‘We need help now:’ Charleroi Area School District seeks funding to support migrant students

By TAYLOR BROWN
Senior Reporter
tbrown@yourmvi.com
Legislators and members of the Pennsylvania School Board Association visited the Charleroi Area School District on Wednesday to get a first-hand look at the challenges the district is up against when it comes to educating its growing population of immigrant students.
The district still needs help for staff, teachers, administrators and its English-language-learner (ELL) population.
In October, members of the Pennsylvania Department of Education heard about the district’s struggles to accomodate the needs of its growing immigrant student population. But, to date, no help has been offered from the state level while the district’s needs continue to rise.
During a school board meeting last month, Superintendent Dr. Ed Zelich said he invited members of the Pennsylvania School Board Association (PSBA) and legislative representatives to the table to see if any help is available.
“Our meeting with PDE in the fall was fine, but after they left, it kind of dwindled,” Zelich said. “We were told about this or that, different grant funding available, but we need more than that. We need help now. We want them to see the nuts and bolts of this. “These kids are great, they want to be here, they want to learn. Their parents are great, hard working. Our staff is amazing, they are doing everything they can and working very hard, but we are struggling.”
Rennick Remley, district director for Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township, joined Claire Chrontz, district manager for state Rep. Tim O’Neal, R-Washington, Pa., state rep. Bud Cook, R-West Pike Run Township, PSBA Government Affairs Manager Megan Lutz and PSBA Advocacy Outreach Manager Jamie Zuvich to tour the district, meet teachers, speak with students and sit in on English-language-learner classrooms Wednesday.
Visitors broke up in two groups to visit classrooms at the elementary center, middle and high school.
School board members Thomas Nutting, Elaine Pappasergi and Barbara Pepper also took park in Wednesday’s tour.

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Jenn Codeluppi / Mon Valley Independent
Claire Shrontz, district manager for state Rep. Tim O’Neal and Megan Lutz, Pennsylvania School Board Association government affairs manager gets a tour of Charleroi Area High School by junior Joeby Charlecin, who is from Haiti, and Assistant Principal Amy Nelson. Behind them are Charleroi Area High School Principal Patti Mason and Rennich Remley, district director for state Sen. Camera Bartolotta.