Keystone FCU honors county’s ‘Shining Stars’

Avery Fink of Lionville Elementary. WEST CHESTER — Keystone Federal Credit Union announces the winners in the Ninth Annual “Shining Star” Awards. The award was created to recognize students who have shown a noticeable improvement in academic performance, extra-curricular involvement, attendance, and classroom conduct throughout the school year.

UCF board opts to pull funds from reserve, cut tax hike to 2.66%

Lindner said colleagues are ‘kicking the can down the road’ By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times EAST MARLBOROUGH — Apparently, appearances matter. At the end of the day, it seemed that the optics of having a tax increase higher than 3% in Delaware County outstripped concerns over long-term finances and the state of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District’s balance reserve, as...

Avon Grove adopts full-day kindergarten

After nearly a year of careful review and discussion, the Avon Grove School Board Thursday night approved a Full Day Kindergarten program for 2017-18 school year. The change was recommended in the district’s community-developed Strategic Plan, and is based on research that strongly shows that full day programs help better prepare children to succeed in the rest of their elementary school years. “We...

Grab a No. 2 pencil and underline this: the Keystones are unfair

While the legislature fiddles, teachers and students suffer By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times The good news is that the kids got to sleep in a bit on a school day. And while it’s becoming increasingly clear that our teens don’t get enough sleep — and a movement to delay the start time in Chester County high schools is slowly gaining momentum — that my twins, freshmen at Unionville High...

67th Chadds Ford Art Show & Sale, March 11 & 12

This year’s Chadds Ford Art Show & Sale — the 67th — promises to be the best ever. The event kicks off with a preview night on March 11, with the show taking place the next day, March 12. Gathered to work on the show are: Kara Hyman (co-chair), Shawn Dutkiewicz (Principal CFE), Maggie Niemkiewicz (co-chair), Lisa Albany (co-chair) Featured Artist Helena van Emmerik-Finn and Donating...

Delusions and confusion; or just another day in Harrisburg

State pols continue to labor under budget, tax delusions By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Ah, nothing says “holiday seasons” like the ongoing state budget stalemate. Perfectly, both Democrats and Republicans continue to labor under impressive delusions about the current state of the commonwealth — and the outcomes of some proposed legislation that would provide cornerstones for a possible...

Students to get hands on with robot at TCHS Pickering

The Baxster robot by Rethink Robotics is programmed to package boxes at the Omega Design Corporation in Exton. In September, the robot will be moved to the TCHS Pickering Campus and used in the Electronics and Robotics program. Robots are coming to the Technical College High School (TCHS) Pickering Campus. Specifically, the Baxster, a collaborative robot designed by Rethink Robotics. With a modern...

Exton Mall launches ‘Kickstart Your Class’ effort to help schools

In an effort to help support local teachers and their schools during the busy Back to School shopping season, Exton Square Mall has launched “Kickstart Your Class,” a crowd funding campaign built in conjunction with online charity DonorsChoose.org. In July, Exton Square Mall launched launch KickstartYourClass.com, an innovative microsite that allows teachers to post DonorsChoose.org classroom...

Keystone recognizes Chester County’s Shining Stars

Alexandra Esparza Rodriguez, a student at Kennett Middle School is just one of dozens of Chester County students recognized as Shining Star by Keystone federal Credit Union.. WEST CHESTER —Keystone Federal Credit Union announces the winners in the Eighth Annual “Shining Star” Awards. The award was created to recognize students who have shown a noticeable improvement in academic performance,...

Melting ice & warming hearts…people YOU know doing ‘Good Stuff!’

Got ‘good stuff’ to share? Email kim@chescotimes.com (submissions are due the 15th & 30th monthly; and are subject to editorial review.) So much DRAMA…A  ‘shout-out’ to all the hard-working local kids and directors bringing affordable theater to our communities… Look for these March performances: Kennett – Oklahoma, Unionville – West Side Story,...