Issue: 4    
December 13, 2013

SCASD eNews 
In This Issue
Teacher Feature
State High Project
Straight Talk for Parents
Hour of Code
Quick Links

Upcoming Events

Dec. 18 - 8-10 a.m. Coffee & Conversation on the State High project. The Naked Egg, Pine Grove Mills  

   

Dec. 20 - School will be in session. It's the first snow make up day.

 

Winter Break - No School - Dec. 23 through Jan 1.

 

Winter Music Concerts, check the district calendar for dates and times. 

     

Board Meetings: Dec. 16 & Jan. 13, 7 p.m. 131 W. Nittany Ave.


Welcome to our December eNewsletter. We're including information about the State High Project and other news from around the district. 

Please remember that you can share this newsletter with your friends by simply clicking "Forward Email" at the bottom of this screen. Have a great holiday!
Teacher Feature
Introducing one of the district's many wonderful teachers each month.

Ron and Michelle Shealer  
Ron and Michelle Shealer
In November, Ron Shealer (Mount Nittany Middle School Tech Ed Teacher) and Michelle Shealer (Corl Street First Grade Teacher) received the Dr. Nevin Andre Award for the winning article of the year for their cover story, "Making It Real" published in the spring Technology and Engineering Education Association of Pennsylvania's educational journal.

Making It Real was a cooperative project with Park Forest Middle School Tech Ed eighth graders and Corl Street Elementary first graders. As part of the first graders' unit "Going Green in the Neighborhood," the students used computers to design a model town in 3-D named "Cougarland" after their school mascot. Using 3-D printing technology they made their designs into scale models complete with a working wind turbine and solar panels.

Ron, a graduate of Virginia Tech, has been teaching Technology Education for the past 20 years. He has won numerous awards and grants including the 2007 TEAP/ITEA Middle School Teacher of the Year Award. He is advisor for the Mount Nittany Technology Student Association (TSA) chapter and has instructed the summer SeaPerch Underwater ROV Camp and the Lego Robotics Camp. Outside the classroom, his interests include fly-fishing and biking.

Michelle earned a B.S. in Early Childhood/Elementary Education and has a master's from Radford University. She has been teaching first grade in the district for 11 years and previously taught second grade in Virginia for nine years. In her free time, Michelle enjoys the outdoors. She loves to camp, mountain bike, and cross-country ski.
State High Project Update
Projected New State High Entrance
The State High Project will continue to be on the agenda for our Board meetings as the architects continue to refine designs for the how the project might look and decisions about referendum cost are made.

The next  Board meetings are Dec. 16 and Jan. 13 and 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the Board room at 131 W. Nittany Ave. The public is welcome to attend all meetings, watch on channel 98 or on streaming video by CNET1.org.

Check out updates on the project website:
an updated Tax Calculator and more information on Design Development. 
 
Community Meetings: Please join us and give your feedback.
* Dec. 18, 8 - 10 a.m., Coffee & Conversation at the Naked Egg in Pine Grove Mills. Enjoy a cup of coffee and a friendly chat with administrators and board members. Ask questions, give your feedback about the project.

* The next Community Conversation is scheduled for Feb. 3, 7 p.m.  in the High School South Cafeteria.
District board members, administrators and the architectural team will be present to answer your questions and listen to you. Bring a friend!

Would you like us to meet with your group about the State High Project? We'll come to you! 
If members of your community group would like to hear more about the State High Project, we are happy to come to your meeting (ex. Kiwanis, Rotary, neighborhood group, business or church group). To schedule, contact Julie Miller, jlb51@scasd.org or 272-8600.
Jan. 21, 2014   Straight Talk for Parents Series
Topic: Adolescents, Sex, and Porn: Everything you wish you didn't need to know.  
Location: Mount Nittany Middle School Auditorium, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Presenter: Megan Maas, Prevention and Methodology Pre-Doctoral Fellow, Human Development and Family Studies, Penn State  

 

Pornography has never been more accessible to adolescents than it is now, and mainstream media has never been more sexualized. Parents often don't know how to address this new reality with their kids.

Join us to:
1. Learn about how and why children use sexual and social media online.
2. Learn about new apps and monitoring software to protect children online.
3. Learn how to talk to your child about sexuality and sexual media to help them foster healthy sexuality.

Free children's activities and homework help available. Contact Connie Schulz at ces11@scasd.org to register children.

These seminars are made possible by the Straight Talk Task Force including members from: The Jana Marie Foundation, Youth Services Bureau, Communities That Care Partnership, and State College Area School District administration, faculty, and staff.  
The Hour of Code

Here Howard Pillot, learning enrichment teacher at Park Forest Middle School, works with students during the Hour of Code as part of Computer Science Education Week.

The Hour of Code is an opportunity for every student to try computer science for one hour. During Computer Science Education Week (Dec. 9-15), the goal is to make history and recruit 10 million to join in and do the Hour of Code. The Hour of Code is just the first step on a journey to learn more about how technology works and how to create software applications. As President Obama said, "Don't just buy a new video game, make one." This week is your chance to give it a shot.  http://code.org
young-boy-reading.jpg
Preschool Fair
Jan 11, 2014
10 a.m. to Noon

State College High School South Cafeteria
 
This free community event provides parents and caregivers an opportunity to visit with more than 20 preschool directors and representatives from a variety of schools throughout the State College area.
  • find out which schools offer preschool programs
  • learn about application deadlines and open houses
  • find out what fun activities are available for your preschooler from music and science to art, dance, and sports
School board members will also be available to answer any questions you may have about the State High Project and how it will impact your future high school student. Tours of the buildings will be available for parents while activities are provided for children.

Presented by Mothers and More in collaboration with State College Area School District.
Pave It Forward
Leave a Legacy at Memorial Field
Become part of history and pave the way for the future of Memorial Field.
 
You can inscribe a permanent brick, or several bricks, on the new walkway to Memorial Field along Fraser Street. Donations to Pave it Forward will fund future improvements to Memorial Field but more importantly, will serve as a lasting tribute to our school and to the strong, supportive community of State College.

One inscribed brick requires a donation of $250 to the campaign, which is open to individuals, families and businesses, and will serve as a true, permanent reminder of your support.

Bricks are 4 x 7 5/8 inches in size and can be inscribed with three lines of up to 16 characters per line, including spaces.
For more information, to order your brick online via credit card, or download the order form (PDF) go to http://www.scasd.org/buyabrick

 

Contact the Business Office at 814-231-1021 or giving@scasd.org for more information. Your gift to the brick campaign is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Thank you!
We hope you enjoy this news from SCASD. Let us know your comments at info@scasd.org.
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Sincerely,
State College Area School District