"It's not a dead issue," said Bruce Kowalski, superintendent of the Wissahickon School District. "It won't go away. It will probably be back during the next session of the legislature." The Wissahickon school board, like many others, formally opposed the legislation.
"My hope is, the longer we take to look at it, the more it will be watered down in the process," Kowalski said.
The director of state and federal legislative liaison services for the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, Lorie Stout, said she was "definitely of the opinion this is an ongoing issue." Citing a reconsideration vote on one choice measure in late January, and at least one Senate and House bill each in a position to be voted on later, Stout said the last vote was, "in our minds, only round one."
Area school boards will probably continue lobbying efforts against the measures after the schools' winter recesses, she said.
STUDENTS WELCOME CICIPPIO
Teacher Cam Johnston's first graders at Blue Bell Elementary School have a lifelong memory from a recent visit to former hostage Joseph Cicippio to deliver cookies and welcome-back cards.
They were unexpectedly invited into the Norristown home of Cicippio's brother, Thomas, and performed "America the Beautiful," as the Cicippios joined in. Photographs were taken in front of the Cicippios' Christmas tree. According to Johnston, Joseph Ciccipio patiently answered students' questions about his captivity, such as what clothing he wore (two sweatsuits), what he did for holidays (he burned a candle) and what he ate (Lebanese food with tea). They also learned he shared his quarters with large tarantulas.
HEAD OF THE CLASS
Theresa Nonnenman, the December student of the month at Eastern Montgomery County Vocational Technical School in Willow Grove, joins nine other students who will be selected this school year for the honor. So far, the other students are Angeline Thourot, a cosmetology student from Bishop McDevitt High School in Wyncote, and Melissa Obst, a foods student from Upper Moreland High School. Nonnenman is a cosmetology student from Hatboro-Horsham High School.
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Hatboro resident Lieselotte Heil will receive a $2,200 Graduate Scholars Award from Rutgers University School of Law in Camden for the 1991-92 academic year. Heil, 33, is a 1988 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.
The Corpus Christi School of Upper Gwynedd earned $2,000 worth of books, leading other schools in a fall promotional program through Montgomery Mall.
Gywnedd Mercy Academy of Lower Gwynedd and Lower Salford Elementary School took second and third places.
During the campaign, shoppers were invited to help area schools win books through fund-raising events. Local Reading is Fundamental programs also benefited from the mall promotion, according to Lee Alexander, mall marketing director.
FYI
If you have just updated your computer and are wondering what to do with the older model, the Cheltenham School District can put your equipment to immediate use.
An Apple II+ can be used in secondary science labs to interface lab equipment; an Apple IIe can be used in elementary writing labs or learning enrichment centers; an Apple IIg is needed in elementary learning enrichment centers, and IBM or compatible computers can be used in the Cedarbrook Middle School Library and in high school writing or journalism.
The district can also use disk drives, printers and monitors compatible with the other equipment. All equipment must be in working order. The district will supply a letter that can be used for tax donation purposes.
Call John Holland at 881-6328 for further information.
Beaver College has received a $30,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for a project to provide nuclear magnetic resonance equipment used for chemical research projects.
"The grant will help us to put in place new experiments for the undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory," said Chester Mikulski, chemistry professor. The Glenside college matched the grant.
