SUNews Jan 16 - William Penn School District

William Penn School District
Scholastic & Uplifting News!
January 2016
Pamela A. Bookman, Public Relations Coordinator
Joseph J. Bruni, Superintendent of Schools
Special Awards for December
Alumni Patriot Awards!
William Penn School District Alumni Patriot Awards were presented to selected members of the
faculty and staff who have graduated from William Penn School District high schools and have longterm service as William Penn School District employees.
Alumni Patriot Award recipients for 2015 are (from left to right) Ms. Caroline Meister, School
Nurse, Lansdowne-Aldan High School graduate; Mr. William Ricketts, Elementary Band Instructor,
Yeadon High School graduate; Ms. Yvette Calvin, Foreign Language Teacher, Penn Wood High
School graduate; and Ms. Norma Wilson, School Secretary, Darby-Colwyn High School graduate.
January is School Director
Recognition Month!
School Director Recognition Month Resolution
WHEREAS, the role of locally elected school
officials has served the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania and local communities in
meeting the needs of public education since the
passage of the Free School Act in 1834; and
WHEREAS, these local boards have
discharged their responsibilities to public
education in a manner which has placed public
education in the forefront of our educational
systems; and
WHEREAS, locally elected officials have
distinguished
themselves
and
their
communities in this non-paid, volunteer public
service commitment; and
WHEREAS, the contributions of these men
and women should be recognized and
appreciated by those who benefit from the
workings of our public school system,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that
the Executive Board of the Pennsylvania School
Boards Association hereby proclaims the
month of January as School Director
Recognition Month in this commonwealth; and
FURTHER RESOLVES that this proclamation
be communicated to all school faculty and staff,
school officials, and local communities in
recognition of service locally-elected officials
provide to the citizenry of this commonwealth.
RESOLVED, the 21st day of December 2015.
Special thanks to the William Penn School
District Board of Directors for their service to
the William Penn School District: Ms. Jennifer
Hoff, President; Mr. Rafi Cave, Vice President;
Board Members Ms. Monique Boykins, Mr.
Darren Burrell, Ms. Marion Fitti, Mr. Kevin
Hobbs, Ms. Charlotte Hummel, Ms. Louella
Richardson, and Mr. Robert E. Wright, Sr.;
former Board Members Ms. Diane Leahan and
Mr. Robert Reardon; and Student Board
Representatives Miss Francisca Mukova and
Miss Emma Williams.
William Penn Earns a Place on the College
Board’s AP District Honor Roll
William Penn School District earned a place
on the College Board’s 6th Annual AP
(Advanced Placement) District Honor Roll. The
distinction is given to school districts in the
U.S. for increasing access to AP course work
while
simultaneously
maintaining
or
increasing the number of students who earn
scores of 3 or higher on AP Exams.
Four hundred and twenty-five school
districts across the U.S. earned a place on the
AP District Honor Roll. William Penn is one of
three Delaware County school districts
included on the 6th Annual honor roll, joining
the Marple Newtown and Radnor School
Districts. The College Board analyzed three
years of AP data (2013-2015) for criteria for
inclusion on the AP District Honor Roll. The
following criteria were used.
Districts must:
 Increase participation/access to AP by at least
4 percent in large districts, at least 6 percent
in medium districts, and at least 11 percent in
small districts;
 Increase or maintain the percentage of exams
taken by African American, Hispanic/Latino,
and
American
Indian/Alaska
Native
students; and
 Improve or maintain performance levels
when comparing the 2015 percentage of
students scoring a 3 or higher to the 2013
percentage, unless the district has already
attained a performance level at which more
than 70 percent of its AP students are scoring
a 3 or higher.
Social workers and student volunteers
sorted toys for families to pick up at the
WPSD Annual Toys for Tots event.
Shown (l-r) are Tanaka Mada, Clarisa
Ageyman, Ms. Marisa Taddonio,
Dawn Root, Hervelange Auguste, and
Ms. Nikole Heilmann.
Harcum College’s Dental Center Offering
Free Sealant Day for Children
Harcum College’s Cohen Dental Center is
hosting its Annual Free Sealant Day on Dr.
King Day, Monday, January 18, 2016, with
appointments at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 1 p.m.
until all slots are full.
Parents interested in the free services for their
child must schedule an appointment at 610526-06113 as soon as possible. Space is limited.
As a community outreach event to promote
preventive oral care and family health, the
center is offering free dental hygiene services to
children ages 6-12 on Dr. King Day.
The free services include application of
cavity-preventing seals on children’s teeth, oral
exams, fluoride treatments, as well as
instructions and tips in dental health care.
The Cohen Dental Center is located at 750
Montgomery Avenue in Bryn Mawr, PA.
Toys for Tots
On December 21 and 22, 2015, William Penn
School District social workers Ms. Nikole
Heilmann and Ms. Marisa Taddonio, with the
help of student volunteers from Penn Wood
High School, distributed toys to 216 families in
its Annual Toys for Tots Event.
In November, WPSD guidance counselors
and social workers registered families to
receive toys. Families enrolled nearly 500
children ranging in age from infant to 12 years.
The toys were provided by the United States
Marine Corps Unit in Folsom, PA.
Ms. Jane Harbert, Director of Schools,
played the water glasses and Mr. Joseph
Bruni (far right), Superintendent, played
the pots and pans in a novelty piece called
Christmas in the Kitchen. They were
directed by elementary band instructor
Mr. William Ricketts at the winter
concert
Penn Wood High School’s FMFCU Interns
Place First in Membership Drive
Walnut Street School Awarded
Two Target Grants
Penn Wood High School Franklin Mint Federal Credit
Union student interns, (l-r) Edna Bonsu, Dennis
Manyeah, Tiffany Levine, and Kenny Ngaima, won first
place in the credit union’s membership drive.
Ms. Delaine Jones, 2nd-grade teacher at
Walnut Street Elementary School, and Mr.
Joseph Williams, Walnut Street Elementary
School Principal, have each been awarded 2016
Target Field Trip Grants in the amount of $700
each. Ms. Delaine’s grant award will be used
for a second-grade class trip to the Tyler
Arboretum. Mr. Williams’ award will be used
toward a fifth-grade class trip to Independence
Mall.
Target Field Trip Grants Program was
established in 2006 to help teachers enhance
their students’ classroom experience by
providing funds for field trips. Target is on
track to reach $1 billion in giving for education
by the end of this year.
Student interns for the Penn Wood High
School Student-Operated Branch of the
Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union (FMFCU)
came in first place in the FMFCU Student
Branch Membership Contest. The interns are
Edna Bonsu, Tiffany Levine, Dennis
Manyeah, and Kenny Ngaima. They were
awarded a catered lunch and received a modest
monetary award from the FMFCU StudentOperated Branch/Financial Literacy Center.
Other branches in the contest were Strath
Haven, Marple Newtown, TCHS Brandywine,
Interboro, Springfield, Upper Darby, Garnet
Valley, and DuPont high schools.
The interns helped students to open FMFCU
memberships and encouraged them to save
money. They assisted in setting up direct
deposit for students with jobs. Ms. Jill
LaFreniere and Ms. Barbara Smeck, FMFCU
employees who serve as Intern Coordinators
for the Penn Wood branch, advise students on
account safety and use of the FMFCU mobile
application.
Mr. Tom Edwards, Penn Wood High School
Business/Cooperative Education teacher, is the
FMFCU Liaison. Ms. Elizabeth Brown, Penn
Wood High School Guidance Counselor, helps
FMFCU with the student intern interviewing
and hiring process.
Penn Wood Track Teams Excelling and
Breaking Records!
The Penn Wood High School girls broke a stadium record,
the school record, and the 2nd fastest time in PA in the
distance medley relay. Agnes Mansaray broke the Delco
record in the 400-meter run and is #1 in PA and #4 in the
U.S. Terri Turner is #8 in PA in the 400-meter run
The Penn Wood High School boys Ndiaga Seck and
Dennis Manyeah are #2 and #4 PA in the 400-meter run.
The 4x400-meter relay team is #2 in PA and #6 in the U.S.
Lansdowne/Upper Darby Rotary Club
December Student of the Month Awards
The Rotary Club of Upper Darby and
Lansdowne recognizes high school seniors
from the Penn Wood, Archbishop Prendergast
& Monsignor Bonner, and Upper Darby High
schools in its Student of the Month Program.
At Penn Wood High School, Tiguida Konde
and Annon Merritt were selected as Students
of the Month for December 2015. Students are
selected based on academic performance,
leadership skills and participation in
extracurricular activities.
Tiguida has a rigorous academic schedule
that includes Advanced Placement courses in
Calculus
and
English
Literature
and
Composition. She has also taken courses at
Delaware County Community College through
the Dual Enrollment Program.
Tiguida is a member of the National Honor
Society, National Math Honor Society, and
Student Council, and serves on the Senior Class
and Yearbook Committees. She plays on the
Penn Wood Volleyball, Softball, Indoor Track,
and Outdoor Track Teams.
Ms. Konde has received an All-Del Val
League award and All-Delco Honorable
Mention for volleyball and a Leadership
Award for Track & Field. Community service
and volunteer activities include assisting in
building a playground, selling t-shirts to raise
money for the school, and hosting a PSSA
testing pep rally to help motivate children. She
plans to attend Temple University or New
York University to study Business.
Annon Merritt is a member of National Art
Honor Society, Speech & Debate Club, and has
earned a place on the Honor Roll since seventh
grade. He is a member of the Penn Wood
Student Council, enjoys playing the piano, was
the Head Coordinator for the Penn Wood High
School Fashion Show, and is a member of the
Choir.
Mr. Merritt has volunteered at the Dragonfly
Forest Camp, Blessings Summer Camp, and
tutors students at Evans Elementary School. He
has received a Varsity Debate Award. He plans
to major in Graphic Design at Temple
University in pursuit of a career in the field of
music or graphic design.
Tiguida Konde and Annon Merritt were
honored at a luncheon held in December at the
Drexelbrook Conference Center and presented
with certificates from the Rotary Club.
Scenes from the WPSD International Hackathon
Sharing Book Clubs at Ardmore Avenue School!
Some students in Mr. Matthew Lammon’s reading class at Ardmore Avenue Elementary School created puppet shows to share
books they are reading independently.
Amber Harrisson
Faheem Matthews
Tamasen Allen Bey