AC Valley board reviews student trips, trainings and new classroom programs for next year

At its April 8 workshop the Allegheny-Clarion Valley School Board reviewed a slate of student field trips, staff professional development and proposed classroom programs slated for consideration at the April voting meeting.

The chair said the Spanish trip planned for April 9 was canceled but a May 8 trip remains to the Latin American Cultural Center in Pittsburgh, including a bilingual tour, a visit to Los Palmas supermarket and a Pirate baseball game tied to classroom study of Roberto Clemente and Latino representation in Major League Baseball. The chair also described planned elementary trips: third graders to the Jennings Environmental Education Center in Slippery Rock and fourth graders to the Weather Discovery Center on Gobblers Knob.

Staff training requests included a Desmos-focused program for teacher Luke Levan; the chair said the district could fund that training through remaining ARP ESSER grant funds in 2023–24. "It's going to help generate excitement and motivate students with interactive lessons," the Chair said, describing features that help teachers differentiate instruction.

The board also previewed presentations from David Kristen Wolf (pre-employment transition services) and Melody Trout (OVR counseling) aimed at helping students enter the local workforce, and mentioned Megan Bachelon would update the board about a classroom program and plans for a new 'Falcons Nest Cafe' and possible bocce program.

Most items were presented as approvals to be formalized at the upcoming voting meeting; no final approvals were made at the workshop.