Tag Archives: Harrisburg School District

Harrisburg School District to celebrate seniors with drive-up event and outdoor graduation

May 7, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Harrisburg School District Administration building

Harrisburg will soon see its second class of seniors graduate high school during the COVID pandemic—but that won’t stop them from celebrating.

The Harrisburg School District is inviting its senior students and their families to a “Sign & Drive” event on May 8 to congratulate them from a safe distance.

“During this unprecedented time and a year of remote learning, it is imperative that we as educational leaders, a school district, student’s families and all residents of the City of Harrisburg, take time to acknowledge, celebrate and honor the hard work, steadfast perseverance, and outstanding accomplishments of our amazing students. Their academic tenacity, resilience, and determination to succeed is to be applauded,” said Harrisburg High School principals in a collective statement.

High school seniors and their families are encouraged to decorate their cars for the drive-up event, where the district will distribute complimentary Class of 2021 congratulatory signage. There will be music and gift giveaways, as well.

According to the district, only one car per graduate is permitted and students and families must stay in their vehicles.

The event will take place at Harrisburg High School’s John Harris Campus.

Also coming up is the high school’s red carpet and prom on May 22. It will be held outside on Severance Field at the John Harris Campus. In the case of rain, it will be moved to May 23.

On June 5, the district will hold a graduation ceremony at 11 a.m., also on Severance Field. Tickets will be required for entry and the ceremony will be live-streamed, as well. The rain date is June 6.

For more information, visit the Harrisburg School District’s website.

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I’m On Board: Candidates for Harrisburg school board share their goals, priorities

April 30, 2021 | by TheBurg Staff

The Harrisburg School District Administration building on State Street.

With six mayoral and 13 city council candidates, the ballot is going to be a long one in Harrisburg.

Add to the list seven Democrats competing for four, four-year seats on the Harrisburg school board. One candidate, Ezra Match, cross-filed as a Republican. Also, there is one Democrat, Terricia Radcliff, running for the sole two-year seat on the board.

We asked the candidates to respond to a question from TheBurg. The following lists in alphabetical order each candidate who responded, We did not receive responses from candidates Brian Carter and Jorge Collazo.

We hope this helps you as you head to the voting booth on May 18.

 

Michael Balsbaugh

What is a goal you have for the Harrisburg School District and how will you contribute to its achievement?

One goal I have for the Harrisburg School District, as a director, is to further address the long shadow of systemic racism. I will achieve this goal by using my vote on the board to uphold the following values:

  1. Creating access to economic opportunities by providing Harrisburg students with a first-rate education and practical life skills; expanding after-school programs that supplement school learning and athletics. These programs also benefit working parents by providing them with childcare.
  2. Incorporating into our United States history curriculum the work of the 1619 Project to make all students more aware of the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans to the U.S.
  3. Using the resources of the district to combat urban food deserts by giving children more access to information about nutrition and healthy lifestyles, as well as providing more organic and sustainable foods with school lunch programs.
  4. Minimizing police involvement in our school by providing more access to mental health services.
  5. Using district contracts to support local businesses and ensure equitable distribution of these contracts.

 

Roslyn Copeland

What is a goal you have for the Harrisburg School District and how will you contribute to its achievement?

Through my personal life experiences, I have seen the burden that systems have placed upon our family structure. Families have to work long hours for small wages, daycare costs are expensive and a high percentage of our men are incarcerated. This burden has its effects on our children. Some of our youth do not have the chance to be children and are faced with real-world responsibilities. This burden can manifest into mental health issues. Our youth are being diagnosed with a broad rubber stamp. These types of labels do not come with an expiration date.

When I am elected, I plan to launch an initiative to make all children’s mental health diagnoses come with an expiration date. We must create end goals to mental health issues if we are going to make our children whole. At this moment, children that have been diagnosed with these mental health issues are on a path to be labeled for the rest of their lives. What is worse is that these children never get the true help that they deserve or need.

With help from our community, other School Board members and a good working relationship with the city council members and the mayor, we will create programs to make sure that the burden of mental health labels will come with a solution date.

 

Jaime Johnsen

What is a goal you have for the Harrisburg School District and how will you contribute to its achievement?

If elected as a school board director, I hope to use my qualified skillset in guiding all aspects of school operations with integrity. During a term on the Harrisburg school board, I hope to accomplish three goals: promote sustainability programs to foster positive youth development, encourage fiscal solvency while increasing academic excellence, and work collectively with all levels of the process to do what is right for the students of the Harrisburg School District. My background in mental health can help identify services and resources to better aid students with adverse childhood experiences. My involvement in the community will help continue facilitating positive partnerships with fellow board members, as well as city, county and state officials. I’m passionate about choosing to serve equitably, make thoughtful, sound decisions and work towards our students’ successful futures.

 

Ezra Match

What is a goal you have for the Harrisburg School District and how will you contribute to its achievement?

I’d like to see the district recruit teachers, guidance counselors and staff who reflect the composition of the student body. One of the places to find this talent is from historically Black colleges and universities, places like Cheyney and Lincoln Universities in PA, and others in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. I could partner with the district’s human resources department to ensure plans are in place so that opportunities at the city schools become known to promising students on HBCU campuses. Part of my work as a principal software engineer is with marketing teams. This outreach effort would in essence be a marketing project, whose outcome would affect the culture of the district, creating more opportunities for honest and open communication between students and staff.

 

Terricia Radcliff

What is a goal you have for the Harrisburg School District and how will you contribute to its achievement?

As a Harrisburg school board member, my goal is to make sure that our kids get a better education by seeing that the district gets fair and equal funding, students get the programs they need to succeed mentally, emotionally and physically and that charter school operators are held to financial and ethical standards. I believe these things can be accomplished by pushing for transparency between the community and the school district and pressuring the legislators to overhaul school funding formulas so that the district can provide the necessary resources to help ensure quality education for all students.

 

Danielle Robinson

What is a goal you have for the Harrisburg School District and how will you contribute to its achievement?

My goal for the Harrisburg School District is to create a competitive academic environment where every student is afforded the opportunity for a quality education.

I will work toward that goal by continuing to advocate for fair funding on the local, state and federal levels of government and working to raise the academic standards of the Harrisburg School District and the post-high school expectations of our students. This works in conjunction with retaining the quality teachers that currently work in the district and recruiting qualified teachers through partnerships with surrounding colleges and universities. I will work to strengthen safety protocols and mental health services for our students and staff adversely affected by the current Covid-19 pandemic. As well as promoting fiscal and educational accountability.

Harrisburg School District has the promise to become an amazing educational institution and I would love to continue to build on the current foundation.

All photos provided by candidates.

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Affordable Housing Plan Approved

Harrisburg City Council approved several new affordable housing measures last month, in addition to a major apartment and parking project.

At a virtual legislative session, council passed a package of bills aimed at incentivizing affordable housing development and approved a large project that includes residential and commercial space, as well as a new parking garage.

The new affordable housing program establishes incentives for developers, including tax abatement, zoning relief and an easier street vacation application process.

In order to receive the benefits, developers must provide at least 20% of their units as affordable housing for low-income families, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The rent for any of these affordable units must not exceed 30% of a household’s monthly income.

“The goal is to really bridge the gap between our residents and the developers,” council member Danielle Bowers said. “If we set this threshold too high, it’s not realistic for our developers to meet. If we set it too low, it’s not really affordable for our residents.”

Bowers said that Harrisburg’s 20% threshold is higher than many surrounding municipalities.

Developers can also receive parking requirement relief if 25% of the building’s units are rented at an affordable rate.

If developers receive a certificate of qualification and then do not continue to provide affordable housing, they could have their certificate revoked and may be fined up to $1,000, according to the new ordinance.

At the meeting, council also approved the land development plan for an 85-unit apartment building, including a 500-space parking garage, grocery store, office and retail space. The building will be constructed on a one-acre property surrounded by Boyd, N. 5th, Reily and Fulton streets.

Developer Kevin Baird said that his company plans to break ground in July or August and have the parking garage portion of the project almost completed by late summer of 2022, in time for the opening of the new federal courthouse nearby.

Charter School Wins Appeal

The Pennsylvania STEAM Academy has received approval from the state Charter School Appeal Board to open.

The Harrisburg school board denied the school’s initial application in 2019, but the state appeal board reversed that decision.

“It feels wonderful,” said Carolyn Dumaresq, chair of the academy’s board. “We are very excited to open.”

The charter school will be located at 1500 N. 3rd St. in the Midtown II Academic Building, formerly the Evangelical Press Building and later part of the HACC Harrisburg campus. Dumaresq said that the school’s focus is providing education around the topics of science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

The school will begin by serving kindergarten through second-grade Harrisburg students, Dumaresq said. Each grade will have two classrooms with 20 students. The following school year, the school will add two third-grade classrooms, expanding to add another grade each year until there are classrooms for up to eighth-grade students.

Dumaresq believes that the charter academy will prepare students for high schools in Harrisburg, such as Harrisburg High School’s SciTech Campus.

“All of the things we need are in place. It’s just getting everything formalized,” she said. “Now the big thing is going out and recruiting students.”

The Pennsylvania STEAM Academy plans to open fully in-person while taking the recommended COVID-19 safety measures.

Since November 2018, school officials have worked to move the school towards operating. However, they faced opposition along the way.

After the Harrisburg school district denied the STEAM Academy’s application, the charter school appealed the decision, collecting 1,844 signatures from supportive community members, well beyond the required 1,000. The school district, though, submitted an appeal to challenge those signatures.

In late March, the state Department of Education’s Charter School Appeal Board rejected the district’s appeal, allowing the Pennsylvania STEAM Academy to open.

Artsfest Moves to City Island

A sense of normalcy returns to the city late this month, as Harrisburg brings back the annual Artsfest celebration as a live event.

The annual artisan market and food truck festival will return for a hybrid in-person and virtual experience on May 29 through 31.

“While the traditional festival will be different this year, we look forward to welcoming back the talented artisans in a safe and modified way,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

The festival, typically held at Riverfront Park, will move to City Island to facilitate social distancing. As in past years, it will feature vendors and their handcrafted works, along with local food trucks.

Last year, Artsfest went completely virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For 2021, the city plans to keep aspects of the virtual event, including an online artisan market and virtual presentations. However, some of the traditional, in-person shopping experience will return.

Attendees can browse items for sale in 16 different categories, including ceramics, digital, drawing, fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and wood.

The event has historically hosted over 200 artists, but city officials said that the number of vendors will be reduced somewhat.

The HBG Flea, an organization that hosts pop-up markets in the city, will return as a partner in the event.

“We’re so excited that Artsfest is coming back,” said Mary Imgrund, HBG Flea co-founder.

Jazzfest, which usually goes hand-in-hand with Artsfest, is cancelled this year, and the Filmfest portion will show movies virtually. For families, the city will offer free take-home educational and artistic kits, replacing the usual KidsFest.

According to the city, health precautions will be in place during the festival, including one-direction pedestrian traffic, capacity monitoring, hand-washing stations, vendors spaced 10 feet apart and social distancing markers. Masks also will be required.

The city plans to return Artsfest to Riverfront Park in 2022.

Street Dining Returns

For a second straight year, Harrisburg will close several streets to traffic so that patrons can enjoy dining al fresco on Saturday nights.

“Saturday Nights in the City” re-launches on May 1 and is slated to run each Saturday throughout the summer, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“We are pleased to bring back this summer initiative,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “I encourage residents to come support their favorite restaurants.”

The initiative, shared by the city and the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID), began last year in response to the state-mandated shutdown of indoor dining.

Most restaurants have now reopened, with the commonwealth permitting 75% maximum capacity for indoor dining, as well as bar service. However, the city and the HDID deemed the program to be a success, so decided to bring it back with the return of warmer weather.

The list of participating restaurants includes Stock’s on 2nd, Carley’s Ristorante and Piano Bar, Ad Lib Craft Kitchen and Bar, Bourbon Street Saloon, Zembie’s, Arooga’s, Taste Key West, Cork & Fork, Federal Taphouse, Rubicon, Mangia Qui, Los Tres Cubanos, JB Lovedraft’s, McGrath’s Pub, The Brick Haus and Café Fresco.

For the weekly event, a number of streets will close. These include:

  • 2nd Street, from Market to Pine streets
  • State Street, from Church to N. 2nd streets, westbound
  • North Street, from Susquehanna to 3rd streets
  • Conoy Street

Street closures will begin at 3:30 p.m. and run until 10 p.m., the city said.

Summer School Program

Harrisburg school officials last month announced summer school opportunities for students to stay sharp and catch up if needed.

The district will provide programs for kindergarten through 11th-grade students. There may be options for both in-person and virtual participation, according to the district.

This comes after many students spent almost the entire school year learning virtually, in addition to much of last year.

Kindergarten through eighth-grade students can enroll in a six-week course that will likely run Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Throughout the half-day, teachers will provide language, writing, math and STEAM classes. The program will run from mid-June through the end of July.

Students in grades nine through 11 have the chance to participate in a three-week program, Monday through Thursday. There will be two sessions each day, one from 8 to 11 a.m. and another from 12 to 3 p.m. This will provide enrichment opportunities, as well as credit recovery for those who failed courses during the school year.


Home Sales, Prices Jump

Spring residential sales started out strong in the Harrisburg area, with both home sales and prices up in March.

Overall, sales totaled 612 houses, compared to 568 units in March 2020, while the median price increased to $205,000 versus $180,000 a year ago, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 286 homes sold compared to 270 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price rose to $175,000 versus $167,000, GHAR said.

Cumberland County had total sales of 282 homes, a substantial rise from 238 a year ago, as the median sales price went up to $230,163 compared to $205,000 in March 2020.

In Perry County, sales rose to 41 homes, an increase of 10 units, as the median sales price appreciated to $193,000 versus $171,500 the prior March, GHAR stated.

Houses were also selling more quickly, as the average days on market fell to 31 days compared to 50 days in March 2020, according to GHAR.

 

So Noted

Boneshire Brew Works opened a taproom last month in downtown Harrisburg, dubbed Taps@SoMa. Boneshire, based in Swatara Township, offers its beer on tap and to-go from the snug storefront at 13 S. 3rd St., formerly occupied by the rotating guest brewery concept, Sip@SoMa.

DTLR last month returned to its downtown Harrisburg storefront following a complete renovation of its space at 333 Market St. In January, the national fashion and sports apparel retailer temporarily moved down the street so that building owner Harristown Enterprises could enlarge their store from 4,000 to 7,000 square feet and update the décor.

Harrisburg last month extended its eviction moratorium for another month, until mid-May.  This may be the last extension of the ban, as Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that he expected the city soon to begin to wind down the “extraordinary measures” implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harrisburg parks will have help transitioning to organic grounds maintenance thanks to a $25,000 donation last month from the GIANT Company, Stonyfield Organic and Non-Toxic Neighborhoods. The city also will receive support and guidance on park maintenance using organic and safe resources.

Matthew M. Haar last month was named managing partner of the Harrisburg office of Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, a leading national law firm. In addition to this position, Haar is a member of Leadership Harrisburg and an adjunct professor at Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law.

Midtown Art Supplies has opened in Harrisburg, occupying a section of L&L Beauty Supply at 310 Reily St. Owner Darius Davis offers watercolors, acrylics, oil paints, stencils, pencils, brushes, canvases, drawing pads and resin, among other items.

New Cumberland Farmers Market opens for the season on May 1. The market, at 4th and Bridge streets in the parking lot of Kelly Financial Services, operates every Saturday through Oct. 30, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Nancy Ryan, a long-time radio personality and former co-host of the “Nancy and Newman” morning show, has launched a new business, Ryan-Rodgers Media, focused on connecting music fans with brands, businesses and community partners, including event promotion, product endorsements, commercials and social media projects. For more information, visit www.gnazzopromotions.com/nancy-ryan.

Open Stage last month announced a return to in-person performances, one of several local entertainment venues to re-open their doors. “Over the Rainbow: The Songs of Judy Garland” runs May 28 to June 25, the first production in its new summer series.

PA Department of Agriculture will hold an outdoor Spring Food Fest at the PA Farm Show Complex, May 7 to 9, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival includes farm show favorites, such as milkshakes, fried mushrooms and pulled pork, as well as a selection of PA Preferred providers. Food is grab-and-go, and pandemic restrictions will be enforced.

Urban Churn plans to expand to the west shore and reopen its Harrisburg scoop shop by late spring. Owner Adam Brackbill said he will open a retail and production location for his craft creamery in the Silver Creek Plaza outside Mechanicsburg. He also plans to renovate and reopen his Midtown shop on the 1100-block of N. 3rd Street.

Changing Hands

Allison St., 1507: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to 23 Hickory LLC, $129,900

Argyle St., 2: Gary Neff Inc. & City Limits Realty to HBK Properties 1 LLC, $39,000

Barkley Lane, 2524: C. Tucker to D. Martinez, $77,000

Boas St., 1823: Stoute Housing Inc. to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $55,000

Catherine St., 1610: Rich Steele Realty LLC to D. Boyle, $33,000

Crescent St., 450: DRW Properties LLC to Sanhos LLC, $35,000

Derry St., 1148: K. Dieppa to F. Sanchez, $37,500

Derry St., 1511: B. Gonzalez to RBAK Investments LLC, $55,000

Elm St., 1724: Dauphin County Property Investors LLC to S. Pichardo, $40,000

Geary St., 634: Rich Steele Realty LLC to D. Boyle, $33,000

Green St., 1207: J. Garisto to CE Heininger Properties LLC, $108,000

Green St., 1421: J. Davis to G. Lichtenstein, $137,500

Green St., 1909: J. Price to K. Kellum & D. Shearer, $246,000

Green St., 1912: B. Ostella & A. Fortino to Z. Fleming, $220,000

Hamilton St., 203: J. Schiller to SJL Rentals LLC, $150,000

Hamilton St., 324: D. Hinton to J. Henretta, $129,900

Hillside Rd., 217: J. Markel to J. Arp & C. Palmer, $240,000

Hoerner St., 107: A. Otwell to R. Lane, $53,000

Holly St., 1904: KA&B Investments LLC to G. Bierbaum & W. Alford, $76,000

Holly St., 1912: Crist Holdings LLC to Super Fun Real Estate Yes LLC, $60,000

Hummel St., 208: M. Baltozer to Brethren Housing Association Inc., $52,500

Hummel St., 239: K. Dieppa to Archierp LLC, $33,000

Hunter St., 1523: K. Dieppa to J. Vega & C. Salazar, $35,600

Jefferson St., 2714: Johnleo Home Renovations LLC to G. Linebaugh, $124,900

Kensington St., 2329: R. Dressler & E. Knuth to C. Grant & M. Rinaldi, $55,500

Lewis St., 325: D. Castano & N. Rosado to R. Gehrke, $125,000

Lexington St., 2721: Gilligan Realty LLC to HBK Properties 1 LLC, $60,000

Liberty St., 1415 & 1417: Blue Door Management LLC to G. Guzman, $75,000

Logan St., 2157: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Donald Klick Trust & Natalie Klick Trust, $115,500

Logan St., 2248: M. Loo to A. Sullivan & D. Adams, $75,000

Maclay St., 610: Goldstein Couriers LLC to A. Maust, $55,000

Manada St., 1915: PA Property Brothers LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $50,000

Manada St., 1917: PA Property Brothers LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $55,000

Market St., 1808: NationStar Mortgage LLC to W. Chavez & K. Flores, $75,000

Meadowlark Pl., 194: J. McCliment to S. Kuhn, $120,000

Mercer St., 2454: R. Sweigert to H. Kaur, $64,900

Muench St., 236: J. O’Hara to A. McNulty & M. Kuhns, $226,500

North St., 261: B. Hanson, M. Gregorits & D. Thomas to M. Henao, $124,000

North St., 1614, 2319 N. 4th St. & 2402 N. 5th St.: I. Druker to Clean Up LLC, $200,000

North St., 1711: Mussani & Co. to SPG Capital LLC, $58,000

North St., 1841: G. & K. Mannix to SPG Capital LLC, $40,000

N. 2nd St., 705: A. & L. Kanagy to N&R Group, $200,000

N. 2nd St., 1003: M. Sellers to K. Harlacher, $175,280

N. 2nd St., 2003; 1837 N. 2nd St.; 224 Kelker St.: M. Goldberg to WCI Partners LP, $550,000

N. 2nd St., 2005: Tang Liu Realty LLC to WCI Partners LP, $172,500

N. 2nd St., 3127: Honest Home Solutions LLC to Tillotson Properties LLC, $76,000

N. 3rd St., 1107: M. Horton & R. Spahr to E. Miano & N. Byler, $169,000

N. 3rd St., 1507: Mussani & Matz Co. to Third Street Realty Co., $180,000

N. 3rd St., 1810: Crowder & Co. to A. Manning, $120,000

N. 3rd St., 2252: T. Magilton to W. Smith, $146,000

N. 3rd St., 3121: J. Lilly to S. & J. Chohany, $129,000

N. 4th St., 1909: J. Kesler to Z. Fair, $97,000

N. 4th St., 2133: A. Fleming to NA Capital Group LLC, $37,500

N. 4th St., 2225: 2225 4th LLC to A. Matai, $82,000

N. 4th St., 2249: HSBC Bank USA NA & PHH Mortgage Corp. to M. & F. Cruz, $41,500

N. 4th St., 2337: M. Farrell to P. Carcione & C. Aumiller, $51,000

N. 4th St., 2433: Dauphin County Property Investors LLC & Hunter Property Services LLC to A. Abdulrahman, $40,000

N. 4th St., 2647: Master Ventures LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $58,000

N. 5th St., 2516: E. Morris to L. Hodge, $102,000

N. 5th St., 2615: M. Carlson to A. Chaplin & WeWelcome LLC, $42,500

N. 6th St., 1412: E. & L. Smeal to N. Smeal & R. Strella, $101,750

N. 6th St., 2239: V. Kegerries to Jo Light Construction LLC, $66,000

N. 6th St., 2426: Eden Bridge Foundation to R. Daniels, $84,000

N. 6th St., 2712: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to O. Fu, $150,000

N. 13th, 141: M. Terrell to Integrity First Home Buyers LLC, $61,250

N. 15th St., 1201: Tassia Corporation to K. Braddock, $36,000

N. 17th St., 88; 1150 Mulberry St.; 2519 N. 6th St.; 612 Oxford St.; 613 Oxford St.; 614 Oxford St.; 616 Oxford St.; 617 Oxford St.; 619 Oxford St.; 2308 Jefferson St.; 448 Hamilton St.; and 2332 N. 6th St.: SMKP Properties LLC to JMR Ventures LLC, $600,000

N. 17th St., 113: D. Newsome to T. & O. Solamola, $65,000

N. 18th St., 73: E. Morris & C. Perez to R. Newberry, $56,000

N. 20th St., 30: D. Selvey to C. & I. Castro, $75,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 313: M. Hadginske, M. Pasick, A. Steel & Pact Enterprises to BXF Real Estate LLC, $108,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 406: J. Davis to S. Lepadatu, $114,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 414: K. Hess to B. King, $115,000

Park St., 1624: KTT Properties LLC to New Dawn Holdings & Investments LLC, $68,000

Peffer St., 270: Wheatland Restore LLC to K. Manna & M. Eaton, $234,900

Penn St., 1617: B. Black to T. Cox, $163,000

Penn St., 1727: J. McCummings to J. Towzey & H. Salera, $160,000

Penn St., 1807: S. Mitchell to Wheatland Restore LLC, $100,000

Penn St., 2127: City Vision Revitalization LLC to K&M Housing LLC, $45,000

Penn St., 2226: C. Stefanski to A. Matailo, $50,900

Penn St., 2229: C. & S. Williams to S. & J. Easterling, $138,900

Pennwood Rd., 3116: M. Brown to A. Hollinger & E. Shellhamer, $115,000

Radnor St., 516: H. & N. Johnson to SPG Capital LLC, $42,000

Reel St., 2447: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to K. McGrath, $122,500

Reel St., 2634: R. & A. Laracuente to S. Bosco, $64,000

Reel St., 2743: R. & A. Laracuente to H. McKay, $55,500

Royal Ter., 149: N. & F. Zook to N. Alegre Maurer, $38,000

Rudy Rd., 1813: A. Acevedo to B. Perez, $30,000

Rudy Rd., 2133: J. & K. Kio to C. Weaver & A. Shughart, $160,100

Rumson Dr., 2948: N. Washington to F. Ramos & L. Suarez, $111,000

Seneca St., 521: T. Robinson to E. Spencer, $86,900

S. 13th St., 355: T. Marsico to Y. Lopez, $50,000

S. 14th St., 47: Capital Region Economic Development Corp. to Hamilton Health Center Community Services Inc., $115,000

S. 16th St., 336: L. Wilson to E. Rodriguez, $115,000

S. 17th St., 445: K. Foster to D. Nguyen, $40,000

S. 17th St., 532: D. Hargrove & D. Surbrena to J. Acosta, $44,500

S. 18th St., 1031: D. & M. Hillard to B. & T. Bender, $92,500

S. 20th St., 226: J. Medina to I. Carvajal, $88,000

S. 20th St., 1200: Peral Limited Partnership to G&H Holdings LLC, $40,000

S. 23rd St., 643: T. Fisher to V. Paulino, $32,500

S. 24th St., 605: R. Patel to Biyaki Enterprises LLC, $58,000

S. 26th St., 611: C. & L. Trinh to C. Baumann, $129,000

S. River St., 304: V. Murzin to N. Leri, $165,000

State St., 231, Unit 502: LUX 1 LP to X. Samuel, $135,000

State St., 1508: Harrisburg Homes Investment LLC to S. Moore, $100,000

State St., 1608: Dauphin County Property Investors LLC & Hunter Property Services to Pichardo Investments LLC, $60,000

State St., 1626: Amarica’s Choice Remodeling of HBG LLC to S. Moore, $120,000

Susquehanna St., 1624: J. Rogers to H. Blumenfeld, $135,000

Susquehanna St., 2010: M. Paese, A. Fetcko, T. Leo & B. Myers to SPG Capital LLC, $55,000

Swatara St., 2139: S. & K. Adley to T. & P. Feliz, $48,000

Verbeke St., 1729: M. Gillespie to R. Oladipo, $86,000

Vernon St., 1350: M. Soler to R. Schwartz, $30,000

Wiconisco St., 531: Kaylynn Investment LLC to SPG Capital LLC, $50,000

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

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Harrisburg’s Reservoir Park

The Harrisburg community has some exciting new initiatives, projects and entertainment in store, many announced this past week. If you missed any of our coverage, we have it all listed and linked, below.

Artist Natalie Dohman was featured in Bob’s Art Blog. Dohman shares her experience creating with a unique condition, synesthesia.

DTLR, a lifestyle apparel store, recently returned to their shop in downtown Harrisburg after an expansion and renovation, our online story reported. The store, one of the largest retailers in the city, offers shoes and clothing from brands like Nike, Adidas and Timberland.

Electric vehicles were added to Harrisburg’s fleet, with plans to add many more over the next five years, our reporting found. The city also cut the ribbon on new EV charging stations on City Island on Thursday.

Harrisburg banned water shut-offs for a month, through mid-May, our reporting found. The temporary ban adds to the city’s existing eviction moratorium.

Harrisburg School District officials announced plans for summer school, during a board meeting on Monday night. The district will hold programs for students interested in enrichment or credit recovery, our online story reported.

Harrisburg University’s $100 million building project took a big step forward this past weekend, our reporting found. A crew assembled a sky-high tower crane at the construction site to help erect the 11-story academic building.

Historic City Gardens plans to hold a series of tours this spring and summer in the Midtown neighborhood. Director Faye Deckter said the goal is to promote urban gardening and beautification, our reporting found.

Live music returns to the Harrisburg area after a long hiatus due to the pandemic. Our online story details which local venues are reopening and who’ll be playing.

Open Stage announced the return of live performances to its downtown theater, our reporting found. They will begin with a series of concerts, beginning in late May with a Judy Garland celebration entitled, “Over the Rainbow: the Songs of Judy Garland.”

PA Farm Show traditional foods will be available to the community at a “Spring Food Fest” in May, our online story reported. According to the PA Department of Agriculture, the fest will include favorites from the PA Dairymen’s Association, PA Livestock Association, PA Mushroom Farmers and others.

Parks in Harrisburg may soon face changes to become more organically maintained, our online story reported. The city received a $25,000 check from Stonyfield Organic, GIANT and Non-Toxic Neighborhoods to make parks safer and greener.

Potholes can now be reported to the city through an online mapping system, our online story reported. Public works department officials said they plan to use the data to address road damage.

Rosemary has a light, fresh take on pasta for your spring menu, as set forth in her recent magazine column. Pasta alla Nerano is a simple, yet delicious recipe that’ll take your tastebuds to Italy.

Sara Bozich has your weekly list of fun activities for the weekend. This week’s roundup includes ways to enjoy music, food and nature.

Saturday Nights in the City will return for the second year in a row, our reporting found. Harrisburg will shut down several downtown streets for al fresco dining every Saturday in the summer.

A story in TheBurg produced a ripple effect that benefitted 50 local organizations. After reading a story by writer Karen Hendricks about her quest to run 50 races for 50 causes, Bill Blando was inspired to make his own charitable donations. Read more, here.

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Harrisburg School District plans summer program for enrichment, additional help for students

April 20, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Screenshot from Monday’s Harrisburg School Board meeting

As local families make summer plans, the Harrisburg School District hopes education will be part of them.

At a board meeting on Monday, district officials announced that they are planning summer school opportunities for students to stay sharp and catch up if needed.

“Our overall goal is to provide the opportunity to re-engage our students,” said Jackie Castleman, assistant director of academic services. “We want it to be fun, and we feel like we have a plan in the works.”

The school will provide programs for kindergarten through 11th-grade students. There may be options for both in-person and virtual participation, Castleman said.

This comes after many students spent almost the entire school year learning virtually, in addition to much of last year. Some adapted to the virtual environment while others struggled to keep up.

Small cohorts of elementary students recently returned for hybrid, in-person and online classes.

The district hopes to keep the momentum going through the summer.

Kindergarten through eighth-grade students can enroll in a six-week course that will likely run Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Throughout the half-day, teachers will provide language, writing, math and STEAM classes. The program will run from mid-June through the end of July.

Students in grades nine through 11 have the chance to participate in a three-week program, Monday through Thursday. There will be two sessions each day, one from 8 to 11 a.m. and another from 12 to 3 p.m. This will provide enrichment opportunities, as well as credit recovery for those who failed courses during the school year.

The district plans to hire a district coordinator for the summer programs, as well as site coordinators, Castleman said.

Families will likely receive flyers about the programs by next week, and registration will open, as well.

“We hope to get lots of students involved in this opportunity,” Castleman said.

Acting Superintendent Chris Celmer said the district is planning to continue the summer school program in years to come.

“I can’t wait until we share more details with our families and start to see the enrollments come in,” he said.

For more information, visit the Harrisburg School District’s website.

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March 31, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley Gittens

Primary Field Takes Shape

Harrisburg voters will have a large field of candidates to choose from in the May election, as six hopefuls have filed for the mayoral primary and another 13 residents have filed for City Council nominations.

By the mid-March deadline, the following candidates had filed to run for the Democratic nomination for mayor:

  • Otto Banks
  • Kevyn Knox
  • Eric Papenfuse (incumbent)
  • David Schankweiler
  • Wanda Williams

Banks later had his city residency challenged in court, though, at press time, a verdict had not yet been rendered.

In addition, one candidate, Timothy Rowbottom, filed to run in the Republican primary.

Thirteen candidates filed to run for the Democratic nomination for four, four-year seats on Harrisburg City Council. They are:

  • Vishal Bajpai
  • Lori Ann Beamer-Saulisbury
  • Roy Christ
  • Shamaine Daniels (incumbent)
  • Crystal Davis
  • Carrie Fowler
  • Sarah Gethers
  • Ausha Green (incumbent)
  • Lavet Henderson
  • Jennie Jenkins-Dallas
  • Robert Lawson
  • Jocelyn Rawls
  • Ralph Rodriguez

No one filed to run in the Republican primary.

Two of the four council seats are open as council Vice President Ben Allatt declined to run for re-election and President Wanda Williams, who has served on council since 2006, opted to run for mayor.

The Harrisburg school board race has fewer candidates this time than two years ago, when a dozen residents ran in the hotly contested race. This year, the Democratic candidates for four, four-year seats are:

  • Michael Balsbaugh
  • Brian Carter (incumbent)
  • Jorge Collazo
  • Roslyn Copeland
  • Jaime Johnsen
  • Ezra Match
  • Danielle Robinson (incumbent)
  • Mary Simpson

Match also cross-filed on the Republican ballot.

In addition, the school board has one two-year seat available. Just one Democrat, Terricia Radcliff, has filed to run for that seat. No Republicans filed for the office.

For city controller, only incumbent Charlie DeBrunner, a Democrat, has filed to run in the primary.

Harrisburg also has two competitive races for magisterial district justice seats.

Seven Democrats have filed for the District 12-2-04 seat primary:

  • Anthony Harrell
  • Sha’kira Jennings
  • Sonya McKnight (incumbent)
  • Ellis (Rick) Roy
  • Jennifer Smallwood
  • Brianna Smith
  • Leon Wilkerson

McKnight also cross-filed for the Republican primary.

Two Democrats filed for the District 12-2-05 seat:

  • Amechie Walker Sr.
  • Paul T. Zozos (incumbent)

Zozos also cross-filed for the Republican primary.

On the county level, incumbent Matt Krupp of Harrisburg filed for re-election as a Republican for prothonotary. Anju Singh of Hummelstown is running for the Democratic nomination.

Long-time county Coroner Graham Hetrick filed for re-election on the Republican ballot. He’s unchallenged for that office.

A two-year county controller seat is open following the election of Tim DeFoor as PA auditor general last year. Democrat Eric Epstein of Lower Paxton Township filed for the primary for that row office, as did Republican Mary Bateman of Lykens.

The municipal primary is slated for Tuesday, May 18.

 

Council Approves Building Projects

Several Harrisburg developers last month cleared the final city approval before being allowed to break ground on their projects.

City Council approved land development plans to convert a vacant church into an apartment building and another to build a six-story apartment and retail building, along with five other projects.

Developer Derek Dilks plans to transform the former First United Methodist Church at 260 Boas St. into an eight-unit apartment building. Previously, he had received zoning relief for the $1.2 million project in order to change the use of the 140-year-old church building.

Also approved were a range of renovation projects that Dilks plans for downtown. These include:

  • 25 N. Front St., converting an office building into an eight-unit apartment building
  • 321 N. Front St., converting an office building into a six-unit apartment building
  • 130 State St., converting an office building into a five-unit apartment building

With a unanimous council vote, Harristown Development can move forward on its project at 21 S. 2nd St. The company plans to construct a six-story, mixed-use building with apartments, offices and first-floor retail space. Harristown purchased the property in 2017, demolishing the blighted commercial building that then occupied the site.

Council also gave its OK to the renovation of the “Carpets and Draperies” building on the 1500-block of N. 3rd St., a long-blighted retail building that will be converted to five apartments and first-floor retail space.

Other approved resolutions last month included:

  • 1605-1609 Swatara St., consolidating and re-subdividing the parcels comprising the project site into three parcels and constructing three, single-family townhomes
  • Awarding up to $10,000 in funding to the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium to co-sponsor the Pennsylvania Environmental Justice Symposium

Council this month is expected to consider another large project in Midtown. It includes include 85 apartments, a grocery store and a parking garage, bounded by Boyd, N. 5th, Reily and Fulton streets.

 

Superintendent Search Begins

The Harrisburg School District is taking a major step to fill a top post in the administration.

The district announced last month that it will begin a national search for the next superintendent of schools as part of the next phase of its “Amended Recovery Plan.”

“We will seek a student-centered leader who will embrace our school community, lead with integrity, and pursue continual growth and improvement for the district,” according to the district.

In 2019, the district passed into state receivership after failing to meet the academic objectives in the 2013 recovery plan and the 2016 amended plan. The superintendent at that time, Sybil Knight-Burney, was fired.

Dr. Janet Samuels was appointed receiver of the district and, later, Chris Celmer was named acting superintendent, in collaboration with the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit (MCIU).

The district will move to reinstate a full superintendent now that it is more than halfway through its three-year, state-mandated receivership. According to its statement, the district may fill the position as early as this summer.

Samuels and the MCIU will conduct interviews, and the community will get to meet the final candidate before they are appointed, according to the district. Celmer will provide support for the new superintendent and continue to work with the district through June 2022.

 

Allison Hill Art Project

Harrisburg-based Sprocket Mural Works last month announced that it plans to bring more art to the Allison Hill neighborhood.

Volunteers from Sprocket, a nonprofit, plan to kick off the biannual Harrisburg Mural Festival by painting nearly 30 new planter boxes, in partnership with Tri County Community Action, on Derry and Market streets.

Their goal is to commission artists from Allison Hill, as well as artists from the city at large. Sprocket announced a call for artists to submit designs for these paid positions.

“We are looking forward to connecting with artists from Allison Hill—that’s what is so valuable about this community-focused project,” said Meg Caruso, co-founder of Sprocket. “More than a dozen planters will benefit and beautify the immediate Allison Hill neighborhood. Additionally, these planters will become works of art that uplift and recognize local artistic talent for years to come.”

Sprocket is looking for artists to highlight the culture and diversity of Allison Hill in the paintings, as well as what they love about their city. The deadline for artists to apply is April 30, and the painting will take place between May 22 and June 20.

 

Home Sales Dip, Prices Up

Home sales dropped a bit, but price appreciation was strong in the Harrisburg area in February.

The Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR) reported that home sales fell to 458 units last month compared to 500 units in February 2020 across its three-county coverage area. However, the median sales price rose to $190,950 versus $180,000 a year ago.

In Dauphin County, sales dipped to 236 units against 244 in the year-ago period, but the median price increased to $168,500 versus $164,900 last year, GHAR stated.

Similarly, Cumberland County saw a small drop in home sales—from 205 a year ago to 196 this past February—but the median price rose sharply, from $214,500 to $232,000, GHAR said.

In Perry County, sales dropped by three units, to 21 homes, as the median price rose to $154,900 compared to $147,500 a year ago, GHAR stated.

The organization also reported that homes were selling much faster than last year, as the “average days on market” dropped to 30 days versus 57 the prior February.

 

So Noted

Aaron Johnson last month announced his retirement as Harrisburg’s long-serving director of the Department of Public Works. Dave West, Johnson’s second in command, will replace him in the post.

Gateway Health opened a “Connection Center” last month at 1426 N. 3rd St. in Harrisburg. The facility will help connect members with services and also will offer space for education and seminars, for private consult/conference rooms and to help meet community needs.

Gov. Tom Wolf last month further loosened pandemic-related restrictions on numerous businesses, including restaurants, bars, gyms and entertainment venues. The new rules, which take effect April 4, allow bar service to resume and permit restaurants to serve alcohol without the purchase of food, among other provisions. Mask-wearing and distancing requirements are still mandated.

HACC’s parking lot is the site of a new mass vaccination clinic sponsored by Dauphin County and UPMC Pinnacle. The drive-through site is expected to dispense thousands of COVID-19 vaccinations daily when enough doses are available in the county.

Harrisburg last month extended its moratorium on evictions for another month, to April 16.  This is the third time that the city has extended the ban, which was enacted first in December to prevent evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mary Murphy has joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region as its new development director. According to the organization, she has extensive experience in marketing, communications, business and consulting for nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies.

Michael Karcutskie was named last month as president of Harrisburg-based Quandel Construction Group. In this role, Karcutskie is responsible for overseeing the firm’s operations and developing its corporate strategy. Previously, he served as vice president of pre-construction and estimating.

Strawberry Square last month began hosting a free COVID-19 testing site near the Walnut Street entrance in downtown Harrisburg. The walk-in site will run at least through April 10, Tuesdays through Saturdays, no appointment required.

Verber Dental Group last month announced that its new pediatric dentistry facility will open in May. The $1.5 million project, located at 201 St. John’s Church Rd. in Hampden Township, will include eight state-of-the-art dental suites, along with interactive spaces for children and a “tooth fairy booth.”

Whitaker Center partially reopened last month following a lengthy pandemic-related shutdown. The downtown Harrisburg arts and science center is now open Fridays and Saturdays, by appointment, in two sessions: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Zeroday Brewing Co. last month opened its new taproom and restaurant at 925 N. 3rd St. in Midtown Harrisburg. The 150-person space features a large bar area, dining rooms, a courtyard and a small-batch, three-barrel brewhouse that can be closed off for special events. The menu focuses on contemporary, Mexican-style cuisine by restaurant partner La Catrina.



Changing Hands

Bailey St., 1302: H. Roberts to Global Supply Group LLC, $41,000

Berryhill St., 1623: M. Plancencia & L. Pichardo to A. Pichardo, $35,000

Berryhill St., 2437: C. Still to J. Martinez & M. Gomez, $38,000

Bigelow Dr., 1300: R. Shalhoub to M. Murphy & G. Neff, $58,800

Boas St., 418: D. & L. Engelhardt to W. Sechler & M. Ackerman, $123,715

Calder St., 523: A. Johnson to M. McNeils, $159,900

Camp St., 635: Integrity First Time Home Buyers LLC to J. Darling, $120,000

Chestnut St., 1832: Gilligan Realty LLC to G. Graham, $51,000

Cumberland St., 115: F. & J. Martin to J. Klinger, $127,500

Derry St., 2125: 37 Estate LLC to A. Miller, $95,000

Derry St., 2621: E. Chandler to Z. Soto, $99,900

Derry St., 2700: Rohrer Rentals LLC to Painted Sky Properties LLC, $243,000

Disbrow St., 88 & 90: H. & L. Bueno to D. Best, $35,000

Elm St., 1726: A. Williams Jr. to D. Chambers, $95,000

Evergreen St., 26 & 28: Round Rock Investments LLC to 101 S. 17th Street LLC, $104,000

Fulton St., 1404: T. Copeland to K. Shoaff, $125,000

Green St., 2313: N. Jacobs to E. Macas, $40,000

Greenwood St., 2507: F. & S. Ford to C. Everett, $39,900

Hanover St., 1318: A. Bawo to B. Ortega, $39,000

Herr St., 265: Rosegarden Properties to B. Staudt, $199,900

Holly St., 1914: SPG Capital LLC to M. Rodriguez, $59,900

Kensington St., 2255: D. & D. Ford to Men of Morals LLC, $52,000

Logan St., 2242: RT Propertiez LLC to RRMMM Real Estate LLC, $31,500

Market St., 1801: D.L. Weaver Enterprises LLC to Builders Property Management & Marketing Group LLC, $39,785

Market St., 1857: JMDM Properties LLC to Market Whitehall Property Holdings LLC, $110,000

Market St., 1859: Z. Reeves to Z. & S. Coombs, $100,000

Market St., 1910: JMDM Properties LLC to Market Whitehall Property Holdings LLC, $110,000

Market St., 1915: JMDM Properties LLC to Market Whitehall Property Holdings LLC, $110,000

Market St., 1941: A. Antoun to Royalty Tax Services LLC, $105,000

Mulberry St., 1837: A. Mohamed to Fine Line Real Estate LLC, $44,000

N. 2nd St., 933: C. Wise to D. Moore & K. Williams, $212,000

N. 2nd St., 1209: GO Trump Inc. to OK 3 Investments LLC, $365,000

N. 2nd St., 1333: C. Leavitt to R. Adams & K. Rasmus, $127,500

N. 2nd St., 1505: B. Bragg to S. & H. Westhafer, $78,000

N. 2nd St., 2436: D. Sanko to J. Belizaire, $247,000

N. 2nd St., 2832: WK Rentals LLC to K. Hill, $139,950

N. 2nd St., 2900: F. & B. Pinto to R. Lawson, $207,000

N. 2nd St., 3127: M. Stilo to Honest Home Solutions LLC, $56,375

N. 3rd St., 2104 & 2106: J. & D. Negron to S. Schlackman, $100,000

N. 4th St., 2609: RJ Shultz Enterprises Inc. to D. Markel, $80,000

N. 5th St., 1720: Principium LLC to S. Bustard, $172,000

N. 5th St., 1940: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to M. Trieu, $149,500

N. 6th St., 2529: DL Weaver Enterprises LLC to A. Woodman, $60,000

N. 6th St., 3214: Mid Atlantic IRA LLC Donna Laubach IRA to AM Properties USA LLC, $66,500

N. 7th St., 2110 & 2115 Motke St.: M., M. & N. Barber to D. Montes, $59,000

N. 13th St., 142: 37 Estate LLC to Z. & S. Coombs, $75,000

N. 19th St., 36: J. & L. Carter to A. Nebbou, $74,900

N. 19th St., 712: C. Butler to A. Smith, $89,900

N. 19th St., 1004: R. Dressler & E. Knuth Jr. to A. Nebbou, $50,000

N. Cameron St., 1511: Note Purchasers LLC to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $375,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 505: G. & C. Francis to C. Hackett, $177,000

N. Front St., 2745: 2745 Limited LP to Jenga on Front, $771,000

Norwood St., 906: N. Moya to S. Pacley, $79,000

Penn St., 1812: Lancaster Real Estate Fund LLC to 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC, $65,000

Race St., 548 & 550: M. Fox to Panda Real Estate LLC, $130,000

Radnor St., 403: T. Brown to TKO Rental Properties LLC, $110,000

Reel St., 2636: A. & R. Laracuenta to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $52,000

Rudy Rd., 1940: M. Heefner & S. Shrhart to S. Ludington, $55,000

Rudy Rd., 2141: M. McNelis to H. Fender, $190,000

Seneca St., 501: Dauphin County Property Investors LLC to Archie Group, $396,000

Showers St., 702: L. Rotegliano to M. Harrison, $169,900

S. 13th St., 1436: D. Weaver to A. Woodman, $45,000

S. 15th St., 320: Wells Fargo Bank NA to R. Gashi, $31,500

S. 16th St., 545: G. & Y. Garcia to PBBO Real Estate LLC, $42,500

S. 17th St., 544: G. & Y. Garcia to D. Montes, $41,500

S. 24th St., 702: Property Value Solutions LLC to M. Valverde, $90,000

S. 29th St., 738: J. & L. Guizado to J. Smith, $110,000

S. Cameron St., 1517 & 1540: A. & C. Quigley to New Vision Management LLC, $224,000

Spencer St., 1839: R. Farley to J. Rodriguez, $43,000

State St., 231, Unit 806: LUX 1 LP to A. Richie, $135,000

State St., 1520: R. Schwartz to G. Zehr, $75,000

State St., 1840: A. Alumbaugh to J. Tineo, $57,000

Walnut St., 1196: L. Alvarez to M. Hernandez, $68,900

Whitehall St., 1817: JMDM Properties LLC to Market Whitehall Property Holdings LLC, $110,000

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

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Pennsylvania STEAM Academy plans to open in September after long battle with Harrisburg School District

March 24, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Midtown II Building

It appears to be full STEAM ahead for a new charter school, which plans to open this September in Harrisburg.

On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania STEAM Academy received approval from the state Charter School Appeal Board to open, even after the school’s initial application was denied by the Harrisburg school board early in 2019.

“It feels wonderful,” said Carolyn Dumaresq, chair of the academy’s board. “We are very excited to open.”

The charter school will be located at 1500 N. 3rd St. in the Midtown II Academic Building, formerly the Evangelical Press Building and later part of the HACC Harrisburg campus. Dumaresq said that the school’s focus is providing education around the topics of science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

The school will begin by serving kindergarten through second-grade Harrisburg students, Dumaresq said. Each grade will have two classrooms with 20 students in each. The following school year, the charter will add two third-grade classrooms, expanding to add another grade each year until there are classrooms for up to eighth grade.

Currently, the Pennsylvania STEAM Academy is only open to Harrisburg city students. If there are too many applicants, students will be selected by a lottery system. If there are not enough, the school will open enrollment for students from surrounding districts.

Dumaresq believes that the charter academy will prepare students for high schools in Harrisburg, such as Harrisburg High School’s SciTech Campus.

Since yesterday, Dumaresq said that over 20 students have already applied.

As far as staff goes, the school has interviewed many teachers, and Dumaresq believes most of them are still interested.

“All of the things we need are in place. It’s just getting everything formalized,” she said. “Now the big thing is going out and recruiting students.”

The Pennsylvania STEAM Academy plans to open fully in-person while taking the recommended COVID-19 safety measures.

Since November 2018, school officials have worked to move the school towards operating. However, they faced opposition along the way.

After the Harrisburg school district denied the STEAM academy’s application, the charter school appealed the decision, collecting 1,844 signatures from supportive community members, well beyond the required 1,000. The school district, though, submitted an appeal to challenge those signatures.

On Tuesday, the state Department of Education’s Charter School Appeal Board rejected the district’s appeal, voting to allow the Pennsylvania STEAM Academy to open.

The Harrisburg school district later issued the following statement from its legal counsel, Allison Petersen of Levin Legal Group, P.C.

“The School District respectfully disagrees with the position taken by the State Charter School Appeal Board reflected in yesterday’s vote and believes CAB has erred in the outcome. The application for the Pennsylvania STEAM Academy Charter School and the associated record under review by the Appeal Board contain numerous deficiencies and grounds for denial of the application, including a failure to provide teaching staff for serving students with disabilities and English Learners. The School District is currently evaluating its next steps as a result of the outcome and cannot comment further at this time.”

The district’s Acting Superintendent Chris Celmer has been vocal in the past about what he sees as inequalities in funding for charter schools versus district schools. Most recently, he spoke out on the federal CARES Act money that was heading to charter schools, saying the distribution wasn’t equitable.

Fair funding for school districts has been an issue in the state for years, Celmer believes.

However, Dumaresq disagreed, saying that she wished the academy could have worked alongside the district.

“It’s sad. We thought we’d be able to work as partners,” she said. “That doesn’t seem to be a possibility now. We still have our hands out and are still willing to work together.”

Doug Neidich, CEO of GreenWorks Development, the owner of the Midtown II building, sees the Pennsylvania STEAM Academy as another way to serve children in the city.

“Yesterday was a great day for a lot of students in Harrisburg,” said Neidich.

Over the past 15 years, his company has undertaken several development projects in the immediate area, recently proposing a 150-unit apartment building for the corner of Reily and N. 4th streets, currently the site of a surface parking lot.

Neidich sees the STEAM academy as contributing to his goal of creating a “live, work, learn and play community.”

“This is really the perfect place to put a school like this,” he said. “Education is the only way that you fundamentally revitalize a city. This is going to be a cornerstone of not only Midtown, but of the entire city.” 

For more information or to apply for the Pennsylvania STEAM Academy, visit www.pasteam.org.

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Amber Barnes LGBT Center

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

June 5, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

trees harrisburg riverfront

With the help of a federal grant, Harrisburg is conducting a city-wide tree inventory

June 5, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

Results of survey show support for downtown revitalization; community workshops announced

June 5, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Long-time Art Association of Harrisburg leader to retire; board names local gallery owner as new president

June 4, 2026 | by M. Diane McCormick

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

March 5, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley Gittens

Restaurateur Qui Qui Musarra hopes to become the “Favorite Chef” in a national competition.

Harrisburg’s “Ice in the Burg” festival is this weekend and will feature an ice sculpture from yours truly. Enjoy a walk around the city to admire the frozen art and support local businesses while you do! Before you head out, catch up on this week’s news, listed and linked, below.

Central PA authors share advice for aspiring novelists in our magazine story. Learn a few tips from authors Joel Burcat, Don Helin and Maria V. Snyder. 

In his column, our editor reflects on the small enjoyments that COVID has taken away and looks forward to their return. Bumping into a friend at the Broad Street Market, conversing with a stranger, running into a neighbor at a coffee shop—these “collisions” are what he has missed the most. 

Harrisburg Academy, along with alumnus Steve Muschlitz and his nonprofit, Wheels from the Heart, provided a Steelton mother of five with a free van. According to a spokesperson for the school, the mother, Jessica, was struggling to provide for her family during COVID, our online story reported.

Harrisburg parks will see improvement as construction continues at the park at 4th and Dauphin streets and plans take shape for a Chutes and Ladders playground in Reservoir Park. The former should be completed by May and include a “state of the art” basketball court, our online story reported.

Harrisburg School District officials announced their search for a new superintendent to fill the position as early as this summer, our online story reported. Chris Celmer has served as acting superintendent while the school has been under state receivership.

“Ice in the Burg” is coming to Harrisburg this weekend, our online story reported. Over 50 ice sculptures can be found around the city from Friday through Sunday.

A minimum wage hike is up for discussion at the federal and state levels, our online story reported. Harrisburg businesses share their stance on a $15 pay floor and explain why they already pay above minimum wage.

Restaurateur Qui Qui Musarra is hoping to become the nation’s “Favorite Chef” in a competition hosted by celebrity Chef Eddie Matney, our reporting found. Musarra, owner of Mangia Qui in downtown Harrisburg, is a leading contestant, as of now.

Major road construction projects on 7th and 2nd Street will begin soon, according to our online story. Long-planned changes to N. 7th Street, which include the installation of a roundabout, will begin next week. Construction

McNees, Wallace and Nurick LLC will provide five Black-owned businesses with a year’s worth of free legal services, our reporting found. According to McNees officials, last year’s events around the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis spurred them on to create a program that would address systemic racism.

Sara Bozich has ideas to make your weekend fun, including the “Ice in the Burg” festival hosted by Harrisburg. Check out her list of local recommendations.

Wanda Williams, Harrisburg City Council president, announced her run for the Democratic nomination for mayor, our reporting found. Williams is now the sixth to add her name to the growing field of candidates.

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Support quality local journalism. Join Friends of TheBurg today!

 

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Amber Barnes LGBT Center

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

June 5, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

trees harrisburg riverfront

With the help of a federal grant, Harrisburg is conducting a city-wide tree inventory

June 5, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

Results of survey show support for downtown revitalization; community workshops announced

June 5, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Long-time Art Association of Harrisburg leader to retire; board names local gallery owner as new president

June 4, 2026 | by M. Diane McCormick

Harrisburg School District announces search for new superintendent

March 3, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Acting Superintendent Chris Celmer (file photo)

The Harrisburg School District is taking a major step to fill a top post in the administration.

The district announced on Wednesday that it will begin a national search for the next superintendent of schools as part of the next phase of its “Amended Recovery Plan.”

“We will seek a student-centered leader who will embrace our school community, lead with integrity, and pursue continual growth and improvement for the District,” stated the district, in a statement.

In 2019, the district passed into state receivership after failing to meet the academic objectives in the 2013 recovery plan and the 2016 amended plan. The superintendent at that time, Sybil Knight-Burney, was fired.

Dr. Janet Samuels was appointed receiver of the district and, later, Chris Celmer was named acting superintendent, in collaboration with the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit (MCIU).

The district will move to reinstate a full superintendent now that it is more than halfway through its three-year, state-sanctioned receivership. According to its statement, the district may fill the position as early as this summer.

According to officials, in the coming weeks, the district will survey staff, faculty, parents, students and community members about the qualities they value in a superintendent. The results will be taken into account for the interviewing process later this spring.

Samuels and the MCIU will conduct interviews, and the community will get to meet the final candidate before they are appointed, according to the district.

Celmer will provide support for the new superintendent and continue to work with the district through June 2022.

For more information, visit the Harrisburg School District’s website.

Support quality local journalism. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

 

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Amber Barnes LGBT Center

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

June 5, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

trees harrisburg riverfront

With the help of a federal grant, Harrisburg is conducting a city-wide tree inventory

June 5, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

Results of survey show support for downtown revitalization; community workshops announced

June 5, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Long-time Art Association of Harrisburg leader to retire; board names local gallery owner as new president

June 4, 2026 | by M. Diane McCormick

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

February 19, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley Gittens

Harrisburg saw snow on Thursday and Friday.

With the cold and snowy days spent at home that we had this week, there’s no excuse for not being caught up on the local news. But, if you are behind, we forgive you. Here’s a look at what happened this week in the Harrisburg area.

Bob’s Art Blog previewed the Civic Club of Harrisburg’s art showcase for 3rd in the Burg this Friday. Visitors can observe the art of local painters, photographers and sculptors, organized by Reina “R76” Wooden.

TheBurg Podcast debuted a special Valentine’s Day edition entitled, “To Harrisburg…Love, TheBurg.” Podcast guests from the past year shared their favorite things about Harrisburg and what makes the city so lovable.

Deborah Sibbering is Harrisburg’s new equal employment opportunity and diversity officer. When she’s not cuddling with her Chihuahuas, she’s providing diversity training to city employees and addressing complaints of workplace discrimination. Read more about her in this month’s magazine article.

Evictions in Harrisburg have been banned for another month, through mid-March, our online story reported. The city found it important to continue the moratorium for health and safety reasons.

Friends of Midtown launched their “One Midtown: Shop Black Owned” campaign to encourage patronage of Black-owned businesses in the city. Residents can send the organization a picture of any purchase they make at a Midtown business, along with the receipt, for a chance to win a prize, our online story reported.

Harrisburg opened the Locust Street Garage to extend free parking for residents during the snowstorm. The service ran from Wednesday night to Friday night, our online story reported.

Harrisburg School District officials announced that they expect to bring some students back into the classroom in April, our reporting found. As long as they meet certain benchmarks related to the decline of COVID, they will start by returning special education and elementary students.

Historic Harrisburg Association will host a webinar on Monday to discuss the Underground Railroad’s history in Harrisburg. Three local historians will share stories from their research, our reporting found.

“Lasagna Love” volunteers in the Harrisburg area are helping their neighbors by cooking up and delivering a favorite comfort food dish, our online story reported. The national organization has a central PA branch that includes over 100 volunteers.

Messiah University launched “Thriving Together: Congregations for Racial Justice,” which will involve 12 Harrisburg-area churches in a two-year cultural education experience, our online story reported. Participants will learn about the history of race and religion in the capital area.

Open Stage theater presents their own take on the haunting “Tales from Sleepy Hollow.” If you like haunted local folklore and scary stories to tell in the dark, then don’t miss this play, our theater reviewer said.

Parks—community, state and national—are reporting surges in attendance amid a worldwide pandemic, our magazine story reported. Pennsylvania, with one of the largest state park systems in the country, shattered recreation records in 2020.

Sara Bozich has your list of virtual and socially distanced activites for the weekend! Check it out, here.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events delivered right to your email inbox? If not, sign up here! 

Support quality local journalism. Join Friends of TheBurg today!

 

Continue Reading

You May Also Like

Amber Barnes LGBT Center

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

June 5, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

trees harrisburg riverfront

With the help of a federal grant, Harrisburg is conducting a city-wide tree inventory

June 5, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

Results of survey show support for downtown revitalization; community workshops announced

June 5, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Long-time Art Association of Harrisburg leader to retire; board names local gallery owner as new president

June 4, 2026 | by M. Diane McCormick