A+ Campaign Balances Focus on the Academics, Arts, & Athletics
The Greater Latrobe Partners in Education Foundation (GLPIEF) and the A+ Campaign Committee are pleased to announce the proposed advancements to Greater Latrobe School District. GLPIEF is an independent, non-profit organization formed to provide philanthropic opportunities for individuals, organizations and businesses to strategically support Greater Latrobe School District and its students. The A+ Campaign Committee consists of a dedicated group of community volunteers: Ray & Pam Mt. Joy; James R. Okonak; Michael J. Rossi; Diane G. Sobota; Dottie Staffen; Lester R. Sutton; Judith A. Swigart; William A. Palmer and Maryann White. The three goals of the A+ Campaign for Greater Latrobe School District provide a balanced focus on Academics, Arts and Athletics. Each component of the A+ Campaign has a dynamic virtual tour that can be viewed here.
The Academics goal includes the comprehensive GLOBAL classroom initiative which involves cutting edge technology integration in all classrooms kindergarten to 12. Successful completion of this goal would equip every classroom with 21 st century technology appropriate for grade level and academic discipline. The A+ Campaign is assisting with the development of an athletic and wellness complex at the Junior/Senior High School campus. The Athletic/Wellness Complex will promote health and wellness for 2,000 students on a daily basis through physical education classes and interscholastic activities, as well as serve as a resource
for community groups.
The third goal is the renovation of the Junior High entrance and main building corridor, often called the long hallway. This hallway formerly housed all the student lockers and is currently an underutilized space in the heart of the building. This proposed renovation will take what is really a dark and vacant space and transform it to provide flexible space for the new Junior High art collection and student instruction. This renovation is modeled after the existing unique art collections at the senior high and elementary schools and the GLSD’s Center for Student Creativity. The A+ Campaign improvements will allow students to live daily with original art and enhance the culture of the Junior High School. The renovation to the entrance will improve security in the building for afterschool events and create a secure and attractive entrance and exit for the building.
Among the strongest supporters of the A+ Campaign are GLSD alum, Ray Mt. Joy and his wife, Pam. Together, the Mt. Joys are co-chairing the campaign. Mt. Joy said he owes a significant amount of his success in business and life to his educational experience as a student at GLSD.
“My wife Pam and I can’t think of a better organization to support and give our time to than Greater Latrobe School District,” Mt. Joy said. “Our involvement is partially an expression of gratitude for the impact the District has had on our lives, but it is primarily motivated by the need to ensure that GLSD continues to be a world-class school district for today’s children, and for generations to come in this outstanding community.”