- 03/05: Washington Spring Reading Incentive Kickoff
- 03/05: Curriculum Committee Mtg.
- 03/05: Family Fun Night
- 03/05: Finance Committee Mtg.
- 03/07: PTA Council Mtg.
- 03/06: PAGE Mtg.
- 03/06: Forbes PTA Mtg.
- 03/07: PTA Scholarship Committee Mtg.
- 03/07: NHS Induction
- 03/08: Penn Hebron PTA Mtg.
- 03/08: Penn Hebron Movie Night at Penn Hills Cinema
- 03/08: Washington 3rd Grade Picnic Mtg.
- 03/08: Washington PTA Mtg.
- 03/09: PSSA Q&A w/Mrs. Brown
- 03/10: PTA Craft Show
- 03/11: Daylight Savings Time Begins
- 03/12-23: Grades 3-8 & 11 PSSA Math and Reading Assessments
- 03/12: Forbes Easter Greens Sale Begins
- 03/12: Discipline/Safety/ Security Committee Mtg.
- 03/12: Family Fun Night
- 03/12: HR/Policy Committee Mtg.
- 03/19: Family Fun Night
- 03/19: School Board Public Voting Mtg.
- 03/21: Linton PTA Mtg.
- 03/23: Forbes Easter Greens Sale Ends
- 03/23: Washington Pittsburgh Zoo Program
- 03/24: NJROTC Annual Military Ball
- 03/26: End 3rd 9 Weeks/134th Day
- 03/26: Family Fun Night
- 03/27-29: Forbes Book Fair
- 03/27: Forbes Family Night/Open PTA Mtg.
- 03/28: Washington Student of the Month Presentation
- 03/28: HS PTSA Mtg.
- 03/30: Professional Day, No Students
- 03/30: Linton Musical
- 03/31: Linton Musical
To view additional events, click here. |
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Elementary and Secondary Menus
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Senior High Guidance Contact Information
Grade 9 - Karen Rasmussen, x5286
Grade 10 - Henry Gonsowski, x5289
Grade 11 - Scott Zemba, x5287
Grade 12 - Amy Alexander, x5288
Secretary - Janet Ferrell, x5290 |
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Linton Musical - "Oz"
Linton will be presenting "Oz, The Musical" on March 30th and 31st. Doors open at 7 pm, with performances at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. The musical "Oz" takes the classic story by Frank L. Baum and gives it new songs and a new twist. The journey of Dorothy and her friends still includes the escape from the enchanted trees, the poppy field, and the eventual victory over the wicked witch and her minions. But, there are many new songs to delight the audience, including "A Little Bit O Courage," "I Ain't Got a Brain in my Head," "I Got the Power," and many more. |
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Annual PTA Craft Show March 10th
Over 50 crafters and vendors will be participating in the annual PTA Craft Show on March 10th at Linton Middle School. The High School PTSA will have a snack bar available for their scholarship fund. During the event, there will be a Chinese auction made up of products from all of the different vendors. Admission is free, and the event will take place from 10 am to 3 pm. |
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District E-Newsletter Wins State Award
The District's electronic newsletter, Penn Hills Pride, was recognized with an Award of Honor for the Electronic Communication Category in the 2011 Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association (PenSPRA) Excellence in Education Communications Contest. Penn Hills was one of two districts to receive this award.
The PenSPRA Excellence in Education Communications Awards were created to recognize outstanding school public relations efforts that address school-related issues with professional skill, creativity, and resourcefulness.
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Title I Pre-K Registration
The Penn Hills School District will begin registering students this month for its Title I 2012-2013 All-Day Preschool Program. This Preschool is for 4 year olds who are Penn Hills residents.
The program, which receives Federal Title I funding, will screen children and interview parents in May to determine which children would benefit most.
The preschool program is held all day (8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, at Washington Elementary School. To be eligible for next fall, children must be residents of Penn Hills, turn age 4 by September 1st, and be toilet trained. Spaces are limited.
Certified teachers provide developmentally appropriate curriculum, socialization opportunities, motor activities, language enrichment, and parent participation opportunities to preschoolers in the program.
Parents must also agree to complete four commitments a month. These commitments include many options for parents, including volunteering in the classroom; attending Districtwide events, meetings, or conferences; or participating in a variety of activities with their child at home or at school. Parents have a wide variety of activities to choose from in order to fulfill these commitments throughout the school year.
To schedule a screening appointment, call 412-793-7000, ext. 1280, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Screenings will be held on May 14, 16, 17, and 18 by appointment only. |
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Orders for 2012 Linton Yearbook Now Being Taken
The 2012 Linton Yearbook is coming your way! The full-color, hard-back publication will cover all four grades at the middle school and events ranging from music and drama programs to clubs and assemblies. Orders are being taken now. Options include fundraising for a reduced price on your yearbook, a payment plan, or paying in full. Cost of this year's yearbook is $30. For more information, click here for a pdf form you can print out, fill in, and return to the school. |
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Register Now for Fall Kindergarten
Residents interested in registering their children for kindergarten should contact the Pupil Services Department at (412) 793-7000, ext. 1217 or 1219, to make an appointment to enroll their child. Registration for the entire District takes place in the Pupil Services Department, Administrative Center, 260 Aster Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15235-2059. Screening will be scheduled at registration. Click here to download your enrollment packet or visit any elementary school building for a packet; bringing a completed packet to your appointment will speed up the registration process. |
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Residency Tip Line
The District has a phone line that allows the public to anonymously report students who are attending our schools but who may not be residents of Penn Hills. Those who suspect that a student may not be a resident can call 412-793-7000, x1891, and leave a message with information about the suspected student. |
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PHAME
PHAME--Penn Hills Arts and Music Education Foundation--provides support and funding for a comprehensive education in Music, Theater, Dance, and the Visual Arts for District students. The mission of PHAME is to encourage and broaden support for the arts, both within the school district and community, so our young people will be inspired and prepared for a lifetime of creativity and artistic expression, as well as fostering appreciation and support of all of the arts. Visit the foundation's website for more information. |
The Penn Hills Police Department encourages the public to check the Penn Hills Progress, either online or in print form, for the Police Blotter. The public is also encouraged to call 911 to report suspicious activities, and the Narcotics Division can be reached at 412-798-2002. |
Newsletter created by:
Teresita K. Kolenchak
Communications Consultant Penn Hills School District
Previous editions of Penn Hills Pride are always available here. |
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Tuskegee Airmen Event a Huge Success
The Penn Hills School District partnered with the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, and the Daniel B. Matthews Historical Society to present a panel discussion with historians and members of the illustrious group of black aviators known as the Tuskegee Airmen on February 28th.
The first African-American aviators in the U.S. Armed Forces, these brave men overcame segregation and prejudice to become some of the most highly respected fighter pilots of World War II. The Tuskegee Airmen's achievements, together with the men and women who supported them, paved the way for full integration of the U.S. military.
In January, Lucas Films premiered its highly anticipated movie Red Tails, an epic story about these heroic pilots who, despite tremendous adversity, flew with distinction and gained the admiration and respect of the bomber squadrons they were bound to protect.
In order to reach as many students as possible, Penn Hills teamed up with the Mid-Atlantic Gigapop in Philadelphia for Internet2 (MAGPI) at the University of Pennsylvania to provide this opportunity in a live webcast format for schools all across the United States. This system is a high-speed network which allows access to advanced technology for educational purposes. Penn Hills was joined for this presentation by remote host schools across the United States. Over 138 individual sites participated in the morning session and over 80 in the afternoon. More than 20 states were represented, from Massachusetts to California. In the end, over 10,000 students participated in this Penn Hills event.
The program began with the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance, and Presentation of Colors by the Penn Hills NJROTC. Penn Hills Superintendent Thomas K. Washington welcomed the participants, accepting a proclamation from a representative of the office of Pennsylvania Senator Robert Casey. John Ford of Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum proceeded to moderate the Penn Hills panel, which included Regis Bobonis, President of the Daniel B. Matthews Historical Society; Senior Master Sgt. Timothy McCray; and DOTA Wendell Freeland. The Tuskegee Airmen located across the country told their stories and then took questions from the students watching in various schools, as well as from chat rooms and email. After a break for lunch, the event continued with some different schools and panelists. It was a tremendous effort which brought alive the past using the technology of the future.
"The Tuskegee Airmen Video Conference and Live Stream was a huge success," Conference Coordinator and Penn Hills Teacher Brian Brown stated. He added that the feedback the District has received from the participating schools has been tremendous. Browsing the Web, he said he stumbled across some of the many news reports from around the country. "It is truly amazing to see the impact we've made on the students who had the opportunity to hear the heroic stories of these brave men," he said.
To view photos from the event, click here. To visit the Penn Hills site for the conference, click here. |
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Linton Science Fair Winners
Due to inclement weather, the Linton Science Fair was not held on January 21st. An assembly was held on February 1st to recognize those students who worked so hard on their science projects. Twenty students participated, and four students will be going on to the Pittsburgh Science and Engineering Fair in March. Projects ranged from the flight of paper airplanes to testing the "five-second rule" to dog booties and ozone vs. odor. For their projects, students posed a question and formed a hypothesis. They then used the scientific method to test their hypothesis and determine its validity. A list of winners is included below and additional photos are available in the Linton Photo Gallery.
Best of Show (PAGE): Tori DeVito
Best of Show (highest score): Leanne Boody
7th Grade:
1st Place: Robbie Frey, "Does This Smell Funny?"
2nd Place: Tori DeVito, "Testing the Five Second Rule"
3rd Place: Christine Spieler, "Hair and Static Electricity"
Honorable Mention: Aaliyah Coleman, "Sour Anyone?"
6th Grade:
1st Place: Leanne Boody, "These Booties Were Made For Blockin'"
2nd Place: Deforest McArthur III, "Quantity and Composition of Dust in Different Areas of the Home and the Effect on Human Health"
3rd Place: Alison Heide, "Which Detergent?"
Honorable Mention: Gabrielle Spence, "Batteries to Bulbs"; Joe Stiller, "Steamboat Power"; Micah Silverman, "MP Tree"; Laurel Page, "Household Oil Cleanup"
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2012 Linton Science Fair Winners |
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Students Recognized for AIU Program
In October, art teacher Amanda Power and Gifted Coordinator Tracey Johnson were able to take 26 eighth grade students on an art enrichment field trip to work with two local artists, Laura Jean McLaughlin and Bob Ziller. In addition to the Linton students, 721 students from 41 other school districts worked with the artists.
The students learned how to break and apply broken ceramic tiles, colored glass, and mirrors to wire mesh with grout in order to create the 20-foot mosaic mural. Participants included:
Victoria Bistarkey Valerie Merola
Ashley Bodnar Jordan Oliver
Elizabeth Boody Dominique Powell
Jarrett Brown Samantha Pugliese
Karandeep Chera Marissa Rubin
Delaney Curran Briyana Starver
Ashley Davis Tyler Scavo
Jade Ely Rachel Schrantz
Jailynn Frazier Evan Shugats
Raymond Garasich James Ternent
Christina LaBertew Aailyah Tinsley
Jenna MacBeth Dayna Verrico
Brianna McCue Jermayne Younger
The students were recognized at the January and February School Board meetings. The mural is now on display at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit at the Waterfront in Homestead. Additional photos of the activity can be found here.
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Future Cities
As a finale to the Geography Unit of Jeanne Tinney's 7th grade Social Studies curriculum, she tasked her Period 6 class with building dioramas. She chose this project because fellow Social Studies Teacher Shawn Rua has had his classes complete a similar project every year. With this being her first year teaching 7th grade, she said she decided to do it as well.
 Students worked in groups and chose what the theme of their diorama would be. They had a choice between types of landforms or a city of the future. The dioramas were designed and built during class, with the project having dimensional requirements. For future cities, projects had to include a water source, housing, transportation, and buildings. For the landform map, some of the geographic features that had to be included were mountains, volcanoes, desert, and a peninsula.
Ms. Tinney said that students seemed to enjoy completing the project and bringing in the items to use on their dioramas. They also enjoyed being photographed with their finished work and showing it off. "I thought most of the projects were great," she said, adding that she was "delighted to see how imaginative and creative some of the students were in building their cities and designing their landforms." Additional photos from the project can be found here. |
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2012 Fire Essay Contest Winners Named
On February 26th, 16 students from the District received recognition in the 2012 Firemen's Fire Prevention Essay Contest. Many of those students were present at the School Board meeting the following night to receive certificates from the Board. The complete list of winners includes:
6th Grade
First Place: Madilyn Brennan
Second Place: Alison Heide
Third Place: Deforest McArthur
Honorable Mention: Timothy Warner, Ciera E. Mercurio, Christina Marra, Lyndsey Schultz, Madison Mangan
7th Grade
First Place: Sarah Kucic
Second Place: Cole Bishop
Third Place: Meghan Clark
Honorable Mention: Kiana Drahusz, Humuani Oyebode, Kayli Walters, Daniel Ternent, Naudia Blanton
 | | 2012 Fire Essay Winners |
Additional photos are available here. |
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Bottom Dollar Kicks Off Openings with Donation
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Senior High Principal Eric Kostic Accepts Check on Behalf of School |
As part of its grand opening ceremonies for two new Bottom Dollar Stores in the Penn Hills community, the new merchant presented $500 checks to each school building in the District. In addition, Bottom Dollar offers the opportunity for shoppers to accrue points for specific school buildings in the District. When shoppers register for their shopping points to be applied to a specific building, the school can then use the points to purchase equipment. Shoppers can register their cards for the Classroom Connections Program here. Individual building numbers are:
- Forbes - Bottom Dollar No. 52304
- Penn Hebron - Bottom Dollar No. 52300
- Washington - Bottom Dollar No. 52307
- Linton - Bottom Dollar No. 52305
- Senior High - Bottom Dollar No. 52301
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Annual PTA Volleyball Night Results
The Linton Stars were repeat champions at the annual PTA Volleyball Tournament which took place on February 24th. The Chiefs, a team comprised of members of administration and the School Board, came in a close second.
This annual event raises money for the PTA Scholarship Night held in May. This year's event raised approximately $2,400 and drew an estimated 400 attendees.
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Todd Holler serves for Champion Linton Stars |
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Title I Reading Night Event a Huge Success
On March 1st, an event was held at Linton that served as a companion to the fall Title I Math Night. This event, which focused on reading, was a huge success as hundreds of parents and students moved through the halls and classrooms at Linton, taking part in games, swapping books, and enjoying food in the cafeteria.
Students challenged administrators to a game of "are you smarter than an administrator?" and designed a Dr. Seuss hat or decorated a whiteboard to take
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Cast of "Oz" |
home. They made books and even designed journals. Families joined in on games such as scattegories, four corners, head bandz, and many more, as well as earned "book bucks" to spend at the "book store." Those who visited the cafeteria made sure to partake of nachos, popcorn, snow cones, and fruit. They were able to interact and take photos with cast members from the upcoming Linton spring musical "Oz," while the more daring students and adults took turns singing their favorite songs in the Karaoke Cafe.
The purpose of reading night, according to Reading Specialist Kerry Ott, is to embrace the philosophy that "parents are the most important teachers in their children's lives." As the educational entity, she went on to say, "We need to provide opportunities to support and offer helpful guidelines to the parents of our District." It was hoped that the Title I Reading Night would promote an increased excitement among students in regard to reading and writing. It is safe to say that excitement was definitely in the air that night.
Ms. Ott said that the District believes it is important for students to feel the support of their parents/guardians in regard to their learning and school environments. Reading Night, like the earlier Math Night, "provides the opportunity for families to experience the fun of learning alongside their children." This will allow families to develop a greater awareness of ways to assist their child's learning at home, she explained. To reinforce this concept, which is central to the Title I Program, take-home activities were made available to parents in order to support reading efforts at home.
Reading Night was part of a plan for community involvement devised by District administrators that included Unity in the Community to kick off the school year and Math Night in November. Reading Night on March 1st was timed to coincide with the National Read Across America celebration on March 2nd. The last event planned will be a kick off to summer on May 31st that will be a combined Math and Reading Night.
Ms. Ott said she feels the District is building momentum for positive parent involvement as each event is held throughout the Penn Hills comm
 | | Combining Twister and the elements of reading |
unity. "The big idea behind Reading Night is families that read together, will succeed together," she said. She also wanted to convey the idea that "reading and writing can be fun!" The District planned many entertaining as well as educational activities for Reading Night to benefit students, parents, and families. "I believe that parent involvement is growing in our schools," she said, adding, "We need to foster and support all families by offering nights where they can come and enjoy learning as a family unit." (additional photos are available here) |
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Student Receives Comcast Scholarship
 Senior Alicia Carson has been selected as a recipient of the 2012-2013 Comcast Leaders and Achievers® Scholarship. This award, funded through The Comcast Foundation, recognizes high school seniors from Comcast communities for commitment to community service, academic achievement, and demonstrated leadership. To acknowledge these accomplishments, recipients receive a one-time grant of $1,000.
Comcast makes this award as a part of its commitment toward "motivating and recognizing the efforts of young people who are making a difference in their communities." |
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Elementary Basketball Program
The Elementary Basketball Program championship game was held on February 29th in the Senior High gym. An 11th grade student, Brice Henline, sang the National Anthem before the game, which marked the end of another successful basketball program.
In September, notices about sign-ups were sent home and an initial meeting for interested parties was held. Practices began in November, with actual game play beginning in January. Games were scheduled every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 6:30 until 8:30 pm. Licensed referees supervised all games. A continued component of the program this year was the formal notification form for players whose school day performance determined their eligibility for game play. These forms were completed by the teachers and turned in to the program director, as needed.
 This year, over 140 students on twelve teams took part in the program. Eight teams consisted of boys with a couple of girls, while the other four teams were all girls. This was the fourth year for the all girls' teams. Parent volunteers coached the basketball teams.
The cost of uniforms for the players, referees, and trophies was covered by fundraisers, snack bar sales, and a $1 admission for spectators attending the games. The red and white reversible jersey uniforms used this year were the same for all, demonstrating unity in the District.
"Based on student participation, weekly family attendance at games, and feedback from parents and staff," Program Director Melanie Franciscus said, "This year's basketball program was once again a successful endeavor." She went on to say that the benefits of being a member of a team, practicing good sportsmanship, and the lessons learned in both winning and losing all help students to become more responsible students and citizens. "It is this 'life-lesson,'" she said, "that made me proud to have coordinated another year of the Penn Hills 5th and 6th grade basketball program." (additional photos are available here) |
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Make-a-Wish Talent Show Results
On January 26th, a talent show was held at the Senior High School as a benefit for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. The evening included food, raffles, and lots of entertainment, providing an enjoyable night for both the audience and performers. Talents on display ranged from dancing to singing to poetry reading. In the end, the top three students were:
- Savannah Wiggins (Singing)
- Brandon Gandy (BG1) (Rapping)
- Julius Ralph (Drumming).
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MC Evan Ruhling and Top Performer Savannah Wiggins |
The event raised approximately $2,400. This brings the total fundraising efforts for the foundation to approximately $3,374 to date. Student Council President Kierney Shook said their goal remains $4,000 so they will be able to grant a child a wish.
"I honestly never imagined that the show would go so well," Ms. Shook said. After having to change the date of the show twice due to staging issues, she said she was not really sure a lot of people would
show up. "Fortunately," she went on to say, "The auditorium was packed!" People really seemed to enjoy themselves that night, she explained, adding that she is hearing nothing but great things about the event since it took place.
Student council continues to work on ideas to reach the goal of $4,000, and Ms. Shook hopes they will be able to get there by the end of the year. "It means a lot to be able to do this for such a great cause," she said, "and definitely helps shine a better light on the students at Penn Hills High School." Additional photos from the event can be found in the Senior High Photo Gallery. |
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9th Grade Academy Awards
This school year saw the 9th grade moving from Linton to the Senior High School. In order to make assimilation into the new building more successful, a program called the 9th Grade Academy was initiated.
Science Department Chair and 9th Grade Academy Teacher Leader Kelly Shiring said the Academy was the idea of Associate Principal Christopher Horne. After contacting staff whose primary assignment would be teaching 9th grade students, Mr. Horne and the Academy team developed the mission, vision, and direction of the Academy, she explained. "It was a total team effort, from development to the introduction of the concept to the students, and the team effort has continued as the program is refined and improved for future implementation," she said.
A team of teachers met over the summer to plan and set a vision and mission for the Academy. These same teachers also came up with common procedures and student management strategies for all 9th grade classes. The 9th grade teacher/ leaders continue to meet on a regular basis in order to reflect and plan for the future, Mr. Horne explained. After the first reporting period, teachers nominated students who have been examples of the Penn Hills Way to serve as student leaders of the Academy.
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Michael Ames and Female Student of the Month Vivian Sentimer |
Mr. Horne said the 9th Grade Academy Team saw a need "to appropriately and strategically transition the incoming 9th grade students into the Senior High School." These caring adults, he explained, desired for students to transition successfully--academically, socially, and behaviorally. To assist the 9th graders in this effort, they have been given a common team of teachers in a dedicated part of the school building for their core classes as well as a teacher and student 9th grade lunch to give the two groups time to meet together to plan or build positive relationships. They have also been exposed to character development utilizing the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey in their English classes.
Students are expected to follow the Penn Hills Way by exhibiting respect, success, pride, and responsibility in every aspect of their school experience. They are rewarded for following this way by being nominated by their teachers for Student of the Month. Students who maintain perfect attendance and attend school 95 percent of the time are also recognized. In an effort to expose the 9th graders to new things, they have participated in special programs such as the Holocaust and Tuskegee Airmen assemblies. Upcoming plans include a 9th Grade Reception and 9th Grade Academy Summer Transition Program.
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Michael Ames and Male Student of the Month Nathaniel Ferraco |
The program details are still being developed in this first year of implementation. The incentive program will run monthly, and the team will be creative in the first year of rollout as they determine how students are rewarded. Student of the month awards will be presented on a monthly basis, and awards for attendance will be recognized on a nine-week period basis.
Mr. Horne said the student leaders on the committee have responded very positively to the program. "They love being empowered and are enjoying the experience," he commented. The rest of the 9th graders are finding it a new experience to see their peers empowered, he explained, adding that a lot of them were interested in being a part of the group. "This provided a great opportunity to challenge students to follow the Penn Hills Way," he said.
When asked what he thinks is gained from this program, Mr. Horne responded that students understand that their teachers care about them and want to help them to be successful. The program also gives students the opportunity to begin their high school careers with important academic strategies and effective habits, he explained. In addition, he said, "Teachers are working with their peers in an effort to collectively make a difference in a whole grade level, and parents understand that Penn Hills cares."
Ms. Shiring went on to say that, "From this program, students are given supports for transitioning into high school and a forum for becoming the leaders of the District. With time, the community should reap benefits as well as the students becoming more productive and building the Penn Hills of the future."
The 9th Grade Core Team includes, in addition to Mr. Horne and Ms. Shiring, the following: Angela Keeley, Nationally Certified Teacher and co- English Department Chair; Rachel Macioce, English Teacher; Greg Pittman, Special Education Mathematics Teacher; Karen Rasmussen, 9th Grade Guidance Counselor; and Eric Kostic, Building Principal. The Student Committee includes Michael Ames, Diamonique Coleman, Mariah Hamdan, Nicholas Lydic, Julius Ralph II, Adam Rayan, Rachel Stiller, Deandre Schifino, and Savannah Wiggins-Young.
 | | 9th Grade Academy Student Leaders |
(additional photos are available here) |
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Title I Resource Room Opens Recently, the Title I Program announced the availability of a parent resource room with an open house event. The evening included both activities for the children and information for the parents.
The resource room, available to all parents with students in Pre-K through Grade 8, is centrally located in the administrative wing and offers parents a place to come to access resources provided by Title I. The room offers parents a computer with Internet access as well as a telephone. Curriculum materials are on display and can be checked out by interested parents who want to see first-hand what their child is learning. The room also provides a private space where parents can meet with Title I Coordinator Erin Jackson or Family Liaison Kelly Baluh. A variety of informational resources are available to parents, and they can help themselves to an array of free publications on various topics ranging from bullying to study skills to potty training.
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The Story Queen and her court |
The open house event offered an opportunity to introduce parents to the new resource room and showcase the Title I Program. The program offers tutoring and counseling, additional teaching and paraprofessional staff, educational resources, and a variety of learning experiences such as problem solving, group activities, and skills workshops. The primary change in the program, which occurred last school year, is that it no longer offers targeted assistance to specific children within the District but rather offers the same level of service to all students in PreK-8. The schoolwide program is based on performance standards, District and individual building goals, attention to diversity, parental and community support, and student progress that is measurable. Since the program now encompasses all of the buildings except the Senior High, Ms. Jackson said she wanted the open house to be an event where parents felt comfortable exploring the activities, resource room, and overall services, as well as asking questions and getting informed.
Ms. Jackson said she was very happy with the response to the open house and was thrilled with the role that the storyteller lady played and how well the children (and adults) were engaged in that activity. In addition, several parents took the opportunity to speak with Ms. Baluh in the resource room so they could learn firsthand what the room and program offered them. Overall, she said, "I was pleased that it wasn't just elementary parents. It really was a variety of grades that were represented that night." (additional photos are available here) |
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Spontaneous Fun Day Winners
The annual Spontaneous Fun Day event was held at Linton on February 18th. Three District teams placed at the event:
- Penn Hebron Team - Second Place in Division I
- Taylor Clayborn, William Fello, Cameron Guy, Kari Holt, Isaac Hundley, Darien Mallory, Javon Williams
- High School Team - First Place in Division III
- Brett Mercurio, Jes Debasi, Lezlee Fuchs, Kristen Lubawski, DJ Remmick, Adam Rayan
- High School Team - Second Place in Division III
- Andy Christman, Christian Donnelly, Ryan Donnelly, Robert Fello, Loyal Jasper, Kristin Kralik, Alexandra Newby
This year's event included problems created by Odyssey teams waiting in the Fun Day holding room at last year's event.
The District had 13 teams going to the regional Odyssey of the Mind Competition on March 3rd at Moon Area High School. Long-term problems for this year's competition include "Ooh-Motional Vehicle," "Weird Science," "To Be or Not To Be," "You Make the Call," "Odyssey Angels, and "Hide and Peek." Additional information on Odyssey of the Mind can be found here. Additional photos are available here.
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Senior High First Place Team |
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Battery Car Performance Improves
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3rd Place Winners |
For the second year, Penn Hills participated in the 20th Annual Battery Car Race hosted by North Allegheny School District.
The event was held on February 23rd, and the District was able to improve its best performance of fourth place from last year. Three 6th grade teams were sent to this year's competition.
The students were responsible for designing and building a battery car using a combination of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics curriculum under the guidance of Gifted Coordinator Tracey Johnson. The car design posed real-world situations, including problem solving, team work, and computer-aided design and drafting. Technology Teachers Chad Goodman and Barry Plowman volunteered their time after school to work with the students to prepare for the battery car race, as well as the hydrogen fuel cell car race which will take place on March 6th. In addition to working with the students to build their cars, Mr. Goodman taught the 6th grade students to use technology to create scale drawings which had to be included in their design packets.
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7th Place Winners |
The District had two teams who placed into the Top 16 and made it into the semi-finals. In the end, the District teams placed third, seventh, and twenty-second out of 49 teams.
Team 19, "Carl the Car," finished twenty-seventh with their best heat time of 6.74 and included Leanne Boody, Madilyn Brennan, Devin Douglass, and Lyndsey Schultz. Team 28, "Pack Rat," received seventh place with their best heat time of 4.60 and was composed of Ryan Iezzi and Luke Greenway. Team 8, "The Speedy Mouse," received third place medals with a best heat time of 4.41 and included Andrew Barbusio, Bailey Krimm, and Gabrielle Spence.
The students were recognized at the February School Board meeting. Additional photos of the participants and their cars can be found in the Linton Photo Gallery. |
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Dr. Seuss Birthday Celebration
 | | 3rd Grade Teacher Michelle Rodden Helps With Magic Trick |
Forbes was just one of the schools celebrating the 108th birthday of Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, on March 2nd.
The author and illustrator of 44 children's books, including How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Cat in the Hat, was acknowledged by a morning visit from none other than Ronald McDonald. Ronald told stories, read books, sang songs, and even performed a magic trick for one classroom. Additional photos from the visit can be found here. |
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Senior High Spring Sports Schedules
Varsity Boys' Baseball
Jr. Varsity Boys' Baseball
Varsity Girls' Softball
Varsity Boys' Tennis
Varsity Coed Track
Varsity Boys' Volleyball
Jr. Varsity Boys' Volleyball
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Linton Spring Sports Schedules
Jr. High Girls' Softball
Jr. High Coed Track
Jr. High Girls' Volleyball
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Coming next month in Penn Hills Pride, HS Spring Musical Preview, FLITES Program, NHS Induction, Odyssey of the Mind Results, Penn Hebron Amusement Park Project, and Student Achievements. All this and more in the next edition of Penn Hills Pride. |
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