Tag Archives: Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School

A Single School: Cathedral Education Center completes renovation, opens to students

September 28, 2023 | by TheBurg Editor

Back in May 2021, the Diocese of Harrisburg broke ground on an ambitious project.

It planned a top-to-bottom renovation of the 70-year-old Catholic Elementary School on Liberty Street, plus the renovation of the even older (112-year-old) Shanahan Center on North Street.

In addition, the two buildings, which had always been separated, would be joined together by a new connector and entryway.

When done, the diocese would be able to consolidate its two elementary schools at this single location.

After a successful fundraising campaign and two years of construction, the project, led by Harrisburg-based JEM Group, is now complete. Beginning this semester, students from pre-K through eighth grade attend school at this single location.

We thought our readers would like to see the interior of the new Cathedral Education Center, home of the unified Catholic Elementary School, located just behind St. Patrick Cathedral. For more information, visit www.hbgdiocese.org/catholic-schools.

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July News Digest

June 30, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

School District Superintendent Appointed

The Harrisburg School District has a new superintendent.

At a board meeting last month, district Receiver Janet Samuels appointed former Reading High School Principal Eric Turman as the district’s new leader.

“This is a very critical role,” Samuels said. “It encompasses providing our students with the very best, and our students so richly deserve the very best. When we think about the commitment and having a proven leader who excels—Mr. Turman is the leader who exudes those skills.”

Turman served as the principal of Reading High School in Reading for the past 10 years. He had been with that district for over 20 years, starting as a fifth-grade teacher.

After a nationwide search, the district announced Turman as a finalist in May. He began his new position with Harrisburg on July 1 and will serve as superintendent through June 2026. He receives an annual salary of $179,500.

“I’m delighted and humbled to have the opportunity to serve as your superintendent of schools,” Turman said at June’s board meeting. “I can’t wait to get started.”

Acting Superintendent Chris Celmer will help Turman transition into his role, Samuels said. Celmer has been with the district for nearly two years, but officials were looking for a permanent superintendent to fill the role as the district enters its third, and final, year of state-imposed receivership.

HBG Beach Club to Debut

A new destination is coming to City Island, as the Harrisburg Beach Club announced that it would open at the point, near the historic bathhouse.

Area businessmen Adam Maust and Bryan Donovan expect to open this month, offering patrons the opportunity to rent chairs and umbrellas, buy drinks and food, and socialize and relax. The city currently does not allow swimming from the beach.

Much of the beach area will remain outside of the Harrisburg Beach Club space, but even the part they’re renting from the city will remain open to the public, Maust said.

Built in 1921, the bathhouse marks its centennial this year, but has been mostly closed for a long time. The partners plan to use just the first floor for now, renovating the bathrooms and changing rooms.

Outside of the building, the club will feature two bars serving Pennsylvania beer, wines and spirits. They will offer beer from six local breweries on tap, as well as their own signature beer, Maust said. Food trucks will be on site for snacks and meals.

They plan to beautify the area with plants and flowers and fix and upgrade the existing sandboxes. The bars and other infrastructure are being built to be easily removable in case of flooding, Maust said.

Maust said that he envisions the Harrisburg Beach Club as a four-season destination, with cool- and cold-weather activities, such as an artificial skating rink, supplementing the summer high season.

Maust and Donovan both said that they hope their venture will help reinvigorate City Island as a destination. Over the years, the island has lost many of the small, tourist-oriented businesses once sprinkled around the 1-mile paved loop.

“Our vision is to bring people to the island to help other vendors there,” Donovan said. “This could be a catalyst for other things starting in the future.”

Maust said that he believes that people will be attracted by the uniqueness of the location, including the views of the Susquehanna River and city skyline.

“People will enjoy meeting up at an enchanted spot in the city,” he said. “We’re hoping to add value to spending the day on City Island.”

Midtown, Allison Hill Projects Get Go-Aheads

Several development projects in Harrisburg received their final city approvals last month, allowing them to begin.

During a virtual legislative session, City Council approved the land development plan for conversion of the former Salvation Army building in Midtown to a 16-unit, market-rate apartment building.

The “Lofts in Midtown,” by Wormleysburg-based Integrated Development Partners, will convert the 10,920-square-foot building at Green and Cumberland streets to one- and two-bedroom units. A paved lot across the street will provide parking for the project.

Council member Danielle Bowers was the sole vote against the project, objecting to the fact that all units would be market-rate. In April, the city approved a package of bills to incentivize the construction of affordable housing in Harrisburg.

The building, built in 1954, has been empty since late 2019, when the Salvation Army relocated to its current location on the 500-block of S. 29th Street.

Council also approved a development project to construct six town homes on Allison Hill at Hummel and Kittatinny streets. Tri-County HDC plans to demolish a building currently on the property and construct affordable housing.

The project has received a $500,000 state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant.

The project is part of the South Allison Hill Safety Plan, a partnership between several nonprofit organizations that aims to make the neighborhood safer. Gary Lenker of Tri-County said previously that he hopes to break ground on the project later this summer.

Cathedral Education Center Breaks Ground

A new Catholic education center took a key step forward with a ceremonial groundbreaking in downtown Harrisburg.

Surrounded by students of Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School, Bishop Ronald Gainer led the groundbreaking in a parking lot near the future Cathedral Education Center.

“This is a great day for our parish and for downtown Harrisburg,” Gainer said.

The project will renovate and combine two buildings: the 1951 Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School on Liberty Street and the 112-year-old Shanahan Center on North Street.

When the project is complete, the diocese plans to consolidate its two Harrisburg elementary school campuses at the facility—the Cathedral Campus, which serves pre-K and grades 5-8 in downtown Harrisburg, and the Holy Family Campus, which serves grades K-4 and is located on Allison Hill.

The pastor of St. Patrick Cathedral, the Rev. Joshua Brommer, said that the $5.7 million project will proceed in three phases.

The first phase is a three-story, 3,250-square-foot addition between the two buildings, which are currently separated by a walkway. The construction phase will combine the buildings and create a new school entryway and house an elevator.

The second phase will follow, turning the Shanahan Center into classroom, laboratory and dining space. A third phase will include the renovation of the existing elementary school building on Liberty Street.

When completed, the school will have 10 new classrooms, a STEM lab, art and music facilities and a new dining hall in 26,475 square feet of space.

The project architect is Mechanicsburg-based TKS Architects, with Harrisburg-based JEM Group as the general contractor.

Toni Morrison Bench Unveiled

Just a few days before Juneteenth, the holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States, Harrisburg dedicated an African American historical marker.

Last month, a new bench, named after the late author Toni Morrison, was unveiled on the state Capitol grounds.

The bench sits near the recently erected Commonwealth Monument Project’s large bronze monument at 4th and Walnut streets. Officials hope it will serve as a place for people to sit and reflect on the history before them.

The bench is part of a network of 30 benches installed around the world by the Toni Morrison Society for its “Bench by the Road” project. According to Craig Stutman, project chair, the idea came from something Morrison said in an interview. She believed that there needed to be more monuments to African American history, Stutman said.

“Having a Toni Morrison Society Bench by the Road, right here, is a reminder to all of us of the importance of marking and remembering our missing histories,” said Gov. Tom Wolf, who spoke at the event.

The bench, along with the Commonwealth Monument, recognizes the history of the Old 8th Ward, a historically Black and immigrant neighborhood in Harrisburg that was destroyed to expand the Capitol grounds.

Also at the event, Commonwealth Monument Project officials presented Wolf with a bronze replica of a map of the Old 8th Ward.

Home Sales, Prices Up

Home sales and prices climbed in the Harrisburg area during May, according to the area’s realty association.

Last month, the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors reported that total sales shot up to 722 houses versus 357 in May 2020, as the median price rose to $239,950 compared to $205,000 a year ago.

Last year’s sales numbers were affected by the state-mandated industry shutdown during the month, due to the pandemic. A better comparison may be May 2019, when 720 houses sold at a median price of $191,850.

In Dauphin County, 347 houses sold in May for a median price of $210,000, versus 167 houses in the prior year for $176,000, GHAR said.

Cumberland County had sales of 335 homes in May compared to 149 in the year-ago period, while the median price increased to $265,000 from $233,000.

In Perry County, 33 houses sold versus 19 the year before, as the median price rose to $217,000 versus $154,700 in May 2020.

Houses were also selling much faster than in recent years. The “average days on market” dropped to 21 days, compared to 53 in May 2020 and 51 in May 2019, according to GHAR.

So Noted

Chad Saylor last month was appointed as a Dauphin County commissioner. Saylor, the county’s long-term chief clerk, replaced commission Chair Jeff Haste, who resigned in May to pursue a private-sector opportunity.

Comcast opened a new Xfinity store last month at Hershey Square, 1154 Mae St., Hummelstown. In addition to product demonstrations, customers can find about services or devices, learn about Xfinity apps, sign up for Xfinity services, pay bills at kiosks, return or acquire equipment, and purchase accessories for mobile devices.

Deborah Addo has been named the new executive vice president and chief operating officer of Penn State Health. Addo, the president at Inova Loudoun Hospital in Virginia, will join the health system in August and succeeds Alan Brechbill, who retired in 2020.

Harrisburg Academy last month named Lindsay Bowman as the next head of its middle and upper schools. Bowman, director of the academy’s centers for experiential learning and innovation, succeeds Benjamin Murphy, who left to pursue an out-of-state teaching opportunity.

Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC last month received renewal of its “5-Star Accreditation” from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This distinction is achieved by fewer than 5% of chambers across the nation and signifies “transparent governance practices, sound financial controls, safe work environments, value in programming and effective communications,” according to the U.S. Chamber.

Harristown Enterprises last month celebrated the interior construction phase of its newest residential project in downtown Harrisburg, Menaker Apartments. The century-old Market Square building is slated to become 28 one- and two-bedroom units. The building last housed the Skarlatos Zonarich law firm, which has relocated to Strawberry Square.

Jennifer Wilburne has been named a Harrisburg School District board director, appointed by Receiver Janet Samuels. Wilburne, an official with the Wolf administration, replaces Jayne Buchwach, who resigned after moving out of the district.

Penn State Health last month opened two new medical facilities locally. Penn State Health Medical Group-Blue Ridge is located at 1540 Alexandra Lane, Harrisburg, and Penn State Health Diagnostic Center-Union Deposit is located at 4250 Union Deposit Rd., Harrisburg.

West Shore Home opened its new corporate headquarters last month in Mechanicsburg. Founded in 2006 as a locally based home improvement company, it now operates in 12 states, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Widener University’s Commonwealth Law School last month announced the appointment of Michael J. Hussey as dean. Hussey, a long-time professor, has served as interim dean since 2020 and previously served as associate dean for academic affairs.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2455: L. Mahoney to A. Muhammad, $68,900

Balm St., 106: Lagr Properties LLC to SL Homes LLC, $32,500

Barkley Lane, 2526: G. Smilek to Wyco Investments LLC, $70,000

Bellevue Rd., 1915: J. Charles to D. Vanlee, $32,000

Benton St., 551: D. Thompson & Y. Brown to A. Taylor, $102,000

Berryhill St., 1309: Anpat LLC to J. Monegro, $85,000

Boas St., 409: P. Cannon & M. Hertrich to T. Devaraj, $210,000

Briggs St., 205: Trip Aces LLC to BD Property Management LLC, $137,000

Briggs St., 1617: Amos Financial LLC to Gamma One LLC, $48,500

Calder St., 115: Penn Real Estate Solutions LLC to JMW Property Group LLC, $108,000

Calder St., 215: M. & A. Zehring to C. Fee, $100,000

Chestnut St., 2120: JBAB LLC to D. & K. Thompson Leader, $265,000

Chestnut St., 2304: M. & K. Johnson to N. Dexter & D. Madsen, $254,500

Croyden Rd., 2933: A. Wood to M. Cabrera, $68,000

Derry St., 2459: C. Spinner to B. Ortega, $40,000

Derry St., 2526: E. Dale to T Wy Enterprise LLC, $45,000

Division St., 423: Ahmadiya Movement in Islam Inc. to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $110,000

Duke St., 2435: A. Clark to V. & T. Raskot, $124,500

Duke St., 2441: A. & R. Clark to V. & T. Raskot, $118,000

Ellersie St., 2346: D. Clark to HBK Properties 1 LLC, $76,500

Emerald St., 650: Spring Dell Investments LLC to Awesome Tenants LLC, $44,000

Forrest St., 603 & 605: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to A. Eiras, $139,500

Forster St., 1839: C. Arnold to Tender Loving Care Healthcare Services, $30,500

Fulton St., 1706: C. Dyno & L. Houser to K. & E. O’Conor, $170,100

Fulton St., 1943: C. & L. Banks to R. Mpinga, $114,900

Green St., 909: Schoolhouse 1 Holdings LLC to 909 Lofts LLC, $5,500,000

Green St., 1320: C. & S. Boettinger to D. Martin & N. Douglas, $175,000

Green St., 1419: Lancaster Real Estate Fund LLC to M. DeJesus, $139,000

Green St., 1526: M. Goldberg to S. Jusufovic, $147,000

Green St., 1601: M. Goldberg to S. Jusufovic, $141,000

Green St., 1828: M. Vaccarella to N. Luong & N. Nguyen, $170,000

Hanna St., 103: DLK Properties LLC to T. Kham, B. Kong & L. Kun, $136,000

Hoerner St., 110: S. Gllis to SPG Capital LLC, $45,000

Hunter St., 1610: P. Anandan to K. Williams, $64,750

Kensington St., 2030: D. Rosario to Two Three Two Investments LLC, $43,000

Kensington St., 2245: D. & T. Nguyen to H. Nguyen & Q. Lu, $45,000

Luce St., 2361: Kirsch & Burns LLC to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $40,000

Manada St., 2029: F. Avila to M. Loja, $75,000

Market St., 1248: Cleotilde Inc. to C. Munoz, $55,000

Market St., 1901: M. & J. Buchwach to G. & C. Lutz, $159,900

Mercer St., 2419: A. Overcash to D. Franklin, $100,000

Mercer St., 2460: A. Meck to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $32,000

North St., 1846: J. Krum & L. Crum to A. Jones, $89,000

N. 2nd St., 1008: M. Kushner to Grentals LLC, $190,000

N. 2nd St., 1410: R. & R. Janes to Gamehenge Properties LLC, $221,000

N. 2nd St., 2127: A. Graffius to A. Nicols, $147,500

N. 2nd St., 2131: BCRA Realty LLC to C. & K. Potter, $149,900

N. 2nd St., 2220: G. Rhoads to Planet 3 Properties LLC, $46,500

N. 2nd St., 2434: P. Kessler to M. Juba, $270,000

N. 2nd St., 2538: M. Parsley to C. Dickison & L. Garner, $201,500

N. 2nd St., 2812: T. Brinkley to J. & K. Reed, $350,000

N. 2nd St., 3115: C. & C. Harris to B. Smith, $175,000

N. 3rd St., 2218: D. Lee to J. & N. Grant, $40,000

N. 3rd St., 2221: W. Geisel to W. & B. Hoover, $170,000

N. 3rd St., 3134: M. Cruz to R. Myers, $140,000

N. 4th St., 1416: P. Bayer to 1417 4th Street HBG LLC, $31,501

N. 4th St., 2135: R. Rammouni & J. Hamad to JP Investment Holding LLC, $76,000

N. 4th St., 2139, 1414 Regina St.: NJR Group LLC to JP Investment Holding LLC, $456,000

N. 4th St., 2543: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to S. Goddard, $139,900

N. 4th St., 2721: D. Chandler to K. Palmer, $100,000

N. 5th St., 3141: R. & R. Vallareal to L. & R. Biacchi, $185,000

N. 6th St., 2407: We Buy PA Inc. to D. Boyle, $36,000

N. 6th St., 2640: M. Woo to A. Gomez & N. Hernandez, $34,000

N. 16th St., 1207: M. Robinson to C. & S. Orellana, $36,500

N. 18th St., 68: LAGR Properties LLC to SL Homes LLC, $32,500

N. 18th St., 912: T. Evans to Dreams2Reality Services LLC, $50,000

Park St., 1813: J. String & M. Comp to J. Acosta, $38,000

Penn St., 1820: D. Kapil to Alex Manning Enterprises, $115,000

Penn St., 1920: T., M. & T. Sneidman to B. Taylor & A. Hibbard, $192,000

Penn St., 2130: Three Dog Properties LLC to R. Lane, $43,000

Pennwood St., 3129: T. & S. Kane to T Wy Enterprise LLC, $75,000

Race St., 562: S. Garnes to SJL Rentals LLC, $177,500

Race St., 608: Shipoke LLC & G. Dunbar to M. Parsley, $158,500

Radnor St., 618: D. Nelson to M. Temba and C. & J. Liu, $85,000

Ross St., 615: M. Cvetko to P. Melendez, $50,000

Rumson Dr., 2659: P. Chapman to Bermuda Land LLC, $97,000

Seneca St., 521: E. Spencer to M. & G. James, $89,900

S. 14th St., 450: Brothers Group LLC to Luciano Transportation LLC, $110,000

S. 14th St., 521: D&L Development Inc. to E. Milanes, $85,000

S. 17th St., 1012: P. Hollinger to G&H Holdings LLC, $70,000

S. 18th St., 6: CR Property Group LLC to 2020 Luong Family Trust, $135,000

S. 19th St., 533: V. & D. Morales to Best By LLC, $81,000

S. 19th St., 535: V. Morales to Best By LLC, $81,000

S. 27th St., 800: E. Dale & D. Housel to T Wy Enterprise LLC, $45,000

S. Summit St., 161: A. Jackson & M. Wade to HLI Properties PA LLC, $69,900

State St., 231, Unit 702: LUX 1 LP to W. Stansill, $155,000

State St., 1719: R. & A. Sharp to D. & J. Shaw, $85,450

Summit St., 24: S. & M. Turner to JAAE Rental Properties LLC, $45,000

Susquehanna St., 1823: G. & B. Hanthorn to WCI Partners LP, $90,000

Susquehanna St., 1841: M. Reuveni to SJL Rentals LLC, $120,000

Swatara St., 2022: J. & N. Thompson to E. Milanes, $62,000

Verbeke St., 212: Kingdumb Properties LLC to C. Fee, $101,500

Verbeke St., 224: S. Crossin to K. Sun, $210,000

Verbeke St., 1731: C. Jenkins to T. Sweet, $90,000

Walnut St., 106: W. Fulton to N&R Group LLC, $85,000

Walnut St., 108: E. Etzweiler to N&R Group LLC, $175,000

Walnut St., 1232: C. & C. Hinckley to Bethsabee LLC, $45,000

Walnut St., 1431: Church of the Living God to Skycam LLC, $40,000

Woodbine St., 414: E. Bruton to M. & N. Jacobs, $35,000

Woodlawn St., 2512: C. Cain Jr. to R. Westover, $138,000

Vernon St., 1563: Lee Jang & 17th Street Cleaners to C. & S. Orellana, $34,050

Zarker St., 1825: Great Row LLC to I. Martinez, $42,000

Zarker St., 1919: D. Hargrove & D. Surbrena to R. Burgos Soto, $35,000

Harrisburg property sales for May 2021, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Cathedral Education Center breaks ground, will renovate, expand Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School

May 26, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda

Rev. Joshua Brommer, Bishop Ronald Gainer and David Rushinski, the principal of Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School, break ground for the Cathedral Education Center.

A new Catholic education center took a key step forward today with a ceremonial groundbreaking in downtown Harrisburg.

Surrounded by students of Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School, Bishop Ronald Gainer led the groundbreaking on Wednesday morning in a parking lot near the future Cathedral Education Center.

“This is a great day for our parish and for downtown Harrisburg,” Gainer said.

The project will renovate and combine two buildings: the 1951 Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School on Liberty Street and the 112-year-old Shanahan Center on North Street.

The pastor of St. Patrick Cathedral, the Rev. Joshua Brommer, said that the $5.7 million project will proceed in three phases.

The first phase will begin soon—a three-story, 3,250-square-foot addition between the two buildings, which are currently separated by a walkway. The construction phase will combine the buildings and create a new school entryway and house an elevator.

A rendering of the project

To date, the diocese has pledges for about $1.9 million for the project, so will continue to fundraise for the remainder, Brommer said.

When completed, the school will have 10 new classrooms, a STEM lab, art and music facilities and a new dining hall in 26,475 square feet of space.

The project architect is Mechanicsburg-based TKS Architects, with Harrisburg-based JEM Group as the general contractor.

Brommer said that he hoped the entire project would be finished within two years. The campuses would be merged after the completion of the project.

“With this groundbreaking, we unearth a treasure trove of innovation, security, accessibility and a bold, forward visioning that gives us true faith in our future,” Brommer said.

Click here for more information on the Diocese of Harrisburg Catholic schools.

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NonProfit Focus: SkarlatosZonarich & Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School

February 26, 2021 | by Admin

SkarlatosZonarich LLC

Why do you feel it’s important for your business to support our area’s nonprofits?

Nonprofits provide a variety of necessary services to citizens of the greater Harrisburg area, which simply can neither be addressed by individual citizens nor satisfied by governmental agencies and funding. Nonprofit entities allow persons to band together to focus upon and address issues important to them as a group and important to society.

Why do you support this particular nonprofit, and what does your business do to benefit the organization?

All of the managing members of SkarlatosZonarich LLC are involved in civic, nonprofit or religious organizations.

It is my pleasure to serve on the board of directors or advisory boards of a number of nonprofit corporations, including the Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School (HCES), The James A. Finnegan Foundation and the Historic Harrisburg Advisory Board, in addition to serving as a member of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority for the city of Harrisburg.

HCES offers an alternative source of education to students in and around the city of Harrisburg, including Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties. HCES allows the flexibility for quality education through small class sizes and individualized attention geared to meet the needs of student families. HCES provides an alternative to the Harrisburg school system. HCES’s location in Harrisburg allows it to incorporate visits from governmental leaders and visits to the city’s museums into its ongoing curriculum.

HCES has earned accreditation from the prestigious Middle States Commission for Elementary Schools. HCES is proud of its diverse student population. HCES, while rooted in Catholicism, is open to students of any faith. HCES charges tuition but provides a variety of scholarships to help parents defray costs. Its students qualify for free breakfast and lunch each school day.

Even during the pandemic, HCES has offered pre-K, kindergarten and elementary school students and their families the option of either remote learning or classes at one of its two locations, Cathedral Campus behind the Cathedral of St. Patrick in downtown Harrisburg or at its Holy Family Campus on S. 25th Street.

Service on HCES’ board is my way to “pay it forward” religiously and civically. For more information about HCES’ planned expansion, contact 717-232-2169.

All area businesses, including SkarlatosZonarich LLC, benefit from having an educated workforce available to serve as a pool of potential, qualified employees. HCES provides that type of basic quality education.

Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School

Describe your organization and the importance of corporate or foundation support to further your mission.

Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School (HCES) was founded in 2012 with the merger of two Harrisburg city schools (Holy Family, est. 1959, and Cathedral School, est. 1873), making it the only Catholic elementary school in the city of Harrisburg. We accept children from the city and its surrounding communities, celebrating diversity in our student population. Our mission statement says it all:

Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School, a faith-filled community, is enriched by diverse ethnic cultures. Building upon the teachings of the Catholic Church, we strive to develop the whole child as we encourage students to appreciate each other and share their God-given talents. We challenge students to achieve individual academic success, shared responsibility and appropriate socialization.

Our class sizes are limited to provide students the optimum degree of personal attention they deserve, but rarely receive, in larger classrooms. Our teachers put the needs of the students first. During this pandemic school year, we have maintained in-person classes, as well as live-streamed virtual classes, as requested by individual families. Our teachers have been able to manage students who have been on-line all year, in school all year, and some who have switched as needed. This flexibility emphasizes the dedication and compassion of our teachers, staff and administration.

For 2021, what is your greatest need for corporate or foundation support?

Today, more than ever, our school needs corporate and foundation support to provide tuition assistance, either through Pennsylvania’s EITC and OSTC programs or through individual donations. Eighty-two percent of our enrolled students live at or below the poverty level. This, combined with the economic aftermath of the pandemic, puts our scholarship need for the 2021-22 school year greater than ever. Simply put, without donations from the business community and foundations, our school tuition would be out of reach for most of our families.

The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program allows businesses to donate to private schools and other educational avenues while providing credits to their own tax bills. The Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) operates similarly in providing tax credits to businesses that donate. The OSTC scholarships apply to students who live in low-achieving public school districts and wish to attend private schools; EITC scholarships are income-driven.

Your business’s donations to either or both of these programs would help assist students whose needs for a better academic and social fit would otherwise be denied because of lack of tuition.

Individual donations are also accepted by the school to assist with tuition needs or in any area you would like to designate. Please contact the school for more information at 717-234-3797.

Thank you to SkarlatosZonarich and all of those who have sponsored our students in receiving excellence in education!

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In the Shadow of the Dome: It’s been an unprecedented year of protests in the backyard of residents, businesses near the Capitol

February 26, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

An armed man stands in front of the PA Capitol during a pro-Trump rally. Photo by Jelani Splawn.

Every Sunday morning, Kevin Burrell walks a few blocks from his downtown Harrisburg home, where he’s lived for 20 years, to Market Square Presbyterian Church. There, he serves breakfast to those in need. He loves his church and is very involved.

But on one particular Sunday, Burrell stayed home. It was the weekend before the U.S. presidential inauguration and state capitals around the country were preparing for what the FBI warned could be armed protests by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.

“I was very concerned as a person of color,” said Burrell, who is Black. “I didn’t leave my house. I’ve never felt this way in my community and my neighborhood.”

State, Capitol and city police, along with Pennsylvania National Guard troops, patrolled the Capitol grounds and surrounding roads, hoping to deter anyone with violent intentions from coming. And it worked. Hardly anyone showed up.

But that wasn’t much consolation to Burrell, considering what he witnessed in the past months. Neither were local officials’ promises that they would keep the city safe during that inauguration week reassuring, not when Burrell had already seen men strapped with guns and Confederate flags parading the streets of his neighborhood.

Burrell described his feelings with words like “unsettling” and “unnerving.” His partner, Jon Podany, who is white, jumped in, as we do when we feel those we love are minimizing their experience, saying that Burrell was being too polite.

Podany, painted a picture of chaos, fear and white privilege on display.

For this Harrisburg couple, the string of protests that began in April wasn’t something they could switch off with a remote or scroll past on their Facebook feed, not when it was happening in their own backyard.

Such was the case with many residents, businesses and organizations in the neighborhoods surrounding the Capitol. And while everyone interviewed supported the right to gather and voice an opinion, they weren’t happy that some people purposely intended to invoke fear among those who call the city their home. Each was directly impacted by the large protests, especially the ones that weren’t kept to the Capitol steps.

“I love my neighborhood,” Burrell said. “It’s usually very peaceful and predictable. I’m very connected to this place. But now I’m feeling I need to be more mindful of my comings and goings.”

Block Crashers

In April, a large group of people arrived in downtown Harrisburg for a “ReOpen PA” rally, kicking off what would be months of protests, some tense, many peaceful, by both left- and right-wing groups.

A string of Black Lives Matter protests began in May, the first of which led to clashes between some marchers and police. There were additional anti-lockdown rallies, and, during November and December, numerous “Stop the Steal” protests that opposed the U.S. presidential election results.

At the first “Reopen PA” rally in April, people gathered to show their opposition to Gov. Tom Wolf’s orders to shut down nonessential businesses and to stay at home to try to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Many brought pro-Trump flags and homemade signs saying things like “Freedom is essential,” or “Honk to reopen.” Others drove their cars and trucks around the Capitol honking and gridlocking streets.

Podany remembers people racing cars down the streets.

Pam MacNett, head of the Capitol Area Neighbors group, has video footage from her security camera of a man walking past her house with an assault rifle. She also recalls seeing an armed person walk by the Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School’s State Street campus.

“I really wish they would stay at the Capitol grounds,” said Dave Rushinski, principal of the school. “There are people whose livelihoods depend on these small neighborhoods.”

Andrea Grove is the owner of Elementary Coffee Co. on North Street in Harrisburg, about two blocks from the Capitol steps.

Grove said that one of the reasons why she chose to open up shop downtown in 2019 was specifically for its proximity to the Capitol. She wanted Elementary to be a safe space for protesters, especially Black Lives Matter protesters, to refuel and receive help, if needed.

In fact, Grove participated in some of the Black Lives Matter rallies this past summer.

While she recognized there was definitely passion and strong emotion fueling the BLM, ReOpen PA and “Stop the Steal” rallies, something about each felt different to her.

“The tone changes quickly when there are guns,” Grove said.

After the ReOpen PA rally in April, Grove and employees began internal discussions about how to stay safe and respond to future protests like that one. She said that they talked about de-escalation and workers’ comfort levels.

Grove had a feeling that Elementary could be a target for right-wing protesters. She isn’t shy about making her political stance part of her business. Social media posts and signs on their shop windows reflect their views. Grove said that Elementary had been “trolled” on social media by some “Proud Boys,” a far-right group, before.

But when armed men wearing “Proud Boys” jackets showed up outside their North Street shop on the day the U.S. Capitol was stormed in January—that was scary, Grove said. The group of men yelled and shouted racist slurs at Elementary Coffee while employees remained inside.

Grove could see neighbors looking out their doors and walking by the scene, which made her feel a little bit better.

Band Together

By the time the state brought in troops and police during pre-inauguration weekend, local residents and businesses had already witnessed their fair share of rallies. They already knew what was possible.

The Philadelphia Inquirer published a story that weekend, as well, quoting Harrisburg residents on what they were expecting.

“Harrisburg, Pa., is not Washington D.C.,” wrote reporter Anna Orso. “The ornate state Capitol building is smack in the middle of the city’s downtown. There is no two-mile National Mall lined with monuments leading up to it. It’s surrounded by shops and cafés, and hundreds of people live a football field’s distance from the stairs.”

She was right.

Podany remembers a Saturday he spent outside painting his and Burrell’s porch steps. It was a quiet weekend morning until the protesters arrived. He described the noise and yelling that he could hear from his house and the air that felt thick with tension.

On the days before the inauguration, some businesses closed or boarded up, like Mangia Qui and Rubicon, both under the same ownership. Some residents chose to stay home, including Burrell and MacNett.

People asked Grove if it was time to erase the “Black Lives Matter” sign written on the windows. She had her concerns like they did, but she couldn’t stand the thought of giving into fear.

“If we don’t stand for these things now, when do we stand for them?” Grove said. “We decided to just keep doing our thing and there’s a strength in that.”

Burrell described his experience with the protests as seeing a genie let out of a bottle—something coming to the surface that had been lingering underneath. But the division that Burrell witnessed has given him a renewed strength in the work he does with the Harrisburg Human Relations Commission.

“We are not done with these issues,” he said. “We need to work.”

For Grove, the experience included exchanging phone numbers with people who live near the shop, in case anyone needed to call on each other. Ultimately, she believes it all drove conversation and strengthened neighborhood bonds.

“The downtown community is strong,” she said. “People are going to look out for each other.”

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Life of Service: Through her actions, Kathy Speaker MacNett shows her love of neighborhood, of Harrisburg.

February 28, 2020 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Kathy Speaker MacNett

Kathy Speaker MacNett credits her parents for sparking her lifelong passion of public service.

“The way I was raised was to help other people,” said Speaker MacNett, who grew up in New Jersey before downtown Harrisburg became her home nearly 50 years ago. “My father was a volunteer firefighter, and my mother did a lot of volunteering around the community, as well.”

Today, Speaker MacNett, a labor relations attorney and a managing member of the Harrisburg law firm of SkarlatosZonarich, is known as a virtual powerhouse around the city, serving the community through a myriad of paths.

How so? Let’s count the ways.

In 2019, Speaker MacNett was appointed to a five-year term on the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, the state body that oversees Harrisburg’s finances. The ICA since has approved the city’s five-year financial plan, bringing Harrisburg closer to exiting Act 47, the state’s program for financially distressed cities.

She also sits on the steering committee of Capitol Area Neighbors, which meets to discuss issues and projects that affect the downtown Harrisburg neighborhood.

Then there’s her position on the board of the Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School, where a capital campaign is underway for a $5.7 million project that will renovate the circa-1950 Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School on Liberty Street and the adjacent, 109-year-old Shanahan Center on North Street.

“I very firmly believe in Catholic education,” Speaker MacNett stated. “We do it with limited fund-ship and give every student the attention they deserve. My daughters (Pamela and Colleen) graduated from Catholic schools, and so did I.”

It also doesn’t hurt that Speaker MacNett lives directly across the street from the Shanahan Center. She characterizes the upcoming school project as another step forward in the continued redevelopment of the Capitol neighborhood.

There’s that word again. Neighborhood. For all intents and purposes, you’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger advocate of Harrisburg than Speaker MacNett.

“I like the access here,” she explained. “I like walking around the city. I like it so much that I’m notorious for letting my car sit for a week. I walk to and from work. I like looking out the window and seeing the energy that’s here.”

Another downtown advocate, Harristown’s Brad Jones, has known Speaker MacNett for “15 or 20 years.”

“Kathy is like a bright ray of sunshine,” said Harristown’s president and CEO. “She’s always looking at the bright side of the city. She’s very observant about the things that need to be changed and really cares about this city.”

Savvy
Speaker MacNett first came to Harrisburg as an Immaculata College (now University) student during the summer of 1968. She was a recipient that year of the prestigious James A. Finnegan Foundation Fellowship and spent the interim between her sophomore and junior years working in Harrisburg with the Republican State Committee.

It was the start of her long-term love affair with the city.

“One of the great things about Harrisburg is the river,” she said. “I love walking along it. It gives the city a sense of openness that other cities don’t have.”

After earning a bachelor’s of arts in history from Immaculata, she moved to Harrisburg full-time in 1971. Today, she sits on the board of the Finnegan Foundation. Her daughters haven’t moved far, living in separate homes just across the street, and Speaker MacNett recently purchased and renovated another house on the block to improve the neighborhood.

“Harrisburg is history,” she said. “I’ve worked to save 10 buildings in Harrisburg on my own and with my daughters.”

After settling in Harrisburg, Speaker MacNett worked on a political campaign before becoming research director to the state House Labor Relations Committee. She then went on to clerk at the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and serve as assistant counsel at the state Labor Relations Board.

In the meantime, she earned a master’s degree in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s in industrial relations from St. Francis College. She went on to earn a law degree from Dickinson School of Law (now Penn State) in 1981. She first became a mother two weeks before her third-year finals at Dickinson.

In 1983, Speaker MacNett became an associate counsel for the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board. After that, she served as an associate or partner for several law firms, focusing on management-side labor relations, employment law and related legislative and regulatory developments. In 2003, she began at SkarlatosZonarich, where she’s now a managing member.

SkarlatosZonarich counsel Jim Cawley has known Speaker MacNett “as a lawyer and as a friend” for around 40 years, he said.

“Kathy does what is right and advises other people to do what is right,” Cawley said. “She backs up her intelligence with a great deal of savvy. She’s a delightful individual and a darn good hard-nosed lawyer when she needs to be.”

Cathedral Education Center gets HARB approval; fundraising campaign planned

October 2, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

The planned Cathedral Education Center would unite the Liberty Street school building (foreground) and the Shanahan Center (background).

Harrisburg’s Catholic parochial school has been given the go-ahead for a new education center, but it now needs to raise the funds for renovation and construction.

Last night, the project received unanimous approval from the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board (HARB), allowing the Cathedral Parish of St. Patrick to launch a capital campaign for the new Cathedral Education Center.

The $5.7 million project would renovate the circa-1950 Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School on Liberty Street and the 109-year-old Shanahan Center on North Street. A three-story, 3,250-square-foot addition between the buildings would be constructed, creating a single, unified structure totaling 26,475 square feet. Currently, the two buildings are separated by a small walkway.

HARB members did request a few design changes, most notably that the addition linking the buildings should include more windows and that the windows should be more vertically oriented.

“I’m really excited about this proposal personally,” said HARB Chair AJ Knee. “I like the concept of this [new] building being a wedge between the two [existing] buildings.”

The new education center would allow the parish to consolidate into one facility the current Cathedral Campus, which serves pre-K and grades 5-8 and is located behind St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the Holy Family Campus, which serves grades K-4 and is located on Allison Hill. It also would give the parish more space for programming and improve wheelchair accessibility.

According to the parish, another benefit includes a new hall with a caterer’s kitchen that would seat as many as 190 people. It also would free up funds for parish programs that now go to building maintenance.

A rendering of the project, which shows the modern addition connecting the two existing buildings. Image courtesy of TKS Architects.

Dale Forney of Harrisburg-based JEM Group, the general contractor, told HARB members that he hopes to begin the project once school lets out next May and complete it in January or February 2020. However, the actual timing depends on the parish being able to raise the needed funds.

Kathy Speaker MacNett, who lives directly across the street from the Shanahan Center, characterized the project as another step forward in the continued redevelopment of the Capitol neighborhood.

“I am very excited about the project,” she said, citing several other projects nearby. “For the first time in my recollection, we actually have construction going in in our neighborhood–and not only construction but infilling.”

City as Classroom: Harrisburg is more than just a place where schools are located; it’s a learning environment itself.

November 28, 2013 | by Kerry Royer

A wide river. A rich history. Smooth government buildings balanced by planned green spaces. Meandering streets that twist and turn through Uptown, Midtown and downtown. Architecture with charisma. Harrisburg is a city worth exploring. City schools take advantage of its attributes all year long.

“We use the entire city as an extended campus,” affirmed David Rushinski, principal of Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School. He said that parents who enroll their children in the city campus note the phenomenal benefits of being next door to cultural, scientific and performance venues.

A valuable asset of Harrisburg is that it is such a walkable city.

“It’s simplified to schedule field trips almost every week to locations right around the corner such as the Whitaker Center, the planetarium or Strawberry Square to see the Popcorn Hat Players,” he said. “Plus, all of our students receive a year-long membership to the State Museum.”

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School on Front Street uses its picturesque spot in the city as a resource for several aspects of learning, from simple to more complex. Fall mornings are spent playing in Riverfront Park during recess.

“We don’t have a huge campus, so we are especially vigilant in how we use the space and the community around us,” said Ellen Konkle, development and alumni coordinator for the school.

The students enjoy walking to the Dauphin County Library, where they sign up for library cards and spend afternoons at the YMCA for swimming and gym class. “The takeaway is that it makes our students grateful for being an integral part of a community,” she said. “They learn civic responsibility by appreciating city parks, knowing that they are invested in making public space a nice place to enjoy.”

This is the next generation of city leaders, according to Konkle, and the valuable insight they gain from every day experiences in a cultural city boosts all levels of learning. “Also, the use of city resources in our curriculum is one of the most unique factors about St. Stephen’s and one that many alumni recount as a reason they think so fondly of their days with us.”

Caleb Smith, film and video teacher at Capital Area School for the Arts Charter School (CASA), said that, in his curriculum, students work on a variety of video projects, including narratives and music videos.

“Location makes a strong impression when used correctly, and, rather than having all the scenarios take place in locker-lined hallways, we use the city as our classroom with a large variety of close places,” he said.

For example, students have used Riverfront Park and the Walnut Street Bridge for recognizable and nature-oriented locations, he said. The Capitol steps down to 2nd Street provide an older look for shoots, while the modern buildings around Strawberry Square evoke yet another mood.

“The city is our classroom and also the location and background to almost all of our productions,” he said.

Books & Bridges

If writing is a student’s passion, there’s no need to venture far to find the perfect place for inspiration.

“Creative writing typically takes a ‘field trip’ to the Midtown Scholar Bookstore, where the writers get to explore the plethora of books,” said CASA creative writing teacher Ann Stewart. “When we enter, someone invariably notes, with a near-swoon, the aroma of musty books, pungent coffee and polished wood. To a writer, that’s heaven.”

The river along Front Street is a strong source of inspiration as well, remarked CASA dance teacher Rosemary Battista. Dance students visit the river every year to observe nature: not only the power of the water, but also the peace and tranquility that it provides.

In addition, students often comment on the bridges and relate their lines and form to the shapes they make when they dance. Often, the students create strong, emotional choreography from the contrast of the city noises and the quiet beauty of nature, she said.

Jackie Kosoff of Hershey graduated from CASA last year and is now majoring in dance at Montclair State University in New Jersey. She attests that the exercise by the Susquehanna provided an energetic muse.

“It opened my mind to a new way of thinking and finding a source for inspiration,” she said. “We take that experience and remember not to limit ourselves. It is a lesson that I carry with me now and will use in my studies. And it started as a quiet time taking notes on the energy of Harrisburg.”

The river is also used for scientific lessons to educate students on the history of floods in the region. Harrisburg School District pupils studied the high water mark from Agnes and tied the experience to a unit on weather, climate and watersheds, learning the causes of floods and how to be prepared.

In fact, nature provides many opportunities for students to get out and about in the city.

CASA students spent a day identifying native Pennsylvania trees on the Capitol lawn using keys provided by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Meanwhile, Camp Curtin School students celebrated the 25^th anniversary of Arbor Day last spring with the Harrisburg Department of Parks, Recreation & Enrichment at the Italian Lake band shell. They were able to assist and learn more about the important effect trees have in our communities and how urban and community parks provide value.

Speaking of nature, Harrisburg’s Math Science Academy partners with Harrisburg Inner City Outings, a local nonprofit, to provide life-changing experiences for Harrisburg youth.

“Over the last seven years, we have completed more than 70 outings with 300 or more Math Science Academy students participating in the program,” said teacher Judd Pittman.

He said that Harrisburg students have hiked to Hawk Rock and Pole Steeple and paddled the Susquehanna and Juniata Rivers.

Students also participated in The Sierra Club-sponsored Susquehanna River Clean Up and Friends of Midtown’s annual fall clean up.

“The students have gained a deeper appreciation regarding their impact on and relationship with the natural world,” said Pittman. “The experiences students have on Saturdays are often expressed through blogs and student-generated write-ups in the school newsletter, bringing full circle the connection between school and the opportunities afforded our students through Harrisburg Inner City Outings.”

Lessons from the Past, Present

The Harrisburg Cemetery sits in somber contrast to the spirited stories of former city residents buried there. Here is where local historian George Nagle brings tales of mid-1800s Harrisburg abolitionists to life for local high school students. A member of the Camp Curtin Historical Society, Nagle leads a field trip each fall to teach about people who were critical national figures in the anti-slavery argument raging during the pre-Civil War era.

Harrisburg Academy senior Hannah Shea of Susquehanna Township attended the cemetery field trip to one of the city’s best-kept historical secrets. “It really put the stories of past national debate in context for me,” she said. “People from Harrisburg influenced the anti-slavery movement and participated in the Underground Railroad. I gained a deepened understanding from learning in such a meaningful atmosphere.”

Harrisburg Academy’s original location was the John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion. “Our entire school community still returns to the city for our holiday concert at the Forum featuring student performers and for our commencement ceremonies at the Scottish Rite Cathedral,” said Kristina Pae, director of communications for the school.

Academy students of all ages participate in field trips in the city, including performances at the Gamut Theatre and the Scottish Rite Theatre, attendance at the Farm Show, tours of the state Capitol and visits to the Rachel Carson Building for presentations about the peregrine falcon banding. They go on walking tours of historic Uptown Harrisburg, visit the National Civil War Museum, explore the Susquehanna River, attend the Capital Area Science & Engineering Fair at Whitaker Center and watch educational films at Midtown Cinema.

In addition, each graduating senior concludes his or her final year with a three-week internship at a local business or organization.

“The resources of the city are readily available, and companies are willing to reach out in partnership to the school,” said Pae.

In 2012 alone, students interned at the State Street Academy of Music, Harrisburg Law Bureau, Pennsylvania State Museum, state Bureau of Forestry, Kutztown University Small Business Development Center, Equality PA and the East Shore YMCA, she said.

Other resources in the city offer a social and community service aspect to learning for all students.

For instance, the Harrisburg School District partners with local organizations to provide weekend food for needy families through the Power Pack program, sponsored by PinnacleHealth and the Central PA Food Bank. The life skills classroom at Camp Curtin bags the food, which is then picked up by the district courier, who delivers it to the schools.

“A bag full of non-perishable food goes home every Friday at the end of the school day to families who need extra help with food because sometimes some of our students do not eat on the weekends and come to school on Mondays starving,” said Laura Bloss, Harrisburg School District’s homelessness liaison. “This relates to curriculum in many ways. When our students have food and healthy nutrition, they are able to focus better in school. Also, our Life Skills students do the packing of the food, so they are getting skills for work like they would at a grocery store by keeping inventory and keeping track of the bags that are filled.”

Harrisburg schools also work with The Highmark Caring Place, which champions the cause of grieving children by creating awareness of their needs, providing programs for them and their families, and empowering the community to effectively support them.

“The Harrisburg High School SciTech campus has been sending a group to Highmark for several years, and it is one of our most popular partners for the students,” said SciTech Community Partnership Development Director Doug Reitz. “SciTech students help with the children’s grief center where young children are provided counseling to help them cope with the loss of a loved one. We send a group each month of the school year for community service work.”

Opportunity for learning abounds throughout the city, and every destination seems to be right around the corner.

“A hands-on experience of learning always trumps traditional classroom work,” said Harrisburg Catholic’s Rushinski. “We are fortunate to have a wide array of opportunities this city offers us.”

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