The Daily News from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania • Page 1

THE Serving all of Raystown Country DAILY NEWS VOL. 89 No. 177 EST, 1922 College Sports: Foster inducted into South Dakota Hall of Fame, Page 4. NFL': Colts score late to beat Dolphins, Page 4. H.S.

Golf: Goodling leads Trojans to ICC tourney title, Page 6. TUESDAY, SEFTKMBER 22, 2009 Tussey ready for flu impact Board told 'education' is key By RON MORGAN Daily News Staff writer The Tussey Mountain School District is talcing steps to combat the HlNl "swine" intluenza threat expected this fall and winter by educating students, parents and school staffers about early prevention measures. The flu discussion was among a number of topics discussed during the monthly school board meeting at the Defiance Elementary School Monday evening. Rick Heath, district director of education, outlined several meetings he attended with other school districts and the Tussey faculty and medical staff to outline steps that will be taken to prepare for the H1NI tlu that is expected to impact the district this fall and winter. Both Heath and several Tussey school board members stressed the importance of education and various preventive measures that students can take to lessen the threat of the flu should it infiltrate the schools.

Relying on staff meetings with district teachers, aides, as well as information that is being disseminated to the students, the Tussey administration hopes to educate the students, parents and general public about some common sense "action steps" that can be taken to head off a serious threat to the student population. "Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing, clean hands carefully and avoid close contact with others having the Hu" are just a few of the preventive measures students and adults can take to avoid coming into contact spreading the virus. Heath said. In addition, a considerable amount of information about the virus will be available on the school district's Web site, www.tmsd.net. Heath said hand sanitizers will be available in many classrooms and other parts of the building for use by students and faculty as well as signage that will help educate the students about preventive measures to avoid the flu.

The district nursing staff will also be talking with faculty members and a visit from a state Department of Health is scheduled in the near future to discuss seasonal and HlNl flu prepiU'edness measures. in the event that students have symptoms of the flu in school, they will be sent home. Heath said. Also, a flu shot clinic is planned at the UPMC Bedford Hospital for Wednesday, Oct. 7, See 'Hissey Page 3 MU schools' testing results: Presentation focuses on efforts to help reading-disabled elementary students By REBECCA BERDAR Daily News Staff Writer Achievement among elementary students in the Mount Union Area School District has inspired a lot of pride among teachers and administrators, but recent test results have also prompted district officials to bolster reading education in an effort to help some of its special education students meet national goals.

At a workshop last week, school board members heard a presentation by Frank Miller, director of elementary education and federal programs, on standardized test results and how one of their elementary schools was issued "School Photo by REBECCA BERDAR Frank Miller, director of education and federal for the Mount Union Area School Board, presents PSSA results to school board members at a recent workshop. Miller's talk also focused on the district's efforts to help students improve scores. Improvement rating this year for not meeting annual yearly progress standards (AYP) under the federal government's No Child Left Behind Act. Miller's presentation focused on the district's current efforts to improve test results among the lEP (individual education plan) subgroup, which scored as such to earn Mount Union-Kistler Elementary School the improvement rating. Mount Union Area Senior High School (grades 9-12) also received a School Improvement I rating.

The district as a whole was issued a warning due to the two schools' performance. "If one subgroup doesn't make it, you don't make it as a district," Miller said in an interview following the workshop presentation. This is the first time Mount Union-Kistler has had enough students to qualify for the lEP subgroup. Miller said a school must have at least 40 students in any one subgroup for that group's test results to impact a school's overall performance. Mount Union-Kistler had 41 students in the lEP subgroup take the PSSA test.

The school qualifies for two other subgroups: race and economic disadvantage. Miller said the economically disadvan- See MU Page 2 HASB OKs new plans for HAMS By GEORGE GERMANN Daily News Staff Writer The Huntingdon Area School Board has approved a new submission of plans for a middle school project to the state Department of Education. The action was taken Monday night during the board's regular monthly meeting. Known as Plancons, the first set of documents include justification and plans for the proposed middle school. The new initial documents to the state are needed because the scope of the project had changed as the result of the finding of additional "bad" soil at the middle school.

Initial documentation to the Education Department included retaining part of the current middle school, including the gym and swimming pool area. That plan was scrapped because of the finding of cracks in walls, inside and outside, of those sections of the middle school. Several weeks ago, Paul Balough, the architect for the project, recommended Option which calls for the construction of a two-story building, new gym facilities, the demolition of the entire current middle school and a new pool as an option. Cracked walls and heaving hallways are issues that prompted the need for a new middle school building. Those problems have been caused by shifting soil under the structure constructed in the early 1970s.

The plans approved by the board are revised documents of ones submitted earlier to the Department of Education. During the meeting, several in attendance, including high school math teacher Melanie Vamer, who is also a swimming See HASB Page 2 Middle school to stay with grades 6, 7 and 8 By GEORGE GERMANN I Daily News Staff Writer Without any discussion, the Huntingdon Area School Board affirmed the current grade makeup at Uie middle school with sixth, seventh and eighth grade students attending. The 9-0 vote was on an agenda item "to support the administrative recommendation to continue with the current middle school philosophy with a grade configuration of sixth through eighth." A couple of weeks ago, board member Dennis Reif suggested the district should consider "moving'l sixth grade students, "back" to the district's four elementary schools as a cost-cutting measure for the planned new middle school. (See related story.) The idea met with opposition from several school board members and Superintendent Jill Adams. Reif, who also serves as the chau: of the building and grounds committee, voted during Monday night's regular school board meeting to continue with the current grade alignment.

Other business In other business Monday night, the HASB: See School Page 2 Road salt study says it taints water By JOSH FUNK Daily News Staff Writer When the ice starts to form, out comes the salt. Road salt is the most commonly used deicing agent in winter months because it is cost-effective. But while it may save on the pocketbook, salt appears to have a little more of a cost to the environment, specifically streams. A study recently released by the United States Geological Survey studied 20 states for samples of chloride levels in stream and groundwater supplies, and found that levels of chloride were many times higher in the winter months, sometimes 20 times higher than federal guidelines which were designed to protect life in and around the streams. Chloride, by definition, is one of the components of a salt crystal.

Pennsylvania was one of the 20 states included in the study. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman Steve Chizmar told The Daily News he was aware of the study. He also said PennDOT has taken steps to ensure a minimal amount of road salt ends up in streams. "We've taken various steps to be sure we're not adding to the problem," Chizmar said. "We practice prewetting our salt to keep it See Study Page 3 34th Oktoberfest opens Friday in Cassville, continues to Sunday By POLLY McMULLIN News Editor Today marks the first day of autumn and this weekend is the 34th Annual Oktoberfest in Cassville the first of a series of fall festivals in the county.

It opens at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, and continues Saturday from 9 a.m. until late evening and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Larry Hicks organized the fall festival in 1976 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the signing of the nation's Declaration of Independence. The following year, the Huntingdon County Arts Festival was held in Cassville during the first week in October which is how the Oktoberfest was named. The last weekend in September has become the traditional date for the festival and Hicks remains in the chairmanship position of this fundraiser to benefit the people of the "valley" through the services provided by the Trough Creek Valley Fire Co. and Trough Creek Valley Lions Club. As always.

Hicks has a crew of helpers, such as Scott Wright, who is taking over for his dad. Glenn, to coordinate the Oktoberfest Run which begins at 9 a.m. Saturday. Troy and Sandy Zeigler, who are new to the area, are assisting Wright. Gary Isenberg and friends are in charge of apple butter and cider making products that always sell quickly with Ken Covert in charge of sales.

Aaron and Laura Hicks of Cassville are in charge of the antique classic car and motorcycle show which will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Sunday and there is a $3 fee. Colleen Curfman and Christy Reed are in charge of the Cassville Little Princess Pageant this year.

It will feature four contestants and will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday under the big tent. As always, the TCV Fire Co, will have its chicken barbecue dinner from 11 a.m, to 1 p.m. Saturday and its roast beef dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sunday. See Oktoberfest Page 3 First signs of fall Photo by JOSH FUNK Shorter days and cooler nights can only mean autumn weather has arrived and the season Is right around the corner. Today marlts the first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, and some of the leaves on this tree along Cooks Road In Todd Township have already gotten a jump start, displaying a vibrant red color for all to see. INDEX Classifieds 12,13 13 Comics 10 News of 13 Dr. Gott 11 People Pastimes 8 Editorial 7 Sports 4,5,6 WEATHER cloudy with a chance of showers.

Low 59. For the complete weather forecast, see Page 15, INSIDE TODAY Chatter Box: It doesn't just feel like fall is Page 9. Healthy Livmg: Not kidding around study finds kids are trying to eat well, Page 16. STATE I Thanlcs to Patrons: Man charged with neglecting three blind and deaf adults in his care. Page 11.

TEASER A Huntingdon mayor made a declaration for a special week 25 years ago. Who was he and what was the declaration? See today's News of Yesteryear for the answer..