Issue: 6
March 25, 2015

SCASD eNews 
In This Issue
Teacher Feature
MNE Literacy Festival
State High Project
First-grade poet
HOSA award winners
DECA award winners
Straight Talk for Parents
Academic calendars
Summer camps
Quick Links

Upcoming Events

No School
April 2, 3 & 6
April 2-
Inservice/Records Day & Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences
April 6-
Inservice Day

 

Board Meetings 

April 13 & 27, 7 p.m. 

131 W. Nittany Ave.

 

Board Work Session

April 20, 7 p.m.

131 W. Nittany Ave. 

 

Pennsylvania Music Educators Association All-State Festival

March 25-28

Hershey

 

Seussical the Musical

March 27 & 28, 7:30 p.m.
March 29, 2 p.m. 

Mount Nittany Middle School  

 

Discussion Group:  

How to Talk so Teens Will Listen

March 31

6:30-8 p.m.

Houserville Elementary 


NAfME All-East Music Festival

Providence, RI

April 9-12  

 

Technology Student Association
State Conference
April 15-18  
Seven Springs Resort

Park Forest Middle School Spring Play
April 17 & 18, 7 p.m.
April 19, 2 p.m.

Straight Talk for Parents
Child Sexual Abuse
April 21, 7 p.m.
Mount Nittany Middle School auditorium 
 






















 

 


News from around the district includes design work for the State High Project, school events and achievements, along with the latest Straight Talk for Parents topic.

Please remember that you can share this newsletter with your friends by simply clicking "Forward Email" at the bottom of this screen.
Teacher Feature 

Sarah Dwyer, Board-certified 4th grade teacher

As the seconds counted down, the anticipation rose ... for math class.

"Ready? Go!" Mount Nittany Elementary School teacher Sarah Dwyer said to her fourth-graders hunched over cards at tables and on the floor.

A loud babble erupted throughout the classroom, sounding like so many high-pitched junior auctioneers. It was another episode of "Super Speed Math," Dwyer's usual start to math class, in which duos of students recite as many math facts as they can within a minute. Partners check for accuracy before taking their turn.

Dwyer, however, was in no rush. She circulated among the students, at ease, a National Board Certified Teacher in her element.

Mount Nittany Elementary turns new page with first literacy festival

 
School librarian and festival organizer Dustin Brackbill wanted to go beyond just having a visiting author give a presentation to promote storytelling. Attending an annual spring librarians' conference proved to be the catalyst.

He found inspiration from the typical conference format: a medley of sessions from which participants pick what interests them.

"I thought, 'Well, kids deserve that choice, too,'" Brackbill said. "Kids deserve the chance to see literacy, reading and writing (lessons) beyond their normal classroom setting."

State High Project
For regular project updates, check out the blog by Ed Poprik, Director of Physical Plant.

You can also keep informed and engage in discussion on the State of State High Facebook page. 

Submit your questions or comments
about the State High project here. A project team member will get back to you. 
   
Our community. Our children. Our future. 
First-grade poet wins award

Chloe Nam, 1st grader at Lemont Elementary, submitted one of her poems to the Creative Communication website, and her poem was selected as a top 10 winner in the Fall 2014 Poetry Contest (K-3 category) out of thousands of entries.

Her poem:

Ocean

Say goodbye to the land to go to the ocean.
The waves feel good on your feet and shout, "Welcome!"

The ocean is deep.
The ocean is shallow.
No matter what, the ocean is blue.

The ocean has fish.
The ocean has corals.
The ocean has air that the fish can breathe.

Before you go, say goodbye to the ocean.
The waves will wave goodbye just for you.
Health Occupations Students of America
State Competition
 
Students in our Health Occupations Students of America chapter traveled to Lancaster to compete in the HOSA state competition March 11-13. Here is a complete list of State High award winners.
State Career Development Conference
Congratulations to the State College Area High School DECA club members who took home several chapter and individual honors from the State Career Development Conference February 24-26 in Hershey. Several students will travel to Orlando, Fla., to compete in the International Career Development Conference April 24-29. DECA organization chapters prepare students to be marketing, finance, hospitality, management and entrepreneurship leaders.
Straight Talk for Parents Series:
Child Sexual Abuse 
Tuesday, April 21, 7-8:30 p.m.
Mount Nittany Middle School  
Presenter: Janet Rosensweig, Ph.D.

Additional resources can be found online at Schlow Library. 
School will be in session May 22, June 8-10
 
calendar
For your planning convenience, here are the links to the approved academic calendars for 2014-15 and 2015-16:

School will be in session May 22 and June 8-10 to make up for snow days.
Summer camps for grades 6-8 

Students entering Grades 6-8 have some exciting opportunities for summer camp!  Design DIY, Art in August, and App Attack are just a few of the choices.  Visit http://www.scasd.org/SummerCamps for details and to register.
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