Dear Wolverine Family,
As we prepare for another Friday night showcase of our students, I wanted to share some great news about our current enrollment numbers.
- Current enrollment as of today, September 6, 2024, is 3,133 students. With five additional students being enrolled Monday, that will bring the total to 3,138.
- Enrollment last year on the 12th day of school (9-11-23) was 3,080. We are up 58 students from last year at this time!
- Our outside private/parochial/charter/cyber enrollment as of today, September 6, 2024, is 2,069 students.
- Our outside private/parochial/charter/cyber last year on 9-11-23 was 2,177 students.
- From this time last year, we are down 108 students leaving to attend these outside schools.
These are the important, positive trends on which we must always focus our attention. Attracting new students and retaining our current students, while providing a safe and progressive learning environment, has to be our number one goal. Numbers matter…data tells a story and we must always know where we stand.
After the incident last week outside of the Wolvarena, we had a very busy week planning and communicating with many stakeholders. Most importantly, our students. We decided as a team to let anything that happens refine us and not define us and we collectively vowed to get better. Tonight, I have full confidence you will see and feel a difference.
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania School Boards Association released a statement following the tragic shooting in Georgia. Their statement includes resource links for parents and families. See the statement here: “Statement on September 4 School Shooting in Georgia: PSBA is deeply saddened by the senseless tragedy that occurred at Apalachee High School in Georgia yesterday. This horrific situation will leave many understandably shaken. Here are some recommended resources to help you navigate this crisis.”
Resources for Supporting Students and Families:
- Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth After the Recent Shooting (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network – English/Spanish)
- Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers (National Association of School Psychologists)
- Trauma and Disaster Mental Health (American Counseling Association)
- After a School Shooting - Resources (American School Counselor Association)
As we enter next week with the carelessness of violence close to home, and this recent school shooting in Georgia, we also pause to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of 9/11. To all of us adults, the memory of September 11th and the feeling that we felt that day is ingrained in us. It was an experience unlike anything we had in our lifetimes. To our students, it’s a history lesson that we must do our best to make them understand. What I witnessed on September 11, 2001 was everyone immediately refocus all of their energy to helping each other. May we as adults impress upon our children that we can come together without a tragedy. What a special environment we could create if we were able to make that happen!!
Thank you to everyone who helped pull through this week. Our hearts and prayers go out to anyone grieving the loss of staff and students in Georgia.
And for us…. Let’s stick together, Let’s keep growing, and Let’s always remember those sacrifices on 9/11/2001!!
Have a great weekend!
Dr. Daniel Castagna
Superintendent
Superintendent