Columbia schedules

Boys’ Basketball
Friday, Dec. 5, vs. Newport at Hanover Tip-Off Tournament (6 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 6, at Hanover Tip-Off Tournament (TBA)
Tuesday, Dec. 9, Reading Central Catholic (6 p.m.)
Friday, Dec. 12, at Lampeter-Strasburg
Saturday, Dec. 13, at Eastern (J.V. at 4:30, Varsity at 7:30)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, Donegal
Friday, Dec. 19, at ELCO
Tuesday, Dec.  23, at Lebanon Catholic
Monday, Dec. 29, vs. Warwick at Warwick Tournament (8 p.m)
Tuesday, Dec. 30, at Warwick Tournament (TBA)
Friday, Jan. 2,         Lancaster Mennonite
Monday, Jan. 5, Annville-Cleona
Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Lancaster Catholic
Friday, Jan.  9, Pequea Valley
Tuesday, Jan. 13, Manheim Central
Friday, Jan. 16, at Northern Lebanon
Tuesday, Jan. 20, Cocalico
Friday, Jan. 23 , Lebanon Catholic
Tuesday, Jan. 27, at Lancaster Mennonite
Friday, Jan. 30, at Annville-Cleona
Monday, Feb. 2, Lancaster Catholic
Wednesday, Feb. 4, Pequea Valley
All games at 6:30 p.m., unless noted.
Girls’ Basketball
Friday, Dec. 5, vs. Hempfield at Columbia Tournament (8 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 6, Columbia Tournament (TBA)
Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Octorara (5:30 p.m.)
Friday, Dec. 12, Lampeter-Strasburg
Saturday, Dec. 13, at Eastern (J.V. at 3, Varsity at 6)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, at Donegal
Friday, Dec. 19, ELCO
Tuesday, Dec.  23, Lebanon Catholic
Friday, Dec. 26,  at Warwick Tournament (TBA)
Saturday, Dec. 27, at Warwick Tournament (TBA)
Friday, Jan. 2,         at Lancaster Mennonite
Monday, Jan. 5, at Annville-Cleona
Wednesday, Jan. 7, Lancaster Catholic
Friday, Jan.  9, at Pequea Valley
Tuesday, Jan. 13, at Manheim Central
Friday, Jan. 16, Northern Lebanon
Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Cocalico
Friday, Jan. 23 , at Lebanon Catholic
Tuesday, Jan. 27, Lancaster Mennonite
Friday, Jan. 30, Annville-Cleona
Monday, Feb. 2, at Lancaster Catholic
Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Pequea Valley
All games at 6:30 p.m., unless noted.
Boys’ J.H. Basketball
Friday, Dec. 12, at Lampeter-Strasburg
Saturday, Dec. 13, at Eastern (1:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, Donegal
Friday, Dec. 19, at ELCO
Tuesday, Dec.  23, at Lebanon Catholic
Friday, Dec. 26, at Cumberland Valley Tournament (TBA)
Saturday, Dec. 27, at Cumberland Valley Tournament (TBA)
Friday, Jan. 2,         Lancaster Mennonite
Monday, Jan. 5, Annville-Cleona
Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Lancaster Catholic
Friday, Jan.  9, Pequea Valley
Tuesday, Jan. 13, Manheim Central
Friday, Jan. 16, at Northern Lebanon
Tuesday, Jan. 20, Cocalico
Friday, Jan. 23 , Lebanon Catholic
Tuesday, Jan. 27, at Lancaster Mennonite
Friday, Jan. 30, at Annville-Cleona
Monday, Feb. 2, Lancaster Catholic
Wednesday, Feb. 4, Pequea Valley
All games at 4 p.m.,unless noted
Girls’ J.H. Basketball
Friday, Dec. 12, Lampeter-Strasburg
Saturday, Dec. 13, at Eastern (noon)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, at Donegal
Friday, Dec. 19, ELCO
Friday, Jan. 2,         at Lancaster Mennonite
Monday, Jan. 5, at Annville-Cleona
Wednesday, Jan. 7, Lancaster Catholic
Friday, Jan.  9, at Pequea Valley
Tuesday, Jan. 13, at Manheim Central
Friday, Jan. 16, Northern Lebanon
Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Cocalico
Tuesday, Jan. 27, Lancaster Mennonite
Friday, Jan. 30, Annville-Cleona
Monday, Feb. 2, at Lancaster Catholic
Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Pequea Valley
All games at 4 p.m.,unless noted.
Wrestling
Saturday, Dec. 6, at Upper Dauphin Duals (TBA)
Wednesday, Dec. 8, Central Dauphin East (7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 13, at York Suburban Tournament (TBA)
Thursday, Dec. 18, at Annville-Cleona (7:30 p.m.)
Monday, Dec. 22, Eastern (7:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, Dec. 30, at Smackdown Duals at Hanover (TBA)
Thursday, Jan. 8, at Pequea Valley (7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 10, Northern Lebanon and Donegal (Noon)
Wednesday, Jan. 14, at Cedar Crest (7:30 p.m.)
Friday, Jan. 16, L-L League Tournament at CV (TBA)
Saturday, Jan. 17, L-L League Tournament at CV (TBA)
Thursday, Jan. 22, Lancaster Catholic (7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 24, ELCO (1:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, Jan. 29, at York High (7 p.m.)
Tuesday, Feb. 3, Penn Manor (7:30 p.m.)
J.H.Wrestling
Saturday, Dec. 6, at Cocalico Tournament (TBA)
Wednesday, Dec. 8, Central Dauphin East (6 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 13, McCaskey (10 a.m.)
Thursday, Dec. 18, at Annville-Cleona (6 p.m.)
Monday, Dec. 22, Eastern (6 p.m.)
Thursday, Jan. 8, at Pequea Valley (6 p.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 10, Northern Lebanon and Donegal (10 a.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 17, at Harrisburg Tournament (TBA)
Thursday, Jan. 22, Lancaster Catholic (6 p.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 24, ELCO (noon.)
Tuesday, Feb. 3, Red Land (4 p.m.)
Friday, Feb. 6, at Optimist Tournament (TBA)
Saturday, Feb. 7, at Optimist Tournament (TBA).
Bowling
Tuesday, Dec. 2, at Manheim Central
Tuesday, Dec. 9, ELCO
Thursday, Dec. 11, at Northern Lebanon
Wednesday, Dec. 17, York Tech
Thursday, Dec. 18, Lancaster Catholic
Saturday, Dec. 20, at Snow Roller Tournament (Noon)
Monday, Dec. 22, at Annville-Cleona
Tuesday, Dec. 30, Conestoga Valley
Friday, Jan. 2, at Garden Spot
Wednesday, Jan. 7, Manheim Central
Thursday, Jan. 8, Lebanon Catholic
Thursday, Jan. 15, Northern Lebanon
Thursday, Jan. 22, at ELCO
Thursday, Jan. 29, Annville-Cleona
Thursday, Feb. 5, at Lebanon Catholic
Friday, Feb. 6, at York Tech
Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Lancaster Catholic
All home matches at 3:30 p.m. at Columbia Bowling Center.

School meeting held

More than 100 people attended last Thursday’s meeting held by the Columbia School Board to discuss proposed renovations at the high school. But instead of hearing positives and negatives about the renovations, the board got an earful about property taxes in the borough.
Many of those who spoke at the two hour meeting said they didn’t want to pay more in taxes to fund the renovations.
Frank Doutrich was the first to speak about the impact the project will have on taxes. Doutrich asked the board how the project will impact the district’s debt, which he estimated at $19 million.
Laura Cowburn, the district’s assistant superintendent for business services, told Doutrich there are provisions in place that would have little impact on the debt and the state does provide funding for construction projects.
“Right now, there is no definite funding in place,” Cowburn said.
That’s because the project is still in the planning stages. The meeting focussed on two options for renovations. From that, the board will decide what to do and want not to do, depending upon the money available.
“I am concerned about the debt figures for this borough. The taxpayers need to know how you are going to pay for this,” Doutrich said.
Doutrich wondered if the district needed to make the changes detailed in the renovation plans.
“The poor people in this town can’t afford these taxes,” Doutrich said. “You (the board) needs to get more input from the public.”
Dr. Stephen Perry said he was surprised to hear about the renovations, especially after just paying his tax bill.
“Are you addressing the needs of the community and its tax ramifications?” Perry asked.
Cowburn said until the cost of the project is determined by the board, the impact might be 1.25 mills over a four to five year period.
“I don’t have time to come to all of the meetings. I understand though is you don’t have the money to buy something, it is not feasible to do. We can’t afford this study,” Perry said.
“Does the board understand the needs of the community and the hardship the taxpayers are facing. They can’t afford it,” Perry said.
Tim Swartz asked the board to take in the economic condition of the borough before deciding upon its course of action.
He said the citizens need to keep attending the board meetings and have their voices heard.
Jetty Gerfin also spoke about the impact the project will have on taxes.
“I can’t afford the taxes,” she said.

READ MORE IN NEXT WEEK'S COLUMBIA LEDGER.

New teachers

With the start of school in the Columbia School District next week, six new teachers got an early start to their teaching careers.
The school district is holding its New Teacher Induction at the District Administrative Center this week. A seventh new teacher, who was hired to teach sixth grade at Park Elementary School, was hired last Monday morning and joined the program during the week and be approved by the school board at its upcoming meeting.
The new teachers attending the induction were:
• Kelly Howells, first grade, Taylor Elementary.
• Rachel Hill, fifth grade, Park Elementary.
• Bob Peterson, mark, Columbia High School.
• Michael Rohrback, seventh grade math, Columbia High School.
• Sue Kelley, alternative education teacher.
• Scott Muenz, high school band director.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Diane Frey in introducing the new teachers said participating in the induction program is a state requirement.
“It’s required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education,” Dr. Frey said.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Barry Clippinger said there are still a couple of openings in the district.
“We just hired a sixth grade teacher because of a late resignation Monday morning,” he said.
While there aren’t a lot of new teachers in Columbia this year, Clippinger said that might not be the case next year.
“Next year, we may have a whole lot of new teachers,” Dr. Clippinger said.
The new teachers spent Monday meeting their mentor, experienced teachers, who will guide them through their first year at Columbia.
They also spent time meeting with the district’s administrative team to review expectations and other procedures. They were also given a tour of the district.
Tuesday, they participated in literacy and technology programs and Wednesday there were sessions on teaching the English language, classroom management and district intervention programs.
The week ends today with programs on parent involvement and learning focused schools. Tomorrow, the new teachers will meet with their mentor and hear presentations from the business office.

The Columbia School Board will hold a public meeting on Sept. 4 to allow residents to review a feasibility study on planned renovations at the high school complex. Last week at its committee of the whole meeting, the school board got its first look at the study.
Three options were presented by the architectural firm of Reese, Lower, Patrick and Scott, which are the result of the study. The three options ranged from renovations to the construction of a new high school, with the price tag ranging anywhere from $13 million to $40 million for the construction of a new school.
Erin Hoffman, an architect for Reese, Lower, Patrick and Scott, reviewed the study for the board. The study was done after getting input from the board, administration, staff and faculty at the high school.
The study found that there was a lack of ADA requirements when it came to some of the bathrooms, water fountains and stairwells in the school; the classrooms were sub-standard size; there were seven teachers who did not have permanent classrooms and there was very little storage area.
The study also looked at curriculum issues and found the media center or library to be undersized, there was a lack of computer areas and there was no space for the school’s media production class. The administration area was also addressed, which found a lack of space and a shared conference room.
The study also found the lack of small group instruction areas, as well as a large group area.
There were also changes needed in the cafeteria and gym areas.
“There was needed space in the cafeteria because the serving areas weren’t meeting student needs,” Hoffman said.
In the gym area, there were concerns about the size of the lobby area and the locker rooms, as well as minimal bathroom areas.
“There was also the need to move the Middle School to a different area of the school,” she said.
Other areas addressed in the study were improvements to the lobby, the loading dock and the maintenance areas.
She said the study addressed the top needs after interviewing those involved. They ranged from a lack of storage, the need to increase technology and having a separate Middle School and High School.
Most of the work, Hoffman said would involve the inside of the building.
The first option reviewed by the board was making the current media center/library into the Middle School and adding classrooms in that area. There would be a large group instruction area added, the administrative wing would be reorganized, the art room and nurse’s suite moved. The gym area improvements would include changing the lobby area, additional locker space and adding 350 additional seats.
There would also be changes in the cafeteria and maintenance areas.
That option would cost between $13 and $18 million, depending on the scope of the work and other needs such as heating, ventilating and air conditioning.
Option two would include changes to the media center, the nurse’s area and adding a large group instruction area. It would also make the existing gym into the Middle School area and a new gym, that would seat 1,200 people built.
The cost of that option ranges from $17 to $23 million.
Option three, the worst case scenario, was the construction of a new school, which was all but ruled out.
Also reviewed were the various HVAC options and the various schedules needed to complete the project within 15 months.
If things so as planned according to the study, bids for the project could be awarded by April 2009 and construction started in June 2009 and be completed by the start of the 2010-11 school year.

Did same thing happen

When Columbia band director Robert Richards was arrested for a sexual encounter with a student, the Lancaster County District Attorney’s office and the Columbia Police Department hoped that more students who may have information on the incident would come forward.
While that hasn’t happened in Columbia, it has in Richmond, VA., where Richards was the band director at Varina High School in the Henrico County School District. Shortly after the Richmond Times-Dispatch ran a story about Richards’ arrest in Columbia, people have come forward to the Columbia Ledger with information that there were similar incidents at his former school, which were never pursued by school officials or police.
The Henrico County School District in Richmond had little to say about the allegations.
“Mr. Robert Richards was a band director at Varina High School from September 1998 to June 30, 2001. That’s all the information we can provide,” said Mychael Dickerson, media relations director for the Varina County School District.

To find out more, read this week's edition.

No pay for teacher

The Columbia School Board officially suspended Band Director Robert Richards without pay at its meeting last night.

Richards was charged by police in Columbia and West Hempfield Township on Feb. 7 for having contact with a minor student.

The board also said they can have no comment on the issue or receive comment until the legal process plays out.

CHS honor roll

Thie third quarter honor roll from Columbia High School will appear in this week's edition.

Congrats to those students who made the honor roll.

Hearing is delayed

The preliminary hearing for Robert Richards, the Columbia High School band director, who was charged with having sex with a student by Columbia and West Hempfield Township, last week, has been postponed.
The hearing, which was to be held today at District Judge Robert Herman’s office was delayed until June.

Craft Show

The Columbia Market House will be a busy place on Sunday.
That’s when the Columbia High School Class of 2010 will hold an antique, art and craft show from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
“It is free admission for a day of great food, art, antiques, and fun. It will also include a raffle and musical entertainment,” said Melissa Glenn, one of the events organizers.
Those attending the event are asked to bring unwanted eyeglasses that will be given to the Columbia Lions Club.
Also at the show, there will be a limited edition basket for sale.
The hard maple basket called the “Biscuit Basket” is made by the American Tradition basket Company in Canal Fulton, Ohio. The hand woven basket features a red and gold weave, solid dark red fabric liner with a plastic protector and commemorative brass tag.
The basket sells for $40 with the liner or $32 without the liner.
All proceeds benefit the Columbia High School Class of 2010 Parents Club.
For more information, call Melissa Glenn at 684-5249. For more information or to order a basket, call Patti Hinkle at 684-2111.

This one hurts all of us

I’ve been accused over the years of bleeding crimson and gold. And it really doesn’t bother me.
I hate it as much as anyone else in our town when our town gets beat up for something it doesn’t deserve.
I feel sometimes, even with some in our town, I’m always defending Columbia.
As Monday’s story started to develop concerning the arrest of Robert Richards, the band director at Columbia High School, my thoughts went back and forth as it always does when I write a story to making sure I got all the facts and comments from the school.
But at the same time, I also had my proud Columbia Alumni hat on, feeling the hurt for the school, its staff, all the students at the school and those in the band program.
The news was not good not only for our town and our school and will definitely cast an unwanted black eye.
While there are still a lot of questions that will go unanswered until all the facts are made public, you have to feel for the hard working staff and teachers at the school. I have friends who teach up on the hill and a couple of teachers still there from when I graduated 32 years ago.
The same goes for the students, those in the band who are preparing for their spring concert in three weeks. Despite what happened Monday, I hope they continue with the band. I hope this doesn’t sour them about learning to play an instrument.
I didn’t know Richards away from the classroom. What I saw with not only the marching band, but the pep band and even concert band, were musical groups that were well prepared. The marching band had gotten better and looked as though it was growing under Richards’ direction. And I, like many in the community, enjoyed the return of the pep band for basketball games.
I’m sure, knowing our town, there is a big split among parents. Those who knew things weren’t right with the band program, and those who will support the band director through thick and thin.
I know that this was one of the toughest events I’ve had to cover in a while just because of knowing and hearing comments pro and con about the situation.
I know there will be a group in our town that will find fault in what happened, how it is being covered, etc. I’m sure, I’ll get some phone calls and letters on what happened. I’ll talk to anyone, young and old, who wants to talk about the situation. We’ll publish letters as long as they are attacking or liable toward anyone person or group.
I know there are people in our town saying that this incident didn’t happen. We have to deal with this situation as a community, not as a group of individuals. If we do that, Columbia will come out stronger because of it.
I have faith in those who run the Columbia School District and the high school that they will do the right thing and put the students first.
Yes, believe me, there are a lot of questions that I have, as do others. It might not come out right away why it happened, but it will come out.
It’s a huge blow to our school and there will probably be a review of the hiring practices, etc. Our job is to report the facts and let the justice system play out as it will.
This is one of those times that I wish officials wouldn’t hide behind the old “personnel issue” policy and open up to the community telling us what exactly happened from their stand point, what the future of the band program is and what it has learned from this situation that it won’t happen again.
We all hope the school district moves forward and rids themselves of those people if they are found guilty by our court of law.
Teachers, coaches and public officials are held in a higher standard as well they should be.

Students are first

In the wake of Monday’s arrest of High School Band Director Robert Richards, the Columbia School District said they will do everything they can to help the students get through the crisis.
“In Columbia the students always come first and we will do whatever is necessary so that the students needs and best interests are met,” Superintendent Dr. Barry Clippinger said in a statement released Monday night.
By all accounts, Richards, who came to Columbia in August 2005, was extremely popular with the students and had improved the band program by leaps and bounds.
He added a pep band that entertained fans at basketball games last season, which was well received and this year, the CHS marching unit competed in a number of competitions for the first time in years under Richards’ guidance.
The CHS concert band was busy preparing for its spring concert, which is set for Tuesday, April 29. He was also scheduled to be graduation director.
Clippinger said others will have to step up.
“The faculty and staff will work together to make sure that all of the programs at the High School will continue for the 2007-2008 school year,” Clippinger said.
Richards was immediately placed on administrative leave on Monday by the school district, pending a review by the school board.
Richards placed Brian Beears as Columbia’s band director in 2005. Beears had resigned just before the start band camp after five years as band director.
At the time of his hiring at his first band camp, Richards told the Columbia Ledger, he wanted the students to have pride and wanted to see the band grow.
“I have a passion for teaching and it has been real easy for me to come in here and work with these kids,” Richards said.
Richards graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelor of Music Education, studying trumpet with James Kluesner. He began his teaching career at Varina High School in Richmond, VA, where he served as the Director of Bands.
In his three years at Varina, he rebuilt the band program, which grew from 40 students in his first year, to more than 80 students when he left. In his final year, the marching band received an Excellent rating at the State Marching Festival and the concert band received a Superior rating at the District Concert Festival. In addition, the jazz band, in their first year of existence, received an Excellent rating at the James Madison University Tri-State Jazz Festival.
After leaving Varina, Richards moved to Pennsylvania and spent three years at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals as a project coordinator and project manager. During that time, he also wrote and arranged marching band shows for several schools in Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Teacher is arrested

Robert Richards, a popular band director at Columbia High School, has been charged by Columbia and West Hempfield Township Police with having sex with a 17-year-old female student.
The student was 16-years-old when the incidents happened.
Richards, 33, following his arraignment Monday afternoon before District Judge Robert Herman, was placed in Lancaster County Prison, in lieu of $175,000 bail, following his arraignment and processing.
Richards was bailed out of prison late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
Columbia School District Superintendent Dr. Barry Clippinger said in a statement Monday night, that Richards was placed on administrative leave, pending farther action by the Columbia School Board. The board holds its Committee of the Whole meeting tonight.
“Mr. Richards is on paid leave until the Board can take action and since this is a personnel issue the district can make no further comments,” Dr. Clippinger said.
Richards was arrested Monday afternoon around 4 p.m. at the Columbia School District Administrative Center, where police said, he was meeting with school district officials. He was taken out of the building by the two police departments in handcuffs, taken first to the Columbia Police Station for processing and then to Judge Herman’s office for arraignment.
Judge Herman has tentatively scheduled a preliminary hearing for Thursday, April 17 at 1 p.m.
Police said Richards, who was dressed in a blue suit with a light blue shirt and tie, made no comment at the time of his arrest and did not have a lawyer present.He was at the DAC for a meeting with the school district administration and representatives from the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
Columbia Police started their investigation into allegations against Richards, of 3808 Laurel Run, located in West Hempfield Township last week and it intensified over the weekend.
Officer Adam Miller, who was in charge of the investigation for the Columbia Police Department, spent most of the day Monday with Assistant District Attorney Karen Mansfield finalizing the charges against Richards.
Richards, who came to Columbia High School in August 2005, was charged with one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and one count of corruption of minors by Columbia Police.
According to the criminal complaints, Richards was charged with three counts each of aggravated indecent sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault and statutory sexual assault by West Hempfield Township Police Detective Christopher Kunkle.
Columbia Police Officer Miller said in the criminal complaint that he interviewed the victim on April 6. During the interview, the victim indicated she had a sexual relationship with Richards, who is married with young children, during the month of April 2007.
One of the encounters, police said, was in what was identified as the “projection room,” at the high school. The victim told police that Richards placed an office chair in the projection room, which is located in the high school auditorium, at which time the band director performed oral sex on her.
The other incidents, police said, allegedly took place at Richards’ home at 3808 Laurel Run in West Hempfield Township.
Det. Kunkle said he was advised by Officer Miller of an ongoing relationship between Richards and the girl on Sunday, April 7.
In the criminal complaint, West Hempfield Township Police said the first encounter between the two was at Richards’ home in April 2007. At that time, the complaint said that Richards and the girls engaged in oral sex and did have sexual intercourse at that time.
There were two other incidents reported to police. The second was in May 2007 and also in November 2007, also at Richards’ home.
Richards is the second band director in Lancaster County to be charged in connection with a sexual incident involving a student.
Warwick High School band director Todd Shearer was charged by Lititz Police in January for having a two-year relationship with a student.
He was fired last month by the Warwick School District and faces a preliminary hearing later this month on the charges.

Top studentsSeventeen students at Columbia High School were honored last week at the school’s annual National Honor Society Banquet held in the cafete

Seventeen students at Columbia High School were honored last week at the school’s annual National Honor Society Banquet held in the cafeteria.

The students in eighth, ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th grade joined 28 classmates as members of the National Senior and National Junior High Honor Societies at the school.

The new members of the National Senior Honor Society are seniors Brian Groff, Stefanie Brown, Michael Seibert and Alysa Poindexter; junior Lindsay Hartman and sophomores Brandon Felus, Joseph Charles, Keifer Kemmerly and Camilla Kronenwetter.

The new members of the National Junior Honor Society are freshman Jenna Behrens and eighth grade students Rachel Knighton, Mikayla Kemmerly, Marilyn Ngo, Nicole Bowman, Benjamin Hank, Jocelyn Cooksey and Emily Hooper.

Angela Burke-Lutz, who graduated from Columbia High School, was the guest speaker for the banquet.

Crimson Code of Conduct

Students involved in activities such as drama, music and sports at the high school level are often held to a higher standard of excellence.

Starting with the 2008-09 school year, students involved in activities at Columbia High School will be held to a much higher level.

At its March meeting, the Columbia School District adopted a Crimson Code of Conduct, which will be in affect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year for students, who are often in the public eye.

“The document,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Barry Clippinger, “will be for all students that participate in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.”

“The reason was to put into writing an official document for students, parents and coaches, the approved code of conduct for all students participating in activities,” Dr. Clippinger said.

Students in grades six through 11, Clippinger said, will be informed of the code by the end of the 2007-08 school year.

Examples cited of activities in the code are athletic teams, marching and pep bands, student council, drama productions, National Honor Society and quiz bowl. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities are open to participation for all students regardless of individual differences.

The code farther says that “students (in curricular and extra-curricular activities) are often in the public eye, so, their personal conduct must be of the highest standard. They have an obligation to project at all times a positive images of themselves and the community they represent.”

Read more in this week's Columbia Ledger.

Census time

The Columbia Borough School District will be performing its annual district census in April and May.

The district will be mailing census forms in the near future directly to residents for completion, rather than sending census takers door-to-door in an effort to save money and make the census more convenient for residents to complete.

The district is required by the Pennsylvania School Code to collect a careful, correct and accurate census of all households, with or without children in the district. Census data provides information necessary for the district to fulfill the obligations with regard to compulsory attendance regulations, effectively plan for special education services and for the calculation of future enrollments.

All information is confidential.

When residents receive their form, they are asked to make necessary corrections, sign and date the form and return it in the enclosed envelope, whether there are corrections or not, to 200 North Fifth St.

The form will only take a few minutes to fill out. In instances where the forms are not returned, the district will have to incur costs by phone or by sending out a census taker.

Annie plays at CHS

A family favorite “Annie,” will be played out this weekend inside the Columbia High School auditorium.

The Drama Department at the high school will perform the musical “Annie,” starting Thursday and running through Saturday.

All performances begin at 7 p.m. Tickets, are $5 for adults and $2.50 for children, are available at the door.

The cast includes seniors Laura Deets as Annie, Charles Horner as Oliver Warbucks, and Janelle Kauffman as Miss Hannigan. Others in the cast are Leineal Howard, Tiffany Morrissey, Jessica Gilbert, Ashley Arnold, Jenna Engel, Nicole Bowman, Alyssa Poindexter, Erica Whitson, Eva Rodriguez, and Amanda Shenberger.

Dance fever

The Columbia High School Drama Booster Club will hold a dance featuring Top Shelf at the Susquehanna Fire Company, Saturday, March 1.

Doors open at 7 p.m.

The cost is $15 a person or $25 a couple.

COW is off

The Columbia School Board has called off its Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for tomorrow night.

The board will hold its regular monthly meeting next Thursday at 7 p.m. at the DAC.

Strickler has a new job

Sacunas, one of the mid-Atlantic region’s premier integrated marketing communications agencies, has recruited Thomas R. Strickler as Vice President of Business Development.
A resident of Columbia, Strickler will drive the agency expansion into Lancaster and Berks counties. His efforts will include setting up the new Lancaster office to support the agency’s growing client base.
Before coming to Sacunas, Strickler served most recently as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for B.R. Kreider & Son Inc. in Manheim.
He serves on several boards, including Junior Achievement of Central PA, Lancaster County Tax Collection Bureau and Columbia Borough School District Board as president. He also serves as co-chair of the Columbia/Donegal/Elizabethtown Consortium, chairman of Pathways to Gold Collar Careers, scholarship chair of the Lancaster Building Industry Foundation and trustee and past chairman of Central PA Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar. In addition, Strickler is a high school and college basketball official.
He is a graduate of Elizabethtown College.

Joint meeting

There will be a joint meeting of the Columbia School Board and Borough Council on Tuesday, 29 at 7 p.m. at the School District Administrative Center, Fifth and Chestnut streets.

Meetings usually last about two hours.