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HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

June 2011


In This Issue
"Gang" Graduates
Join the Alumni
Central Jazz at Festival
Memories in Tile
Barnwell Honors
Fond Farewells
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR

274 Summer Workshops: 
Tuesday - Thursday, 
July 19 - 21 

274 Freshmen Orientation:
Monday - Friday, August 9 - 12

School Begins for New Students:  
Friday, 
September 2
      
School Begins for All Students: 
Tuesday,
September 6

Senior Portraits Begin: 
Tuesday,
September 13


HELP WANTED
Newsletter staffers:
Interested in working
on the newsletter? Contact 

Dave Kalkstein

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Telephone - Main Office  215-276-5262 

Welcome! 


First, our congratulations and best wishes to our 270 graduates.  More on commencement below, and check out the NewsWorks story (by a 270 grad) while you are at it.

 

Central ends another year, with 528 new graduates who garnered $22.8 million in scholarships and an additional $200,000 from the alumni. That works out to be just about $43,000 per student.  This is a huge value delivered to our students and their families by their hard work and the dedicated teachers and staff at Central. It is also solid proof of the value of public education.

 

On an athletic note, we hear from Steve Lienert, 248, that Central's Ultimate Frisbee Team won several tournaments this spring, including the Philadelphia High School Ultimate Education League Division 3 City Championship over Methacton on May 22. He reports that he started playing Ultimate Frisbee at Central in 1987 and wouldn't have met his wife and great friends without having been introduced to the sport at Central.

 

There will be some changes at Central next year, in part due to retirements of some veteran teachers. The new Science Department chair will be Ms. Darcel Bonner; Mr. Jonathan Fabrey will take over as International Baccalaureate coordinator, and Mr. Jim Sinnot will step up to athletic director / Physical Education Department chair. The new chair of the Social Studies Department will be Mr. Stan Levy. Ms. Nicole Gaughan will take over as Roster Department chair, while Ms. Kris Haskins will take over as 274 sponsor and Mr. Mike Horwits will sponsor 273. Mr. Brian Howland will be financial sponsor for 271 and 272.

 

Pass the newsletter on to families with bright kids!

Got news?? Tell us all about it!! 

Another great year indeed.

 

Jane Von Bergen and Dave Kalkstein, co-editors.

270 "Gang" Graduates

Commencement exercises for 528 members of Central's 270th class were held at the Kimmel Center on June 15The ceremony was initiated by Central's world-renowned string orchestra, conducted by Music Department Chair Stephen Wilensky.

Graduation
Graduation at the Kimmel (Bas Slabbers /for NewsWorks)
Nikita Shah, 270 class president, rang the traditional bell presented at the first Central graduation in 1836. Later, she delivered the welcome speech to the class of 270, which she described as "the most talented class."  Alvin Varghese, student government president, greeted the audience with "good morning" in the languages of the nationalities that comprised 270.  He spoke of the extraordinary diversity they all experienced throughout their years at Central.  Salutary was given by Katherine Mateo, who encouraged her classmates to follow their dreams.

 

Valedictorian Jordan Konell compared the 270 class to the "Little Rascals" and even referred to the 270 class as a "gang."  Dr. Pavel humorously remarked, "I can see the headline - Central graduation speaker condones gangs!"  Dr. Bill Cosby, 204, entertained both the class and the audience and instructed the graduates to set goals and always focus on responsibility, honesty and particularly family. 

 

Many Alumni prizes (about $200,000 worth!) were presented to members of the 270 class by the Alumni Association's Harvey Steinberg, 209, Charles Rainey, 225, and Barry Rosenberg, 229.  Graduation awards were bestowed by assistant principals Jackie Betof, Lori DeFields and Lynada C. Martinez.  Finally, Dr. Pavel urged the class to "stretch their knowledge, sincerity and compassion beyond the limits."  The traditional beach balls were bounced through the class as they performed the "wave."  As the ceremony concluded, praises of the crimson and gold were belted out as the 270 class sung "Central High" written by Horace M. Shell, 112, Francis A. Wade, 112, and John L. Waldman, 112.

 

Valedictorian Jordan Konell reported on the graduation for WHYY's Newsworks. His fine story can be viewed here .

 

Congratulations 270!

Join the Associated Alumni   

259 Banner Gift 

It's a beautiful Father's Day in June, and a group of Central alumni, organized by a member of 265, are playing softball in a three-team league in a South Philadelphia park. This group is yet another testimony to the firm friendships formed at Central. When graduates bump into each other, they state their class numbers and stop to chat, all over the place, from Philadelphia to China.

 

What separates Central from many other schools in Philadelphia (and in the nation) is the fierce loyalty of its alumni, who maintain their ties for decades after they graduate. But for Central to remain strong, those close bonds need to translate into more than a ball game. Central graduates continue to make a difference for the school - just look at the library, the alums' most recent multimillion-dollar project. There have also been enhancements to the weight room and the music suite. Next up is the auditorium. The Associated Alumni of Central High School distributed more than $200,000 in scholarships, prizes and awards at June's 270 graduation. If you are the parent of a 270 graduate or a member of the class of 270, join the Alumni Association right now. Graduates who sign up now can have a lifetime membership for $250, payable in equal installments of $50 a year, over five years. For information, email the Association, call 215-927-9550 or connect through the Association website.

Central Jazzes Up West Oak Lane Festival

 

Didn't know Central has a Jazz Band? Indeed we do, and nine of its members took the stage in June, on their own initiative, at the West Oak Lane Jazz and Arts Festival. Brandon Turner, 271, directed the ensemble, dressed in black, in pieces from Frank Sinatra to Stevie Wonder.

 

Jazz fans, including Central Jazz Band Director Michael Francettti, gathered from Philadelphia and the region to take in the festival and were delighted by the band's performance. Central's Jazz Band practices twice a week but only had two rehearsals before the festival. Take a look at some great pictures and listen to an audio recording of the Jazz Band.

Memories in Tile

 

The corridors are empty, the students are gone, but the memories remain. The hallways bear witness with rows of tiles, each with a graduate's name and class number. The tiles create an outstanding legacy for Central graduates and an important, if silent, way for them to make a difference for Central's future. The money raised helps the Home and School Association provide grants for the extras that make Central special. You can express your support for Central and your admiration for one of its fine graduates. Download a tile order form. Your students will come back to the school one day - for a play, to help out or just to stop by. No matter what they may tell you now, they will be delighted to search and find their tiles. Take it from this writer with two Central grads who recently found their tiles for the first time - they are very meaningful.

 

Congratulations from the Home and School Association to you, yours and the class of 270.

Barnwell Luncheon Honors 270 Volunteers

 

The awards, scholarships and honors are flying fast and furious for the class of 270.  But perhaps some of the most important honors were those presented by staff and alumni at the Barnwell Honors Luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on June 13. Gold, silver and bronze keys were awarded to 109 seniors for their unremunerated and unselfish service to Central.

 

"Central High simply cannot run without the input and help from the students,"  Dr. Pavel noted. The many amazing 270 events this year -from the ski trip, to the class picnic, to the prom, culminating in the pageantry of their graduation at the Kimmel Center - would not have happened without 270 students stepping up and helping make it happen. 

 

Vice Principal Lori Defields called the Barnwell Luncheon one of her favorite events at Central High School.  She said that the students who work the hardest for the school and "rarely have a moment to themselves, get to dress up and enjoy a delicious meal with family, friends and many of the teachers and school staff members they serve on a daily basis."

 

While proud family members looked on, 15 gold keys, 30 silver keys and 64 bronze keys were awarded to the seniors who gave so unselfishly of their time.  As one parent noted, "these are the kids that help make Central High the amazing school that it is."

Fond Farewells to Retiring Teachers 

 

Every year teachers retire from Central, and new teachers arrive the following year. Twenty teachers are retiring this year, with combined Central careers totaling 291 years. These outstanding, dedicated teachers have uplifted thousands and thousands of students' lives during their careers, while at Central and prior to their arrival.

 

Frank Greco, Physical Education Department chair, is the most veteran retiree this year, serving at Central for 27 of his 37 years of teaching. Joseph Putro, Social Studies Department chair, retires after 46 years of teaching, 23 of them at Central. He began teaching before some of our students' parents were born!

 

When one reads over the list of this year's retiring teachers, it is impossible not to be impressed by their long public school teaching careers, most of which exceed 30 years. Many could well have retired some years earlier, but chose instead to continue their passionate mission to instruct young people.

 

We and the world owe great thanks to the retiring teachers from Central.

As Martin Luther King observed - "almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."

 

All the very best wishes from the entire Central community. We hope that all the departing teachers enjoy their well-earned retirements. They will be missed. 

Help Wanted
 
Newsletter staffers: Interested in working on the newsletter? Contact Dave Kalkstein.

Thank You

  

First, a huge "Thank You" to all of the retiring teachers and staff that have worked so hard for so long for our students and their families. And thank you to the alumni who contributed thousands of dollars in scholarships for the 270 graduates.

 

Thanks as well to all who helped with this year's newsletters, with great stories by great volunteer parents, including Kathie Conrad, Marty Franklin, Nancy Winter, John Newcomb, Marian Nasuti and Mary Dempsey-Lau.  And thanks to Dan Cason as well as our editors Johnette Miller, Jane Von Bergen, Marcella Brown and Tamar Magdovitz. Special thanks also to Diane Luckman, who provided the polish for so many of our issues. Thanks as always for the support and assistance of Dr. Pavel, Mr. Walsh and the teachers and students who took part in our stories.

 

This newsletter is a volunteer effort brought to you by the Central High School Home and School Association.


Didn't see your news here? Want to let others know about special achievements? Have an idea for an article? Tell us about itBetter yet, go ahead and volunteer for the most enjoyable parent activity at Central!  

All the best for a great summer, and see you next year!!

 

Sincerely,

Dave Kalkstein and Jane M. Von Bergen, Newsletter Co-Editors

Central High School - Philadelphia