|
Beaver Creek (Mrs. Lawless) Beaver Creek staff and students participated in their annual Fall Festival on Friday. Everyone was encouraged to wear orange. Fun activities such as scarecrow making took place in first grade. Second graders estimated the weight and how many seeds were in their pumpkins. Parents helped to weigh and carve the pumpkins. Seeds were counted and then dried in the oven so students could enjoy eating them. All grades had engaging fall craft activities and games along with healthy snacks
Mrs. Lawless had a "Pastries with the Principal" session with a randomly selected group of kindergarten parents. They had praise for our teaching staff including commenting on how proactive and supportive our Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Jill Miller, is. They raved about our encore area teachers: Mrs. Kirschner, Mr. Kasabo, Mrs. Threadgill, Miss Molan and Mr. Andrus. The parents liked the many parent involvement activities, such as helping with Book Boxes, offered frequently as Beaver Creek. Parents also liked our Science Fair, valet pick up procedure, and frequent parent/teacher communication. There were also compliments for our IST Department, comprised of Mrs. Jane Hemphill and Mrs. Anita Grimes.
Students, parents, the Principal and some teachers are looking forward to marching in the Downingtown Halloween Parade on Saturday. Let's hope we don't get rained or snowed out!
Brandywine Wallace (Mrs. Leib)
"Wow!" was the overwhelming response from students and staff. Thanks to our Home & School, BW recently enjoyed a fabulous visit from author, award-winning photographer and conservationist, Michael Patrick O'Neill. Students were delighted with his many fascinating stories and photos. Fourth and fifth grade students received additional workshops regarding instruction in the writing process. Students even had the opportunity to purchase several of Mr. O'Neill's books.
This week, students in our intermediate grades participated in workshops on Internet safety presented by the Crime Victims' Center. These informative presentations made students aware of potential online dangers. Thanks to Miss Sklepko, guidance counselor, for arranging these sessions. In addition, Miss Sklepko presented at our monthly Home & School, giving parents a clearer understanding of what students are doing online, tips on keeping their children safe while on the Internet, and providing additional resources for parents.
Additional events this week included the Scholastic Book Fair which helps to provide great reading material for students as well as additional resources for our school library. Friday brought our fifth grade's Renaissance Festival complete with castles, Shakespeare, medieval music, games, and dance. We also had a safety visit fro
Lionville Elementary (Dr. Hessinger)
SPECIAL EVENTS AT LIONVILLE
- Family Fun Night - 10/28 sponsored by the Home and School
- Fourth Grade Field Trip to the DaVinci Science Center - 10/28/11
- Science Buddies 10/27
- Weaver's Orchard Trip Grade 1 - 10/25
- Picture Day - 10/18
VISITORS FROM THE COUGAR DEN
Mr. Hurley (East HS Principal), Mr. McCauley (East HS Librarian) and the Cougar visited LE on Friday, the day of the East-West football game. The Cougar and Mr. Hurley were amused to provide Dr. Hessinger with a "Beat West" t---shirt. The Cougar visited the lunchroom and greeted the students who were having lunch.
HOMEWORK CLUB
The LE Homework Club is advised by a variety of LE teachers and conducted by 25 East HS students who come every Monday from 3:30-4:30. The high school students work one on one with the LE student participants. The LE students really enjoy completing homework with the help and guidance of the high school students. The High School students are advised by Mrs. Peggy Alvarez and led by seniors Kaity Martini and Callie Fraser-Walker.
DONATION FROM LASKO FAN COMPANY
We are grateful to Lasko Fans for donating 7 floor fans to LE. The donation was made through Miss Sara Biacchi, second grade teacher. We will use the fans to help with the changing temperatures, expecially on our ground floor. We really appreciate the generosity of the Lasko Fan company!
SPECIAL GUESTS ON LBS LIVE AND MYSTERY READERS
Mr. Paul Hurley (East HS Principal) and Mr. Art Campbell (East HS Assistant Principal) visited LE to be interviewed on LBS Live! When asked what he would like the students to know about him, Mr. Hurley responded that he was a student at Lionville Elementary School himself! Mr. Hurley and Mr. Campell were also mystery readers in Ms. Shaw's and Mrs. Mills' morning Kindergarten classrooms. We are always excited to learn with East HS teachers, students and principals.
SCIENCE BUDDIES PROGRAM
The Science Buddy program is currently in progress. Fourth grade classes will walk over to East HS to work with Mrs. Gelinas' chemistry students. Each student/parent signs a safety contract to ensure that everyone knows the safety procedures for science experiments. Mrs. Scotto's and Mrs. McFarland's classes will visit on 10/27, 11/17 and 12/8 and Mrs. Colquitt's and Mr. Perley's classes will visit on 11/3, 11/22 and 12/15 from 2:20-3:15. We are very excited about the opportunity to conduct science experiements in the high school laboratory! We are also grateful to Mrs. Gelinas and her students for their
Pickering Valley (Mr. Fernandes)
Instructors from the Crime Victims' Center of Chester County recently visited each classroom at Pickering Valley to present grade appropriate lessons focused on strategies for students when they see or experience bullying. The lessons lay the groundwork for future classroom lessons on pro social behaviors. The instructors from the Crime Victims' Center will return in January to provide lessons on Cyber Bullying to students in 3rd - 5th grade.
Art Goes to School has been at Pickering Valley for two weeks (Oct. 17th - October 27th). The volunteers brought a portfolio of about 40 prints and/or multi-media works. Students in 2nd through 5th grade engage in an age-appropriate interactive presentation. One example of a presentation would be a selection of 10 prints shown to the class and then ask them to "match up" 2 pictures. Then the students discuss why they made their choice using art vocabulary. This program supports the critical/aesthetic discussion component of the DASD Art curriculum. The DASD annual portfolio is pulled from over 900 different prints by over 300 different artists in our presentations. Norman Rockwell, Da Vinci, Romare Bearden, Picasso, Cassatt and Wyeth were a few of the artists. The Downingtown chapter includes over 20 volunteers who meet during the summer and share the information and research to prepare for the upcoming year.
Mrs. Vanim's and Mrs. Blust's fifth grade classes participated in the Siemens Foundation STEM webinar on Wednesday, October 19th. The webinar focused on dealing with conservation and was hosted by Animal Planet's Dave Salmoni. Students were also introduced to the Siemens "We Can Change the World Challenge" which encourages students to find a passion in the conservation area. This webinar is an example of how 21st Century Learning has tied nicely into our current Harcourt reading program that focuses on teamwork. As an extension activity, Mrs. Vanim and Mrs. Blust will be participating in a project to save orangutans.
On Tuesday, October 18th, nearly 100 students and 38 parents joined together to make a difference in our community. Students decorated hygiene bags to be given to those at the Salvation Army Shelter in West Chester. The shelter provides housing and programs for people who don't have a place to live. PV families donated hundreds of items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, soaps, lotions, shampoo, socks and much more. Students stuffed the bags with the donations and attached a personal note. What a great way to kick off a year of community service!! Our next school-wide project involves raising money to make meals for children in less developed countries.
Shamona Creek (Mrs. Welsh)
Many of the staff from SC joined community members in the 5K Jog for Josie on Saturday, Oct. 22. Our own little Josie has recently received a new heart after waiting nearly a year. Josie is doing well and has been moved to a step down unit. This event helped to raise funds toward some of her medical expenses.
The Art Club will be using their talents to paint landscapes on the sides of our recycling bins. 76 students signed up to work with Mrs. Julie Dimino.
Twenty-five students in first grade have been receiving support for Nonsense Word Fluency through the Instructional Support Team. Nonsense Word Fluency involves letter-sound correspondence and reinforces the ability to blend letters into words. Through a recent progress monitoring, all students showed growth and 22 showed significant progress.
Staff and students have been using the World Book-on-line resource at school and home. Miss Pat Carroll wrote a grant asking the SC H&S Association to fund a license to this resource for a year. It has already paid off. A link is posted to the SC home page. Students have access to current information 24/7!
The fifth grade classes had an in-house field trip as a culminating activity for their study of the Renaissance period. Presenters from the N.J. Renaissance Faire provided interactive centers on dances and games from the time period, along with Shakespeare role playing. Parents prepared a feast and the day ended with a grade level Renaissance dance. It was a wonderful day!
Springton Manor (Mr. Abbott)
Renaissance Day, Friday October 21, 2011
On Friday, October 21st, 5th grade students at Springton Manor Elementary School relived the past as they dressed up and participated in Renaissance Day. Also in attendance this year were members of the New Jersey Renaissance Faire who helped to celebrate, with students, this culminating activity for the Middle Ages/Renaissance unit of study. The day begain with the Castle Museum where students displayed and shared the beautiful castles they have been working so hard on since the beginning of the school year. Following the Castle Museum, students attended different workshops related to the Renaissance time period. These workshops were conducted by the New Jersey Renaissance Faire actors. Students learned some peasant dances and songs, participated in a presentation of Romeo and Juliet with William Shakespeare, and learned about staged combat, peaceful conflict resolution and the value of friendship and cooperation. For lunch, students were treated to a Renaissance feast and were, once again, entertained by the members of the New Jersey Renaissance Faire. It was an educational day and a fun time was had by one and all.
Downingtown Middle (Mr. Indeglio)
In the Classroom
Mrs. Strauss' Supplemental Learning Support class is doing a community project to tie in with Veteran's Day. They are gathering items for the troops overseas. The students are busy collecting toiletries, sweets and baked goods to be shipped out by Thanksgiving break. All supplies will be shipped to "Treats for Troops" in Florida who will in turn send them overseas. The students are excited about their project as they bring a smile to the troops' faces. They are reaching out to make new friends as they include letters to the troops with the hope of a few soldiers writing back to them.
On Friday October 14, the seventh grade history classes hosted Revolutionary War Living Historian, Noah Lewis (aka Ned Hector, African-American Bombardier in the Continental Army). The students were able participate in demonstrations on firing cannons and the life of patriots during the Revolutionary War era. The students thoroughly enjoyed their day with Ned Hector, Hero of the Revolutionary War!
Field Trips
Renaissance Faire: The 7th Grade DEEP students attended the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire on October 20th. Gillian Nanni designed a poster for the poster competition and placed first. Emma Carr, Zoe Friedman, Karthik Imayavaramban and Catie Byrnes designed and created a heraldry banner for the competition, earning second place. A small group of students, directed by Mrs.Virginia Lucas, performed a selection from Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor, earning an honorable mention. The students involved in the production included Emma Carr, Zoe Friedman, Samantha Hug, Catie Byrnes, Gillian Nanni, Lizzie Heller, Ben Codd, and Will LaTorre.
Cherry Crest Farm: All sixth graders enjoyed a fun and educational day at Cherry Crest Farm on October 6th. Students showcased their knowledge of the Scientific Method by successfully navigating the multi-acre corn maze. They also learned about life on a farm with things like crop rotation and animal care.
Spirit Day We began our Spirit Week on Monday with our annual Chick Fil A Home and School fundraiser. Our students enjoyed an entire week of Spirit which involved crazy hair, animal prints, dressing like twins and movie characters. The energy this week has been amazing.
It Takes a Village - The DMS family thanks STEM Academy students Scott Romich, Sadat Shaik, Jamison Rowles, and Taylor Gore who gave of their time and expertise to set up a computer station for the Johnsontown Homework Club. The boys went to the church during their seminar time to assemble the stations, run diagnostic testing, and ready them for the homework students. Our middle school students were thrilled to have the computers to use for research, essay writing, and Renzulli work.
Lionville Middle School (Mr. Ross)
On Oct. 25, thirty 7th and 8th grade students from Lionville Middle School attended a 6 hour Peer Mediation training held at Calvary Fellowship Church. The students practiced sample mediations, and learned the entire process of how to effectively mediate disputes. Many of the students will be asked to assume the role of a peer mediator during real disputes between their peers throughout the year.
As an environmental scientist and Mr. Dziunycz's student teacher, Charlene Briggs is integrating field investigations into the 7th grade science curriculum through a very unique project. Students will be conducting a watershed and stream investigation as part of the Stroud Water Research Center's Leaf Pack Network Project. They will be assessing watershed quality by identifying macro invertebrate species from a tributary of the West Branch of Valley Creek, which transects school property and is a feeder creek to the Brandywine. Our students will be the first in the Downingtown Area School District to participate in the Leaf Pack Network and will join this international effort to link land use with water quality through hands-on science and data sharing. LMS students are being assisted in this project through efforts of Chester County Water Resources Authority, Stroud Water Research Center and Trout Unlimited.
DHS West (Mr. Mulvey)
Awards
Athletes of the Week
Boy's Cross Country
Kenny Leidal, Downingtown West Junior :
- finished2nd Overall at the Henderson 2 Mile XC Invite on Wednesday, October 12th.
- ran a season best time of 9:41 amidst weather conditions that were far from ideal.
Field Hockey
Nikki Freeman: center midfielder: freshman
- Oxford 10/20: 2 goals (both goals in second half & broke a 1-1 tie)
- Coach Morrow- "Nikki is a versatile athlete who can play virtually any position on the field. Without Nikki, West Field Hockey wouldn't have been as successful this season.
Activities
The Stage West Drama Club will perform its first play of the season, "Daddy's Girl," a comedy by Gary Ray Stapp. There will be one evening performance on Friday, November 4th at 7:00, and one matinee on Sunday, November 6th at 2:00pm, both in the West high school auditorium. Tickets are $5 at the door.
As a member of the district's recycling committee, Social Studies teacher, Vince Trombetta, is organizing a toy drive for Second Chance Toys of PA. This is anorganization that rescues and recycles unwanted plastic toys for needy children. Your clean, gently used plastic toy donations are collected twice a year, in December for the holiday season and in recognition of Earth Week, and given to organizations that care for needy children. Additionally, by keeping these toys out of our landfills, you will be helping the environment, as plastic toys do not biodegrade easily.
On Tuesday, October 25 five DHS West seniors participated in the Eighth Annual PA Conference For Women held at the PA Convention Center. Kelly McCool, Lindsey Capps, Kelly Mulhall, Jessica Ennis and Emily Billings participated in the Young Women's Program. The conference keynote speakers included Gloria Steinem, Marion Jones and Martha Beck. Emily Billings volunteered to be on a panel discussion during the "Be The First" workshops led by Tammy Tibbets, founder and President of She's the First. Last year, Kelly, Lindsey, Kelly, Jess and Emily were all mentors for 9th grade girls in the GIRLS STAR program at DHS West. Scholarships were provided for through the conference sponsors.
West Homecoming was held on October 14th. Due to the rain on Thursday, the parade and bonfire were cancelled, however, Friday was a beautiful evening for the festivities. Miss Kelly Boyle was crowned homecoming queen by Blake Owens, the 2010 homecoming queen, who flew in from college in Utah for Sthis event. The football team dazzled the fans with a 48-24 win over Avon Grove. The Marching Band gave a spectacular performance and performed an encore show at the end of the game to appreciative fans. .
STEM Academy (Mr. Fiore)
International Baccalaureate Visitation
We had a remarkably successful IB Authorization Visit. The team consisted of IB Coordinators and Administrators from Chicago, Washington state and Canada. The team met individually with all our teachers, counselors, parents, students, administration and board members. Our teachers truly impressed the team with their knowledge of and preparation for the Programme. They answered questions and provided invaluable feedback for the implementation and permanence of the Diploma Programme. We will have our official authorization by spring.
Techies Day
Twenty-four students from the STEM academy participated in ITAG's 13th Annual Techies Day on Oct. 19th, 2011. Students went to AGI and Bentley Systems to learn more about careers in the STEM field and to see what it is like to work as a STEM professional. Students were also given the opportunity to try CAD software and see the latest innovations in STEM technology. Here is the article from the Daily Local: http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2011/10/25/business/doc4ea6a28d36c28005228416.txt#photo1
GlaxoSmithKline Visitation
On Friday, October 20, thirty students were invited to GlaxoSmithKline as part of their Visiting Students Program. GlaxoSmithKline's Visiting Students Program is designed to inspire high school students toward pursuing science and technology careers through a one-day visit to one of our Research and Development sites. Students will meet the actual scientists and professionals who discover and develop medicines for patients in need, and through hands-on demonstrations and presentations learn about the many career paths in the industry. The program is sponsored by GSK Research & Development (R&D) and entirely organized and run by volunteers excited about promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education to students, educators and parents.
Academic Competition Team
On Monday, October 17, the STEM Academy Academic Team had an outstanding performance at Kennett Square. The junior varsity team tied for first place with Phoenixville with a score of 60 points, while Kennett scored 30 points. The varsity team got second place with a score of 90 points; both Kennett and Phoenixville had a score of 95 points. Each question is worth 5 points, which means that our varsity team was only down by one question. This was the team's first competition, and they were up against juniors and seniors from other high schools. Congratulations!
2012-2013 Enrollment
On October 19 the Academy hosted over 700 prospective 8th grade students and parents for an overview of the STEM Academy program. STEM Academy students organized the entire event. The evening entailed a one-hour presentation from Headmaster Fiore followed by breakout sessions with STEM Academy parents, teachers, administration, and students. It was a great evening and we are looking forward to the numerous applications from our 8th grade students. We have received nearly 100 applications already.
DAEA Donation
The Downingtown Area Education Association made a very nice donation to the STEM Academy Home and School Association. On behalf of the STEM Academy students, we are grateful for the support of the DAEA.
College 101
The STEM Counseling Office and STEM Home and School Association sponsored their first College 101 night on Tuesday, October 25, 2011. The mini workshop, aimed at high school 9th and 10th grade students and their families, addressed general questions regarding the college planning and admissions process. Topics included establishing a college selection timeline, understanding college testing, exploring colleges, and understanding the "basics" of the college admissions process. We had representatives from the Villanova University Admissions Office.
Chester County Economic Development Foundation
The STEM Academy is proud to have received the BioExploration Award from the BioScience Partnership of the Chester Economic Development Council. The award carries a $200 value. We would like to thank Kiersti Savidge, Senior Human Resource Generalist of Kensey Nash Corporation and Colleen Hamilton, Executive Director of the Life Science Career Alliance, for their support.
|
Jersey Boys Musical Comes to Philadelphia
