It's Academic

Every year the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Library works with local schools on our One Book One Community reading program. We pick a book aimed at 4th to 6th grade readers that is set in a historic period. This way, students can learn some history while engaged with a fun story. We’ve done books set during WWII, the American Civil War, the Great Depression, and many others. After the book is selected, we send copies to local schools so that teachers can read the book with their students and develop lesson plans around it. At the end of the school year, these schools visit our college for a day of fun activities and a lecture by the author. Our faculty use their subject expertise to help us come up with fun and educational things for students to do. This year, our book is about dinosaurs, so we’ll have activities where students identify different types of dinosaurs, excavate dinosaur toys, and even get to talk with a real paleontologist from a local college. Our event has become so popular that we now get well over 1000 students each year. To support the event, we have a large list of volunteers who help run the event. We gather donations from members of the community. Our College also provides financial support for our OBOC program. Many children who attended our OBOC program in grade school eventually enroll in college at Penn Highlands with good memories from their time here as kids. It also helps us grow a positive relationship with local schools and teachers.

If you have questions about how we make all this work, please reach out to me at akirby@pennhighlands.edu

The College & Research Division is seeking candidates to run for the offices of Vice Chair/Chair Elect and Funds Manager.  If you would be willing to serve in either of these two positions or if you have any questions, please contact Alexander Kirby (akirby@pennhighlands.edu) by June 30, 2025. Here are the current descriptions for each of these positions:

Position: Vice Chair/Chair Elect

Term: Elected position, 1 year term officially beginning January 1; succeeds to Board position as Chair at end of Chair’s term.

Duties:

• Plan CRD Annual Spring Conference
  • Determine conference program and speakers, date, time and menu (if event is in-person)  in conjunction with the Board.
  • Form a committee to develop and implement the program.
  • In-person location of spring conference is typically on or near the campus of the Vice Chair. Virtual programming is also an option.
  • Submit LSTA Funding Request Form, Brief Report, and Expense Report to the CRD Board LSTA Subcommittee.
  • Compile and report back to the Board on evaluations. This may be delegated to another Board member.
• Serve on LSTA Committee comprised of Chair, Vice-Chair, and Professional Development Funds Manager to review proposals and award funds. (For an overview of the process, rubric and forms used, consult the LSTA FAQ: https://crdpala.org/lsta/).
• Attend PaLA Leadership Orientation following the Annual Conference.
• Assist Chair with the business of the Division, including chairing meetings in the Chair’s absence.
• Contribute as needed to CRD publications (i.e. blog, PalRaP, It’s Academic Column)

Position: Professional Development Funds Manager

Term: Elected position, 2 year term beginning January 1.

Duties:

• Liaise with PaLA Education & Finance Manager
• Participate in LSTA Committee composed of Chair, Vice-Chair, and Volunteer to review proposals and determine awards. (For an overview of the process, rubric and forms used, consult the LSTA FAQ: https://crdpala.org/lsta/)
• Maintain LSTA spreadsheet to reconcile expenses, payments, etc. related to LSTA funding requests to ensure grant money is being spent in accordance with LSTA guidelines and to ensure proper accounting of funds. In this capacity, LSTA Manager is a back up to the PaLA Education & Finance Manager in managing LSTA funds for the division.
• Ensure that reports are received in a timely manner and receipts are submitted.
• Assist Chair with compiling quarterly LSTA report information as needed.
• Ensure that all LSTA reports required of groups who receive funding from CRD are received in a timely manner and receipts are submitted to CRD Board. The LSTA Manager will work with the Chair to ensure receipts are signed off on and submitted to PaLA Education & Finance Manager.
• Work with CRD Tech Coordinator as needed to make sure LSTA documents are saved and organized in Google Drive.
• Contribute to the planning and implementation of the Division’s educational programs (i.e. Connect & Communicate, conferences, etc).
• Forward all documentation and records to new LSTA Manager.
• Contribute content as needed to CRD publications (CRD blog, the It’s Academic column in the PALA Bulletin, and PaLRaP)