tiger prints - Big Beaver Falls Area School District

Big Beaver Falls Area
School District:
Ranked #1 Overachiever
School District in Pennsylvania
2010, 2011, 2012
“. . .
Tiger Prints
www.tigerweb.org
committed to providing an exemplary educational experience
Volume XXIII
S u p e rin t e n d e n t ’ s
C
o
r
n
e
r
We Believe
B
ack-to-school
inservice day in most school
districts is designed to
prepare and inspire teachers, administrators, and support staff for
the challenges and changes that
come with a new year.
Usually there are new programs to explain, new staff assignments to emphasize, and
inspiring words from a guest
speaker. However, this year, we
decided to turn to our students for
inspiration.
In their own words, in their
own way, we asked some of our
students to speak for themselves,
and us, on the theme: WE BELIEVE.
Our students, from as young
as kindergarten to high school seniors, understood how important
every one of us is in their futures.
“You believe in us; so we believe
in you.”
There was certainly enough in
the student messages on that first
day to make us humble, if for no
other reason than how much our
students rely on us to help them
Fall 2013-2014
Newsletter of
Big Beaver Falls Area
School District
1503 Eighth Avenue
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania 15010
. . . .”
Issue 78
BBF Begins Year with: We Believe
School Performance Profile Replaces AYP
find their way to success.
Imagine! Our students believed and understood how much
we needed each other.
I doubt there was anyone at
the end of our day unaffected by
the words of our students.
We rediscovered how important it was that We Believe in
what we represent, to whom we
were committed, and in our goals
and purpose.
That kind of committment,
We Believe, is critical to the success of our children, our student
body, and to every person in our
school buildings. Not one of us
can be exempt from believing that
every child, every teacher, and
every staff member has an important role to fulfill in the education
and achievement of our students.
We Believe the community
that supports our schools also
believes its children deserve the
best we can provide for their
education. This belief spans decades and continues today. Even
through difficult economic times
and transitions, the citizens of our
Beaver Falls communities have
believed that children deserve opportunities to meet their potential.
Without that support and the expectations that come with it, our
District would not have enjoyed
the kind of success we have had
over time.
We believe in families. And
although the definition of today’s
family might be different than
those in the past, we know that
when families support education
in the home, student success in
the school increases. When parents and guardians or adult role
models place an important value
on education, the children around
them will share that value. When
children believe that education is
important, their futures have no
limits.
We believe that our schools
should be safe and productive
environments that welcome the
community and encourage families to join in and celebrate the
educational process. We know
that when committed teachers
and staff work with students and
their families and have the time
and resources to teach, positive
goals can be achieved. I know
this because I see it every day.
We believe there’s always
a need to do more and seek improvement.
We believe that every child
has immeasurable worth and has
a right to have dreams and to see
them realized.
We believe that BBFASD
makes a difference in the lives of
our students and in the future of
this community.
We shall continue nurturing
what We Believe and working
harder to see it come true. It will
come true because We Believe!
Yours in Tiger Education,
Donna M. Nugent, Ed. D.
S
ince its fall issue of 2003-2004, our Tiger Prints newsletter
has published an Annual District Report Card. In those 11
back issues, we reported the progress of our students using
criteria and test scores mandated by the Federal No Child Left Behind Law [NCLB] and Pennsylvania’s assigned AYP [Adequate Yearly
Progress].
That required report card revealed our students’ performance in
Reading and Mathematics on the PSSA [Pennsylvania’s System of
School Assessment], as well as attendance, graduation rates, and the
scores of identified subgroups with 40 or more students.
It’s Now Changed
This year, Pennsylvania is instituting changes in its public school
accountability system.
As part of its measure of each school’s progress, AYP has been
replaced with SPP [School Performance Profile].
A school’s SPP will still include student assessment and school
performance information from its PSSA scores in Reading and Mathematics, in addition to upper grade Keystone Test scores in Literature,
Algebra, and Biology.
However, those scores will represent 50% of a school’s SPP. An
additional 40% of SPP will measure school and District effectiveness
for student growth determined by an applied formula designated as
PVAAS [Pennsylvania Value Added Assessment System].
The final 10% of SPP is comprised of graduation, promotion,
and attendance rates, coupled with student availability to Advanced
Placement, International Baccalaureate, and dual enrollment programs.
A Report Card in January, 2014
All these changes in measuring student/school performance and
reporting them to the public evolved after Pennsylvania’s NCLB waiver
request, which the U.S. Department of Education approved on August
20, 2013.
Approval of this waiver eliminates NCLB and AYP in Pennsylvania.
It also results in a separate method for Title I school reporting, which
will now be designated as “Priority,” ”Focus,” or “Reward.”
Non-Title I school report cards will be based on SPP, as described
above under It’s Now Changed.
Currently, many Pennsylvania school districts are in the process
of verifying and correcting 2012-2013 school performance and demographic data associated with the new SPP system.
As a result, numerous school results, including Beaver Falls High
School, are not yet available.
After the verifying and correcting process is completed, school
performance report cards will be published in January, 2014.
Page 2
Two at BFHS, One at BFMS, Central, & BFMS/BB
Five New Tiger Teachers Begin Careers with BBF Faculty
Mr. Timothy Yoho, Middle School English
Grade 8
Mrs. Andrea King, Speech & Language Support
at Big Beaver and Middle School
Wins Bausch & Lomb Award
Dillon Mason Top Science Student
S
enior Dillon Mason is
the recipient of the
Bausch & Lomb Sci-
BFHS Senior Dillon Mason, this
year’s Bausch & Lomb Award winner, has a photo moment with BFHS
Chemistry Teacher Marilyn Clark
[left], and BFHS Principal Mary Beth
Leeman.
Big Beaver Falls Area
School District
School Directors
Cynthia Cook
Todd Allen, Ph.D.
Richard Attisano
Terri Ellinwood
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Clifford Alford
Allen Bozic
Isabelle Gill
Ron Miller
Susan Smith
Andrews & Price, LLP, Solicitors
In accordance with Title VI, Title IX,
and Section 504, Big Beaver Falls Area
School District is an equal opportunity
educational entity committed to ensuring
a learning and/or working environment
free of sexual harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed,
national origin, gender, or handicap in
its activities, programs, or employment
practices.
F
ive new Tigers were
added to the BBF faculty
this year.
BFHS gained two, Middle
School one, and Central Elementary one. Big Beaver Elementary
and Middle School share one.
New at BFHS are Christopher
Ludwig, teaching Visual Communications and Digital Media,
and Rebecca Tokarsky, teaching
Biology.
Timothy Yoho joins Middle
School’s faculty as a new Tiger,
teaching English.
Kelly Defilippo is assigned
to teaching first grade at Central
Elementary, while Andrea King
divides her Speech and Language
Support responsibilities between
Big Beaver and Middle School.
A graduate of Ellwood City’s
Lincoln High School, Mr. Ludwig
earned his B.S. Degree in Technology Educaton at California
University of Pennsylvania.
Ms. Rebecca Tokarsky, High School Biology
Mr. Christopher Ludwig, High School Technology
Ms. Tokarsky, a graduate
of East Allegheny High School,
earned her B.S. Degree in Environmental Science from Robert
Morris University.
Now a “double Tiger,” Mr.
Yoho is a BFHS graduate. He
holds a B.S. degree in Human Resource Management from Geneva
College, a second B.S. degree in
Business Education from Robert
Morris University, and an MBA
Degree from Point Park University.
Ms. Defilippo, a graduate of
Canon-McMillan High School,
earned her B.S. Degree in elementary education from Geneva College, as well as a Masters Degree
in Special Education.
A graduate of Moon Area
High School, Mrs. King earned her
B.S. Degree in Speech/Hearing
Science at Edinboro University,
minored in Special Education,
and earned her Master’s Degree
in Speech/Language Pathology.
Ms. Kelly Defilippo, Central School
Grade 1
ence Award, presented annually at
Commencement to the outstanding science student in the BFHS
graduating class.
BFHS Chemistry Teacher
Marilyn Clark announced that
Dillon has maintained the highest scholastic standing in all his
science subjects during his High
School career.
The son of Lisa and Michael
Mason of Beaver Falls is now
eligible for Bausch and Lomb
Scholarships to the University of
Rochester [New York].
The BFHS top science student is planning to major in civil
engineering and is currently considering college choices for next
year.
Administration
Donna M. Nugent, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools
Joyce Depenhart
Donnie Hicks
Mary Beth Leeman
Central Elementary School
Dean of Students
Bryan Fabyanic
Big Beaver Elementary
School Principal
Director of Student Services
High School Principal and
CTO for School Improvement Grant
Assistant High School Principal
Valarie Williams
Chad Thomas
High School Dean of Students
Big Beaver Elementary School
Dean of Students
Middle School Principal
Business Manager
Middle School Dean of Students
Supervisor of Physical Plant
Central Elementary School Principal
Technology Supervisor
Ryan Matsook
Thomas House II
Chris Posset
Linda Edel
Gary Ceccarelli
Robert Pelaia
Rodney Bobin
Elementary Schools Observe AEW
With Parent-Teacher Conferences
P re -S cheduled
P arent -T eacher C onferences
At Big Beaver and Central
Elementary Schools
T hursday , N ovember 21
3 to 7 p . m .
All
d i s m i ss
e l e m e n ta r y s t u d e n t s
@ 1:15
on
November 21
Page 3
Courtesy Eric Mlak, BFHS Class of ‘90
Tiger Football Lockers Renovated
B
efore and after each
of their games this fall,
the 2013 football Tigers had the use of a renovated
locker room area.
The benefactor of the locker
renovation project was well aware
of what the locker room “used to
be” because he was a three-year
Tiger letterman during his years
at BFHS.
Ever since his graduation
with the Class of 1990, Eric Mlak
has found ways to support Beaver Falls and the athletic program
of BFHS.
In addition to earning his
varsity letters while at BFHS, Eric
was selected Defensive Back of
the Year, named to the All-Conference First Team, chosen Beaver County Times Athlete of the
Week, and picked for the PennOhio All-Star Game.
He was also Valedictorian of
his class.
Eric continued his education
at Columbia University and eventually formed his own company,
Fort Pitt Energy.
Currently, he resides in Houston, Texas.
While he was back in Beaver
Falls to attend the Tiger/Mohawk
football game, he was honored at
half-time for his commitment to
Tiger athletics, especially his contributions to Tiger Football Camp
and his generous support of the
Locker Room renovation.
Ron Boxen, president of the
Beaver Falls Quarterback Club,
and Andrea Hall, president of the
Beaver Falls Football Boosters,
presented Eric with a plaque of
appreciation.
At the entry of the locker
room area under the Middle
School Gym, a name plate has
also been placed to mark the
Eric Mlak Locker Room.
In appreciation to
Eric Mlak
BFHS Class of 1990
For his generous support
of the
Tiger Football
Locker Room
Renovation Project
and
Dedication and Commitment
to the Beaver Falls
community and
the athletic program of
Beaver Falls High School
Once a Tiger,
Always a Tiger
Rose above Bullying and Ridicule to Succeed
Big Beaver, Central Assemblies Feature Guinness Holder Jon Pritikin
S
Jeremiah Bunn-Mason, Big
Beaver third grader, watches Jon
Pritikin tear a phone book in half.
tudents at Big Beaver
and Central Elementary School had character-building assemblies featuring
Guinness World Record Holder
Jon Pritikin.
Considered by many to be
the ”World’s Strongest Man,” Pritikin tore a phone book in half,
bent a steel bar held in his teeth,
bent a frying pan double, and
encouraged students to do their
best and overcome obstacles.
‘FEEL THE POWER’
In a powerful school assembly program attended by over 3
million students around the world,
2009 Guinness World Records©
holder Jon Pritikin effectively combines attention-grabbing “feats of
strength” with an even more impressive message of overcoming
incredible challenges throughout
his childhood, teen years, and even
as a young adult.
Because of Jon’s effective,
down-to-earth and humorous communication style, he is able to suc-
cessfully win the attention and favor of students and school faculty
wherever he goes.
For nearly 20 years “Feel The
Power” has been instrumental in
motivating students to make positive, future-shaping choices for
their lives.
BBF E ducation F oundation
P resents
Johnny Angel
and the
in
Halos
C o n c e rt
N o v e m b e r 23
MS A u d i t o r i u m
7:00 p . m .
S
Mylee Freed, Big Beaver kindergartner [with the microphone], provides
the commentary while “strongman” Jon Pritikin gives Big Beaver fifth
grader Demiah Brown [left in photo] and fourth grader Chloe Mozuch a
lift on a steel bar.
Lauren Nesbella [left] and Arisa Anderson, Central School second graders, watch in awe as Jon Pritikin bends a steel bar held in his teeth. Since
she’s holding the microphone, Lauren might well be issuing the warning:
“Do not try this at home.”
ince its creation 12 years
ago, the Big Beaver Falls
Education Foundation has used
proceeds from its annual fundraising concerts to award nearly
$30,000 in scholarships to 30
BFHS graduating seniors.
Page 4
Identifies Needs, Provides Individualized Instruction
BBF Offers Variety of Educational Support for All Students
T
he Big Beaver Falls Area School District offers a full continuum of Special Education
programs and services to all students eligible for such services. Services for eligible students
of school entry age through 21 years of age may be
requested by contacting your child’s school counselor.
Special Education programs available include services
for eligible students who are identified as:
Mentally Retarded
Learning Disabled
Autistic/Pervasive Developmental Disorder
Visually Impaired
Hearing Impaired
Mentally Gifted
Multi-handicapped
Neurologically Impaired
Other Health Impairments
Physically Impaired
Emotionally Disturbed
Speech and Language Impaired
The Big Beaver Falls Area School District conducts ongoing identification activities to determine if
students are in need of Special Education services.
Child Find refers to the activities performed by District
personnel to identify, locate, and evaluate children residing in the District, including children attending private schools, who are suspected of needing special
services. Special services include the entire spectrum
of Special Education services from specially-designed
instruction in order to be academically successful to
specially-designed instruction for the gifted and talented. We offer the following programs for eligible students:
Transition Services
Learning Support
Emotional Support
Gifted Support
Life Skills Support
Autistic Support
Speech and Language Support
In addition to teachers and school counselors, parents or guardians may request their child be
screened or evaluated for Special Education services.
Requests for screening or evaluation should be made
in writing to your child’s school counselor or to Mrs.
Sharon Milovich, BBFASD Psychologist.
All information collected as part of an individual
student referral or evaluation is treated in a confidential
manner and does not become a part of the student’s
permanent record file. A written policy regarding confidentiality of student records is available for review by
contacting the building counselor, the building principal, or the Director of Student Services, Mrs. Joyce
Depenhart.
For answers to specific questions about Special
Education services, the screening or evaluation process, or any other information, please contact your
child’s school counselor.
Students, Employees
Have Title IX Rights
Early Intervention
I
n compliance with the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Big Beaver Falls
Area School District has provided the Office for
Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, with documentation which affirms its policy of ensuring that all
pupils, support employees, professional employees,
and administrative employees should enjoy a learning
and/or working environment free from all forms of discrimination, including sexual harassment.
According to Mrs. Joyce Depenhart, Director of
Student Services, the District’s statement of nondiscrimination, as well as its Title IX Grievance Procedure
for dealing with “Complaints of Sex Discrimination,”
has been accepted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Office.
The BBF Grievance Procedure involves the
following steps:
1- Any student, employee, or visitor who feels he/
she is a victim of sexual harassment should contact the
Superintendent of Schools as soon as possible after
the incident occurs. If the incident is reported to an
intermediary party, that intermediary party must immediately contact the superintendent.
Within three days of the initial report, the complainant must submit a written, signed statement describing the incident and complaint.
2- The Superintendent will then notify the person
named as the perpetrator of alleged sexual harassment, provide the basis of the complaint, and request
a written response to the allegations within seven days.
3- The Superintendent will carry out a thorough
factual investigation, including interviews with all those
with relevant information, particularly the complainant
and the person accused.
4- With the District solicitor’s counsel, the Superintendent will draft a confidential summary of the
complaint to the Board of School Directors and recommend a course of action for their consideration. The
complainant and the person[s] charged with sexual harassment will be notified by the Superintendent of the
Board’s decision.
5- If it is determined that sexual harassment has
occurred, disciplinary action appropriate to the offense
will be taken.
6- Reporting a sexual harassment incident after
10 days of its occurrence or failing to submit a written
complaint within three days of a verbal report will seriously impair the District’s ability to deal with the incident successfully.
The full text of the District’s Title IX Compliance
documents are available in the Superintendent’s Office
at 1503 Eighth, Beaver Falls, PA 15010.
The goal of early intervention is to prevent or
improve the effects of the child’s disability before entry into school. These services may be delivered in a
classroom setting, at home, or a combination of both.
The duration of the program, in terms of hours per
week, varies according to the individual need of the
child and his/her family.
Early Intervention Programs are provided for
children of ages three to five years. The need for early
intervention services must be in one of the following
areas:
Physical
Sensory
Cognitive
Language and Speech
Social-emotional
Self-help
Services must be provided by qualified personnel. The Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit provides Early
Intervention for the children in the Big Beaver Falls Area
School District.
Services for Preschool Children
The BBFASD offers a Pennsylvania PreK Counts
program at Central Elementary School. The program is
designed for 4 or 5-year-old children who are at-risk.
For more information regarding the PA PreK Counts
classroom, please contact the Central Elementary Principal, Mrs. Linda Edel, at 724-843-3420.
In addition, the District partners with Head Start
to offer pre-school readiness programs. For more information about Head Start, please contact their office at
724-375-2300.
Homeless Children and Youth Act
The McKinney-Vento Education Assistance Act
of 2001, (Public Law 107-110), ensures the education
of homeless children and youth. The BBFASD recognizes its obligation to ensure that all homeless students
have access to the same educational programs and
services provided to the other children in the District.
The BBFASD works to identify the homeless children
in our School District and eliminate existing barriers
to their attendance and education in compliance with
Federal and State laws. For more information regarding the McKinney-Vento Education Assistance Improvement Act of 2001, please contact the BBFASD
Homeless Coordinator, Mrs. Joyce Depenhart, Director
of Student Services.
Surrogate Parents
The BBFASD has a program that provides surrogate parents for children who are homeless or a ward
of the State. These volunteers act as advocates for the
student and help him/her make educational decisions.
Confidentiality Notice
Notification of Rights under FERPA
and Directory Information
I
n accordance with the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other applicable Federal and State laws, policies, and
regulations, the Big Beaver Falls Area School District
protects the confidentiality of personally identifiable
information regarding all students--including students
with disabilities, children thought to have disabilities,
protected handicapped students [if not protected by
IDEA or Pennsylvania Special Education Regulations],
or children who are identified as gifted.
Education records refer to those documents or
records that are directly related to the student, including information stored in a computer, through media, and on videotape, which are maintained by the
BBFASD.
For all students, the BBFASD maintains education records that include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Personally Identifiable Information
• Confidential information that includes, but is
not limited to, the student’s name, name(s) of parent(s)/
guardian(s) and other family members, the address of
the student or the student’s family.
• Directory Information-– Information contained in an education record of a student which would
not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of
privacy, if disclosed. It includes, but is not limited to,
the student’s name, address, telephone number, date
and place of birth, participation in officially recognized
activities and sports, weight and height of athletic
teams, dates of attendance, grades and awards received, information for the annual yearbook, graduation
programs, honor rolls, etc., and the name of the most
previous educational agency attended.
FERPA affords parents and students over 18
years of age [“eligible students”] certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. These rights
are:
[1] Parent(s)/Guardian(s) have the right to inspect
and review the student’s education records within 45
days of the day the School receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the
School principal a written request that identifies the
record(s) they wish to inspect. The School official will
make arrangements for access and notify the parent or
eligible student of the time and place where the records
may be inspected.
[2] Parent(s)/Guardian(s) have the right to request
the amendment of the student’s education records that
the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate.
Parents or eligible students may ask the School to
amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They
should write the School principal, clearly identify the
part of the record they want changed, and specify why
it is inaccurate. If the School decides not to amend the
record, as requested by the parent or eligible student,
the School will notify the parent or eligible student of
the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional
information regarding the hearing procedures will be
provided to the parent or eligible student when notified
of the right to a hearing.
[3] Parent(s)/Guardian(s) have the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure
without consent.
One exception, which permits disclosure without
consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate
educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the School as an administrator, supervisor,
instructor, or support staff member [including health or
medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel]; a
person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the School has contracted to perform
a special task [such as, an attorney, auditor, medical
consultant, or therapist]; or a parent or student serving
on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in
performing his or her tasks.
A school official has a legitimate educational in-
terest if the official needs to review an education record
in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
Upon request, the School discloses education
records, without consent, to officials of another school
district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
[4] The School District is required by the National
Defense Authorization Act (Public Law #107-107) to
provide military recruiters the same access to secondary school students as provided to post-secondary institutions or to prospective employers and to provide
students’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers
to military recruiters, when requested, unless a parent/
guardian has opted out of providing such information in
writing to the school principal.
[5] Parent(s)/Guardian(s) have the right to file a
complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the School District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. Complaints may
be filed with:
Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-5901.
Student’s special education and gifted records
are maintained by the Special Education Office at the
BBFASD Central Administrative Offices. The student’s
official transcript is kept for 99 years. The initial and
final IEP or GIEP is also retained for 99 years.
Student Rights –
Surveys Protection of
Pupil Rights Amendment [PPRA]
T
he Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment
[PPRA] is a Federal law that affords certain
rights to parents of minor students with regard to surveys that ask questions of a personal nature.
Briefly, the law requires that schools obtain written consent from parents before minor students are required to
participate in any U.S. Department of Education funded
survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals information
concerning the following areas:
[1] Political affiliations
[2] Mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student and his/her family
[3] Sex behavior and attitudes
[4] Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and
demeaning behavior
[5] Critical appraisals of other individuals with
whom respondents have close family relationships
[6] Legally recognized privileged or analogous
relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and
ministers
[7] Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of
the student or student’s parent
[8] Income [other than that required by law to
determine eligibility for participation in a program or for
receiving financial assistance under such program]
Parents will receive notice and have the opportunity to opt out of surveys where:
[1] Any other protected information is surveyed, regardless of funding;
[2] Any non-emergency, invasive physical
exam or screening is required as a condition of attendance, administered by the District, and necessary
to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, and/or physical exam
screening permitted or requested under State law; and
[3] Activities including collection, disclosure, or
use of personal information obtained from students for
marketing, selling, or otherwise distributing the information to others.
Parents may inspect, upon request and before
administration or use:
[1] Protected information surveys of students;
[2] Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the referenced marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes.
The Big Beaver Falls Area School District
has developed policies to ensure student rights
with regard to distribution of surveys. Parent(s)/
Guardian(s) and eligible students will be notified of
activities and afforded an opportunity to opt a student out of participation.