Mifflin County honors Crosson as National Teacher of the Year

BY BRIAN CARSON

Mifflin County commissioners honored Ashlie Crosson on Thursday as the 2025 National Teacher of the Year, recognizing the Mifflin County School District educator for bringing national attention to local schools, students, and teachers.

The board approved a proclamation commending Crosson, who was named the 2024 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year before being selected from among 56 educators representing states and U.S. territories for the national honor.

Crosson has served as a full-time ambassador for education during her year as National Teacher of the Year, traveling across the country, speaking at over 100 events and advocating for students, teachers and the profession.

Commissioner Kevin Kodish said Crosson’s recognition reflects her work in the classroom and the pride she has brought to Mifflin County.

“Ashlie’s commitment to fostering a positive learning environment and inspiring students deserves commendation and serves as an example for educators throughout our entire country,” Kodish said. “This award is the most prestigious recognition bestowed upon educators in the United States, and we are so fortunate to be the home of the 2025 winner.”

Kodish said Crosson’s achievement is hard to measure.

“It is mind-boggling to think of Ashlie’s accomplishment,” he said. “There are over 4 million K-12 educators in the United States, and Ashlie was cited as the best. We are all immensely proud of her.”

Crosson said her term as National Teacher of the Year ends June 30, and she used much of her remarks to reflect on what the year has meant and what she hopes to bring back to Mifflin County.

She said the director of the National Teacher of the Year program helped her understand early in the process that her story was about Mifflin County as much as it was about her.

Crosson said she is a Mifflin County School District graduate and comes from generations of district workers, including grandparents who served as a secretary and a custodian, a great-grandmother who worked in a cafeteria and a stepmother who was a paraprofessional.

“For my family, education has never been just an obligation,” Crosson said. “It has been a way of life, and most importantly, it has been a commitment to our community.”

Crosson said becoming a teacher in Mifflin County was her way of giving back to the community that shaped her. She said her year on the road allowed her to share Mifflin County’s schools, stories, and students with people across the country.

“To be able to shine a positive light on Mifflin County on a national stage has been the greatest opportunity that I will have in my career to serve my hometown,” she said.

Crosson said she spent the year in classrooms, on college campuses, at national conferences and at international forums, learning about the state of education and seeing the challenges and possibilities facing schools. She said she is excited to return to the Mifflin County School District with those experiences.

Commissioners also approved an amendment for the West Railroad Bridge replacement project in Brown Township, increasing the amount eligible for county reimbursement from $826,400 to $3,577,837.

Planning Director James Lettiere said the county is serving as the local sponsor and is responsible for processing payments to engineering and construction firms.

Lettiere said the bridge project is underway and has a total cost of $4,372,437. The amendment allows the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to reimburse the county for eligible costs tied to construction and inspection services.

Commissioners also approved a subrecipient agreement with Armagh Township for Community Development Block Grant funding to improve a public walking trail around the former Armagh Township school building.

Grants Liaison Madison Price said the project should give seniors better access to the trail. She said the county received an extension for the 2022 CDBG contract, with the money to be spent by Sept. 30, 2026.

Price said bids were opened on Monday and the project is expected to be finished before the deadline.

In other business, commissioners approved Children and Youth purchase-of-service agreements with Wardell and Associates, Justice Works, Robert Covell, Baxter and Kipphan, Avanco, and Mark Remy.

Children and Youth Administrator Nicole Patkalitsky said the agreements cover family reunification, family preservation, anger management, case management, guardian ad litem services, backup solicitor services, and child welfare information system support.

Patkalitsky said Avanco manages the county’s child welfare information system, known as CAPS, which communicates information to the state. She said the Avanco cost ranges from $2,220.10 to $42,552.05, with the larger figure expected to reflect the overall cost. She said the expense is partially reimbursable.

Commissioners acknowledged the 2025 Mifflin County Planning Commission annual report.

Lettiere said the Municipalities Planning Code requires the planning commission to prepare an annual report summarizing its work and present it to commissioners. He said the Planning Commission recommended forwarding the report after its May 28 meeting.

Commissioners said the report details the Planning Office’s work during 2025 and will be available on the county website. Hard copies will also be available through the commissioners' or Planning Commission offices.

The board approved several personnel items, including the retirement of Robert Johnson as a corrections officer, the resignation of Nicholas Loudenslager as a deputy sheriff, the promotion of Bailey McCall from Children and Youth caseworker I to caseworker II and the hiring of Pete Picciurro as a deputy sheriff.