November 17, 2015

Smoking is responsible for nearly one in five U.S. deaths, and another 8.6 million people live with serious illnesses caused by smoking. The American Cancer Society and Chester County Health Department encourage smokers to take part in the Great American Smokeout on Thursday, Nov. 19, by making a plan to quit, even if only for that day.

By quitting, even for one day, smokers will be taking an important step toward a healthier life – one that can lead to reducing their cancer risk. Research shows that smokers are most successful in quitting tobacco when they have support, including telephone smoking-cessation hotlines, local cessation classes, counseling and nicotine replacement products, said a press release from the Chester County Health Department.

In observance of the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 19, the Chester County Tobacco-free Coalition will be distributing nearly 1,000 free “quit kits” throughout the county. Quit kits are gallon-sized bags containing free tobacco cessation resources and small items to ease cravings and promote a healthy first day going nicotine-free. Quit kits are useful for those who currently smoke, vape or chew and are ready to go nicotine-free.

Quit kits will be available at numerous locations around Chester County for the remainder of the month, including all area Caron Treatment Centers, Chester County Drug & Alcohol Services in West Chester, the Chester County Health Department in West Chester, Chester County Hospital in West Chester, and the Chester County Youth Center in Pocopson Township.

For more information on how to quit tobacco, or to pick up a quit kit, call Chester County Tobacco-Free Coalition Chair Lindsay Smith at 610-344-5209 or visit the Chester County Tobacco-Free Coalition.

Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board directors said hello to a replacement member, good-bye to a departing member, and not yet to parents of Hillendale Elementary School third-graders.

Directors voted to appoint Elise Anderson as the replacement for Keith Knauss, who resigned in October. She will serve the remainder of the term, which runs through November 2017. She joins Jeff Hellrung and Vic Dupuis as representatives from Region A — East and West Marlborough townships.

Anderson, who grew up in the district and now has children attending U-CF schools, was one of three candidates interviewed for the position during the Nov. 9 work session. Other candidates were Jeanne Best and Albert Iacocca. Former School Board Director Corinne Sweeney spoke on Anderson’s behalf during that session.

The board also bid farewell to Kathy Do, who was attending her final meeting as director. Do served four years, but was defeated in her bid for re-election on Nov. 3.

Director Michael Rock said he had “enormous appreciation” for Do and that she would be “sorely missed.”

Hellrung called her passionate with a “never–failing support for students.”

Dupuis said the thing he likes best about Do is that she listens.

“She’s an active listener. Some people listen just because they’re trying to get to what they want to say. That’s not Kathy Do. She listens well. She’ll continue to listen well and she’ll continue to advocate,” he said in reference to Do’s running the After the Bell program in Kennett Square.

Carolyn Daniels, who like Do, is a representative of Region C, made up of Pennsbury and Chadds Ford townships, and who was on the ticket that defeated Do, said Do is “passionate and excellent” in everything she does.

Fellow Region C representative Gregg Lindner said he and Do developed a friendship for life. He and Do were both elected in 2011.

“We went on this path together, and once we were on the board, Kathy taught me things I didn’t know within the school system. Everything she’s taught me on policy and curriculum and all the other intricacies about the district, I couldn’t have done what I did without Kathy doing what she did,” Lindner said.

Superintendent of Schools John Sanville noted “the hard work and dedication” Do brought to the board. “Kathy, you have made your mark on the board,” he said.

In her parting remarks, Do said she regrets not being able to get the board to agree that the kindergarten program needs to be examined.

“I saw some of the primary functions of kindergarten had disappeared. The functions of socialization, learning through play, and making the measured transition from the toddler years into a structured academic environment were gone. I also understand that to fit in all of the required lessons, snack time and recess have been eliminated. There simply is no longer time for kindergarten to be the Children’s Garden we all had when we were young,” she said.

She also wants the board to continue looking into technology as part of the curriculum and believes that wellness should become a standing committee.

“Failing to do so will put our children at an extreme disadvantage as they leave Unionville and head out into our increasingly digital world,” she said.

Do also said the policy on class size should be re-evaluated.

“Thanks, in part to the Hillendale parents, we have started a dialogue about the challenges imposed on our students in classrooms that are right at the limit of our current guidelines,” she said.

And it was on the issue of class size that the board, in a 5-4 vote, said “not now” to a request from Hillendale parents about adding a third language arts teacher for third-grade students.

Parents had become increasingly vocal the last two months regarding the size of third-grade classes at Hillendale. The classes are now at the district limit of 26 students.

In the long term, parents have sought a reconsideration of the policy so that class sizes could be lowered to 19 or 20 students, and, in the short term, that the extra language arts teacher be added to prepare the students for the PSSA exams.

Lindner made the motion to approve, saying the extra part-time teacher should be added “only if the administration found a teacher it believes would be suitable as an addition to the elementary school at this time in the school year.”

He added that there is no perfect solution, but the solution offered was specific for just one particular class.

Voting in favor were Lindner, Do, Michael Rock and Daniels. Voting no were Anderson, Dupuis, Hellrung, Steve Simonson and Robert Sage.

Hellrung and Dupuis both said there was no immediate need for any type of change and that Sanville concurred.

“When the superintendent, acting in his area of expertise…exercising his best educational judgment comes back to the board and says…my recommendation is no change, the board better take it pretty seriously,” Hellrung said.

Dupuis said his own children went through the district schools with larger class sizes and that the vote is not an end point in the discussion. Rather, he said, it’s a beginning as the district looks at class sizes.

He added that the administration has monitored the situation and visited the classrooms and said there’s no change needed at present.

“For us to question their judgment on this represents, at best, a vote of no confidence. At worst, and my greatest fear is that this becomes a wedge process that encourages ongoing division between parents and teachers, teachers and administrators, the district and the community,” Dupuis said. “This wedge will drive great employees and great families to seek employment and residency elsewhere.”

The board’s next meeting, the annual organization meeting, is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 7, in the district office.