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about the Association.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR
School Closed, Columbus Day:
Monday, Oct. 8
HSA Meeting:
Wednesday,
Oct. 10,
Spain Conference Room, 6 p.m.
Blood Drive:
Tuesday, Oct. 16
PSAT
(Grades 9-11):
Wednesday,
Oct. 17
Museum Day:
Early Dismissal:
Freshman Tea & Club Fair:
Tuesday, Oct. 23
College Fair:
Thursday, Nov. 1
School Closed, Staff Only (Election Day):
Tuesday, Nov. 6
School Closed, Veterans Day:
Monday, Nov. 12
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HELP WANTED
Newsletter staffers:
Interested in working
on the newsletter? Contact
Dave Kalkstein
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Bring Your Photo ID
Just a reminder:
When you come to visit Central High School, you must have a photo ID.
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Welcome!
A new school year, in more ways than one. As always, this first newsletter is somewhat "light," since we have yet to hear about student achievements - many of which are no doubt on the way.
Central has a new and promising President, Mr. Timothy McKenna, who is interviewed below, and a new and promising class, 275.
This is an election year (as if you didn't know already), and Central is providing voter-registration forms for students who will turn 18 on or before Nov. 6, 2012. Students (and others who want to register) can get the forms from Mr. Levy in Room 210 until Thursday, Oct. 18. The Central website also has a link to Philadelphia's Committee of Seventy, another resource for first-time (and veteran) voters. This is just one of many valuable items at centralhigh.net.
Congratulations to the Art Department's Mr. Saleet on the birth of baby girl, Charli, on Sept. 2. And, of course, welcome to new teachers and staff!
Penn, Dartmouth, Tufts and Brown are among the many great schools that send representatives to Central to reach out to "the best and the brightest." Check the Daily Bulletin for the schedule of college admissions sessions. This is a great opportunity for seniors, not to be missed.
We want to tell your stories! It's easy - just drop us a line.
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Born and Raised Philadelphian to Lead Central
As a high school wrestler competing against Central when he was at St. Joseph's Prep, Mr. Timothy McKenna never envisioned the day he would become the new President of "the best high school in Philadelphia." But after 16½ years in Philadelphia education, that is just where he is.
Mr. McKenna was principal of Furness High School in South Philadelphia, which he described as a "great school with great people." Asked by the interview panel why he would leave a school he so clearly liked, he had a simple answer: "It's Central."
A very approachable guy who spends part of each morning greeting students at the front door, Mr. McKenna says he's eager to take on the challenges that come with Central, where "every aspect of the job is grander in scale." He vows to honor Central traditions (no uniforms, for those students who were worried!), but hopes to make improvements, especially in facilities and access to technology.
Mr. McKenna, at 41, feels fortunate to have the behind-the-scenes assistance of retired Central President Sheldon Pavel, whom he considers a friend as well as a resource. "To replace a legend at a legendary school is a little daunting," he said, "but I'm prepared."
He views his style as "student-centered," and says he places a premium on improving not just students' education but their social expression. And he vows to strictly enforce ethics standards, citing with dismay recent cheating scandals at such academic exemplars as Stuyvesant High School in New York City and Harvard University.
A lifelong Philadelphian, born and raised in Frankford, he is proud that community service is a component of Central's curriculum and believes that "every student has gifts to give." He still has vivid memories of his own high school foray to Mexico to help students there: "Every single kid in Philadelphia should know how lucky they are to be here."
Proud father of 4-year-old Riley, Mr. McKenna is hoping she will be a member of 285 (although he admits she may not be thrilled to go to her "dad's school"). A team builder, with a strong background in finance and management, he's well aware that his "honeymoon period" will likely be short, but still looks forward to working with the School District to deal with the ongoing school funding crisis.
Welcome President McKenna!
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From Sea to Shining Sea: Mr. Ueda's Summer Vacation
On June 23, 2012, Daniel Ueda began an epic odyssey across these United States by placing his rear bicycle tire in the Atlantic Ocean at Point Pleasant, NJ.
On Aug. 27, the Central robotics and physics teacher and Ultimate Frisbee coach dipped his front tire in the Pacific Ocean at Seaside, OR, ending a trek of 3,988 miles.
In between, Mr. Ueda crossed 14 states, experiencing breathtaking vistas, 5,000-foot-plus climbs, numerous flat tires, one bee sting, terrible heat (it wasn't until July 20 that the temperature dropped below 85 degrees for the first time), and morale-testing winds.
He located the source of the Mississippi, camped in yards, parks and campsites, was awakened a few times by sprinklers, lost his cell phone, followed the route of Lewis and Clark, and stopped being a vegetarian. He visited the hometown of Ted Kaczynski (a/k/a The Unabomber, in Lincoln, MT) and met a direct descendant of William Penn, whose name was . . . William Penn. He talked to numerous people about subjects ranging from the oil boom in North Dakota to small towns in that state that are struggling to stay alive, the history and treatment of Native Americans, dwindling school populations in Montana, and kids who go away to college without taking over family farms, which are then consumed by large operations with no stake in communities.
At his journey's end, "I hit the beach and ran with my bike toward the shore and dipped the front tire in, but no one was around. It was like performing a great magic trick and then realizing no one was in the audience. Very anticlimactic. I was hoping people would stare and say, 'What is he doing?' and I'd have to explain, but instead, it was just me, my bike completely full of sand, and the rain."
With almost 4,000 miles covered in two months, Mr. Ueda summed it up: "As much as I adore traveling and temporary experiences, I prefer the more permanent ones - the ones that greet you every morning like routine. Granola and soy milk, 33 smiling, bored faces, the Coop, my friends, family . . . . That stuff makes me more happy than mountains and cafes and waterfalls and badlands and rivers. Just slightly."
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Girls Soccer Moves to Fall
Anyone waiting for spring to gather lawn chairs and go watch the Central girls play soccer will be a bit late. That's because girls' soccer, which has always been a spring sport in the Philadelphia Public League, has been switched to fall.
The PIAA made the move to align schools across the state, including private, Catholic and other public leagues, thereby resulting in only one "state champ."
The change was met with mixed feelings, since many Central girls who had played other fall sports - field hockey and volleyball - had to make a choice.
Returning soccer player Beata Mamrol, 273, expressed regret at losing teammates, but said she looks forward to the challenge of playing some tougher non-Public League schools. Asked the biggest difference in the new season, she said unhesitatingly: "The heat! We were used to a nice cool start to our season with a gradual warming, but we started right in with 90-plus degree heat, and it took some getting used to."
Coach Jacquelyn Mancinelli, a former college soccer player who teaches English at Central, is heading into her second coaching season. Tryouts and pre-season practice began in mid-August, and Coach Mancinelli was concerned that incoming freshman might not have been aware of the new schedule, since fewer girls tried out this year. Overall, though, she sees the season change as positive, noting that she picked up a few new players from softball, a spring sport that used to conflict with soccer.
This includes new goalie Nicole Kaminski, 272, who is "thrilled" to be in the net for Central. "I've played soccer since I was 3, but when I elected to play softball, I lost out on soccer," she said.
Field conflicts also present some issues. Boys soccer coach Joshua Trott notes that the PIAA likely didn't give enough consideration to city schools' serious space issues. Central now has boys soccer, girls soccer, field hockey and football all sharing just two fields. But good communication among coaches has kept things working, with teams juggling space and cheering each other on.
Coach Mancinelli looks forward to increased competition as a result of the season change: "I have an energetic, dedicated group of girls this season, and despite upsets, they have prevailed and continue to work hard. We are looking forward to another playoff appearance this year, and I look forward to having the program mature and become more competitive outside the Public League." Go Central!
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Central Night at the Phillies
"Central is a really special place," said new President Tim McKenna, "and it doesn't take long at all to figure that out." Mr. McKenna was speaking on the eve of one really special Central tradition, Central Night at the Phillies.
This popular school outing was inaugurated in September 2008, with then-President Dr. Sheldon Pavel throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a Phillies' victory over the Washington Nationals. Since then there have been eight Central Nights at the Phillies, typically one in spring and one in fall.
The Phils' high winning percentage (.875) and run differential (52 for the Phillies vs. 30 for opponents) on Central nights has cemented the collective enthusiasm for the event. An evening at Citizens Bank Park "is a great opportunity for all of the stakeholders - current students, faculty, staff, family and alumni - to celebrate Central High School together," Mr. McKenna said.
When he got the call to throw out the first pitch for the Friday, Sept. 21, matchup against the Atlanta Braves, Mr. McKenna took it in stride. "I played baseball as a kid, and played a lot of softball after college too," he explained, "though I'll admit that I have never had to throw a ball in front of a crowd this large." He anticipated that his brother and father would be scrutinizing his efforts and providing some good-natured ribbing if things did not go according to plan. Rest assured: Central fans in attendance reported that Mr. McKenna went with a breaking pitch that might have even been called a high strike by a generous umpire.
With the pitch delivered, the ensuing game extended Central's streak of home victories to five, as the Phillies defeated the Braves 6-2.
Just wait 'til next year!
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Help Wanted
Newsletter staffers: Interested in working on the newsletter? Contact Dave Kalkstein.
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Thank You
Thanks for reading the newsletter! This newsletter is a volunteer effort sponsored by the Central High School Home and School Association and would not exist without the efforts of our founder, Jane Von Bergen. Our thanks to our writers, Nancy Winter, Marty Franklin and Kathie Conrad, as well as Mr. McKenna and the school staff.
Writing for the newsletter is more fun than you think! Get in touch.
Dave Kalkstein and Dan Cason, Co-Editors
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