Community Engagement

Park Elementary works closely with our surrounding community.  Borough Days is a collaborative effort between Park and the Borough of Munhall. Over a two month span, third graders learn how their local government is organized and  functions.  All elected official positions are discussed, and the politicians all come in to talk to the students.  Interested students run for office by creating posters and giving speeches.  Students then vote in a closed ballot election to determine the 3rd grade mayor and council of Munhall.  

After the elected officials are selected, borough employees come to our school to talk with the students about job expectations, daily work, education needed to hold the position, and quality characteristics that are required to hold such positions.  Students then apply for these 22 positions.  The 3rd grade council holds a council meeting with the coordinating teacher to “hire” one 3rd grade student per position. The council look for characteristics they feel best match the job descriptions.

All of the hard work culminates in the most exciting part of the process.  The elected and hired 3rd graders actually run the monthly Borough Meeting!  Students are sworn in by the mayor, sit in the council seats, read the monthly reports, and bang the gavel!  This evening is a powerful learning opportunity that students in the Steel Valley School District talk about for years. 

The next day, these same elected and hired students are invited to tour the Borough building and see their counterparts in action.  The Munhall police and fire departments, the paramedics, and the borough office workers show these students the daily grind of their positions.  After the tour, there is a one mile parade along Main Street of Munhall.  Local businesses and residents, pedestrians, and students in grades K-2 and 4th stand along the parade route. The 3rd graders learn a lot about their community and become more active residents as a result.

                                       

 Students prepare to be sworn in

  

Mayor Brennan swearing in the new mayor, council, and government officials.

 

                         

  Students after being sworn in

  

The Mayor and Council 

 

                                            

    The new Borough Solicitor                                  The new Borough Manager

 

                                              

   The new Public Works Director                                    The new Fire Chief