Each of Luzerne County’s school districts dealt with trials and tribulations throughout the year of 2024, but there were also a number of triumphs to cover. Some administrative developments will be worth watching in the coming years, while other threads came to a close after years of debate. In the classroom, students and teachers worked with each other to accomplish wonderful things in their schools and communities.
From Dallas to Crestwood and Wilkes-Barre to Northwest, each school has made its mark on the calendar in the past year.
Infrastructure improvements
After a decade-long saga, the Wilkes-Barre School District closed on the sale of the former Meyers High School building in April, with Casey Holding LLC paying $3.2 million for the structure. Prospective renovations include 103 apartments — 60 one-bedroom and 43 two-bedroom units — while the nearby football stadium complex is expected to be demolished and paved, creating 318 new parking spots.
Members of the Greater Nanticoke Area school board received public comments during their March meeting, including allegations of hazardous theater production practices. Incidents described included a light bulb exploding, the discovery of termites, issues with ventilation, and curtains and other rigging not working properly.
One month later, at their April meeting, the Nanticoke board approved a package of infrastructure investments totaling over $1.5 million. Renovations in the package included replacing the roof in the academic wing of the high school, replacing carpeting in the high school, and painting the auditorium.
At Wyoming Valley West Middle School, a fiery school board meeting took place in September, where it was revealed that the cost of the district’s previously-approved track renovation project had increased by $169,897. The initial cost was approximately $391,000. Keystone Sports Construction, the supplier behind the renovation, said that the asphalt beneath the track needed to be repaired before the new rubber track could be put in place. Board members found themselves on different sides of the issue.
“I really feel that Keystone has our best interest, knowing that, if they don’t do it, it won’t be done right,” said board member Brian Dubaskas.
“I respect your opinion,” board member Tim McGinley replied to Dubaskas, “but that doesn’t satisfy my thoughts about it.”
The debate continued for quite some time at the regular board meeting, but the additional renovation spending was ultimately approved later in the week.
Leadership turnover
The Crestwood school board had a vacancy open up early in the year when former member Robert Derwin resigned. Backlash to Derwin’s Facebook page, which included multiple posts calling Vice President Kamala Harris a “whore,” “Black whore” and “pig,” was fierce. The Wilkes-Barre chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) issued a statement and called for Derwin’s resignation, which came on Jan. 3.
“The past and recent social media posts and videos of Mr. Robert Derwin do not reflect the standards we hold at the Crestwood School District, rather the language and actions are inappropriate and not condoned,” the district said in a release. Richard Nardone, who had previously served on the Crestwood school board, eventually filled the vacated seat.
Lake-Lehman School District Superintendent James McGovern was set to resign from his position on June 30, but he ultimately was convinced to keep his role after talking to school board members, administrators and his family. At the February school board meeting, the approval of McGovern’s resignation letter was rescinded, signaling that he would stay on as superintendent. Two years remain on McGovern’s contract.
Holy Redeemer was dealt a huge loss with the death of principal Doreen Dougherty, who passed away in August 2023. In 2024, the school community unveiled a new learning space named in Dougherty’s honor.
“It’s absolutely perfect,” Shaina Aquilina, Dougherty’s daughter, said of the learning space at the dedication ceremony. “This is everything she would have wanted.”
Celebrating students
One of the more memorable school board meetings of 2024 came at Pittston Area High School in July. At the meeting, the school board celebrated the 2024 Pittston Area softball team, which reached the PIAA Class 5A state championship game earlier in the year. Graduate Gianna Adams received special recognition when her number 16 jersey was retired.
“I’ve never had a group of girls, from the years I traveled with travel softball to now … that never complained about the three-hour practices, never complained about the long days or the heat,” Manager Frank Parente said of his team. “All they wanted was more.”
Wyoming Seminary student Clare Griffin participated in the prestigious U.S. Senate Page Program in Washington D.C., having been sponsored by outgoing Sen. Bob Casey.
In May, elementary students in the Northwest Area and Dallas school districts spent some time learning about the value of reading and the environment. At Northwest Area Primary School, students participated in Camp Read A Lot, a weeklong program featuring a number of guest readers.
Meanwhile, Dallas Intermediate School students celebrated the opening of a new environmental education center, which features an outdoor classroom and books about wildlife and nature.
Unusual circumstances
An unusual situation in the Wyoming Area School District came about this spring, in which a student with a disability was to graduate with the Class of 2024, and would, as a result, miss a year of their education. The student’s father, Bill Norton, spoke to the board on behalf of his son, 21, who attended Graham Academy.
Per the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) students with disabilities were entitled to a public education “through” the age of 21, though Pennsylvania schools were previously aging those students out during the school year they turned 21. In Norton’s case, the matter was seemingly handled out of the public eye.
A scary incident involving a Hanover Area school bus took place on Sept. 25. The bus crashed head-on with a tractor trailer on South Main and Ashley streets. Though the bus was damaged, no students were injured, and they were transported to their stops by a different bus.
Crestwood averted a major labor situtation in September, when it looked inevitable that the district’s support staff was going to strike. However, a deal was agreed to over the weekend before the strike was set to begin. Support staff union President John Chupka praised the last-minute efforts of the union negotiators for securing a deal.
“It’s a deal we’re happy with and it’s a deal the school should be happy with,” said Chupka.
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