The future looks bright at the Salisbury School District as student representatives reported on their experiences during the first week of school and the upcoming events scheduled for September to the members of the board during the Sept. 14 meeting.

Harry S Truman Elementary School student representative Reagan Treskot and Western Salisbury Elementary School student representative Mikayla Seidel led the school board and meeting attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance.

After the pledge, Seidel reported that, with the exception of the kindergarten class and orientation which was held Aug. 29, the students at WSE began their classes Aug. 30. Seidel said the kindergartners, “felt happy, excited and sad” to be going to school.

Seidel told the board members returning to classes presented “mixed feelings” as students were happy to see their friends but sad summer break had ended. According to Seidel, at the ‘Leadership Gathering’ Sept. 6, students learned of the renovations to the school and when the students saw the improvements they appreciated the remodeled restrooms as well the installation of the new swing set on the playground. Seidel said the PTA held a “Kindergarten Popsicle Playdate” to welcome the kindergarten class. A picnic was scheduled Sept. 17 to celebrate the new swing set. Seidel expressed her excitement to the board regarding the new swing set, stating it was “really fun.”

Treskot began her report to the board by saying students at HST, including the class of 2029 who began their first year in kindergarten, also returned to classes at the end of August and the teachers “enjoyed riding the bus with the students.” On Sept. 9, a dinner and dance was held by the PTO to welcome the students back to school.

HST and WSE will hold “P.A.C.K Week” Sept. 19 to 23. Treskot reported “P.A.C.K Week” represents fruits and vegetables “packed and sorted by colors to help students choose different fruits and vegetables.”

The “Blessings in Backpack” program will begin Sept. 23 and allows students to take home various food items each week.

Treskot said The Kelly Foundation will meet with students at HST Sept. 28 to discuss healthy food choices. Later in the year, members of the foundation will return to HST to plant vegetables.

Middle school representatives Hannah Mamay and Christopher Marinos followed the elementary school students with their reports to the board.

Mamay said during the week of Sept. 5. an open house was held at the school and “the parents really enjoyed coming and seeing what their children will be doing throughout the school year and meeting the teachers.”

According to Mamay, on Sept. 30 students in the eighth grade will go on a field trip to Philadelphia to take a tour and learn about yellow fever, an epidemic the students are currently studying. Fall sports for the school began prior to the first day of classes and Mamay reported the cross country and field hockey teams are doing “very well.”

Marinos continued reporting on the events at the middle school and said students are having a fundraiser for field trips and each student who sells items is capable of winning a prize for being the “Duck of the Day.” The school, continued Marinos, will celebrate ‘Phantoms Night’ Dec. 2 and will feature the school jazz band and chorus. Art work will also be displayed.

Returning high school representative Agostino D’Ancona introduced Rania Nimeh as a returning representative and Anna Bishop and Vivian Rogers as the two newest representatives who will offer reports to the board each month.

Nimeh said for the 2016-2017 school year, the high school is allowing backpacks in the hallways at the school. The students, continued Nimeh, are “responding well to the new policy” and consider the use of the backpacks a “privilege.” Nimeh said the freshman class is getting accustomed to their new surroundings and the clubs are “up and running.”

Students were invited to attend a program held during school as well as a community program for “Rachel’s Challenge.” The organization was founded after the death of Rachel Scott, the first student killed during the Columbine School shooting in 1999. According to the “Rachel’s Challenge” website, the Scott family was contacted by students who had been impacted by their daughter’s kindness. The students at Salisbury High School, following the principles of the program, were presented with “five challenges to live a life of kindness and start a chain reaction to spread the kindness.”

Homecoming will begin Oct. 3 with various events to be held during “Spirit Week” and a parade will be held prior to the football game Oct, 7. Formal invitations will be given to each board member. Nimeh finished her report stating the high school will begin auditions for the fall production of “The Twelfth Night.”

Bishop said the high school has started its fourth year of the ‘Best Buddies’ program. The program allows students to be “interactive with the intermediate units during ‘Falcon Period’ promoting communication between the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit and their student peers.

The high school has welcomed four new teachers; two to the math department, one to the department of English and a guidance counselor, according to Rogers. Parents will have an opportunity to meet the new faculty members at the open house scheduled Sept. 29.

D’Ancona told board members SHS fall sports are “going well” and the soccer, field hockey, tennis and golf teams will all be playing during the week. Golf, continued D’Ancona, is off to a “very good start” with the introduction of several freshman members to the team.

The cheerleaders, along with members of the football team, will be raising awareness and funds for pediatric cancer. Several members of the team, including D’Ancona, traveled to Harrisburg to speak about the disease and their efforts through “Pledgeit,” a funding program to acquire donations for the cause. Individuals can donate to the charity by going to www.maxpreps.com and searching for Salisbury Township Varsity Football then clicking the pledge box on the right of the screen that reads “Touchdowns against Cancer.” Donations can be either a one-time pledge or per touchdown scored over the next three football games. The money raised will go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. D’Ancona encouraged board members to come out to the games and make pledges for the cause.

The board thanked the student representatives for their report and expressed their anticipation for the reports to follow in the upcoming months.