JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley School District’s Monday night board meeting began a little out of the ordinary.

Linda Andreassi, Seneca Valley’s communications director, spent the beginning of the meeting explaining a new school district initiative called “I Led the Pledge.”

The new program is meant to involve pupils and parents in board meetings more by asking elementary schoolers to take lead in saying the Pledge of Allegiance before board meetings begin. Andreassi explained that they would be asking new students to do so in the hopes of the community coming out to more board meetings.

The first person to participate in this initiative was Dominico “Nico” Chiaraluna, a Haine Elementary School first grade pupil. Nico was accompanied to the board meeting by his mother and younger brother, Isaac.

Andreassi said the board is looking to pick a different pupil in grades one through four from each of the four elementary schools to lead the pledge before meetings in the coming weeks. She said they were seeking recommendations from faculty for students who might show an aptitude for taking part in this initiative.

Nico was described as “comfortable in front of audiences” and someone “everyone knows,” which made him stand out as a possible participant.

After the unique saying of the pledge, Andreassi introduced Rishin Sharma (absent), Ryan Lipscomb, Jacob Geil (absent), Scott McElhinny, Victoria Beck and Katherine Bablak as semifinalists for the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program for the board to acknowledge.

Board President Jim Nickel presented the students with certificates in recognition of their achievement.

The board’s business for the meeting included the approval of an addition to the anti-bullying mission statement, which specified the focus of bullying to include social media, Web posting, messaging and videos as possible sources, and a change in graduation requirements, which moved the necessity of meeting Keystone standards from 2020 to 2021.

The board concluded the meeting by asking Nico to return to center stage again and bang the gavel to signify the end.