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Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline

@ashleystal.bsky.social

1.3K followers 100 following 69 posts

Education Reporter at LNP | LancasterOnline in Lancaster County, '21 Ithaca College alum, former intern at The Morning Call.

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Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Feb 27

Call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me! Happy to take story tips, answer questions or talk journalism!

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · 1d

“This district needs to be protected,” McCaskey High School junior Thomas McCoy said in a speech to his peers. “We can’t allow acts of tyranny to ruin the future of our city, our people and our economy.”

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Hundreds of McCaskey students protest Pa. budget impasse as delay limits SDL programming

Despite a steady morning rain, more than 200 McCaskey High School students poured onto the Victory Field quad Wednesday to collectively make a simple, vocal request of their state legislators:

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · 3d

“I honestly feel that the immediate breakdown was in the adults in the room not immediately contacting the police,” Sen. James Malone said Monday.

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Lancaster Country Day AI incident moves lawmakers to push changes in mandatory reporting law

Three Lancaster County lawmakers are working on legislation that would require school administrators to report the discovery of any artificially generated sexually explicit images depicting minors, re...

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · 27d

Follow-up to yesterday's news.

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SDL increases police presence amid increased online attention over teacher's social media post

The School District of Lancaster said it is working with police to protect students and staff following a “strong public reaction” to a teacher’s post on social media about Wednesday’s

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · 28d

School District of Lancaster responds to criticism over Libs of TikTok post singling out Reynolds Middle School teacher.

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SDL responds to criticism over teacher's social media post following activist Charlie Kirk's death

A Lancaster County teacher’s remarks on social media about Wednesday’s fatal shooting of influential conservative activist Charlie Kirk drew intense criticism as well as an official statement from the...

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Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Aug 29

Solanco elementary school principal in the spotlight again:

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National TV program visits Solanco elementary school to interview 'America's favorite principal'

Providence Elementary School Principal Zac Bauermaster spent most of the summer in the spotlight after a video where he happily high-fives his students went viral on social media.

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Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Aug 22

ICYMI: Several Lancaster County schools are starting the 2025-26 school year with new buildings, new facilities or new leaders.

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Lancaster County schools welcome back students with new buildings, new leaders in upcoming school year

Each new school year comes with the standard changes to classes and schedules, but going into the 2025-26 school year, several Lancaster County schools will have new leaders and, in

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Aug 22

ICYMI: Several Lancaster County schools are starting the 2025-26 school year with new leaders, new facilities or new buildings.

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Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Aug 21

ICYMI: Banning cellphones still up for debate.

“It feels like you have a battle on your hands of basically trying to keep your students’ attention,” Penn Manor High School psychology teacher Maria Vita said. “That battle never existed before.”

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'A battle on your hands': Legislators, educators, parents continue debating school cellphone ban

Nearly every U.S. teenager has access to a smartphone — 95%, according to the latest Pew Research Center data — and they don’t stop using them when the school bell

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Aug 18

Penn Manor School District Superintendent Phil Gale said vaping isn't just a problem amongst teenagers. "It's a pandemic, in my opinion, across the world," he said.

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'A real problem': Student vaping habits pose concerns for educators; schools look to reduce use

Looking back, Jose De Oleo could think of only a couple students in his senior protective services class at the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center who didn’t vape.

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Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Jul 17

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education plans to raise tuition for its 10 universities for the first time in eight years.

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Pa. universities to increase tuition if state doesn't follow through with $40M funding increase [update]

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comment from Millersville University Daniel Wubah and additional comment from the state system of higher education.

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Jul 14

Manheim Township School District's new superintendent Caroline Pate-Hefty talked of her early days in her new role, her experiences as a superintendent during the pandemic and her educational philosophy, which leans heavily on the notion that “all means all.”

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Manheim Township's new superintendent emphasizes support for all students, regardless of capability

It didn’t take long for Caroline Pate-Hefty to learn about Manheim Township’s strong sense of community pride.

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Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Jul 8

Meant to tag @lancasteronline.bsky.social

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Jul 8

Ephrata High School librarian Samantha Hull learned a lot while in Finland on a Fulbright grant. Now she plans to use that knowledge to improve schools in the U.S.

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Ephrata school librarian returns from Finland, proposes partnering schools with public libraries

Back home after living in Finland for five months, Samantha Hull giggles at the notion that the Scandinavian country is the happiest in the world.

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Jul 7

A Solanco School District principal was featured in @peoplemag.bsky.social after a video of him positively interacting with students in the hallway went viral on Instagram.

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Video of Solanco principal's exchanges with students goes viral on Instagram, is featured in People

Providence Elementary School Principal Zac Bauermaster’s high-fives, hugs, fist and hip bumps with students made him a viral hit on Instagram and earned him a feature posted Sunday on the

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Jul 2

Another slash to federal funding and a delayed state budget are causing uncertainty for Lancaster County school districts. Read more here @lancasteronline.bsky.social

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Trump's withholding of federal funds, late state budget creates uncertainty for school districts

Lancaster County school districts are again faced with uncertainty as the Trump administration withheld $6.8 billion for K-12 schools that should have been doled out to schools Tuesday.

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Jun 27

Lots of news out of Elizabethtown Area School District this week!

Tuesday, the board discussed whether to remove Little Free Libraries; they decided not to.

Now, the teachers' union is looking at an expired contract before a new one is passed.

Links: bit.ly/4kc8wI8
lanc.news/4l7dLKG

Elizabethtown Area school board votes to keep Little Free Libraries as separate entity from district

Elizabethtown Area school board voted unanimously Tuesday to keep Little Free Libraries on its three elementary school properties as a community entity not endorsed by the district and free of

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Jun 16

The School District of Lancaster's board passed a proposed budget with a 4.25% tax increase. If approved in the district's final budget, that would be the highest tax increase from the city school district since 2008.

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'An impossible situation': Financial challenges push SDL closer to big tax hike [Lancaster Watchdog]

Lancaster County’s largest school district plans to raise taxes 4.25% starting July 1, marking the highest increase since 2008 but still not enough to avoid layoffs and a hiring freeze.

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · May 21

Contested races in 10 of Lancaster County’s 17 school districts broke down along party lines Tuesday, as partisan voters stuck to their endorsed candidates.

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School board races break along party lines as Democrats, GOP back endorsed candidates

Contested races in 10 of Lancaster County’s 17 school districts broke down along party lines Tuesday, as partisan voters stuck to their endorsed candidates.

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Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Apr 23

One man was removed from the meeting and board President Stephen Lindemuth enacted a 10-minute recess.

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Tensions rise at Elizabethtown Area school board meeting over talks of budget cuts, tax increase

Elizabethtown Area School District honored retirees representing over 560 years of experience at a board meeting Tuesday evening.

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Apr 15

ICYMI: Catherine Hershey Schools is coming to Lancaster soon! Read about how one of the schools Dauphin County locations has already positively impacted one woman's life.

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'Life-changing' no-cost child care with family support to come to Lancaster County this year

Mere days after Ganae Davenport gave birth to her second daughter, Graylynn Hollenbach, she walked slowly into the newly built Catherine Hershey Schools in Hershey to drop off her eldest

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Apr 9

Eight Lancaster County school districts currently offer full-day kindergarten and three more districts planning to add the program next school year.

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'More to offer': Lancaster County school districts consider adding full-day kindergarten programs

Sitting before a class of kindergartners, Paradise Elementary teacher Sara Tomison takes her time, asking the students what’s new before sounding out sets of words that rhyme like slide and

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Apr 4

The Lancaster city Catholic school at 521 E. Orange St. currently enrolls 102 students from preschool through eighth grade and employs 22 staff members.

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Resurrection Catholic School in Lancaster to close at the end of school year [update]

Resurrection Catholic School announced it would be closing at the end of the school year in a letter to families Thursday, citing a precarious financial situation and a need for

lancasteronline.com

Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Apr 3

The parents filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the district alleging its board violated state open meetings laws when discussing policies crafted by religious rights law firm Independence Law Center.

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Elizabethtown Area School District parents sue district, allege board violated open meetings law

Three Elizabethtown Area School District parents filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the district alleging it violated state open meetings laws in its discussions of policies crafted by the religious righ...

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Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Apr 2

Franklin & Marshall College staff were warned of the impending cuts in February.

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Franklin & Marshall College lays off 16 staff members Wednesday

Franklin & Marshall College is laying off 16 staff members today, according to a document LNP | LancasterOnline obtained.

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Ashley Stalnecker, LNP | LancasterOnline @ashleystal.bsky.social · Mar 19

There have been 28 incidents of possession of vape materials by students at the high school so far this school year after the district had 55 incidents in the 2023-24 school year.

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Manheim Township High School installs vape-detecting sensors to reduce student vaping

Thirty-five vape-detecting sensors were recently installed at Manheim Township High School following a jump in the use of electronic cigarettes at the school.

lancasteronline.com