hoods better to tell their stories than - Allegheny West Magazine

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Montour School District Makes AYP and Experiences Significant Growth Congratulations to the teachers, students, and support staff as the Montour School District once again achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as determined by the 2011-2012 PSSA scores. District-wide, 89% of students were advanced or proficient in math, and 85% of students were advanced or proficient in reading, which is the highest percentage of students scoring advanced or proficient in Montour’s history! The data also yielded a district-wide 6% increase in math and 3% increase in reading from 2010-2011. David E. Williams Middle School The Nutrition Group, Montour School District’s food service provider, is excited to introduce a new elementary concept this year - Chef Basil’s Wellness Wednesday. Beginning in October, students will have the opportunity to sample one new tasty culinary creation each month using a host of fresh, colorful vegetables, legumes, and whole grains for children to sample and enjoy. When students try a complimentary sample, they will receive a colorful sticker letting everyone know “I tried something new today!” It can be challenging at times to entice children to try new foods, so that’s why the food service group developed Wellness Wednesday! The goal is to introduce healthy foods that students may not have tried, in combinations that are appealing! 20 Allegheny West Magazine September/October 2012 experienced the most significant student achievement growth. David E. Williams achieved the highest PSSA scores in ten years during the 2011-12 school year! The middle school had six reporting categories scoring 90% advanced/proficient or greater. 2012-2013 Curriculum & Instruction Updates The Montour School District is pleased to continue offering robust, rich curricular offerings for the 2012-2013 school year. Embracing a vision of becoming the premier school district in western Pennsylvania, Montour will be augmenting course offerings in the areas of elementary science for grades 3-4 (HMH Science Fusion), high school science (Forensics and PLTW Human Body Systems), and the development of a cadre of new Keystone Algebra courses (grades 6-9) in preparation for the Pennsylvania graduation exams. Additionally, we will continue to refine current offerings to better align with the National Common Core Standards. New Elementary Concept Presented in Cafeteria This Year BY DR. CHRISTOPHER STONE DIRECTOR, CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION This school year the Montour School District will also begin a Tailored Instruction Initiative. Tailored instruction essentially represents the notion of constantly acknowledging students’ level of understanding and “tailoring” instructional methods to meet students’ unique needs. Tailored instruction promotes the creation of multiple learning paths to embrace students’ diverse abilities, interests, or learning needs while continuing to facilitate rigorous content and high expectations. This professional development initiative is one of several planned for this upcoming school year in supporting the mission of promoting high achievement for all students.
Introducing the School Check IN Program Safety is always a top priority at the Montour School District. Montour emphasizes keeping students safe at school through strict behavior standards and school resource officers. Security cameras can be found on all buses and throughout district facilities. In the event that an emergency were to occur, parents will receive a phone call from the AlertNow calling system. Information will also be posted on the Web site. Please visit the Alert Now System webpage on the District’s Web site for more information on how to sign-up for Spartan Text Alerts. Each building in the Montour School District operates the School Check-In program. When a parent/ guardian or any other visitor enters a school he/she must “Check-In” at the main office by scanning his/ her license at the computer kiosk. A visitors badge is then printed out and worn by the visitor. The School Check-In program tracks when and why visitors enter and when they left, scans visitor driver licenses, performs an instant nationwide sex offender search, tracks parents/guardians who have authority to pick up students, prints visitor ID badges, and prints substitute teacher ID badges. Burkett Elementary A.R. Winners Suffer Massive Brain Freeze! Over 100 Burkett Elementary students last school year were given sweet rewards for outstanding achievement in the district’s Accelerated Reader program. The top scoring class from each grade level as well as top individual readers were rewarded with an ice cream sundae party. Students earned points reading books that were at or exceeded their reading level. Upon completion, students took online tests that measured comprehension of the books they read. When students scored at or above the minimum benchmark, they were awarded points. Points accumulated over the course of each nine-week period and the top classes and individual readers received various rewards and incentives. The Accelerated Reader program is facilitated through collaboration of the elementary staff and the Burkett Elementary P.T.A. The P.T.A. provides each student with prizes and or parties at designated times during the year. P.T.A. Accelerated Reader Chairperson Rosa Hoffman states that “the program creates a win-win situation. Whether students are reading for pleasure or reward, the program promotes increased comprehension and reading skills.” She also adds, “a little competition goes a long way, and students love to earn points for their efforts.” Burkett Elementary Principal Dan DiDesiderio said the program promotes reading comprehension and skills while allowing students to read books of their choice, not the traditional reading texts from years past. “Popular children’s books are part of the A.R. program. Students can read from a variety of genres that they enjoy, allowing them to individually design their A.R. program,” he added. In addition to students’ selected books, the school librarian and teachers play a crucial role in identifying areas of need for students and recognizing the appropriate reading levels. The Montour School District implemented a new reading series last year and almost all of the stories from the reading text are also part of the Accelerated Reading Program. This allows students at all levels of reading achievement to participate, read stories, and answer comprehension assessments. September/October 2012 www.alleghenywestmagazine.com 21
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