Introducing JWPMS’ Mrs. Vickey
September 16, 2021
General McLane School District welcomed 15 new instructional staff to the District this year. Throughout the next month, we will be introducing you to each of them!
Amanda Vickey is the Family Living and Consumer Science Teacher at James W. Parker Middle School.
Mrs. Vickey graduated from Clarion University with her Bachelor’s in Education and went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Education from Edinboro University. She comes to GMSD after teaching in Erie School District for 17 years.
Mrs. Vickey is looking forward to learning from General McLane School District and the Parker Middle School families and staff. She is also looking forward to providing an opportunity for students to actively participate in an exploratory class.
Mr. Ferguson chose to teach at GMSD to be part of a small family community with high expectations and opportunities and to be part of a solid support system as we all grow and learn.
Outside of teaching, Mrs. Vickey enjoys rappelling, snowmobiling, skiing, hiking and anything outdoors.
Mrs. Vickey is replacing Mrs. Glasl, who is still at James W. Parker Middle School as the Librarian and an MTSS Interventionist.
Introducing McKean Elementary’s Mrs. Jonas
September 15, 2021
General McLane School District welcomed 15 new instructional staff to the District this year. Throughout the next month, we will be introducing you to each of them!
Emily Jonas is the Math Interventionist at McKean Elementary School.
Mrs. Jonas has her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary and Special Education from Edinboro University and her Master’s Degree from Edinboro in Early Childhood Education, as well. Mrs. Jonas taught middle school special education for three years before becoming a stay-at-home mom and now is returning to the classroom.
Mrs. Jonas has four children in the district, Peter, Cole, Jack and Rose. Mrs. Jonas served as PTA President for the previous four years at McKean Elementary and was a certified substitute teacher at GM for the past two years.
Her favorite thing about teaching is “seeing the light bulb moment the students get when things just click.” She is excited to help McKean students in various grades have a more positive attitude about math and their ability to solve math problems this year.
Outside of teaching, Mrs. Jonas enjoys reading, going for evening walks, biking with her family and watching her children do the activities they love – music, sports, theater and more.
Introducing Edinboro Elementary’s Mr. Ferguson
September 14, 2021
General McLane School District welcomed 15 new instructional staff to the District this year. Throughout the next month, we will be introducing you to each of them!
Jacob Ferguson is the Health and Physical Education Teacher at Edinboro Elementary School.
Mr. Ferguson comes to GMSD from Pattonville School District, located near St. Louis. He grew up in Guys Mills, Pennsylvania and graduated from Maplewood in 2006. He then went to school on a volleyball scholarship to Lindenwood University, which is located near St. Louis. Upon graduating, he started teaching elementary physical education in the Pattonville School District, where he remained for 10 years.
His favorite thing about teaching is the students and the positive relationships that are built each and everyday. He also loves seeing students persevere through a skill/task that they may struggle with, but with time and determination ultimately overcoming the challenge.
Mr. Ferguson chose to teach at GMSD because it is a school he would be honored to send his own kids to someday. It’s a place where he knows kids have the best opportunity to succeed, and he shares the same core values as the district.
Outside of teaching, Mr. Ferguson enjoys cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins and Duke University basketball. He also enjoys skiing, spending quality time with his friends and family, traveling, attempting to golf and all things superhero, Star Wars and Harry Potter!
Mr. Ferguson also was married this past summer to his best friend and love of his life, Heather, who is also an educator.
Mr. Ferguson is replacing Mr. Beck, who is now teaching health and physical education at James W. Parker Middle School.
Introducing McKean and Edinboro Elementary’s Mrs. Johnson
September 12, 2021
General McLane School District welcomed 15 new instructional staff to the District this year. Throughout the next month, we will be introducing you to each of them!
Kathy Johnson is an Elementary Art Teacher at McKean and Edinboro Elementary Schools this year.
Mrs. Johnson has her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration and Advertising Design and her teaching certification in Art. She taught previously at McKean Elementary School for five years doing part-time art and went to Erie School District to teach art full-time for two years before returning to General McLane.
Her favorite thing about teaching is seeing kids excited to turn their ideas into art and she is most looking forward to getting to know her students this year.
Mrs. Johnson is excited to return to GMSD because the district is very supportive of its teachers and provides many opportunities and activities for all students.
Outside of teaching, Mrs. Johnson enjoys hiking, skiing and horses!
Mrs. Johnson is replacing Mrs. Robertson, who is now teaching Art at James W. Parker Middle School.
McKean Second Graders remember fallen heroes of 9/11
September 10, 2021
McKean Elementary School second grade students remembered the fallen heroes of 9/11 on Friday by reading a story, taking a virtual field trip to the Twin Tower museum, and making a craft to define what a hero is.
AARFS mascots visit McKean classrooms to discuss positive behavior
September 10, 2021
McKean Elementary School is continuing a well-loved and well-known building wide program for the 2021-2022 School Year, called ARRFS.
ARRFS stands for acts of respect, responsibility, fun and safe to be with.
On Friday, the ARRFS mascots visited each classroom at McKean Elementary to discuss positive behaviors and the ARRFS program.
Each week, students will be recognized who receive ARRFS.
Introducing JWMPS’ Mrs. Waters
September 10, 2021
General McLane School District welcomed 15 new instructional staff to the District this year. Throughout the next month, we will be introducing you to each of them!
Kayla Waters is an Autistic Support Teacher at James W. Parker Middle School.
Mrs. Waters previously served working for the Barber National Institute in the specialized classroom within James W. Parker Middle School and has worked in Special Education her entire career.
Her favorite thing about teaching is the community that she builds with students, colleagues and her students’ families and she is most looking forward to getting to know all of her new students and getting to know her colleagues better for the 2021-2022 year.
Mrs. Waters graduated high school from General McLane and aims to make a difference within the school district with her career.
Outside of teaching, Mrs. Waters enjoys cooking all types of food, baking, and spending time with her two little ones, 3-year-old Eiley, and 1-year-old Jax.
Mrs. Waters is replacing Mr. Lucas, who is now teaching Autistic Support at General McLane High School.
From Edinboro to Tokyo, GM alum referees Olympic soccer matches
August 9, 2021
It wasn’t until he was standing on a soccer field a few weeks ago in Tokyo, Japan, that Corey Parker began to realize his reality.
“There’s something that just goes along with seeing those Olympic rings when you’re there,” Parker, a 2004 General McLane alumnus said. “It gets your heart going.”
Parker, whose parents still resides in Edinboro, returned Thursday from 25 days in Tokyo after referring three soccer matches in the Tokyo Olympics. He now lives in northern Virginia.
He officiated the Brazil vs. Ivory Coast match on July 25; the Spain vs. Argentina match on July 28; and the Japan vs. New Zealand match on July 31.
The experience of traveling to Tokyo was certainly memorable for Parker.
“We were so hesitant to believe it was actually happening because if one of us referees had tested positive (for COVID), the whole thing could have been shut down,” he said. “But when we got onto the field and started doing what we love, that kind of melted away and then it just was this surreal feeling.”
Parker is no stranger to refereeing professional soccer. He has been refereeing professionally in Major League Soccer professionally since 2011. His role is typically the assistant referee that runs up and down the sidelines, he said.
“Typically, we work in teams of four officials. There is the main ref in the middle of the field, which is the one you typically see, the assistant ref that runs up and down the sidelines and now, in today’s world of technology and video replay, there are two officials in the video operation room that function as video match officials,” Parker explained. “We each have very specific and important roles on the field.”
As part of those 25 days in Tokyo, Parker said all referees required training before they officiated games.
“On the front end, we did a lot of classroom training, seminars and things like that,” he said. “You watch the same clips, receive the same training materials and that’s so we’re all on the same page and so refs from New Zealand receive the same instructions the refs from the U.S. and we establish consistency and protocols.”
And of course, he couldn’t forget the fitness training. He has trained for at least an hour daily since he began reffing professionally, he said.
“Our fitness regiments are all different for the different refs on the field,” he explained. “We all train different types of movements based on what we’ll need while we’re out there. For me, it’s short sprints and runs.”
Parker also works a full-time job at a consulting firm in northern Virginia and works part-time as a professional referee, traveling on the weekends.
“It’s really as simple as I just love the game of soccer,” he said. “It’s a way to stay involved and to give back from a different perspective. It keeps me involved and engaged. I’m always learning and always building on performances.”
Now at 35, Parker said the game has taught him plenty about his professional and personal lives.
“I’ve learned to expect the unexpected. You don’t know what you’re coming into with a game and you learn to adapt and be flexible.”
Edinboro Elementary second grade creates kindness rock garden
June 4, 2021
A group of Edinboro Elementary created a new project promoting positivity and kindness at the school.
Mrs. Kalicky’s second graders painted rocks and created a kindness rock garden by the school’s flagpole in front of the building.
The students added their rocks to the garden this past week.
The second grade class would like to thank the General McLane Grounds Department for coming and putting the garden’s sign up in the rain so the kids could see it before they went home for the summer.
Celebrating the GMHS Class of 2021: Xander Stadler
June 4, 2021
We’re sharing General McLane High School seniors and celebrating their post-grad commitments – whatever they may be or look like – in a reoccurring series that will last until the end of the school year showcasing the diversity of our senior class and of our General McLane community.
We are celebrating senior Xander Stadler today, who will join the U.S. Army after graduating and then plans on finishing college with a criminal justice degree!
Congratulations, Xander!
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