Mindish Keeping Busy with Teaching, Volunteering

Wondering what Dr. Janice Mindish has been up to since her retirement in 2008? The former principal of the year has been staying busy over the past two years and does not seem to be slowing down.

The Lancaster County Academy, Penn Manor’s Twilight program, the district’s Education Foundation, Lancaster Museum of Art and the Millersville Woman’s club are all part of Mindish’s busy schedule.

Dr. Janice Mindish multi-tasking. Photo by Robert Henry

Once a week for three hours, one hour in the morning and two hours in the afternoon, Mindish talks to teens at the Lancaster County Academy who are nearing graduation about their plans after graduating. She helps out the math, science and social studies teachers. But mainly helps students with their writing.

“I can help in any area, but I mostly help with writing,” said Dr. Mindish, “this past week I was helping former Penn Manor students who are writing their thesis.”

Twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays,  Mindish’s time is spent with the Twilight program, the alternative education program at Penn Manor.

“Being the principal, sometimes you only get to see the bad side of kids who are struggling.  At Twilight you actually get to know them and your perspective changes,” said Mindish.

Within the Education Foundation the former principal is on three committees; the marketing committee, the development committee, and the education committee. This requires Mindish to attend about three meetings a month for this volunteer work.

Mindish is also on the Board of the Lancaster Museum of Art as well. Currently, she is helping out with the Trees Galore project, this involves local students and artists who have done art work and are contributing their work to the museum’s fund raising efforts. The next activity she will be involved in is the Scholastic Art Awards show.

Dr. Mindish is also a member of the Millersville’s Woman’s Club. One of the club’s main goals is to support education. Mindish keeps them involved in education by getting the women in the club interested in some of Penn Manor’s projects and extracurricular activities. The women help students out with their graduation projects as well as helping out with Quiz Bowl.

On top of everything else this multi-tasker is also teaching a psychology class at York College.

“I love, love, love it!” Mindish exclaimed.

And luckily for the Penn Points Staff, Mindish comes in once a week to help young reporters develop their photojournalism skills, since she was once a photography teacher.

“I decided when I retired that I didn’t miss actually being the one to run the school, I missed the kids a lot,” she remarked.

Just because Penn Manor’s former head principal is now retired does not mean she’s not doing many, many things. She is still keeping very busy and helping out with the community at the same time.

By Chassidy Sowersby and Robert Henry