CLASSICAL GUITARIST OPENS SEASON IN POTTSTOWN‏

Russell Ferrara performing classical guitar Lake Lanier, GA

Pottstown, PA –  Classical Guitarist Russell Ferrara begins the 2016 fall season with 3 formal and informal performances in Pottstown. He will perform for the Steel River Playhouse Gala on Saturday September 10 at 7:00 PM, for Pottstown FARM on High Street on September 15 with sets interspersed throughout the 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM event. On September 24 he will present informal performances as well as pop up classes on guitar and ukulele at the Pottstown Latin Festival. Information and
tickets to the Steel River Playhouse Gala are available at steelriver-playhouse.org. Pottstown FARM and the Pottstown Latin Festival are free and open to the public.

With Kim Robson: Lake Lanier, GA

These performances mark the end of a highly productive summer for Ferrara, who has been performing and teaching in and around Pottstown since the opening of Steel River playhouse in 2008. He began the summer with a 10 day trip to Georgia to perform, teach and direct guitar ensembles with his flute playing partner Kim Robson. Upon returning from Georgia he taught ukulele classes and workshops at Pottstown Middle School and Steel River Playhouse, made his first appearance at Pottstown FARM and went immediately into rehearsals for the Wings of Hope benefit concert at the Colonial Theater in Phoenixville. From there he and Robson began sessions for their completed but as yet unreleased album. He took time away from the studio only to do a run in the pit band of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” at the SALT theater in Yellow Springs.

Ferrara begins this month presenting the class “Ukulele Fun” at Steel River Playhouse. Designed to provide an introduction to playing string instruments, “Ukulele Fun” uses music familiar to everyone to build solid playing skills. The format of the class is ensemble based with everyone playing together in a fast-paced fun environment. Ferrara brings his years of experience performing and directing guitar ensembles to the design and format of the class. Further information can be found at steelriver-playhouse.org.

Vendor Bingo Coming To Pottstown Middle School, March 13th

Pottstown Schools’ Performance Scores Slip Amid Year Of Change

POTTSTOWN, PA  Although they have not yet been released by the state, officials have circulated a preliminary peak at the next set of school profile scores and say they reflect the many changes which have occurred in the district in the last year.

The numbers released by the district show that as a district, the composite overall score slipped less than a point from the 2012-2013 school year — from 75.15 to 74.55

But the individual schools saw some pretty big jumps — Barth Elementary School’s score improved slightly and the score at Lincoln Elementary School jumped by nearly 20 points.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20141004/pottstown-schools-performance-scores-slip-amid-year-of-change

Poll Workers Needed In Pottstown, Change In 5th Ward Polling Place

POTTSTOWN, PA — There may be some hiccups at the polls Tuesday in the borough.

Two polling places in the First Ward — Invictus Ministries Inc. at North Hanover and Chestnut streets, and the Pottstown campus of Montgomery County Community College — have no personnel to work the polls.

Mark Lawler, judge of elections in the Fifth Ward, said election officials have been unable to contact those who have done it in the past, or that those who have done it in the past are unavailable.

“We need a judge of elections, which pays $110 for the day, and majority clerk and minority clerk, which each pay $90 a day, for both 2-1 at Invictus and 2-2 at the college,” Lawler said.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131101/poll-workers-needed-in-pottstown-change-in-5th-ward-polling-place

Pottstown Elementary Costs Rising By $2M, $10M Borrowing Set For Monday

POTTSTOWN — As the Pottstown school board prepares to borrow the second $10 million needed for the renovation and expansion of its elementary schools, it is doing so in the face of $2 million or more in change orders and additional costs.

As The Mercury reported in May, the renovation work on Barth Elementary School was well underway when the school board was told the cost of a new roof was not included in the project — an additional cost estimated at another $665,000.

In August, The Mercury reported that wiring for new computer and data systems were not included in the bid for the renovation of Franklin, Lincoln and Rupert elementary schools — an additional cost of an estimated $375,000.

On Thursday night the full board was informed that the cost for additional electrical outlets, boxes, panel boards and the replacement of old wiring at the three schools has added another $388,601 to the price of the projects.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/social-affairs/20131020/pottstown-elementary-costs-rising-by-2m-10m-borrowing-set-for-monday

Pottstown Teacher Reinstated After Sex Charges Dropped

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN, PA — The Pottstown School Board voted unanimously Monday night to reinstate a suspended middle school teacher in the wake of last week’s announcement that the sexual abuse charges against him had been dropped.

In June, township police charged Jared Leimeister, 33, of North Coventry, with inappropriate contact with an 8-year-old girl, who spent time with Leimeister between October 2012 and February 2013.

Leimeister, an eighth grade science teacher at Pottstown Middle school, had been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of minors and indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old.

On Aug. 19, the school board suspended Leimeister without pay until the matter was resolved.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20130924/pottstown-teacher-reinstated-after-sex-charges-dropped

Sexual Abuse Charges Dropped Against Pottstown Middle School Teacher

NORTH COVENTRY — The sexual abuse charges against a suspended Pottstown Middle School teacher were dropped Thursday morning.

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jared Leimeister, 33, of North Coventry,had been charged with multiple felony counts of aggravated assault involving a child. According to the police report, he was accused of inappropriate contact with an 8-year-old girl, who spent time with Leimeister between October 2012 and February 2013.

Leimeister had also previously been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of minors and indecent assault of a person less than 13-years-old.

He was accused of making the victim sleep in his bed or in a cardboard box when she misbehaved while she was at his apartment in the 800 block of East Schuylkill Road, police said.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20130919/sexual-abuse-charges-dropped-against-pottstown-middle-school-teacher

Pottstown Teacher Charged With Sexual Assault Suspended Without Pay

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN — More than a month after a Pottstown Middle School teacher was charged with aggravated assault of a child, the school district confirmed he will not be returning for the start of the new school year.

“Jared Leimeister has been suspended and will not be in the classroom for the 2013-14 school year,” said John Armato, the community relations director for the Pottstown School District.

Leimeister was the eighth-grade science teacher.  The school district’s website says “TBA” next to the open position.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130823/NEWS01/130829647/pottstown-teacher-charged-with-sexual-assault-suspended-without-pay-#full_story

Wiring For Pottstown Schools Renovation Could Cost $375,000

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN — You can add new data system wiring to the things not included in the $14 million price tag for renovation and expansion of three elementary schools in the borough.

Thursday night, school board Vice President Robert Hartman Jr., who is also the chairman of the board’s facilities committee, reported that his committee is recommending the additional spending of as much as $375,000 “for data wiring devices installation at Franklin, Lincoln and Rupert elementary schools” according to the agenda of Thursday’s meeting.

There was no discussion among the full board, or questions asked by any of the board members, so it was not immediately clear why this was not included in the budget for the broader expansion/renovation project.

Work began this summer on the renovations and expansion at the three schools, while work is now being completed at Barth Elementary School, where work began a year earlier.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130816/NEWS01/130819430/wiring-for-pottstown-schools-renovation-could-cost-375-000#full_story

Pottstown Schools Building A Better Report Card With Exercise And Play

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN — When fifth graders arrive at the middle school for the first time at the start of the school year, they’ll discover some new play equipment that also doubles as fitness equipment.

Recently installed, the equipment is open to the public for use during non-school hours and is already being tried out by a dedicated group of district employees under the watchful eye of David Genova.

This is the first year that Genova, the district’s wellness coordinator — whose salary is covered by the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation — will be working full time and he is off to an early start, convincing a cohort of staffers to brave the recent heat wave and work the circuit.

It started off with 13 exercisers, but is now down to six, although, Genova said with a smile, that the group dwindled more because of vacations than because of motivational problems that correspond with 103-degree heat.

Read more:   http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130801/NEWS01/130809992/pottstown-schools-building-a-better-report-card-with-exercise-and-play

UPDATED: Pottstown Middle School Teacher Charged In Sexual Assault Of Girl, 8

Editor’s note:  This is a bad week for role models with a local police officer charged with retail theft and a teacher charged with molesting a child.  Very upsetting!

(Updated 3:15 p.m.) NORTH COVENTRY — A Pottstown Middle School teacher has been charged with multiple felony counts of aggravated indecent assault involving a child.

Jared P. Leimeister, of North Coventry, posted bail and was released from the Chester County Prison on Monday.

The 33-year-old teacher was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of minors and indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old after police spoke with an 8-year-old girl who spent time with Leimeister between October 2012 and February 2013.

Leimeister is listed as an eighth-grade science teacher, according to the school district’s website.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130709/NEWS01/130709395/north-coventry-man-allegedly-molested-8-year-old-girl-posts-bail/?nocache=1

Pottstown School Board OKs Hirings, Raises

POTTSTOWN — As the school year winds down, most of us have vacation on our minds, but in school district offices, its time to close the books on those who are leaving, and set the stage for those who are coming on board or moving up.

Key to that planning is putting personnel in place and among the many changes coming to Pottstown schools in September, is a long list of changes in personnel — and salary.

The changes began with the appointment of Jeffrey D. Hartman as the new principal at Pottstown High School, effective July 1.

Hartman, who will be paid $105,692, finished this school year as the principal of Phillipsburg-Osceola Senior High School in Centre County, where he has served since 2011.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130623/NEWS01/130629764/pottstown-school-board-oks-hirings-raises

Youth Leadership Conference To Be Held In Pottstown

The TCN Youth Development Committee in partnership with the Pottstown School District will hold a Youth Leadership Conference at Pottstown Middle School on Wednesday, May 15.  There will be several workshops on topics such as banking basics, social networking, safe dating, emergency preparedness, healthy lifestyles, drug and alcohol abuse, and stress management.

The Conference will also include brain break activities, an educational movie, and a resource fair for students to learn more about after school programs.  Students from both Pottstown and Pottsgrove Middle Schools will participate.

Special thanks to event sponsors:  Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation, Susquehanna Bank, Coqui Studio, Wawa, Freshstart Fitness, Rita’s Water Ice, and Giant.  For more information, please contact TCN at 610-705-3301.

Pottstown Middle School Poinsettia Sale

Image via Wikipedia

The 6^th Grade Pottstown Middle School White Team will be taking several field trips this winter and spring. 

• Camp Conrad Weiser at a cost of $30
• PA State Farm Show at a cost of $10
• Eureka, a math show at a cost of $20

The costs listed above cover transportation, tickets and fees.  This poinsettia sale is to help defray the cost of these trips for Pottstown Middle School students and their families.                      

All orders and payment are due by Tuesday, November 22nd.  The plants have 4 blooms, come in varying colors and cost $5 each with $2 of that going towards the trips!  Flowers will be picked up after school on Friday December 9^th.  

To order your plants, email Kristi Moyer @ alsgalkiki@comcast.net with your name, phone number and how many plants you would like to order.

Pottstown School District Parent Literacy Nights

Parent Literacy Nights

The Pottstown School District, in partnership with Step By Step Learning®, will be offering a series of Parent Literacy Nights for students who are pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade ages and their parents.  These Parent Literacy Nights will focus on helping parents develop the skills to assist their children in learning to read at home.  The Series is a FREE tool to help you promote literacy within your home.  Come to any or all of the Event Nights…In addition to a wealth of quality information, there will be refreshments, prizes, raffles and games each night of the series.

5:30 Tuesday Nights- Pottstown Middle School

September 13, October 4, October 25, November 15, December 6

• Refreshments! • Nightly Prizes!• Grand Prize Raffle! • Free Child Care!

To Pre-Register, please call 610-970-6603

Pottstown Neighborhood Schools Committee Meeting

I was unable to attend the meeting tonight but my sources tell me Mr. Hylton is getting slammed by angry parents concerning his plan to put 5th graders in the middle school.

Looking forward to hearing from anyone who was able to attend.