Wanting to meet members of the community, parents and business leaders, Salisbury Township School District Superintendent Dr. Randy Ziegenfuss and Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Lynn Fuini-Hetten scheduled "coffee and conversation" meetings to do just that.

An informal gathering was held at the administration building May 15. Another was held prior to the curriculum meeting May 18.

Fuini-Hetten began the conversation saying she has been with the district since 1994 where she began teaching at Salisbury Middle School.

Ziegenfuss has been with the district for nine years and is in his 28th year in education. He was in the East Penn School District for 19 years in the music department.

Parents attended the May 15 meeting commenting on a strength of the district in the team teaching approach in sixth grade at the middle school. Parents were also pleased with the middle school study period at the at the end of each day during ninth period where goals are set with the students at all grades. Parents also said they liked the ability to view the homework assignments online.

The advantages of a smaller school district were also discussed including the ability for teachers to get to know the students.

Parents said they prefer smaller class sizes.

Parents asked the administrators if the gifted students are being challenged. They asked if there are enough learning opportunities for gifted students at Salisbury as opposed to larger districts which have more accelerated classes.

Administrators noted there is a parent run chapter in Salisbury of the Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education which helps support parents of gifted students.

Another suggestion from a parent was the desire for a parent group at the middle school; a group where parents can connect, run fundraisers and support the school.

Another suggestion was for there to be more involvement between Western Salisbury Elementary School and SMS.

Administrators said community and cultural leadership is on their radar. They also suggested parents and community members get involved with the Salisbury Education Foundation which supports the district and also provides scholarships to students at the end of the year. Anyone wishing to get involved should contact Ziegenfuss or Fuini-Hetten.

A parent suggested the middle school be involved in the National Junior Honor Society.

A positive for adminsitrators was the comment "The Leader in Me" program implemented at the elementary schools has been great.

"It has been a great change," one parent commented. "My student who was not participating is now a leader."

A discussion revolved around PA Core, formerly common core.

Fuini-Hetten explained the district is implementing the PA Core with the Envisions math program and the Story Town reading program which the district believes are valuable tools for the students.

Ziegenfuss explained the common core was a national movement by Governors all but eight states have adopted some form of the common core.

"The idea was to level the playing field by meeting minimum expectations and standards if families were to move around the country," administrators said.

For more information, visit PDESAS.org and paacademicreview.org.

A parent asked if the computers in the district were funded by PA Core and they are not.

Another parent asked if the $50 insurance fee will continue if the computers are taken home. The fee will remain the same, Ziegenfuss said, as the district self-repairs the computers.

Ziegenfuss said elementary parents do not pay the insurance fee as the technology does not go home with the student.

The fee is paid by middle and high school families if the computers go home with the students.

Families on free and reduced lunch do not pay the fee.

Ziegenfuss said all computers are funded by the district and the entire technology budget is only 3 percent of the budget.

Lastly, a parent asked if the district provides any form of prevention education on relationships between teachers or coaches and students.

Fuini-Hetten said a mandate for this type of education was delivered by the district in January to teachers, coaches and bus drivers.

The parent asked if any education could be given to the students as part of the curriculum telling them not to exchange numbers with teachers and coaches and more.

Administrators said they will check with the guidance department to see if it is included in their work with the students.

Ziegenfuss invited the parents to follow the district on SalisburySD.us and TL2020.org

Parents said they believed the conversation was helpful and would like to see additional conversations on a regular basis.