Summer is more than half over, which means back to school is on the horizon.
Shaler Area School District’s orientation for kindergarten and grades four, seven and nine is Aug. 20.
The first day of school for students is Aug. 21.
The top two leadership positions have new faces. The new school year is superintendent Bryan O’Black’s first school year at the helm of the district. He was appointed at an April 3 special school board meeting.
On June 12, the school board appointed Brian Brown as the district’s new assistant superintendent, with an annual salary of $131,500.
District spokeswoman Carrie Butler said that a search is underway for new assistant principals at Shaler Area Middle School and Shaler Area Elementary School, and that those positions will be filled prior to the start of school.
Like many other school districts, Shaler is implementing artificial intelligence in the classroom.
AI empowers teachers to personalize instruction, make learning more interactive and is tailored to each student’s needs, according to Eloise Milligan, the district’s coordinator of academic services.
Milligan added that the district is providing Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) focused on AI training, which will allow teachers to collaborate, share best practices, and continually refine their instructional strategies.
Elementary-age students will use Illustrative Mathematics, which is designed to align with the district’s upper elementary and middle school math programs and science teachers continue to prepare for the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s PA STEELS standards that will go into effect in 2026.
