Montour District Offers Spartan Text Alerts The Montour School District now offers Spartan Text Alerts, an upto-date messaging system for breaking news on school closings, delays, and other important district news. Since Montour had great success using the AlertNow calling system, i tplans to continue using it in conjunction with sending text alerts to subscribers’ cell phones or mobile devices. To sign-up for Spartan Alerts visit www.alertnowsms.com2. Enter the following Pin: mont103. Complete the Opt-in form. To no longer wish to receive Spartan Alerts you may return to the Web site listed above and click Opt-out. School Board Sets Meeting Dates for <strong>2011</strong>; Reorganizes The Montour School Board held its reorganization meeting in December. Ronald Smith was elected board president; Joyce Snell, vice president; and Frank Dalmas, treasurer. <strong>2011</strong> Montour School Board Meetings * All meetings are held on Thursdays and are currently being held at David E. Williams Middle School auditorium, Porters Hollow Road, Coraopolis. <strong>January</strong> 27 Regular monthly meeting, 7 p.m. February 10 Committee of the Whole/Workshop, 6 p.m. February 24 Regular Monthly Meeting, 7 p.m. March 10 Committee of the Whole/Workshop, 6 p.m. March 24 Regular Monthly Meeting, 7 p.m. April 14 Committee of the Whole/Workshop, 6 p.m. April 28 Regular Monthly Meeting, 7 p.m. May 12 Committee of the Whole/Workshop, 6 p.m. May 26 Regular Monthly Meeting 6 p.m. June 16 Committee of the Whole/Workshop, 6 p.m. June 23 Regular Monthly Meeting, 7 p.m. July 14 Committee of the Whole/Workshop, 6 p.m. July 28 Regular Monthly Meeting, 7 p.m. August 11 Committee of the Whole/Workshop, 6 p.m. August 25 Regular Monthly Meeting, 7 p.m. September 8 Committee of the Whole/Workshop, 6 p.m. September 22 Regular Monthly Meeting, 7 p.m. October 13 Committee of the Whole/Workshop, 6 p.m. October 27 Regular Monthly Meeting, 7 p.m. November 10 Committee of the Whole/Workshop, 6 p.m. November 17 Regular Monthly Meeting, 7 p.m. December 8 Organization Meeting, 7 p.m. Around the Schools ... Heritage Valley Sewickley is hosting a job shadow event at the high school on February 2 for students interested in a healthcare career. Spaces are limited. Students should contact the guidance office for an application, The <strong>2011</strong> prom theme has been announced, “A Walk to Remember,” with the theme song by Aerosmith, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” The Montour Alumni Web site provides an opportunity to post information and a photo if you, or someone you know, graduated from Montour High School and has either served, or is serving, in the military. Montour Middle School (David E. Williams) PTA will host its first 5K Run/1 Mile Run Walk on Saturday, April 16, starting at 8 a.m. Preregistration is $20. Registration after March 19 or the day of the event is CURRICULUM UPDATE by Dr. Christopher Stone, Director of Curriculum & Instruction $25. Pre-registrants will receive a t-shirt. Registration begins at 7 a.m. on the day of the event. Michelle Benigni is the event chairperson. The purpose of the Run/Walk is to promote a healthy lifestyle and showcase community spirit while raising funds to help the PTA maintain its level of support for the students and teachers at the middle school. Donations and volunteers are welcome. Contact Michelle at (412) 860-4525 or by e-mail at benigni3girls@msn.com. Burkett PTA will host a Family Fun Night on Friday, <strong>January</strong> 28 from 6:30 - 9 p.m. The night’s activities include Bingo called by a local Pittsburgh personality, a raffle, a Chinese and 50/50 auction, and lots of food. To volunteer or to donate to the event, contact Lisa George at (412) 498-4373 or by e-mail at spencer1203@msn.com. During the 2010-<strong>2011</strong> school year, the Montour School District has been undergoing an extensive K-12 curriculum mapping project based on the Understanding by y Design (UDB) model developed by educational theorist Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. The Montour School District has partnered with Pittsburgh based company, On Hands Schools, to assist in this endeavor. Dr. Christopher Stone, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, discussed how teachers and administrators in various content areas have been meeting and refining core learning units that meet and exceed the Pennsylvania academic standards. The overarching goal is to increase academic rigor and relevance in providing a richer academic experience for all Montour students. Dr. Stone shared, “The district has experienced tremendous academic growth over the past several years as indicated by PSSA scores. Our commitment to the community and students is to provide the very best educational experience and continue on this pathway of academic escalation.” The curriculum mapping process will be a multi-year initiative that will place an emphasis on student learning outcomes and clear, concise competencies. The electronic curriculum maps will eventually create a platform for teachers to dovetail with lesson planning. The district is also currently reviewing and researching a new Language Arts series for grades K-5 which is anticipated to be implemented at the beginning of the <strong>2011</strong>-2012 school year. www.montourschools.com 28 <strong>Allegheny</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> <strong>January</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
The Montour High School construction project is on schedule. The project, led by construction manager Thomas & William,with guidance from Dr. Donald Boyer, superintendent, is scheduled to be ready for the opening of school in September <strong>2011</strong>. Robert Capo, P.E., project manager, presented an update to the school board prior to the Christmas holidays. The new addition is taking shape, as is the music wing and the interior corridors and classrooms. Weather has not significantly hampered the scheduled workload at the site, to date. <strong>January</strong> <strong>2011</strong> www.alleghenywestmagazine.com 29
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