Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

Smoketown Elementary students present skit on social thinking
BY DONNA WALKER, Correspondent

There was a bit of drama at the Conestoga Valley School Board meeting on Jan. 22 when Smoketown Elementary School students presented a skit on social thinking.

Sixth-grader Andrew Roland portrayed Superflex in which he wielded a blue squishy ball called "flexible super brain" that comes to the rescue of students who need to be more flexible in social situations.

Superflex protects the people of Social Town from the Unthinkables. They are comic characters -- Rock Brain, Topic Twister, Meister and Mean -- who make students inflexible or distract them, force them off topic or keep them stuck on one topic.

Accompanying the students was Smoketown speech and language pathologist Chris Hampton, who explained the social thinking curriculum to the board.

In other business, the board awarded Christine Latschar, special education paraprofessional, substitute teacher and cafeteria aide at Smoketown Elementary an award of excellence for January.

Criteria for selection are performance excellence, caring for students, innovation, involvement and a commitment to excellence.

Latschar created a Buckskin Corral theme in the cafeteria.

She volunteers for the Smoketown character education committee, organizing the Smoketown Post Office project as a means to convey positive messages among staff and students.

She participates in annual staff development training beyond her minimum requirements. She has served on the district support staff advisory council and is active in her church, especially supporting its after-school programs for Smoketown students.

For more Conestoga Valley area news, visit: MyConestoga ValleyNews.com