newsletter-spring 2013.pmd - Cornell School District

T O D A YAn Official Publication of the Cornell School District Volume 5, Issue 2, Spring 2013Semi-Finalists for PA Teacher of the Year!Mrs. Lori Dzielski, Cornell Elementary Reading Specialist, and Mr.Kris Hupp, Cornell High School Social Studies teacher and 21stCentury Teaching and Learning Coach, were named semi-finalists inthe 2014 PA Teacher of the Year Contest.Mrs. Dzielski has been teaching at Cornell since 1994. She hasserved as both aclassroom teacher andas a Title I ReadingSpecialist. She is alsothe Cornell ElementarySchool YearbookSponsor and Co-Sponsor of the ReadingCounts Program inCornell ElementarySchool. In 2009, shewas selected as a Sam’sClub OutstandingTeacher and wasselected as theFebruary 2013 CornellSchool DistrictEmployee of the Month.Mrs. Dzielski hasbeen actively involved with professional development activities atCornell and has served as a presenter numerous times at Cornell,Title I Reading Conferences, and Robert Morris University School ofEducation Conferences. She was also a part of the CornellElementary Blue Ribbon Award Committee and the Quality ChangeInitiative. Mrs. Dzielski is also actively involved with her churchchoir and with her children’s school activities.Mr. Hupp has been teaching in the Cornell School Districtsince 2000. In addition to his teaching duties, he serves as theSocial Studies Department Chair, Sr. High Student CouncilSponsor, PRIDE Program teacher, and CHS-TV Co-Advisor. Hewas a Wal-mart Teacher of the Year in 2007 and was named asone of 101 Teachers ofExcellence by theTeacher ExcellenceCenter in 2007-2008. Mr.Hupp is a member of theWorld Affairs Council ofPittsburgh’s TeacherAdvisory Board and thePennsylvania Institutefor InstructionalCoaching (PIIC).In 2007, Mr. Hupp wasnamed the Classroom forthe Future GrantIntegration Coach. Thatposition has evolvedover the years to hiscurrent title as 21stTeaching and LearningCoach. Mr. Hupp facilitates Lunch and Learns, ProfessionalLearning Communities, and Book Studies throughout the schoolyear. In addition, Mr. Hupp’s ongoing partnerships with theWorld Affairs Council of Pittsburgh and the AIU have resultedin numerous learning opportunities for Cornell students andteachers, as well as administrators.Congratulations!

Message from the SuperintendentDear Cornell School District Community,In true Cornell spirit, Cornell administration, teachers, and staffimplemented a variety of outreach efforts to benefit others during the firstsemester of the 2012-13 school year. Cornell students and staff donatedthousands of items for various food drives; more than 150 toys for areachildren in need; more than $750 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation;over $600for an elementary student who was badly burned in an accident; nearly 220winter coats, hats, gloves and mittens for the victims of Hurricane Sandy;and items, dollars, and hours to various area charities including the Moon/Coraopolis Backpack Initiative. In total, their donations – both financial andin-kind, to numerous charitable organizations, totaled more than $12,000.In addition to the charitable giving in our school, we have also witnessedthe overwhelming support of the Payton Brown Recovery Fund initiatives. Mr.Larry Jones, Cornell HS Class of 1974, chairs the trust fund for Payton, andhas truly mobilized the community to support this cause. We are so pleasedthat Payton is making steady progress on his road to recovery. A specialthank you to everyone who assisted with the February 9 Dinner-Dance. Itwas a huge success, thanks to the generosity of area businesses and generousfriends and neighbors of the Cornell community.The following is a list of some of the charitable efforts of Cornell SchoolDistrict students and staff:· Mrs. Meredith Capp coordinated a collection of over 70 toy trucks for thefamily of Maddox Derkosh who died in an accident at the Pittsburgh Zoo. Thetrucks were donated to various charities for distribution over the holidays.· Mrs. Heather Tisch recently participated in the Crohn’s and ColitisFoundation of America’s Marathon Run in Las Vegas, Nevada, in honor of hergood friend, Lori Peterson. Mrs. Tisch and one of her neighbors completedthe Rock ‘n Roll Run on December 2. She raised over $1,300 for thefoundation.· Teachers and staff donated more than $600 to the family of Payton Brown, aCornell sixth grader, who was recovering in Mercy Hospital from severeburns received in an accident.· The following individuals served and delivered Thanksgiving dinners onThanksgiving for the Whosoever Wills Church on First Avenue inCoraopolis: Mrs. Ruth Mihalyi, Mr. Bill Sacco, Mr. Fran Petraglia, PeteBartolomucci, Andrew Weryha, Jermal Bell, Lydia Petraglia, Lydia Ponticel,Mr. Ponticel, Dane Jackson, Olivia Piccolo, Ruth DuBois (OLSH) , NevinDonahue, and Logan Donahue.· Jr. High Student Council, under the sponsorship of Mrs. Heather Tisch,held a bake sale at Open House and raised $51.00 for the American DiabetesAssociation.· Jr. High Student Council, under the sponsorship of Mrs. Heather Tisch,held Toys for Tots Drive and raised $66.00 in cash as well as a large box full oftoys.· Cornell Prom Committee, under the direction of Mrs. Lore McBain,volunteered at the Celebrate Coraopolis holiday event and submitted Lettersto Santa from area students at Macy’s Make-a-Wish Mailbox. As a result,they raised $150 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.· Cornell High School Marching Band, under the direction of Mr. AdamWazenegger, performed at the Celebrate Coraopolis holiday event onDecember 1st.· Cornell Elementary Students, under the direction of Mr. Ben Wix, createdart work for window displays for the Celebrate Coraopolis holiday event.· Cornell Elementary School, under the direction of Mr. Anthony Bibbo,sponsored a food drive to assist families from within the community who arein need this holiday season. They collected over 1,700 items.· Cornell National Honor Society and Cornell National Jr. Honor Society,under the direction of Mrs. Mihalyi, sponsored a food drive to assistfamilies from within the community who are in need this holiday season.They collected over 1,200 items.· Cornell High School National Honor Society and National Jr. HonorSociety, under the sponsorship of Mrs. Ruth Mihalyi, donated $538.50to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The students raised this amount byselling stuffed animals. An additional $63 was raised from a faculty jeansday in the high school. Mrs. Mihalyi’s math classes wrote mathematicsthemedletters to Santa which were deposited in the Macy's Make-A-Wish mailbox to raise an additional $100 from the high school.A group of Cornell NHS students were at The Mall at Robinson toannounce the donation on the annual 99.7 Make-A-Wish broadcast.· Cornell PRIDE students, under the direction of Mrs. Crystal Maynard-Smith, Mr. Jason Stuart, and Mrs. Belas, decorated a tree at Clinton Parkfor their Light up the Season community fundraiser.· Cornell Elementary Counselor, Mr. Greg Paul, partnered with theCoraopolis Community Development Foundation, the Salvation Army,and Sheetz Families Charities to give several of our Cornell Elementarystudents and families the opportunity to participate in the Sheetz for theKidz Christmas Party. The event consisted of participating familiesattending a Christmas party where the children had a “ChristmasMorning” of unwrapping gifts specifically for each participating child.· The Key Club, under the sponsorship of Mr. Steve Vayanos,volunteered at the Cornell School District Town Hall Meeting to babysitthe children of the parents in attendance.· The Key Club, under the sponsorship of Mr. Steve Vayanos, completeda Trick or Treat for UNICEF donation drive to help prevent maternal andneonatal tetanus. The students raised $256.· Cornell Key Club Coordinated a RED OUT for the American HeartAssociation.· Mrs. Beth Miles coordinated a clothing drive for the victims ofHurricane Sandy. Mrs. Miles collected 220 coats, three large bags ofblankets, six comforters, four packs of new socks, one pack of new workgloves, one bag of boots, and several bags of gloves, hats, and scarves forthe Hurricane Sandy victims.· Mrs. Jackie Fearing coordinated an Angel Tree Program to benefitCornell Elementary School students. The program benefitted 78 studentsfrom 48 different families. The teachers, staff, school board members, andadministration participated in the Angel Tree Program.This issue of Cornell TODAY features recent highlights of ouraccomplishments and initiatives. It reflects the amount of work andenergy displayed by our staff, students, administration, and communityon a daily basis.I wish to thank the parents, staff, and community who have supportedour District. More importantly, I wish to thank our students who havedistinguished themselves through hard work and dedication to theireducation.Sincerely,(See related photos, opposite page).Donna BelasSuperintendent

Congratulations AllAround at CornellCongratulations to WAMS and WACA Participants!The following students were named to various honors bands:Western Allegheny Middle School Honors Band: Jaylin Ciccone, Maya Deroba, KaylaPickens, Brittany Postma, Lauryn Davis, Olivia PiccoloWestern Allegheny County Area High School Honors Band: Gareth Canfield, LydiaPonticel, Kathy McMurray, Hannah Wilkinson, Lily FormosaJunior District Band: Tyler Mixter, Kayla Pickens, Brittany PostmaA special thank you to Mr. Adam Wazenegger, Cornell HS band director.In the Spotlight: Cornell HS Featured at TRETC!ABOVE: Mr. Hupp and junior Nathan Lawyer present atTRETC.Mr. Kris Hupp and Cornell HighSchool junior Nathan Lawyerpresented at the Three RiversEducational Technology Conference(TRETC) at the Regional LearningAlliance in Cranberry Township. Thetitle of their presentation was BUILDYOUR OWN TV STUDIO.Mr. Hupp and Nathan explainedhow our Channel 86 crew has movedinto the digital age and listed thesuccesses and challenges theyencounter each day! They alsoexplained how to use Wirecast tosetup a live broadcast and providedvarious tips and resources toenhance the final broadcast results.The presentation was well-receivedby the educators in attendance.Congrats to theAcademicWorld QuestStudentsFor the third year in a row,students from Cornell participatedin Academic WorldQuest,sponsored by the World AffairsCouncil of Pittsburgh.WorldQuest is a competitionthat includes questions on worldcultures, geography, flags,health, and current and historicalevents. Seniors Heaven Brownand Sharifa Fadel, junior JonahWraith, and sophomore ColeTipper were this year’s participants.The competition is tough,but our students tried their best.Jonah and Cole are lookingforward to next year’s competition!Congratulations, Mr. DiSilvestro!Recognized for HerExtraEffort!ABOVE: Mr. DiSilvestro and his students made this bench forthe elementary school entrance. Mr. Larry DiSilvestro,Technology Education teacher, entered the Minwax Do Goodwith Wood Contest and his entry was selected in November.He received two gallons of Minwax Wood Finish interior woodstain and two gallons of Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane.Cornell High Schoolsenior, Lindsey Jeffress,was nominated for theKDKA Extra EffortAward by Mrs. AmyKerr , swim coach.KDKA presentedLindsey with the ExtraEffort Award onMarch 7.

G.A.T.E. NewsHeinz History BowlCornell students in grades 5-7 attended the Heinz History Bowl competition at theHeinz History Center on October 29 and November 1. Both teams were in the top fivein scoring.The students did a great job and are looking forward to next year. At the event,students are challenged to find answers to questions, think and write creatively, andpractice problem solving abilities as they explore the exhibits at the History Center.ABOVE: Heinz History Bowl team members KadenDiVito, Hannah Schmid, Phebe Kimble, RobertAlmasy. Not pictured are Piper Kimble, AbygailSaieva, Sydney Bowers, and Noah Litzinger.Science BowlCornell Students in grades 4-8 competed in the Science Bowl at the Carnegie Science Center on January 15 and 17. Students werechallenged to find answers to questions, think creatively, and practice problem solving abilities as they explored the exhibits. Studentscompeted in four different hands-on challenges such as a scavenger hunt, memory game, balcony build, and a parachute drop. The threeteams had a fantastic time competing at the event.RIGHT: Steven Bass, HaileyLeitner, Elizabeth Kasper,Piper Kimble, Leah Juristy,and front: Jacob DuBois,Abygail Saieva, SydneyBowers; FAR RIGHT:Kaden DiVito, Sarah Jursity,Madison Bine, DakotaMayfield.Sum DogCornell Elementary School has won its first mathcompetition as a school! Cornell Elementary placed firstagainst the 21 total schools that entered into thecompetition in Allegheny County. Students in grades 1-5entered into the online mathematics competition and did afantastic job during the one week tournament. Studentswere awarded with a special breakfast, a certificate of merit,and a free one year subscription to the website. Cornell willcontinue the competitions with SumDog.com in theupcoming year.LEFT: back, Mr. Anthony Bibbo, Robert Almasy, Dakota Mayfield,Kenton Anderson, Ben Kasper, Carly Dalessandro, Ms. SarahShaw; center, Morgan Engel, Jamyree Perry, Hashone Carry,Madison Bine, Milton Lopez, Dillon Lin, Michael Smith; front, JadaJenkins, Krystyna Szymczak, Grace Coley, Nadia Ehle, Julia Taylor,Phillip Dubois.Students for Sustainable CitiesMr. Anthony Bibbo and sixth grader Noah Litzinger recently attended Students for Sustainable Cities, presented by Keystone ScienceSchool, at the Carnegie Science Center on December 1-3. The program provides teachers and their students in grades 5-12 with anopportunity to analyze and address sustainability needs in their communities through inquiry-based learning practices, critical thinkingskills, democratic processes, and action-taking strategies.While there, they learned about sustainability and how to incorporate a community action project. They left with an immense amount ofknowledge and a $500 grant to do their own project. The students have entered into a partnership with Coraopolis Community DevelopmentFoundation and will use their grant to build and fund a community garden at the “Garden House” in Coraopolis.

Homecoming!On January 18, Cornell High School celebrated its 41st Homecomingduring the half-time of the boys basketball game.Selected this year for the royal court were:Ashlee Batemon and Brandon O’RourkeShannon Cargill and Russell O’LearySharifa Fadel and Dylan WallaceAmanda Habedank and Daniel WeryhaCourtney Holloway and Troy NottinghamMarcena Shepherd and Peter BartolomucciDesiree Talton and Devin LeitnerLEFT: The Royal Couple, as voted by theCornell High School students, was SharifaFadel and Troy Nottingham. Congratulations tothe entire 2013 Homecoming Court and to theirfamilies!

School Board NamesAaron Thomas New School Superintendent"I love Cornell and Iam very grateful forthe opportunity thatthe school boardhas given me. I amalso grateful for theleadership that Ms.Belas has showedand taught me. Icouldn’t have askedfor a better mentor!"-- Mr. Aaron ThomasOn Thursday, March 21,the Cornell School DistrictBoard of Directors appointedCornell HighSchool Principal, Mr. AaronThomas, to thesuperintendent's positioneffective July 1, 2013.Mr. Thomas will replaceMrs. Donna Belas, who willretire on June 30 after 41years of service in theCornell School District .Mrs. Belas' career atCornell encompassed rolesranging from high schoolEnglish teacher to SpecialEducation Supervisor tohigh school principal tosuperintendent.Mrs. Belas stated, "I amproud that I had the opportunityto serve in the CornellSchool District. I hope that Imade a difference in the livesof children. I know theymade a difference in mine.""Although it is difficultleaving behind what hasdefined my professional lifefor the past four decades, Iam confident that Mr. AaronThomas' leadership skills,integrity, and motivation willguide him in doing what isbest for the students of theCornell School District."Mr. Thomas earned hisBachelor degree in SecondaryEducation-Social Studiesfrom Robert Morris University,where he continuedthere to earn his Master'sdegree in InstructionalLeadership.He received his Principal'sCertification fromWestminster College.Presently, he is working onhis doctoral degree at theUniversity of Pittsburgh,where he received hisSuperintendent Letter ofEligibility.Mr. Thomas came to Cornellto teach at the high school, aposition he held for fouryears before becoming highschool principal in 2009.Previously, he taught at PerryTraditional Academy in thePittsburgh Public Schools forone year.He resides in North FayetteTownship with his wife,Casey, and two sons, Stone,3-1/2 years old, and Gavin, 1-1/2 years old. The couple isexpecting a third baby inApril.Mr. Thomas said he enjoysplaying basketball, a sport heplayed while attending RMU.However, he said, "If I had"I am proud that Ihad the opportunityto serve in theCornell SchoolDistrict. I hope thatI made a differencein the lives ofchildren. I know theymade a difference inmine."-- Mrs. Donna Belasany free time, which I don'tanymore, I would be doingsomething basketball related."He noted that after hisschedule ends at Cornell, hisfree time revolves aroundspending time with his wifeand playing with his children.He added, he also still hashomework for his classes atPitt."I love Cornell and I am verygrateful for the opportunitythat the school board hasgiven me," Mr. Thomas noted."I am also grateful for theleadership that Ms. Belas hasshowed and taught me. Icouldn’t have asked for abetter mentor!"Senior Project Process Adds a New ComponentThe Cornell School District Senior Project Committee made achange to the Senior Project process this school year. Thesenior students are still required as part of the completion of aportfolio which showcases all of their career research sinceninth grade; however, the Cornell Senior Project Committeeadded an extra component. In addition to their portfolio, allseniors were interviewed.Mr. Erwin, Mr. Hupp, and Mrs. Dahmen examined eachstudent’s portfolio and then asked the students questionsrelated to their career/college research and career goals. Eachsenior was asked a total of four questions; two of the questionswere provided to each student in advance so that they couldprepare extensive, well-thought out responses. The other twoquestions were based on the individual student's portfolio.The students submitted their portfolios on January 4, 2013 andthe teachers conducted interviews beginning on January 9.Interviews concluded January 16.The whole experience was very successful. Senior studentsexperienced what it was like to undergo a serious interview, andthey learned more about themselves in terms of career andpersonal goals.

From the Desk of ...Mrs. Carla Antoniades,Special Education DirectorExtended School Year (ESY)services are special educationand related services thatare provided to students withdisabilities beyond the 180-day school year. This year,ESY will be held from July 15through August 1, 2013.Please contact Mrs. CarlaAntoniades, Supervisor ofSpecial Education, for moreinformation by phone at (412)264-5010 x113 or by e-mail,cantoniades@cornell.k12.pa.us.As the end of the schoolyear quickly approaches, it isimportant for all families to beaware of the universalscreening procedures thatare in place for Gifted Services.These screeningsgenerally take place towardsthe end of the school year andare given to all students ingrades K-6. The screening ofstudents for the GiftedProgram begins by reviewingthe student’s achievementand ability, tests, grades,learning characteristics,interests, and experiences.The assessments used bythe District include DIBELS,4-Sight, Terra Nova, GMADE,and PSSA as well as ourscreening tool, SAGES.Students who qualify forfurther screening mustgenerally be in at least thethird grade, achieve a 95thpercentile score on theirachievement test composites,obtain a screening IQ testscore of 130, and be judgedby their teachers to haveoutstanding learning characteristics.If your child meetsthe criteria as describedabove, you will be contactedfor further testing by ourschool psychologist.High School Guidance NewsParkway West CTC Sets New Courses for Next YearCornell High School has begun the scheduling process for the 2013/2014 school year. Students are encouragedto talk to their teachers, parents, and school counselor to make the best academic course selections. Pleasecontact Mrs. Walter at (412) 264-5010, ext. 106 with any questions regarding the course offerings. All scheduleswill be finalized over the summer and selections will not be changed once the school year begins. There will benew courses added to the curriculum at Parkway West Career and Technology Center for the 2013/2014 schoolyear. Those include:VETERINARY TECHNOLOGYThe Veterinary Technology or ‘Vet Tech’ Program prepares students to work in an entry level position in aveterinary practice aiding the veterinarian and the veterinary technician. A sample of the Veterinary Assistant’sresponsibilities include maintaining the medical records, scheduling, client education, laboratory procedures,nursing duties, surgical preparation and assisting. Students will also have a solid educational base on which tobuild a post-secondary degree. This program may lead to additional career pathways such as Animal Trainer,Animal Breeders, Non-Farm Animal Caretakers Laboratory Animal Caretakers, Groomers, Animal ControlWorker, Veterinary Technician, Veterinary Technologist, and Veterinarian.Upon accreditation, students may become eligible to earn the following certifications; Purina Certified WeightCoach; Pharmacy Technician; and Veterinary Assistant.ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGYThe Electrical Systems Technology program teaches students the integral components of the electrical industryfor entry level employment in residential, commercial, and/or light industrial locations. The basis of instruction isin the layout, assembly, installation, wiring, maintenance, and trouble-shooting of electrical systems. Understandingprogrammable logistical controls (PLC’s) and how transformers operate are also covered. Adherence to theNational Electric Code is emphasized throughout this course as well as trade safety procedures. This programmay lead to additional career pathways such as an Electrical Drafter, Electrical Technicians, Electrical Engineers,Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers, Meter Readers/Utilities, Control and Valve Installers/Repairs, andLocomotive Engineers, to just name a few.Additionally, students will be given the opportunity to earn a 10-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) Construction card and may have a greater opportunity to join the International Brotherhood ofElectrical Workers’ Union (BAC) after graduation.Senior Checklist to Prepare for GraduationAs your student prepares for graduation, here are a few reminders:· College application deadlines are quickly approaching. If your senior has not completed applications for colleges,encourage him/her to submit those as soon as possible.· Encourage your senior to check out the updated scholarship listings located on the guidance link of Cornell’swebsite, www.cornell.k12.pa.us.· The financial aid process started on January 1. The FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, iscompleted online and is used by Federal and State Governments as well as colleges to determine eligibility forstudent aid in terms of grants and loans. If you would like to find out if you’re eligible for financial aid, you mustfill out the FAFSA form at www.fafsa.gov.Junior Checklist in Preparing for Senior Year· Juniors are reminded to register for one of the upcoming SAT testing dates in March, May, or June. The SAT isan important factor used by college admission counselors to determine acceptance. To register for the SAT, pleasevisit www.collegeboard.com.· Students can also opt to take the ACT, which is also accepted by mostcolleges. Upcoming testing dates for the ACT are in April and June.Registration for the ACT can be found at www.act.org.· Visit some local colleges – large, small, public, and private.· Attend college fairs.

Jr./Senior High NewsNews from CornellJr. High Student CouncilThe Cornell Junior High Student Council membershave been busy this year. They held a bake sale andall proceeds went to the Diabetes Foundation ofAmerica. In addition, the Council members participatedin the Toys For Tots Program in which theyraised monetary donations, as well as, a variety oftoys.Pictured above, the Junior High Student Councilalso organized a dance for all seventh and eighthgrade students. It was an awesome event! Themembers also voted and organized a movie for thefirst nine-week reward trip. The second nine-weekreward trip was held on February 15 at the NevilleIsland Roller Dome. The Council is looking forwardto a few other upcoming events as well. Some ofthese events include Random Acts of KindnessWeek, a Spring Fling, Read Across America, and, ofcourse, the final reward trip in the spring!National Honor Society NewsCornell Key Club Coordinates aRED OUT for the American Heart AssociationDuring the month of January, the Cornell Key Club worked in collaborationwith Cornell Elementary and the American Heart Association to raise funds andbring awareness to heart disease. The Key Club hung signs around the schoolbringing attention to heart disease and the "Red Out" event held on February 1.The students sold paper "hearts" during lunch in which students could writetheir names or the names of loved ones who have been touched by heartdisease. These "hearts" were then hung on the cafeteria wall as a visualrepresentation of the impact of the disease. The students also sold AmericanHeart Association "Red Out" T-shirts during the school day and at lunch. OnFebruary 1, the students hosted a "Red Out" where students, teachers and staffwere encouraged to wear red bringing awareness to the disease. That Fridayevening, the Key Club also hosted a "Red Out" at the boys junior varsity andvarsity basketball games against Union. In total, the Cornell family raised nearly$800 for the American Heart Association to fight against heart disease.Dating Awareness Program Helps StudentsLEFT: Leon Strimel – CrisisCenter North; Gina Walter –High School Counselor;Aaron Thomas – HighSchool Principal; Dr. GaryCuccia and JohannaCuccia - Demi Brae CucciaAwareness Organization;Laura Penrod Kronk andMelanie Costantino –Ladies Hospital Aid Society.On January 31, Dr. Gary Cuccia from the Demi Brae Cuccia Awareness Organizationtalked to the students in grades 9-12 about Teen Dating Abuse andViolence. Dr. Cuccia, from the local Pittsburgh area, lost his daughter a fewyears ago to dating violence. He stressed the need to recognize the warningsigns. His mission is to share Demi’s story with the hope of preventing anotherteen death from dating violence. Dr. Cuccia also talked about what to look forand what to do if you or a friend is involved in an unhealthy relationship. Formore information, visit www.DemiBrae.com.Students in the Cornell National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society,under the direction of their advisor Mrs. Ruth Mihalyi, organized a Thanksgiving FoodDrive in November for the Coraopolis Food Pantry. All donations will go to helping localfamilies in the Coraopolis and Neville Island areas. The students collected over 1200items, including cases of water, canned goods, boxed foods and toiletries.During the Christmas season, the students in Honor Society held their annual Make-A-Wish Fundraiser by selling stuffed bears and stuffed elephants that were delivered tostudents in their homerooms in time for Christmas. Honor Society also sponsored ateacher “Jeans Day” during the event to help raise funds for the Pittsburgh Chapter of theMake-A-Wish Foundation. The students raised $538.50 that will go towards a child’s wishin the Pittsburgh area, pictured, left. Members of the Honor Society presented their checkto the Make-A-Wish Foundation during the Foundation’s Annual 99.7 Broadcast at TheMall at Robinson.

Technology News K-12This year Mr. Hupp’s College in High School Governmentclass had four teams submit videos to compete in C-SPAN’sannual StudentCAM (http://studentcam.org) studentdocumentary contest. This year’s theme is “Message to thePresident: What’s the most important issue the president shouldconsider in 2013?” Junior Nathan Lawyer and Senior LindseyJeffress interviewed Gregg Behr, Executive Director of the GrableFoundation; Dr. Steven Sokol, CEO of the World Affairs Councilof Pittsburgh; and Carl Kurlander, Co-Founder of SteeltownEntertainment; to name a few. All of the teams worked formonths on their project and are looking forward to the winnersbeing announced on March 6.On January 19, Mr. Hupp and Mrs. Kerr took a small group ofjuniors and seniors to the Heinz Regional History Center forSteeltown Entertainment’s launch of the 2013 Take a Shot (http://takeashotcontest.org) student documentary film contest. At thelaunch, students screened “The People Speak” and had theopportunity to listen to a filmmaker that worked on the project.Mr. Dean’s Music Keyboarding class is using iPads this year.Students learn how to play and write simple melodies in thecourse. With the iPads, students are able to record theirperformances and edit them for use in multimedia projects. Mr.Dean and his students also use the iPads and AirPlaytechnology to wirelessly send video to a large screen in theclassroom. They use this technology to share their annotationsof music and to show off their keyboarding skills.A number of recent video conferences have been available forstudents, helping them connect with people and places they mightnever get to talk to otherwise. Students have signed up in Mrs. Kerr'sclass based on their interest.VideoconferencesOn January 31, students connected with other schools acrossPennsylvania, and tuned in to a presentation from students in Ghana.Tenth and eleventh grade students then had the opportunity to ask thestudents from Ghana any questions that they had about their culture.On February 6, a new group of students met to learn about theongoing crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. Students first watched afilm, “The Devil Came On Horseback,” which detailed one man'sexperiences documenting the violence in the Darfur region. After thefilm, students connected with the Goodwin Holocaust Museum inCherrywood, New Jersey. They listened to a presentation by a DoctorsWithout Borders volunteer, who described his experiences in Darfur.Students had the opportunity to ask him questions as well.Each year, students in Mrs. Kerr's World History classes begin with aunit leading up to Peace Day. In this unit they learn about conflicts invarious areas of the world, the role of the United Nations, and more.Students begin by watching a documentary called “The Day AfterPeace,” by filmmaker Jeremy Gilley. Throughout the year, students learnabout current events that relate to the Peace Day unit. This Valentine'sday, students had the opportunity to Skype chat with the filmmakerJeremy Gilley, and ask any pressing questions.

Elementary NewsSecond Grade Readers Theatre…A Unique Approach to Improving Reading Fluency!FAR LEFT: (Front row from left to right:Hannah Hoffman, Dontae Chiappino StarBarwell, Ciara White-McShane, Kodee MaDan,Malia McShane-Langston, Samani Allen,Nathaniel Schmid, Owen McLaren, Kira Arndt,and Sharlyn Barrett. Second row: AshleaPhillips, Domneak Spino, and GracieFarbacher. Back row: Anderson Bando,Michael Radar, and Gia Labans.LEFT: Ms. Bretch’s class painting a backdrop.Ms. Bretch’s and Mrs. Wolfe’s second grade classes areparticipating in a Reader’s Theater Program at the Father Ryan ArtsCenter in McKees Rocks. This ten-week program provides thestudents with an opportunity to engage in theatre and visual artsclasses with professional teaching artists. In the theatre class, thestudents are assigned a character’s role from a familiar story (“ABad Case of the Stripes” by David Shannon and” The Dish RanA Prehistoric ChristmasAway With the Spoon”). The students practice reading their storiesand learning their parts, while continuously improving their readingfluency. In the visual arts classes, the students are learning about setdesign while designing their costumes, props, and the set for theirproduction. The students’ Readers Theatre presentation was onTuesday, March 19 at Father Ryan Arts Center, McKees Rocks.Geodman Visits Third GradeThe Geodman visited Cornell Elementary’s Third Grade students during their Rocks andMinerals Science unit. He taught the students about various types of geodes, how theyare formed and where they can be found. The students were given an opportunity topurchase some geodes to add to their personal collections.TOP: Tyler Robinson of fourth grade posed for Santa Claus,when Mr. Dean’s second and fourth grade music classesperformed “A Prehistoric Christmas” as a way to welcomethe holiday season.BOTTOM: Makenzie Hoffman, fourth grade, as T-Rex.

Elementary NewsFourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade Go SwimmingFourth, fifth, and sixth grade students headed to the pool as a reward for completing the second nine-week grading period. Students whoworked hard, participated in class, and maintained appropriate behavior throughout the entire nine-week period were invited to participate ina pool party.ABOVE, FAR RIGHT: Fourth grade students getting ready to swim! (First row from left to right: Brandon Spencer, Milton Lopez, HashoneCarry, Jalen Foster, and Jase Barr. Second Row: Serena Chacha, Ayana Shaw, Riley McDonough, Hannah Bosetti, and Annalisa Rambo.Last row: Katelyn Mozuch, Angel Arnau, Sophia Almendarez, Giavanna Wiley, Isis Allen, Taylor Cecil, Carly Dalessandro, and CheyenneMaxwell.)100 Day of School CelebrationCornell Elementary students celebrated the 100th Day of School with 100 Day activities, including a parade around the building, which wasled by the Cornell High School Marching Band.Straight A BreakfastABOVE: Students in grades 2-6 who received straight A’s on their secondnine-weeks report card, were invited to the Straight A Breakfast Celebration.The students were congratulated by Ms. Shaw (Elementary Principal) and Mr.Paul (Elementary School Counselor) and were presented with Award ofExcellence certificates. The students also enjoyed a special breakfastthanks to Lynda Gorring (Director of Food Services).

Elementary Guidance NewsInformation from:Mr. Greg Paul, Cornell Elementary School Guidance CounselorCornell Elementary students are beginning to learnabout career awareness and career exploration. Studentsin third, fourth, and fifth grade will be learning abouthow school is relevant towards obtaining a flourishingcareer. Cornell Students will complete self-assessmentinventories, which assist in understanding specific interests,skills, and talents that relate to school and careerinterests. Students will also learn about different careerclusters in order to efficiently organize career explorationmethods.Cornell Elementary sixth graders are learning effectiveways to prepare for Cornell Junior High School byparticipating in the Transition Success School SpecialtyProgram.Our sixth graders have learned and are currentlylearning about:· The importance of getting familiar with their new environment· The difference between elementary school and juniorhigh school· Study skills and organizational skills for a new academicenvironment· How to set long-term and short-term goals· Effective time management· Identification of learning stylesThis transition program is designed to improve academic,social, and emotional skills that will help studentsmake a successful transition to junior high school. It is ourgoal that our elementary students will become wellroundedindividuals who succeed in all areas of their lives.Students in grades 3-6 recently completed the secondadministration of the 4Sight Reading and Math Benchmarks.These benchmarks are aligned to the PSSA andprovide an estimate of student performance on the PSSAas well as diagnostic sub-skill data to guide classroominstruction. The 4Sight Benchmark Assessments haveproven to be an effective tool utilized across our Commonwealthto drive instruction, identify program needs andimprove student achievement.Cornell Students Reach Out to Sandy Hook Elementary School StudentsThe students of Cornell Elementary School, under thedirection of Speech and Language teacher, Ms. DaynaJones, created a banner to send to the students ofSandy Hook Elementary School following the tragedythat took place in Newton, Connecticut on Friday,December 14.Students in grades kindergarten through sixth gradeplaced their handprints on a banner that read, “SendingHugs from Cornell Elementary.”The Cornell School District community was affectedby this tragedy and this was a way to send a giant"hug" in a time where words could not be found.Sandy Hook PTA was contacted in late December,and notified that they would be receiving the banner.

P.R.I.D.E. Activitiesat the high school . . . . .TOP TO BOTTOM, LEFT: Students from the elementary andhigh school P.R.I.D.E. went to Clinton Park to decorate a treefor their Light up the Season community fundraiser.Standing,Ava and Ms. Belas, Jason Keene, Madison Litzinger, IsaiahLangston, Shane McCaslin, Noah Lach, Ashley Connor, andLelah Fassinger; kneeling, Micah Dickerson, DeAiraJackson, Savannah Barber, and Sydney Grannis.Amirah Bethel, Myka Smith, Nysia Miles, and PatienceGipson show off their work in Gifts from the Kitchen.Skyelar Matson, Sydney Bowers, and Aby Saiva show offthe finished product right before it goes in the oven.TOP TO BOTTOM, RIGHT: The P.R.I.D.E. guys taking part ingym activities during the Hawaiian Luau.The Battle of the Books kids were given an opportunity toparticipate in a Library Lock-in the night of February 8.Students in grades 6-12 that meet the requirements of theclub were able to swim, play video games, play boardgames, watch movies, and eat pizza, as long as they couldstay awake. This year 28 kids participated, only fivemanaged to stay up the entire night!Taylor Washington, Kaila Knebes, Aneiah Purdom, andBrianna Cyphert show off their dance move from JustDance in the Wii Club.. . .at the elementary schoolTOP TO BOTTOM: Kodee MaDan and Angel Matuke hard at work in Artsand Crafts Club.Haleigh Smith and Isaiah Langston playing Headbanz in Board GamesClub.Becoming business savvy in Junior Achievement.The K’Nex girls: Janiah Lupi, Leanna Anderson, Gillian Shaughnessy,Brooklynn Vandine, and Madyson Leas.Playing “Guard the Pin” in Stay Fit.

Parkway West NewsOTC Awards ScholarshipsEmployees of the MonthJANUARYMrs. Beth Miles, Cornell School District TransportationDirector and Free and Reduced Lunch ProgramCoordinator, was recognized at the January School Boardmeeting for her outstanding service to the Cornell SD.LEFT: Mr. David Kania, Parkway West CTC instructor, congratulates BrianBennett; RIGHT: Rob Gilligan receives his certificate from Mr. Todd Kiefer,Parkway West CTC instructor.Ohio Technical College (OTC), located in Cleveland, Ohio, hasawarded $1,000 scholarships to each SkillsUSA contestant whoplaced in an automotive related competition. The following CornellHigh School students will each be awarded scholarships:From Automotive Technology II: Brian Bennett, Cornell HighSchool junior, and Rob Gilligan, Cornell High School senior.Should Brian and Rob place at the states competition on April 3,they will receive additional scholarship money. Both Brian and Robwere recognized as Parkway West CTC Students of the Monthduring the first semester.CORNELL’S ALUMNIHALL OF FAMECornell School District is looking for alumni who have receivedstatewide or national recognition for their endeavors. The alumnimay be graduates of Neville HS, Coraopolis HS, or Cornell HS. Forthose wishing to submit applications to nominate outstandingalumni for the Wall-of-Fame, applications (available on the Cornellwebsite) can be mailed to Cornell School District, c/o Ms. DonnaBelas, Superintendent, 1099 Maple Street, Coraopolis, PA. 15108.For more information call Mrs. Beverly Benson, ExecutiveAssistant, (412) 264-5010, extension 100.FEBRUARYMrs. Lori Dzielski and Mrs. Connie Joseph, readingspecialists in Cornell Elementary School and Title IReading Teachers, were recognized at the February 21,2013, School Board Meeting as the Cornell SD Employeesof the Month. Mrs. Dzielski and Mrs. Joseph Theyrecently presented at the Robert Morris University BestPractices in Literacy Education Conference.Students of the MonthJANUARYCongratulations to the following students forbeing selected as exemplary students during themonth of January:12th Grade: Jon Arnold11th Grade: Allison Cosgrove10th Grade: Nolan Blackstone9th Grade: Jakel Anderson8th Grade: Nevin Donahue7thGrade: Abygail Saieva