Two board members object to scoreboards

One district school did not meet the state's yearly progress test standard.
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- Not all Wilmington Area school board members are thankful for a local businessman's donation.
Earlier this week, the board accepted Atty. Dallas Hartman's sponsorship donation of two scoreboards for the high school gymnasium by a 7-2 vote.
Board members Mary Buckwalter and Lynn Foltz voted against the sponsorship.
Buckwalter told the board, "To advertise in the district in this manner is not appropriate."
Foltz suggested the board sell panels on the scoreboard to any interested businesses throughout the community. "I don't think this should be given to only one business," she added.
Board member John Shaw, a former school principal, said, "I take the opposite view. Anything that would save the district and taxpayers money is positive. I would rather buy textbooks."
"Mr. Hartman has also donated numerous dollars to education and the band," said board member John Fauzey.
The scoreboards are each estimated to cost between $10,000 and $15,000.
On warning list
In other business, the board learned that one district school did not meet adequate yearly progress for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment testing.
Superintendent Dr. C. Joyce Nicksick said each district across the state is given a checklist to follow. If only one target is not met, the school does not meet adequate yearly progress.
Wilmington Middle School met 15 out of 17 targets. Nicksick said the middle school is now placed on a warning list.
She said the middle school failed to meet the progress targets because of test results from special education pupils.
"We recognize the importance of the test, but we realize teaching and learning can be separate and distinct from this one test," Nicksick said.