PHOTO PROVIDED The Keystone Central School District Board of Directors are pictured during their discussion regarding whether to include salaries in its personnel listing under transfers.

MILL HALL — From the release of Title funding to the transfer of kindergarten students from one elementary school to another, Keystone Central School District Superintendent Dr. Francis Redmon offered a variety of updates to the district’s board of directors at its work session this week.

Redmon said the district is seeing an uptick in enrollment numbers for its elementary schools which has led to some adjustments.

Previously, Redmon sent a letter out to Robb Elementary School parents with students entering kindergarten asking for volunteers to send their child to Liberty-Curtin due to this increased enrollment.

“We have lots of kindergarteners that are coming and we are kind of right on the border of having to hire another kindergarten teacher,” he said.

In Redmon’s letter to parents it was noted Robb Elementary was seeing the largest increase and strain on its staff.

“Instead of (hiring a teacher) we looked at the numbers across our elementary schools and thought it would be more prudent to move some of the students out of Robb and into Liberty-Curtin Elementary,” he said.

Redmon noted Robb has a surplus of students and Liberty-Curtin — which recently completed construction of its new building — could use more students.

He told the board the district is asking for volunteers to transfer 13 to 16 kindergarten students from Robb to Liberty-Curtin.

“We’ve had some positive results,” he said of the request. “At the end of the day we plan to move between 13 to 16 kindergarten students.”

He added that number could be higher if families wish to transfer older siblings from Robb to Liberty-Curtin as well.

Redmon’s letter noted students who attend Liberty-Curtin would be shuttled from Robb to the school, located near the Clinton/Centre border in Blanchard.

Board member Dr. Bill Baldino asked what the commute time would be.

“About 15 to 20 minutes… we’re working through some of those logistics as well,” he said. “We’re taking the barrier where we have too many students and putting them where we don’t have too many.”

Redmon told the board the administration learned the state would release “a couple hundred thousand dollars” which was being held in Title II, III and IV funding.

“It looks like they turned the switch on and all of our stuff we had applied for is there. It all looks like the same amounts we had anticipated,” he said.

In other funding news, Redmon said the business office was working on sponsorships and already secured one through T-Mobile.

“We received (a) $1,000 check with T-Mobile because we are engaging with (them) to get support for our athletic programs,” he said.

Redmon said both Central Mountain and Bucktail high schools received $1,000 in grant funding and added the district could see even more down the road.

“If we do some advertising and posting that we’re partnering with T-Mobile that puts us in pretty good shape to get some more sponsorship dollars from T-Mobile,” he said. “We’re really happy to work with them. The more we work with them, the more we get so we’re pretty excited about it.”

With the 2025-2026 school year slated to begin on Tuesday, Aug. 26, Redmon provided some updates on preparations.

He noted the district has seen a lot of work done and building improvements made over the summer.

“We’ve had a lot of great local contractors that have been getting a lot of work done. We’re in kind of the last scramble before school starts,” he said.

On Thursday, Redmon said the district held a summer workers luncheon to thank the individuals who worked extra time to prepare the buildings for the new year.

“I think it was well received. It was nice to spend some time with the folks who are doing everything — from painting to getting attendance together — to prepare,” he said.

On Wednesday, Redmon said the district’s staff and faculty worked on its Positive Behavior and Support (PBIS) program for the new year.

“They came up with some great plans yesterday. Each school heard from our facilitators on some really great ideas to build that positive culture and climate. We’re coming up with individual plans for each school,” he said.

Redmon’s final announcement was about the annual Homecoming parade. He said it will take place on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. along Main Street in downtown Lock Haven.

He noted Commonwealth University-Lock Haven intends to participate and all elementary schools, marching bands and sports teams within Keystone Central are invited to participate.

“I think it’s going to be a great event. I hope to see the board there,” he said.