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Lackawanna
Trail School District College Avenue, PO Box 85 Factoryville, PA 18419
Office
- (570) 945-5184
E-MAIL
WEBMASTER |
Welcome
to the Lackawanna Trail School District
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May
2009 - Newly Adopted School District Policies
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| Kristy
Kropa is the Lackawanna Trail Alumnus of the Month for May 2009 |

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It
has been six years since I graduated from Lackawanna Trail, and
I am a full time teacher at Montrose High School. I often think
back on my time spent at Trail and feel appreciation for not only
the academic lessons I learned but the life lessons instilled in
me as a student at Lackawanna Trail.
I came to Lackawanna
Trail in seventh grade from Elk Lake. As a seventh grader I was
enrolled in honors classes and played field hockey and basketball.
I continued in the honors program throughout my academic career
at Trail. In eighth grade I joined the track and field team, which
I also continued throughout my years at Trail. |
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I currently teach
Special Education at Montrose Area School District. I first became
interested in special education when I would visit Mrs. Spott’s,
my high school field hockey coach, room to talk about field hockey.
I became interested in teaching students with disabilities, because
of her class. I began spending study halls helping the students
in Mrs. Spott’s class. She always looked like she had so much
fun, and since I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do with
my life I decided that special education looked like a promising
career choice. I ultimately decided that teaching special education
was the career path I would take, and I have Mrs. Spott to thank
for that. One more thing I have to thank Mrs. Spott for is field
hockey.
I knew I wanted to play
field hockey in college, however I didn’t know what Division
to go or where. After talking to Division I coaches I decided Division
I athletics was not going to be what I wanted. Not only were the
field hockey programs at the Division I level not what I was looking
for in a college athletic career, but almost none Division I schools
I was looking at had the special education degree I wanted. Halfway
through my senior field hockey season I was still undecided where
I was going to go to college and at that point had not applied anywhere.
Mr. Revta was my study hall teacher second mod during the fall semester
of my senior year. He cornered me the one day asking what I was
going to do with my life after high school. I told him I really
didn’t know and hadn’t put much thought into it lately.
He literally took me right down to Guidance and into the conference
room and started quizzing me on where I might want to go to school
in state. I had not really done any research so I just started throwing
out names of colleges I knew in Pennsylvania. Mr. Revta shot down
quite a few of my suggestions saying he knew I wouldn’t like
it there or they don’t have field hockey. Finally he suggested
Bloomsburg University. He said he knew the coach and would give
me a recommendation; however right then and there he made me call
Jan Hutchinson, head field hockey coach at Bloomsburg University
and express my interest in the school and field hockey program.
By the end of November 2002 I had applied to Bloomsburg University
and gave my verbal committment to play field hockey. In January
2003 I signed with Bloomsburg University and was accepted early.
I know that the two National Championships I have from Bloomsburg
University wouldn’t have even been possible if it weren’t
for the coaching I received from Mrs. Spott or if Mr. Revta didn’t
make me become serious about my future that day in study hall. I
owe them both such a debt of gratitude for helping my dreams become
a reality both academically and athletically.
Lackawanna Trail also
taught me a very valuable life lesson the fall of my junior year;
my house at Saddle Lake had caught fire the morning of October 23rd.
When the day finally ended my family had lost everything we owned,
didn’t have a place to live, and my puppy had died in the
fire. The community at Lackawanna Trail that fall taught me the
importance of giving. The Hayduks gave us a roof over our head,
countless fundraisers to help us get back on our feet, and a brand
new puppy from my dear field hockey coach Mrs. Spott. I learned
the importance of giving that year. I knew before hand it was the
right thing to do; however after being the recipient of so many
people’s kindness, I have lived it not only in theory but
in practice, too.
Between what my parents
have taught me and what I learned from administrators, teachers,
and coaches at Lackawanna Trail I have the tools to succeed. I am
now a teacher and coach, and I use what I learned at Trail almost
daily in my career. The academic lesson, athletic lessons, and life
lessons I received from Lackawanna Trail from seventh grade to twelfth
grade are undeniably a huge part of who I am today.
Thank you. Kristy L. Kropa
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School
District Mission Statement
The mission of the Lackawanna
Trail School District, in partnership with the community, is to provide
a safe and challenging environment wherein self-directed, life-long learners
will develop to their fullest potential. The educational programs will
embrace an interdisciplinary approach between and among the administration,
faculty and students, thereby enabling students to become productive,
responsible, technologically literate, contributing members of a global
society who will respond positively in an ever-changing world.
District
Information Hotline
- (570) 945-5186
RIGHT
TO KNOW LAW: To submit a request for public documents please contact our
Public Records Officer, Ms. Debby Naylor, at 945-5184.
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