January 17, 2012 - Peters Township School District

AF
Focus on
Excellence in Education
Academics, Athletics, Artistic Endeavors,
Leadership,
&
Character Education
January 17, 2012

Excellence in
Academics

WordMasters at
McMurray
Julianna Chen and
Arianna Ranallo both
earned perfect scores in
this national language
arts competition
These 2 fifth graders from McMurray Elementary recently earned perfect
scores in the WordMasters Challenge. The girls were among 130 students
in the nation to earn that honor in this national language g arts competition
entered by more than 220,000 students.

Bower Hill
Economics
Project
2 nd graders earn $245
for Washington City
Mission through Hot
Cocoa sale
As Bower Hill second graders finished their economics unit, they organized
a hot cocoa sale that benefitted the Washington City Mission. Each
homeroom sold a different flavor of cocoa and students were
encouraged to do extra chores at home to earn $1 to purchase the
cocoa. Through the sale, the students raised $245 for the Mission.

Global Energy
Project
PTHS Physics teacher
Susan Hlebinsky is
working with a school
in Honduras
High School Physics teacher Susan Hlebinsky is working in cooperation
with a school in Honduras to work on a global energy project between
the classrooms. They will be meeting via Skype throughout the year.

McMurray Star
Gazette
Organized by
5 th grader
Arianna Ranallo as a
fundraiser for PCD
McMurray unveiled the first issue of the McMurray Star Gazette, the new
school newspaper, to students this month. The newspaper was organized
by a 5
th grader as a fundraiser for PCD after she read a story about a PT
boy who suffers from the disease and wanted to help raise money for
research.

AP Class Skypes with Mexican Teacher
Caitlin Degnan’s AP Spanish Class used Skype to work on
conversation skills
Students in Caitlin Degnan’s AP Spanish Class used Skype to connect with
a teacher in Mexico. The students were able to strengthen their
conversational skills and to learn more about the culture from someone
with first-hand experience.

McMurray M
Spelling Bee
Winner
Pratiik Kaushik has
earned the title of
Spelling Bee
champion
This 6 th grade student has earned the title of Spelling Bee champion after
spelling “malfeasance” correctly in the final round of the competition
among 56 PT students in grades 6-8. He will now go on to represent Peters
Township at the Regional Spelling Bee held at Washington and Jefferson
College in March.

Excellence in
the Arts

Thespian Hall of
Fame Inductees
John McGovern
Performance Hall of Fame
Sean Sullivan
Tech Hall of Fame
These two PTHS Thespians have been honored with induction into the Hall
of Fame at the 2011 PA State Thespian Conference. John McGovern was
recognized by the Performance Hall of Fame and Sean Sullivan was
recognized by the Tech Hall of Fame.

PTHS Singers Take Part
in WSO All-Star Choir
Brenden Dumas, Jessica
Fornear, Jess Johnson,
Rachel Kinney, Morgan
Kirksey, Mikasa McKnight,
Nicole Palombo and Emily
Stokan
These eight members of the PTHS choir took part in the All-Star Choir that
performed with the Washington Symphony Orchestra during their recent
10 th anniversary yperformance. They were among 37 students from area
high schools who took part.

Excellence in
Athletics

Dance Team Takes First
Place in Slippery Rock
UDA Competition
Peters Township was also
given a special
Sportsmanship s p award a by
the judges of the event
The High School Dance team finished first at the recent Slippery Rock
Competition. Both the JV and Varsity teams earned first place in the Hip
Hop divisions. Peters Township was also given a special Sportsmanship
p
award by the judges of the event.

PTHS Varsity Boys
Basketball
PT Tournament Winners &
Gabe Pritz named Player of
the Week
The boys basketball team recently won the PT Tip Off Tournament and
junior Gabe Pritz was also selected as Player of the Week by both the
Observer Reporter and the Pittsburgh Tribune.

PTHS Varsity Wrestling
WPIAL Playoffs begin Jan.
18 at 7:30 p.m.
It has been an outstanding winter sports season with several of our teams
in contention for the WPIAL playoffs. The boys wrestling team has already
earned a spot in the playoffs and will wrestle for the section
championship tomorrow night against Waynesburg.

Excellence in
Leadership

STEM Career
Fair at PTHS
PTHS students were able to attend a STEM Career fair at the High School
on January 12. This is the second in a series of video conference career
fairs taking gplace at the High School. The first conference was for students
interested in Health and Human Services and the next conference will
take place in April for Arts and Humanities careers.

Hydroponics Garden at
Pleasant Valley
Service Learning Grant organized by
students Cody Ondos, Austin Chappell
and Matt Girouard
Winter is here and Pleasant Valley is growing lettuce! Their new indoor
hydroponic garden utilizes mineral nutrient solutions to grow plants in
water without soil. This fall the garden system was installed at Pleasant
Valley by 3 high school students thanks to a SPEARS service learning grant.

FBLA Students Move
on to States
39 students from PTHS have
qualified to compete at the
state level at the annual FBLA
Leadership Conference
Lauren Arcuri
Adrian Baer
Grace Brandstetter
Lucas Cervanek
Josh Cherry
Greg Chiste
Connor Crane
Patrick Ellsworth
Matt Girouard
Bryan Hall
Paige Hannah
Brandon Hillen
Morgan Hoover
Allie Hussey
Jack Hussey
Derek Kasper
Dan Ketyer
Vida Komer
Angela Krak
Jenna Kreider
Mitch Kreider
Raashmi Krishnasamy
Ian Lioon
Steven Lo
Brad Marks
Mack Mitchell
Amanda Moore
Ryan Mundy
Maria Oldenburg
Nicholas Roberts
Karan Sharma
Isabelle Stasenko
Rachel Troscinski
Roy Wang
Chen Wang
Garrett Warmbein
Daniel Wiegmann
Sean Yang
Zenas Zhuang
Thirty-nine students from PTHS have qualified to compete at the state
level at the annual FBLA Leadership Conference. Through their
performance at the regional competition, PTHS had more students than
any other high school in the region earn a spot to compete at the state
level. The group is sponsored by teachers Kathy Sekely and John Good.

Teachers Present
at State Forum
Cindy Ollendyke and Lora
O’Brien recently presented
at the state’s annual
Teacher Forum and SAS
(Standards Aligned
System) Conference
Teachers Cindy Ollendyke and Lora O’Brien recently presented at the
state’s annual Teacher Forum and Standards Aligned System
Conference. They led a Town Hall discussion on Professional
Development, Teacher Feedback, Teacher Retention, State Standards.

BH Teachers
Asked to Present
at PETE & C
Laura Ann Naser
and Bobby
DiBiase will
present Web 2.0
resources
Bower Hill teachers Laura Ann Naser and Bobby DiBiase have been asked
to present web 2.0 resources for the classroom at February’s PETE&C
Conference in Hershey. The Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo
and Conference is a statewide event that provides programs focused on
technology in the educational field.

PTEF Cookbook Fundraiser
The Foundation’s fundraising team has
put together a cookbook with recipes
from Peters Township staff and
community – will be available for
purchase for Mother’s Day!
The Education Foundation has launched its first fundraiser – a community
cookbook. The book will include recipes from staff, students and
community members. The cookbooks will be available for purchase for
Mother’s Day this spring!

Bower Hill Wins
Target Grant
The grant funds of $700
will help fund the spring
field trip to the Pittsburgh
Symphony at Heinz Hall
Bower Hill Elementary has earned the 2012 Target Field Trip Grant. The
$700 provided by the grant will help fund the spring field trip for the
second grade students to the Pittsburgh Symphony y at Heinz Hall.

Excellence in
Character

Bower Hill
Holiday Party
Benefits Meals
on Wheels
During this year’s holiday party, Bower Hill’s second grade students made
fleece blankets, snowmen ornaments and decorated bags that were
used to deliver food for Meals on Wheels. Each homeroom made one
blanket and more than 200 ornaments and bags were donated for the
holiday season.

Caring Trees
From grades K-6
more than 200 gifts
were provided for
families in our
community
Throughout the Elementary Schools students participated in the Caring
Tree project again this year. In grades K-6, students and staff provided
more than 200 gifts for families in our community.

Shoebox Project
Middle School students partner with the
High School National Honor Society to
provide much needed items to children in
Mexico
Middle School students partnered with the High School National Honor
Society to provide much needed items to children in Mexico. Each
homeroom filled a box with necessities and some holiday items.

Interact Club Inducts 75 New Members
The students have collectively completed 966 service hours
within our community since September 2011
Student Officers are:
Kelsey Kern, President;
Sarah Bootman, Vice
President; Julia Gauthier,
Recording Secretary;
Marissa McKnight,
Corresponding Secretary;
and Mandy Ho, Treasurer
On December 7, 2011, the High School Interact Club inducted 75 new
student members into the student service club. Overseen by sponsor Judy
Alexander, the students have collectively completed 966 service hours
within our community since September 2011. Officers of the club are listed
above.

Synergize

School Board Member
Recognition

Pleasant Valley:
A Blue Ribbon School

What makes us special?
Inspiring Minds
Nurturing Hearts

Inspiring Minds…
Test Scores
ACADEMIC PROFICIENCY
100 98
97 98 99
95 97
95
97 97 97
95
90
85
80
75
MATH
READING
06‐07
PSSA
Results
07‐08
08
PSSA
Results
08‐09
PSSA
Results
09‐10
PSSA
Results
10‐11
PSSA
Results

Inspiring Minds…Blue Ribbon Staff

Inspiring Minds….
• Amazing Staff!
• Finalist for PA Teacher of the Year
• Social Studies Teacher of the Year
• Teacher of Excellence Finalist
• Several Teacher of Excellence Nominees
• Teacher of Excellence Hall of Fame Recipients
• 3 PA Keystone Technology Award Winners
• Many staff members with 20 or more years of Teaching experience
• Outstanding School Media Program in PA
• Nationally Board Certified Teacher
• 2 Year Promising Practice Award Winner
• Title I School of Distinction
• Agriculture Teacher of The Year

Inspiring
Minds . . .
Supportive Activities
Ticket to Read
Accelerated Reader
Web Pages/ Home Activities
Tutoring Program
High School Helpers
Parent Fitness Program
PTA Involvement /National
Award
Spanish

Nurturing Hearts
Community Outreach . .
Relay for Life
Relay for Life
Over $60,000 raised and staff
member honored for service
Caring and Sharing; Helping
Hands
Cards of cheer for soldiers, elderly,
and community members
PV IDOL

Nurturing Hearts…
•Giving Day
•Olweus Bullying
•Leadership Teams to
enhance 7 Habits
•Playground Pals
•Peaceful
Playgrounds
•PV Parent Exercise
Buddies
•New
Student/Friendship
Groups

Nuturing Hearts…
Plant a Promise (Red Ribbon)
Hydroponic Garden

In Closing…
After carefully nurturing the students for their four years at
Pleasant Valley Elementary, it is highly rewarding to watch
them evolve and grow academically and socially into unique,
creative, diligent students; but it is not the end of their journey.
It is our hope that these students have been inspired to find their
own unique way to impact the future through their talents,
abilities, and willingness to help others.

Straight Talk From the Students…
• The Blue Ribbon Award is the highest honor that the
U.S. Dept. of Education bestows on schools for overall
academic excellence and for helping to close the
achievement gap….but what do the kids think???

School Board
Member Recognition
Kris Bergman
Jan Ruzicka
Carol lA Aurin
Dr. Robert Freado
It’s time to synergize and celebrate! January is Board Recognition month
and we take this opportunity to formally thank our Board members for
their leadership and the countless hours they put in to supporting
education in our community. Tonight we have several presentations from
groups within our schools.

School Board
Member Recognition
PTMS: Student Video
McMurray: Spanish Student Video
Bower Hill: Glog