area 11 years ago when a new Burlington store opened in Wilkes-Barre. She was a Starbucks customer and read up on the compa- ny so, when she heard a new Star- bucks was opening in Dallas, she ap- plied online for the manager position. Store hours for the Dallas Star- bucks are as follows: 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday. Getting more out of summer: teens giving back By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com It’s a different kind of teenager that chooses to give back to his or her community rather than spending all their time playing video games and hanging out at the mall. Seven teenage girls spent time this summer working in the Meadows Nursing Center’s volun- teer program and, over pizza one afternoon, sat down and told us about their experiences in that program. The teen volunteers as- sist with whatever is hap- pening at the nursing home during a particular day. They distribute mail and ice, visit with resi- dents, provide physical therapy escort service, give manicures, assist with crafts and activities and take residents out- doors. Trips to local stores like K-Mart and Wal-Mart are also popular and, occa- sionally, the teens will even cast lines, allowing residents can fish in the facility’s 12-foot deep pond. Each year the teen vol- unteers help out at the Meadows’ annual fundrais- er Market on the Pond, al- ways held the day before Father’s Day. This year, volunteers worked the bake sale stand and manned a beverage cart selling coffee, soda and water. Their day began at 7 a.m. and they raised $140 from selling drinks. The teenage volunteer program at the Meadows is open to males and fe- males ages 13-18. A log book is kept in the volun- teer office to keep track of all the hours the volun- teers put in. This helps verify total completed See VOLUNTEER, Page 8 x vo AEE Ee ) CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Shavertown resident Alison Spencer, a Meadows teen vol- unteer, reaches to secure the wheel lock on the chair of Anna Zalinski, a resident. Next to them is resident Nancy Groblewski.
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