2012-13 Annual Report - North Hills School District

Focus
on
the
Future
2012-13 Annual Report
Mission
The mission of the North Hills
School District is to excel at
educating and preparing each
student to become a responsible,
contributing member of society
by providing a caring and
an academically challenging
environment.
Vision
Rooted in our proud tradition of
excellence, the North Hills School
District will be recognized as one
of America’s great public school
districts.
Core Values
• Demonstrate genuine care,
concern and fondness for
students.
• Adopt a client-centered focus
- students come first, followed
closely by the needs of their
parents.
• Develop and nurture healthy,
productive and cooperative
relationships with colleagues.
• Communicate regularly and
clearly with clients, their
families and the community.
• Demand quality - high
expectations will yield high
achievement.
• Create and cultivate a districtwide Learning Community.
• Benchmark programs, services
and students’ results against
the best.
• Encourage innovation and risktaking.
• Establish community and
regional partnerships.
Future
Superintendent
Dr. Patrick J. Mannarino
Dear North Hills families,
As you can see from the cover photo of this year’s annual report featuring North Hills High School students
at work on a robotics project in our technology education department, our focus is clear. At North Hills, we
are working to ensure that each and every North Hills student has a successful future.
To accomplish this goal, North Hills has implemented a variety of cutting-edge programs. From teachercreated e-textbooks to blended learning opportunities and innovative textbook-free classes to educational
technology utilization in all classrooms, North Hills remains a district of choice. But we aren’t satisfied. As a
district, we continue to work tirelessly to incorporate inventive and pioneering curriculum options such as
our academic academies and new courses, including more than 30 Advanced Placements options, to best
serve our students’ needs.
It is with extreme pride and great pleasure that I present the 2012-13 Annual Report filled with
groundbreaking undertakings and achievements by our district and its students and staff.
Sincerely,
Future
of Education
At North Hills School District, the future is now.
North Hills continues to be a leader in educational
technology, e-textbooks and online curricula.
Throughout the United States, the shift to
e-textbooks and tablets from traditional books
continues to gain popularity, and North Hills
teachers are at the forefront of the paperless
revolution. Nearly 400 iPads and thousands of
laptop computers have become fixtures throughout
the district and are utilized in all grades.
North Hills became the first district in the area
to have an e-textbook completely written and
designed by district teachers saving funds and
providing students with the most up-to-date
information available for learning due to the
constant updates allowed by its functionality.
“In everyday life, students use cell phones, tablet
computers, laptops and other technology for
communication and learning on their own. They
turn to technology as their first way to acquire
information. It is important for schools to, first,
teach students in a way that mirrors how they learn
on their own at home and, second, teach students
invaluable information literacy skills, so they can be
successful in an increasingly technology-centered
society,” said Dr. Jeff Taylor, North Hills Assistant
superintendent of curriculum, assessment and
special programs.
Each day, more than 300 students in eighth-grade
American history use one of the classroom iPads to
access their history e-textbook. It was written and
customized to exceed Pennsylvania’s standards for
social studies education by junior high teachers
Larry Dorenkamp, Rich Texter and Joe Welch. Jill
Brooks, a North Hills Junior High reading teacher,
edited the e-textbook. The e-textbook includes
self-grading quizzes to test student retention at the
end of each section along with interactive maps
showing locations of historical events marked by
a familiar pushpin. Students can digitally highlight
and take notes within the e-textbook and email
their personal notes to themselves at the end of
class using their district-provided Google email
account. The e-textbook also can read sections
aloud and contains a function that defines difficult
words with the press of a finger that otherwise
students may never look up in a dictionary.
In addition to the junior high course, high school
biology teachers Jackie Karenbauer, Jennifer
DiPasquale and Mark Buccilli continue to improve
their textbook-free biology class that was created a
few years ago.
“Let’s Get Ready to Garden” iBook included how-to
videos, links to seed company websites and written
information on best planting practices. Students
also utilize a variety of fitness and healthy living
apps to completely customize their learning and
apply classroom lessons in everyday life.
Beyond iPads, North Hills libraries also are looking
to incorporate more e-readers and tablets to
modernize and update the district resource areas.
North Hills also expanded its online curriculum
options for all students during the 2012-13 school
year. The Online Academy @ North Hills extended
its educational offerings to elementary grades,
and next year, the district plans to utilize North
Hills educators to teach all elementary-level online
Their innovative instruction model is not an online
class and does not utilize an online textbook, but
courses for the first time. This expansion adds
to the more than 105 curriculum course options
it incorporates iPads and MacBooks to engage
already available to secondary
students and present interactive
students through the district’s unique
and innovative materials.
Nearly 400 iPads
cyberschool created and taught by
The class boasts a studenthave become a fixture North Hills teachers. It also offers
centered instructional strategy that
throughout the district blended learning possibilities with
online and traditional coursework.
allows students to collaboratively
and
are
utilized
in
all
answer questions, solve problems
North Hills grades.
Because of the success of our online
and reflect on their experiences
program, Baldwin-Whitehall School
to enhance their learning
District has partnered with North
comprehension.
Hills to enroll Baldwin-Whitehall students in the
Online Academy. Next year, the district plans to
Various family and consumer science courses
expand to include more neighboring districts,
taught by high school educator Amy Patsilevas use
further confirming the quality, online education the
custom-created iBooks that utilize iPad technology
program offers.
to relay information, videos and links. Patsilevas’
Demands
of the Future
As our technology-centered society continues to
create new information and careers at a record
pace, North Hills School District has strengthened
its quality academic programs to focus on
preparing students for the demands of the future
in a broad range of career opportunities equipping
each student for the needs of an ever-evolving
global marketplace.
“As a district, we have launched new initiatives
and expanded our offerings to provide students
with tools and education that focus on what
they will need for in-demand fields,” said Dr.
Patrick J. Mannarino, North Hills School District
superintendent.
The top careers for 2020 based on job growth
include accountants and auditors, software
developers, computer scientists, civil engineers,
petroleum engineers, lawyers, occupational and
physical therapists, construction workers, auto
mechanics, medical scientists and physicians and
surgeons, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Uniquely positioned to address these careers are the
six academic academies at North Hills High School:
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Academy for Arts and Communication
The Academy for Business and Finance
The Academy for Engineering
The Academy for Law and Government
The Academy for Medicine
The Academy for World Affairs
A total of 101 students were accepted into the
premier academies during the program’s first year.
North Hills was the first district in the area to launch
academic academies, once again finding the district
on the cutting edge of education in the area. As
academy members, students have the opportunity
to explore career fields and develop transferable
workplace skills through a focused curricular track
that allows students to participate in field trips,
shadowing programs, internships and compete
for academy-specific scholarships. Participants
are immersed in authentic content that mirrors
undergraduate courses at the collegiate level.
Special events coordinated through the
academies welcome community partners into
the district to share knowledge and experience
and allow students an opportunity to interact
with professionals and explore career fields. This
year, more than 30 speakers, including a research
molecular biologist, Nationwide Financial actuarial
analyst and Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory
computer engineer, spoke to hundreds of students
from more than eight area school districts during
the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics) Career Symposium. Additionally,
Academy for Medicine students were part of
a special brain workshop with the Center for
Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh
that equippped students with a more thorough
understanding of the human brain.
Each academy as well as all district classes in
every grade level promote learning styles to teach
students to be self-reliant, problem-solvers and
innovators and inventors, who are logical thinkers
and technologically literate. These ideals are a
main component of successful STEM programs
as well as liberal arts and career and technology
center programs.
At the junior high, administrators are working
to create STEM opportunities now available to
students through a new activities period that
allows time for collaboration and mentoring
and an early glimpse into the availability of high
school opportunities and resources for junior high
students.
The district continues to grow and improve its
offerings for each student’s individual interests
and needs. North Hills offers more than 200 high
school courses, 30 Advanced Placement courses,
eight College-in-High-School courses, access to
an unlimited number of college courses through
multiple dual enrollment agreements with area
higher education institutions and 16 professional
programs at A.W. Beattie Career Center for indemand careers such as health aides, automotive
repair, carpentry, dental medicine and robotics.
Starting in 2013-14, North Hills’ Technology
Education will add another valuable resource for
students. A dozen students will be part of the first
high school welding partnership in Allegheny
County.
North Hills students have the option to take tuitionfree courses throughout their high school career as
another College-in-High School option. The easily
transferred courses will count as half of the 18
credits needed to complete the highly in-demand
welding certification program at the Community
College of Allegheny County. Completion of the
program provides students with entry-level skills to
work in welding and fabrication fields and test for
the American Welding Society certification.
Funding
Our Future
Wages & Salaries $33.60 million
Real Estate Taxes $43.85 millio
million
on
Total
Revenue
T
Total
Spending
Sp
$68.64
million
$68.64
$
.64
million
m
ion
Other $9.14 million
Transportation $2.64 million
Other Local Revenues $8.42
42 mil
million
lliion
Federal Revenues $1.55 million
State Revenues $14.82 million
n
North Hills School District strives each year to
deliver a high-caliber, quality education for each
and every student, while adhering to fiscally
responsible ideals.
Those efforts continued with the 2012-13 budget.
The 2012-13 budget totals $68,637,206, which
reflects a 2.9 percent increase over the 2011-12
budget.
The increase in expenditures was attributed to
four primary factors: debt service cost for Build
America Bonds, $494,505, which is offset entirely
Utilities $1.30 million
Debt Service $8.46 million
Employee Benefits $13.51 million
by a federal subsidy; A.W. Beattie bond payment,
$227,000, for renovations that were completed
in 2010; mandated increase in retirement costs,
$1,216,306; and an increase in medical insurance
costs, $335,000. These four items total $2,272,811
— which far exceeds the overall $1,960,394 increase
in expenses. After adjusting for these four items,
expenditures decreased by more than $320,000.
The budget included a slight millage increase of
.35 mills which generates approximately $735,000
in annual revenue. At 21.26 mills, North Hills has
the ninth lowest millage rate among Allegheny
2012-13 Millage Rates
Allegheny County’s Nine Northern Area School Districts
North Allegheny SD
20.92
Avonworth SD
20.94
North Hills SD
21.26
Hampton Township SD
21.35
Fox Chapel Area SD
21.55
Pine-Richland SD
22.81
25.63
Shaler Area SD
26.69
Deer Lakes SD
28.60
Northgate SD
Northern Area Average
23.31
Allegheny County Average
23.37
County’s 41 suburban school districts. The median
home value in the district is approximately
$109,000, and the owner of that home pays an
annual real estate tax of $2,317.
On a property assessed at $100,000, the increase
was $35 — or less than $3 per month.
In 2012-13, the district implemented several
new initiatives to enhance North Hills’ top-notch,
academic programs:
• Math in Focus curriculum for all elementary
grades that utilizes Singapore Math techniques.
It was launched for students in kindergarten to
second grade this year.
• New science and family and consumer science
courses.
• New textbooks and online resources for world
languages.
• Revisions to the literacy arts curriculum and
materials for grades seven, eight and nine.
• Expansion of the Online Academy @ North
Hills to offer courses to elementary grades.
• Integration of iPad technologies in all
elementary schools.
• Implementation of the STAR benchmark
assessment in reading and math for grades
three through eight.
• Implementation of the academic Academies
at North Hills to offer career-focused academic
choices and paths for high school students.
Future
Preparations
AP Scholars
69 North Hills High School seniors and recent
graduates were named AP Scholars by the College
Board following their outstanding performances on
the college-level Advanced Placement (AP) exams.
In North Hills, 203 students took 388 exams in
May 2012, and 80.3 percent scored 3 or above
on the exam earning college credit and setting a
record high for the district. North Hills students
outperformed their peers across Pennsylvania as
only 68 percent of students scored 3 or above and,
around the world, as only 18 percent of 1.9 million
students tested performed at a level to merit
various AP Scholar recognitions.
More than 27 percent of the Class of 2012 scored
a 3 or above on at least one AP exam at North Hills.
The 69 AP Scholars account for 34 percent of all
district students who participated in the AP exam
program.
North Hills students earned the following AP
honors:
• 20 students named AP Scholars with
Distinction after receiving an average score of
3.5 or higher on all AP exams taken and scores
of 3 or higher on five or more exams.
• 16 additional students named AP Scholars
with Honor after receiving an average score of
at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken or scores of
3 or higher on four or more exams.
• 33 students named AP Scholars by receiving
a score of 3 or higher on three or more AP
exams.
North Hills offers students 30 AP courses including
25 in the classroom and five online, eight
AP Honor Roll
Art 2D
Art 3D
Calculus BC
English Literature
Psychology
World History
100% of students who took
these AP exams scored 3 or
higher earning college credit
for the future.
College-in-High School courses and a variety
of college courses through dual enrollment
agreements with area colleges and universities.
Most of the nation’s colleges and universities award
credit, advanced placement or both based on
successful performance on the AP exams. More
than 3,200 institutions award a full year’s credit
(sophomore standing) to students presenting a
sufficient number of qualifying grades in the more
than 30 AP exams available.
North Hills High School is one of only 28 schools
in Pennsylvania and five in Allegheny County to
be listed in the Washington Post’s Most Challenge
High Schools. Rankings are based on the Challenge
Index, which calculates participation in AP exams to
evaluate the rigor of high school curriculums.
SAT & National Merit Scholars
North Hills High School students
continued to outperform their
state and national peers on
the SAT exam. Critical reading
scores climbed to 511 — 20
points higher than state peers
and 15 points above the national
average. Writing scores soared
to 510. Fellow students across
the commonwealth and nation
averaged 30 points lower at 480
and 22 points lower at 488. In
math, North Hills students scored
an average of 521 compared with
state and national averages of 501
and 514.
This school year, seniors Kevin
Loughlin and Elisabeth Spear were
recognized as 2012 National Merit
Scholarship Program finalists, and
Alexandra Rode and Gabrielle
Smith were named National Merit
Commended Students.
“I am extremely proud of these
high school students. With this
honor, they are ranked among the
nation’s top academic performers,”
said John Kreider, North Hills High
School principal.
The National Merit program is
an academic competition for
recognition and scholarships.
High school students enter the
National Merit Program by taking
the Preliminary SAT/National Merit
Scholarship Qualifying Test.
Loughlin and Spear were two of
only 15,000 seniors selected for
the nationwide honor from 1.5
million students in 22,000 high
schools. Nationwide, finalists
represent less than 1 percent
of high school seniors and their
ranks include the highest-scoring
entrants in each state.
Commended students must score
in the top 3 percent of test takers
to be honored.
For the second year, North Hills
High School juniors had the
opportunity to complete an SAT
Prep course during the course of
their normal day.
Taught by an English teacher
and a math teacher, the course
equips students with the testing
skills and strategies they need to
be successful on the SAT exam.
Students use their PSAT scores to
identify strengths and weaknesses
and work on an individual level as
well as in small-group and largegroup settings to improve their
test-taking skills. A total of 78
juniors are expected to complete
the course this year. In addition,
North Hills continued to offer The
Official SAT Online Course free to
sophomores, juniors and seniors.
The personalized, online course
features interactive lessons and
auto essay scoring and offers
the convenience of accessibility
anywhere a student has internet
access.
According to the College Board,
the SAT is the nation’s most
widely used college admission
test and is the first step toward
higher education for students of
all backgrounds. Every year, more
than 2 million students complete
the SAT, which is accepted
by virtually all colleges and
universities.
2012 SAT Scores
Adequate Yearly Progress
A high
h h percentage off North
h Hills
ll
School District students excelled on
the 2012 Pennsylvania System of
School Assessment (PSSA) exams.
Math
District students hit 50 out of 55
2012 proficiency targets established
North Hills School District
by the Pennsylvania Department of Grade 11
Pennsylvania Average
Education in accordance with the
federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Grade 8
Act of 2001.
“Our students and teachers work
tremendously hard to reach North
Hills’ goal of academic excellence,
and I am extremely proud of the
effort and success displayed by a
high percentage of our students.
Consistently, our students continue
to perform well when compared to
their peers across Pennsylvania and
the nation, and they continued that
pattern on the 2012 PSSA exams,”
said Dr. Patrick J. Mannarino,
superintendent.
Across the state, approximately 200
districts including North Hills School
District did not make Adequate
Yearly Progress (AYP) as defined by
the state Department of Education.
This is an increase from 30 districts
in 2011. Proficiency percentages
represent the portion of students
that achieved proficient or
advanced in the respective subject
area. This year, AYP achievement
targets were raised 9 points from
72 to 81 percent in reading and
11 points from 67 to 78 percent
in math. According to NCLB, all
students are expected to reach
proficiency in reading and math by
2014. The target graduation rate is
85 percent.
McIntyre, Ross and West View
elementary schools made Adequate
Yearly Progress (AYP) for the
ninth consecutive year. Highcliff
Elementary and North Hills Junior
High School special education
2012 PSSA Scores
74%
59%
83%
76%
89
89%
Grade 7
80%
90%
Grade 6
77%
82
82%
Grade 5
73%
96%
Grade 4
82%
90
90%
Grade 3
80%
Reading
Grade 11
North Hills School District
Pennsylvania Average
79%
67%
86%
Grade 8
79%
84%
Grade 7
Grade 6
Grade 5
Grade 4
Grade 3
subgroups did not meet AYP
targets. North Hills High School also
was unable to reach targets in math
and the building’s economically
disadvantaged subgroup did not
meet benchmarks in reading. As
with many other districts, the high
76%
87%
68%
75
75%
65%
89%
72%
88%
74%
school did not meet the graduation
rate because of the district’s
following of a federal mandate
that ensures all special education
students complete their high
school school coursework even if it
requires more than four years.
Headed for a
Successful Future
Allegheny College
Appalachian State University
Baldwin Wallace College
Bradford School
California University of Pennsylvania
Capital University
Carlow University
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Comm. College of Allegheny County
Chatham College
Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Delaware Co. Comm. College
Drexel University
Duquesne University
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Finger Lakes Comm. College
Gannon University
Geneva College
Georgia Institute of Technology
Grove City College
Hiram College
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
IUP - Punxsutawney
John Carroll University
Juniata College
Kent State University
La Roche College
Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania
Marywood University
Mercy Hospital Nursing School
Mercyhurst College
Mercyhurst College Northeast
Ohio State University
Ohio University
Ohio Valley Nursing School
Penn State Altoona
Penn State Erie
Penn State Mont Alto
Penn State University Park
Point Park University
Pittsburgh Technical Institute
Robert Morris University
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Seton Hill University
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
St. Francis University
St. Joseph’s University
Syracuse University
Thiel College
Thomas Nelson Comm. College
Triangle Tech
University of Akron
University of Dayton
University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
University of Pittsburgh at Titusville
University of South Carolina
Valley Forge Military College
Virginia Tech
Washington and Jefferson College
Washington State Comm. College
Waynesburg University
West Liberty University
West Virginia University
Westminster College
Class of 2012
90%
Pursuing
Higher
Education
Student
Achievements
• Seniors and twin sisters Anna and Robyn
Madrishin each received the President’s
Volunteer Service Award, which recognizes
Americans of all ages who have volunteered
significant amounts of their time to serve their
communities and their country.
• Junior Mary Malone was named to the 2012
All-State Cross Country team by the Pennsylvania
Track and Field Coaches Association.
• Photographs by senior Afia WaMwenze, junior
Alicia Drosendahl and sophomore Imani
Patterson were selected as finalists in the 33rd
annual College and High School Photography
Contest sponsored by Nikon from among more
than 16,700 photographs taken by students from
around the world.
• Highcliff Elementary students formed the
Highcliff Heroes organization to raise funds for
charitable causes in the community.
• Tyler Walker, Gage Curry and Drew Walker
placed in the Top 10 in their respective weight
classes at the PIAA Wrestling Championships.
• Freshmen Sarah Glatz and Margot California
planned and coordinated the first Cancer
Awareness Week at the high school to educate
peers about various cancers and raise funds for
Gilda’s Club Western Pennsylvania.
• Sophomore Sydney Wolff, a singer, musician
and songwriter, was chosen to perform in the
first installment of Support Women Artists Now
(SWAN) Day Pittsburgh Jr.
• Highcliff Elementary sixth-graders Joey Belanger,
Tanner Schmitt and Ryan Showalter won top
honors over hundreds of area students in the
2013 Shakespeare Monologue and Scene
Contest’s lower division for performers in grades
four to seven with their scene from “The Comedy
of Errors.”
• McIntyre Elementary fourth-grader Ellie
Fleischer initiated “Stand-Up: A Performance Art
Installation” to raise awareness about the needs
of homeless children in Allegheny County. The
event was the only one of its kind held in an
area school district.
• Senior Jennifer Wright was chosen as Student
of the Month from among 300 applications in
a nationwide contest conducted by the Troy
and Theodora Polamalu Foundation. She was
nominated by teacher Mark Franks for her
principled and selfless behavior.
• Six North Hills students — sophomores Marie
McConnell, Matthew Plazek, Caroline Snyder
and Sydney Wolff; freshman Anna Meyers
and eighth-grader Brittani Hagerman earned
first-place honors at the Pennsylvania Junior
Academy of Science regional event to advance
to the state competition.
• The Class of 2012 earned $3,396,022 in
scholarship awards, and 11 class members
enlisted in the various branches of the military.
• Junior Peter Gaus received the Celebration
of Caring Award from Northside Common
Ministries for his dedicated volunteerism. His
voluteerism has helped him overcome aspects
of his autism to speak with each and every man
he serves a meal at the Pleasant Valley Shelter.
• Junior Stanley Marciniak became the first North
Hills student invited to attend The Constitutional
Academy, a program of the Bill of Rights
Institute in Washington, D.C., where he will learn
more about history, the Constitution, politics
and economics.
• North Hills students planted nearly 250
seedlings for the North Hills Community
Outreach Rosalinda Sauro Sirianni Garden to
help feed local families in need.
• Sophomore swimmer Brian Lovasik and divers
Noah Bostick and Ryan Kennedy competed in
the PIAA Swimming and Diving Championships
after qualifying at the WPIAL championships.
Brian shattered a 26-year-old North Hills 200yard freestyle record at the event. Noah placed
in the top five at the PIAA meet.
• Senior Kristen Grom’s fiction novel “Hopefully
Yours” received a national Gold Medal Award
out of 230,000 submissions in the Scholastic
Art and Writing Awards and was selected by
the Scholastic Publishing House Young Adult
Division as the novel writing category winner.
• North Hills cheerleaders advanced to the first
PIAA Competitive Spirit Championships.
• Seniors Tabitha Ashoff, Nicole Gallegor, Kevin
Loughlin and Matthew Pack placed within the
top 5 percent from a field of 1,054 teams in the
nationwide Moody’s Mega Math Challenge.
Accomplishments
in the Arts
• North Hills High School was one of only a few
Allegheny County schools to be recognized with
one of the two designations bestowed by the
Best Communities for Music Education program
overseen by the noted NAMM Foundation.
• Junior cornet player Stephen Knott and
sophomore French horn player Alexa Galdes
advanced to the PMEA All-State Band festival.
The pair were two of approximately 120 students
chosen to play statewide.
• High School Wind Ensemble was one of only
two high school ensembles chosen to play in the
seventh annual Youngstown State University Wind
and Percussion Invitational and receive instruction
from the university’s noted Dana School of Music
professors.
• Senior Jayna Barns won top honors in the
photography category at the A.W. Beattie Career
Center Open House Art Show.
• High School Jazz Band was selected to perform
at the Pennsylvania Association of School
Administrators and Pennsylvania School Boards
Association Conference during the Student
Celebration Showcase.
• High school thespians performed “The Pajama
Game” as this year’s spring musical and the
original comedy “And I Feel Fine” drafted by
North Hills alumni as the fall play.
• More than 130 musicians and vocalists were
selected to participate in nearly 16 honors bands,
choirs and orchestras across the region.
• Choral students collaborated with collegiate
singers from State University of New York at
Fredonia Chamber Choir and the Indiana
University of Pennsylvania Chorale for special
workshops and performances.
• Sophomore violin player Christie Adamiak
and bass player Eric Meister and freshman
cellist Maria Clegg performed alongside their
professional counterparts at Pittsburgh Symphony
Orchestra’s Side-By-Side Concert.
• High School Symphonic and Women’s Choir
singers performed in the inaugural Music for
the Spirit Festival’s Singing City event with the
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra along with 2,500
area singers.
Staff
Highlights
• High School teachers Jackie Karenbauer,
Jennifer DiPasquale and Mark Buccilli were
selected for the High School Educator Award,
a part of the 2013 Carnegie Science Awards,
because of their inventive and interactive
biology curriculum that engages students and
encourages excitement about science.
• West View Elementary School gifted teacher
Martin Richter authored his sixth book, titled
“Orchestral Symbolism in Wagner’s Das
Rheingold.”
• North Hills was the first district in western
Pennsylvania to release a customized, specially
designed app for use with most smartphones and
tablets to advance communications with parents,
students, community members and alumni.
• The high school planetarium hosted the Great
Lakes Planetarium Association conference. High
School teacher Sue Batson spearheaded the
district’s participation and selection.
• Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum,
Assessment and Special Programs Dr. Jeff Taylor
was recognized with the Pennsylvania Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development
President’s Award.
• McIntyre Elementary first-grade teacher Carol
Nelson earned National Board Certification from
the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards through a rigorous, multi-year
process. North Hills boasts the second highest
number of National Board Certified teachers in
suburban Allegheny County with 15 nationally
certified teachers. NHSD ranks in the top 1
percent of school districts with National Board
Certified teachers ranking eighth out of 500
school districts in the state. Nelson has taught
elementary students in NHSD for 10 years.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary
education from Grove City College and a master’s
degree in special education from Slippery Rock
University. Her National Board Certification is in
Literacy: Reading and Language Arts.
Distinguished
Alumni
Kim McLoughlin, Ph.D., North Hills Senior High
School Class of 1986, and David Andrew Strobel,
North Hills Senior High School Class of 1986, are
the newest honorees to receive the district’s annual
Distinguished Alumni Award.
McLoughlin serves as a product development
team leader and polymer scientist at Braskem.
She is a noted inventor, who has patented novel
polypropylene materials for numerous applications
including disposable fabrics, automotive parts and
food packaging films.
McLoughlin leads a team of scientists who are
working to develop new food packaging materials
for improved sustainability. She also serves
on teams developing advanced materials for
automotive products, to improve fuel efficiency,
vehicle aesthetics and cost.
McLoughlin volunteers in a wide range of
community education activities. She has judged the
Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair,
and she has coordinated many hands-on science
activities for classroom outreach programs and the
SciTech Festival at Carnegie Science Center.
She holds bachelor’s degrees in chemical
engineering and psychology from the University
of Notre Dame and a doctorate in chemical
engineering from Cornell University.
Strobel is an emergency response and recovery
professional who has led humanitarian relief efforts
on five continents over the past 20 years. Drew,
as he is known globally, has dedicated his life to
helping in a hands-on way those in need around
the world.
Currently, he is working as a regional representative
with the American Red Cross in the organization’s
office in Bangkok, Thailand, where he is responsible
for developing and managing programs in
community health and disease control, water and
sanitation, organizational development and disaster
risk reduction.
In the past, he has helped communities rebound
from natural disasters such as the 2007 southeast
Asia tsunami, health emergencies, armed conflicts
Kim McLoughlin, Ph.D.
North Hills Senior High School
Class of 1986
David Andrew Strobel
North Hills Senior High School
Class of 1986
School Board
Mr. Stanley Marciniak - Class of 2014 Student Representative (first row, left); Miss Julie
Herr - Class of 2013 Student Representative; Mrs. Sharon A. Schrim; Mrs. Arlene J. Bender;
Mrs. Kathy Reid; Ms. Lynne Phillips - School Board Secretary; Mr. Lou Nudi (second
row, left); Mr. Jeff Meyer; Mr. Timothy F. Burnett - President; Dr. Patrick J. Mannarino Superintendent; Mr. Thomas J. Baker; Mr. Thomas L. Kelly - Vice-President; Mr. Edward M.
Wielgus and Mr. Michael J. Witherel - Solicitor
and other tragic events in Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Rwanda, Guatemala, Ecuador, Thailand, Pakistan
and Bangladesh.
A veteran of the Peace Corps, he is fluent in
numerous languages and also worked to rebuild
rural communities in the United States. Strobel
earned a bachelor’s degree in mulitidisciplinary
studies with a focus on international political
economies from Capital University and a master’s
degree in international affairs with a focus on Latin
American studies from Ohio University.
“Dr. McLoughlin and Mr. Strobel bring great pride
to the North Hills School District community,” said
Dr. Patrick J. Mannarino, North Hills superintendent.
“Their professional and personal accomplishments
demonstrate the value of hard work and
dedication.”
North Hills School Board approved the
establishment of the Distinguished Alumni Award in
August 2010. Nominations are accepted each year
through Nov. 15. Recipients are recognized during
the High School Awards Night held each spring at
North Hills Junior High School.
To qualify, nominees must be alumni of North
Hills High School or the former West View High
School who graduated at least 10 years ago.
Distinguished Alumni nominations are evaluated
based upon outstanding contributions made in
nominees’ chosen profession, record of academic
achievement, professional and/or business
accomplishments as well as community or civic
consciousness.
“Countless North Hills and West View graduates
have achieved greatness in their careers and have
made significant impacts within their community,”
said Dr. Mannarino. “They are shining example
to our students. We are honored to have this
opportunity to recognize them and the tremendous
pride that they bring to our school district.”
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NH Backpack Initiative
During the NH Backpack Initiative program’s first full year, it provided more than 50,000 single-serve
and individually packaged items, approximately 800 summer lunches, 120 Thanksgiving dinners and
120 holiday meals to more than 150 North Hills families in need. Many of these items were donated by
generous North Hills families, students and community members.
Each week, district families reply upon the program for individual care packages and family-size bags of
food to supplement weekend food supplies. The program, created and overseen by Kathy Helfrich — a high
school guidance counselor and Holly Michael — a gifted education teacher, helps meet students’ most basic
need and prevents extreme hunger for students whose families cannot afford all meals.
Nearly one in four North Hills School District students qualifies for the National School Lunch, which assures
that eligible students receive free lunch and breakfast on school days. For many area families and 31 million
children across the nation, securing meals during the weekend can prove to be difficult.
Donation boxes are located in every district building. For a complete list of suggested donations and to
learn how to contribute monentarily, visit www.nhsd.net and search “Backpack Initiative.”