There will be a new winter sport at Keystone High School next year — bocce ball — after the district’s Athletic Council recommended the addition of a unified team.
“What makes it unified is that it includes students who are eligible for Special Olympics,” Keystone schools Superintendent Michael Hall said Monday at the school board work session. “They will partner with regular students. It is something that is very uplifting.”
Hall said the sport is played across the state and generates huge student sections.
Hall said the matches would be played during winter in the school’s gym. He said a track would be set up to keep everything in a certain area.
“The game is played just like it would be outside on a grass surface,” he said. “It is a fun time.”
Hall said a bocce ball league has been established.
“You can compete at the district and state level,” he said. “The season is more limited than a basketball season.”
He noted last year’s state championship team was from St. Marys, a District 9 school.
It was suggested the district could use the funds allocated for the canceled boys soccer program for the bocce ball team.
PSSA scores
The school district has received the Keystone PSSA scores.
“Keystone Elementary School continues to show growth in all subject areas and grade levels,” Elementary school Principal Michael McCormick said.
High school Principal Kelli McNaughton also reported “growth in all subject areas,” but overall scores for proficient advance were lower than the state average.
“Mr. Hall and I met with our math department and we will try and come up with different methods for improvement,” she said. “We are going to visit some other schools that are performing higher than the state average in order to try and bring some things back here for improvement.
“Our scores were higher than that prior to COVID. From the year prior to COVID it has been trending down. This has been seen across the state.”
The regular business meeting of the Keystone School Board will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16, in the elementary school library.