PERSPECtiVES - Peters Township School District

Perspectives
Back to School 2010
Peters Township School District
Peters Township School District Named
a National School District of Character
The Character Education Partnership
(CEP) has named Peters Township
School District as a 2010 National
School District of Character. The
CEP panel of experts has given this
honor to an elite list of 13 schools and
2 school districts nationwide. Peters
Township has earned this award for
character education initiatives spanning from kindergarten through high
school.
The national winners are selected
following an extensive application
process and thorough site visit. CEP
evaluators measured the District
against the Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education.
Peters Township will be honored at
an awards ceremony at the National
Forum on Character Education on
Friday, October 29 in San Francisco.
In addition, the CEP will showcase
the winners’ stories in its annual
publication and on its website. Peters
Township will be a model for effective
character education for schools across
Pennsylvania and the nation.
Individual schools within the District
have previously been awarded the
National School of Character honors
– McMurray Elementary (gr. 4-6) received the award in 2004, and Bower
Hill Elementary (gr. K-3) earned this
award in 2008. The District has also
earned several Promising Practice
Awards from the CEP over the
past several years.
Character Education began
more than 10 years ago in Peters
Township through the efforts of
the Peters Township Character
Counts initiative – a partnership
of the School District,
municipality, public library,
local businesses and individual
community members.
McMurray students and staff
help load a truck with aid
for Haiti during the “Bucket
Brigade” last winter.
Pleasant Valley Earns
Promising Practice Award
Pleasant Valley Elementary has been
recognized by the Character Education
Partnership as a National Promising
Practice Award winner for 2010. The
CEP has selected Pleasant Valley’s
“The Giving Day” among programs
from across the nation to serve as a
model for other schools.
“The Giving Day” is a series of service
projects organized in cooperation with
the Pleasant Valley staff, students and
Parent Teacher Association (PTA). The
purpose of the Giving Day is to provide opportunities for students to help
those who are less fortunate. Some
examples include using a website to
enhance vocabulary skills that supplies food for the hungry based on
student use, caring for needy children
with “Angel Tree” donations and the
school’s unique school/community talent show “PV Idol” that benefits The
American Cancer Society.
The goal was to foster an awareness
and understanding of how working together positively affects others, while
reaching out to a world beyond our
school. Students consistently reflect
on the core values of caring, empathy
and compassion through journal writing, peer mediation, art projects, goal
setting, and classroom discussions.
From the Superintendent
Peters Township School District
631 East McMurray Road
McMurray, PA 15317
(724) 941-6251
www.ptsd.k12.pa.us
Board of Education
Diane Ritter ~ President
Cynthia Golembiewski
~ Vice President
Dr. Mark Buzzatto
Lori Cuervo
Lynn Erenberg
David Hvizdos
Thomas W. McMurray
Sue Smith
Julie Ann Sullivan
District Administration
Nina Zetty, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Anthony Merante, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent
Beverly Hall, Ed.D.
Director of Curriculum
Mary Monsour, Ed.D.
Director of Staff Development and
Instructional Technology Integration
Daniel R. Solomon
Board Secretary/Business Manager
Thomas Hajzus, Ed.D.
Assistant to the Superintendent
for Operations
Duke Maloy
Acting Director of Technology
William King
Supervisor of Special Education
Richard J. Relich, CAA
Director of Sports Programs & Activities
Sherry Voitek
Director of Food Service
Glenn Franceschina
Supervisor Buildings, Grounds, &
Transportation
Gerald Kronstain
Assistant Supervisor Buildings,
Grounds, & Transportation
Shelly W. Belcher
Communications Coordinator
Louise Woods-Rzepka
Human Resources Coordinator
The Peters Township School District continues its policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of sex, handicap, race, color or national
origin in compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1976, and Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in any activities or programs under
its sponsorship. These policies apply to application and selection
for admission to all courses (including the career and technology
center) by students, as well as application for employment and all
other personnel actions of the district.
2
Each year students begin a new school year with
a heady combination of excitement, anticipation,
and a little bit of anxiousness – and throughout my
career as an educator, I have found that those same
feelings persist as we gear up for the start of the
school year.
So much of what we do involves extensive planning and summer is a key time to plan, evaluate and
make important changes to continue our path toward
excellence. While some outside of our profession may wonder what is it
we do all summer, the past few months have been a whirlwind of activity,
meetings and interviews for new team members.
The past several months in our District have been marked by many changes in our administrative team. In his leadership tome “Good to Great” Jim
Collins details the concept of getting the right people on the bus. This year,
we have not only been working on getting the right people on the bus,
but getting those who are already on the bus in the best seat to suit their
talents.
Within this newsletter you’ll be introduced to many of our new teachers and also learn more about the administrative changes that have taken
place. People are the key to success in education – surrounding our students with the best teachers, the best support staff and a team of administrators and Board members with the vision to move the District forward.
I am excited about the team we have on board, and anxious to start the new
school year with all the opportunities that lie ahead. Good luck for a great
school year!
New Schedule for District Publications
The District newsletter, “Perspectives,” is mailed once at the start of
each school year. Electronic newsletters are produced throughout the year
that will be emailed home to parents
via the District’s email news service.
A comprehensive state-of-the-District
publication “In Focus” is also be produced mid-year that is available on the
District website.
Please be sure you are signed up to
receive District information by logging on to www.ptsd.k12.pa.us and
selecting the Email News link on the
left side of the page.
inside this issue
Dates to Note ............................3
In Memorium: Brian King ...........4
Stay In Touch .............................4
New Faces in PTSD ..................5
Same Faces, New Places ..........6
Safety Update ............................7
Class of 2010 ............................8
Education Zone .......................10
Annual Public Notice ................12
Back to School 2010
PTSD Acceptable
Technology Use
Student use of School Distrct
technology and personal
technologies on school grounds is
governed by School District Policy
(#5114.7 and 5114.71, available on
the District website.) All student
users are advised to read these
policies and review them with their
parents. The policies are available
for review on the district website.
Before students can use the
District’s network, they are
required to electronically log
in and agree to abide by the
District’s Technology Acceptable
Use Policy. A summary of the
policy appears on the computer
screen for student’s to review and
acknowledge that they “agree.”
It is assumed that the parents
of all students will agree to this
procedure, otherwise the parent
is to notify the school office that
his/her child will not be permitted
to use district technology-related
equipment.
Questions regarding the use of
technology in the Disrict can
be directed to Mr. Duke Maloy,
Director of Technology, at
[email protected].
Dates to Note: 2010-2011
30
First Day of School for Students
6
16
22
23
30
Labor Day - No School
Middle School Open House
McMurray Open House (4A&5)
McMurray Open House (4B&6)
High School Open House
14
20
21
Pleasant Valley Open House
Bower Hill Open House (K&2)
Bower Hill Open House (1&3)
1
End of Report Period
5
Faculty Clerical/In-Service, No School
11
Parent Conference Day, No School
24
Faculty In-Service, No School
25-29 Thanksgiving Holiday, No School
23-31 Winter Break
17
21
28
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, No School
End of Report Period
Faculty Clerical/In-Service, No School
18
21
Faculty In-Service, No School
Presidents’ Day, No School
11
31
Faculty In-Service, No School
End of Report Period
4
Faculty Clerical/In-Service, No School
21-25 Spring Break, No School
*Calendar dates may change due
to weather and other unforseen
occurrences, please check the
District website for any updates
30
Memorial Day, No School
9
10
21
Last day of school
Class of 2011 Graduation
Kennywood Picnic Day
august
september
october
november
december
january
february
march
april
may
june
3
In Memorium: Mr. Brian King
Robert Byrne once said that “The
purpose of life is a life of purpose.”
No one exemplified that more than
Brian King, Peters Township High
School Social Studies teacher, who
passed away at the age of 59 on
July 7, 2010.
“He was a teacher with whom
any student felt comfortable seeking
advice or solace. In fact, staff
and parents felt the same about
him,’ said Superintendent Dr. Nina
Zetty.
Mr. King was a member of the High
School faculty for the past 13 years,
and spent more than 16 years as
Director of Continuing Education at
Penn State University’s Monroeville
Center.
While his career included numerous
awards and public accolades, it was
his relationships with his students
and colleagues that set him apart.
said acting Principal Frank Brettsch“He was an inspiration to every staff neider. “He cared. He put his heart,
member and to every student here,” his soul into his teaching.”
Stay in Touch with Peters Township Schools
Maintaining open communication
between our community and the
School District is a priority in Peters
Township. The District utilizes a
variety of methods to keep parents
informed of events and important
news regarding our schools. Below
you will find a summary of our
primary communication tools.
Please take a moment to review
this information and be sure you
are staying in touch with Peters
Township Schools!
Email News Blasts
Parents may sign up to receive email
news blasts from the District that
are specific to their child’s buildings as well as for the entire District.
This important communication
tool allows us to provide detailed
information to parents about news
and events, as well as school closings and delays. To sign up for this
service, visit the District website at
www.ptsd.k12.pa.us and select the
Email News link on the left side of
the page. (Also be sure to sign up for
PTA email blasts for your building!)
Global Connect
Peters Township uses the Global
4
Connect Parent Notification System to send a recorded telephone
message to parents in minutes with
important information about school
events or emergencies. The phone
numbers used for this system are
derived from PowerSchool and
the Emergency Card completed by
parents. If there are changes to your
home, work or cell phone numbers,
please contact the secretary in your
child’s building as soon as possible.
Twitter: Follow PetersTwp
The District now uses Twitter to
broadcast quick news, events and
other important information to our
parents and community. If you
already “tweet,” please add “PetersTwp” to your list of “following.”
If you are new to Twitter and are
interested in learning more, visit the
Public Relations page of the District
website to learn more.
Cable Channels
The School District promotes
events and meetings via the
Township’s cable channel
available on Comcast Channel
19 and Verizon Fios Channel 39.
Information is broadcast 24 / 7
and provides the viewing public
with an array of information
including school closings, award
information, meeting dates, school
event calendars, job postings, class
reunion notices, and other important
notices.
Web Communications
The School District website - www.
ptsd.k12.pa.us -- provides updated
news and information. Parents can
access important news, staff profiles
and contact information, morning
announcements for the Middle and
High School and so much more!
Each building also maintains its own
section of the website with building
-specific information and events.
If you have questions regarding
communications in the District,
please contact our Communications
Coordinator Shelly Belcher at
[email protected] or
724-941-6251, ext 7205.
New Faces in Peters Township Schools
The new teachers as they
head into the Chamber
luncheon (front, l to r):
Yasmin Ingham,
Countney Blackhurst
Heather Bonnano, Stacy
Hall; (middle, l to r)
Pamela Harrison, Missy
Giaquinto, Hope Stefan,
Anna DeCario; (back,
l to r) Nicole Makrinos,
Bianca Barnabei, Kristin
DeGiovanni, Andrea
Lamatrice, John Good,
Jeremy Kuharcik.
Peters Township High School
Courtney Blackhurst - Social Studies Teacher
Hope Stefan - English Teacher
Jeremy Kuharcik - English Teacher
Kristin DeGiovanni - Art Teacher
Heather Bonnano - Science Teacher
Melissa Giaquinto - Social Studies Teacher
Yasmin Ingham - Social Studies Teacher
Gina Duffy* - English Teacher
On August 20th, the Peters Township Cham- ber of Commerce officially welcomed all
new teachers in the District with a special
Peters Township Middle School
luncheon at Rolling Hills Country Club.
Bianca Barnabei* - Counselor
John Good - Computer Applications Teacher
The list provided (right) details each new
teacher by building. Complete contact
McMurray Elementary
information including phone numbers and
e-mail addresses can be found at www.ptsd. Pamela Harrison - Art Teacher
k12.pa.us. Please join us in welcoming this Nicole Makrinos - Spanish Teacher (McM, PTMS & PTHS)
talented group of professionals to the Peters
Andrea Lamatrice - Special Education Teacher
Township School District family.
Anna DeCario* - 5th Grade Teacher
Stacy Hall* - Computer Application Teacher (McM, PV & BH)
Peters Township works diligently each year
to find the most qualified teacher candidates
who are dedicated to excellence in their
classrooms. Each August, these new staff
members report to school earlier than most
as they take part in Teacher Induction - the
beginning of year-long training on a myriad
of topics ranging from classroom management to District technology.
*Denotes staff members who served PTSD last year but was hired after the school year began or has moved from a
substitute to a permanent employee.
5
Same Faces, New Places in Peters Township Schools
Over the last several months, the School Board
has approved a series of administrative changes to
better serve the students and community of Peters
Township. Below is a summary of these recent
changes, by building:
Bower Hill Elementary: Mr. Christopher Shute
joins the Bower Hill staff as Assistant Principal.
Mr. Shute comes to Bower Hill from the Sunrise
School (Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3) where he
also served as Assistant Principal. This position was
previously held by Mr. Michael Henaghan who left
Bower Hill to become Assistant Principal of Peters
Township Middle School in March.
Pleasant Valley Elementary: Mr. Michael Fisher
comes to Pleasant Valley to fill the position
following the retirement of Principal Mary Yavelak.
Mr. Fisher comes to Pleasant Valley from Gateway
School District where he served as Principal at
Ramsey Elementary School for the past 4 years.
McMurray Elementary: In June, Mr. Blair Stoehr
was named Principal of McMurray Elementary after
two years as Assistant Principal in the building.
The position was made available when Dr. Robert
Freado left McMurray to become Principal of Peters
Township Middle School. Bower Hill 3rd grade
teacher Mr. Greg Marquis has been named Assistant
Principal for McMurray Elementary, following six
years at Bower Hill.
Staff Development and Instructional Technology
Integration in May.
Peters Township High School: This spring, the
High School welcomed Emily Sanders to the
administrative team as the new Assistant Principal.
Mr. Frank Brettschneider has taken on the role of
Acting Principal and will remain in the role until
the position is filled permanently following the
promotion of Dr. Thomas Hajzus to the new position
of Assistant to the Superintendent for Operations.
District Administration: In January, Dr. Anthony
Merante joined the District office team as Assistant
Superintendent. Among his many responsibilities are
District personnel, and pupil services.
Dr. Mary Monsour has joined the District office
team to focus on staff development, instructional
technology, grant writing and standardized testing.
Dr. Thomas Hajzus’ new position of Assistant to the
Superintendent for Operations allows him to assist
the District with construction projects and safety
programs.
Peters Township Middle School: Dr. Robert
Freado made the transition after more than 11
years as Principal of McMurray Elementary, and 8
years as Assistant Principal at the High School to
take the helm of Peters Township Middle School
as Principal. Dr. Freado was also given the title of
Coordinator of Character Education for the District
– a position he has been executing informally
for several years as the District has infused the
principals of character education into its curriculum
and culture. Dr. Freado joins Assistant Principal
Michael Henaghan, who came to PTMS in March
after serving as an Assistant Principal at Bower
Hill for 3 years. Dr. Freado and Mr. Henaghan take
over positions made available when Dr. Merante
became Assistant Superintendent in January, 2010
New administrators Chris Shute (left) joins the Bower Hill staff and Mike
and Dr. Mary Monsour was named Director of
Fisher (right) takes the helm at Pleasant Valley Elementary.
6
Bower Hill Teacher Named a
2010 Keystone Technology Integrator
Bower Hill teacher Laura Ann Naser has been named
a 2010 Keystone Technology Integrator by the PA
Department of Education. According to the PADOE,
a Keystone Technology Integrator is a classroom
teacher who fully utilizes the many benefits technology offers to improve instructional practices across
content areas. The teacher does not focus on the
technology itself; rather, she focuses on student
learning and uses technology as a tool to support this
end.
To earn this distinction, Ms. Naser was first nominated by Principal Kelly Gustafson and then a
sample of her work
demonstrating innovative technology in the
classroom was submitted for review. Only
two representatives
from each intermediate
unit are selected for this honor. Ms. Naser attended
the Technology Summit this summer at Bucknell
and had the opportunity to be exposed to new ideas,
strategies and skills, as well as to collaborate with
other technology integrators from across the state.
Changes Bring Additional Level of Safety
to Peters Township Schools
For the past several years, the District has partnered
with local emergency response teams to improve the
level of security within our school buildings. Our
administrative team conducts regular safety audits of
our buildings in cooperation with the police and fire
departments, Peters Township EMS, and a representative from the FBI.
Throughout the process, we have made several
changes to improve the safety and security of our
students and staff. As we start the school year, the
District will unveil several new safety initiatives:
Staff Identification Cards and Door Access
All staff members – from principals to bus drivers
- will be wearing staff photo identification cards at
all times. These photo cards will provide an additional level of security for our large District, making
it easier to identify anyone who may be a visitor
within the building. Substitute staff members and
frequent visitors such as PTA officers will also be
given District photo IDs.
These cards also include a radio frequency chip
that will replace traditional keys within the District.
Installed this summer at the High School are door
access systems that will eliminate the need for traditional keys and provide a tracking system linking the
door access to the staff members requesting entry.
This swipe card entry system will be added to all
buildings in the District as the year progresses.
Photo Identification for All Visitors
Beginning on August 30, 2010, all visitors to Peters
Township School District will be required to show
photo identification (driver’s license, state issues
photo ID, etc.) when entering any of our schools.
This additional level of security allows us to better
track visitors to the buildings and to help to validate
the parents and community members who are entering the building. Visitors will provide their ID cards
to the main office staff and be given a visitor’s pass
for their visit. Upon return to the main office to sign
out from the visit, their ID will be returned.
Global Connect Attendance Feature at PTHS
An added feature of our parent notification calling
system is the attendance module that will be in place
in the fall of 2010 in our High School. When students are marked absent in first period, an automated
message will be sent to the parent’s home phone
number to notify them of the absence. The system
is programmed to leave a message if the call is not
answered. This additional feature will help improve
communication with parents and to reduce tardiness
and unexcused absences.
District safety is a partnership between our staff
members, students, parents and the community. We
continue to work to improve the level of security
throughout the District and to protect the students of
all ages who are entrusted to our care throughout the
day.
7
The Class of 2010
Peters Township High School
Christine Aaron Φ
Cassaundra Alderson
Shayne Ali
Alana Allen
Trisha Ambe ‡ Φ
Judith Anderson
Salvador Arnita
Breann Arnoni
Wesley Attwood
Nathan Bachik
Bryanna Baehr Φ
Emily Barna
Lindsay Bayer Φ
Olivia Bayer Φ
Chelsea Benson
Joshua Beres
Keri Berliner
Sean Berry Φ
Brian Bertini ‡ Φ
Jonathan Bertrand Φ
Rachel Beto
Gabriel Bevilacqua
Kristen Blatt
Sarah Boehme ‡ Φ
Jonathan Borne
Jacob Boss
Olivia Bovalina
Ryan Bowen
Alexandra Boyer Φ
Kelsey Boze
Andrea Briggs ‡ Φ
Devon Burkholder ‡
Paige Burris
Amy Burzotta Φ
Harrison Buzzatto
Mikayla Callery
Michael Castriota
Colleen Cavolo
Sean Chappell
Jeffrey Chastel
Zachary Chavel
Emily Chess
Erin Cisney
Daniel Clark
Averi Clements
James Cogley Φ
William Collins II
Maximilian Conroy
Kristina Corbett
Edward Courtney III
Vincent Courtney
Allison Crawford
Kelsey Cunningham ‡
Timothy Curran ‡ Φ
Jeffrey D’Abarno
Jordan Daniels
Matthew Dawson ‡ Φ
Shane Deiley
Chelsea Delaney
8
Daniel DeLuca
Nicholas DeNardo ‡ Φ
Shivani Desai
Maria DeVincentis
Julia Devine † Φ
Taylor DiBart
Chelsie DiCio
Timothy Dinger
Amber Doerr
Danielle Dolcich
Cody Drusbasky
Haylee Ducoeur
Bryan Duffy
Megan Dunn
Shannon Dunn
Carolyn Ellis
Kathleen Ellis ‡
Bryce Eskew †
Emily Estep ‡
Richard Falascino
Kyle Falbo † Φ
Noah Farkas
Vincent Fazio, Jr.
Julianne Femiani
Ashley Ferri
Kathryn Fife
Adam Fincham
Jared Fitzgerald
Kaleigh Fitzgerald
Brian Fitzgerald, Jr.
John Flaherty † Φ
Katie Foglia Φ
Taylor Fornear
Samuel Fortna
Rachael Foster
Elizabeth Frambes
Nicholas Fraticelli
Christopher Freyder ‡ Φ
Justin Gaab
James Gaber
Michael Gallagher
Jonathan Gasior
Anthony Gatto
Benjamin Gauthier † Φ
Haley Gerritsen
Shalynn Giovannitti
Julia Girouard ‡ Φ
Devan Gisoni
Michael Glod
Lindsey Golden ‡ Φ
Joseph Grippi
Lauren Gross ‡
Cody Gubala
Brian Gust
David Haak
Joseph Halo
Elizabeth Hammell ‡ Φ
Carly Hancherick † Φ
Molly Joann Hanley
Ellie Hanlon ‡ Φ
Jonathon Bremer Hanson
Chelsea Harmon
Michelle Hart
Mark Hayes
Dylan Heitmeier
Paul Henney
Elizabeth Herder ‡ Φ
Shaina Herman
Casey Higgins
Kevin Higgins
Bradley Hirko
Hannah Hobbs † Φ
Lauren Hobbs † Φ
Dara Hoelle
Brandon Hoffman
Michael Honeygosky
Lindsey Hoover
Philip Horensky † Φ
Kevin Hough † Φ
Kayla Howard Φ
Erika Hubbell ‡ Φ
Mark Huber
Anthony Hume, Jr. ‡ Φ
Eva Irwin
Melissa Jarrett ‡ Φ
Tyler John
Alisha Johns ‡ Φ
Brian Johnson Φ
Andrew Johnston
Caitlin Jones ‡
James Joyce
Erika Jozwiak † Φ
Megan Junker
Catherine Kaecher
Jeremy Kaier
Mallory Karavolis ‡ Φ
Laura Karras ‡ Φ
Kayla Keddal Φ
Anni Keffer
Matthew Keller
Jacob Kelly
Jeremy Kelly
Alfred Kern Φ
Sean Khan
Brianna Kilberg Φ
Justin King
Vittoria Klaja ‡ Φ
Evan Knapp
Grant Kocher
Philip Koenig
Evan Komoroski † Φ
Jonathan Kovac † Φ
James Kress
Nadine Krewin
Alexander Ladzinski
Elena Lages Φ
Claire LaRosa † Φ
Zoltan Latinovich
Taylor Lawrence
Robert Leech
Sarah Leech ‡ Φ
Michael Lehn †
Danielle Levine Φ
Daniel Limetti
Jeffrey Lioon, Jr.
Gina Lisanti
Alan Lo † Φ
Victoria LoCastro
Robert Lois II
Jaimelynn Lucas
Colleen Lugar
Thomas Luketich
Stephanie Lusk
Matthew Madore
Joel Magnotti
Stephen Magreni
Taylor Maher † Φ
Daniel Makrinos
Julianna Makrinos Φ
Zachary Malenka
Meghan Manning Φ
Connor Mannion
Carly Marnik Φ
Rachel Martin
Maxwell Maszle Φ
Christa Matthews Φ
Emily Matthis †
Kevin McBride
Charles McCauley IV
Natalie McCloskey
Bradley McClure
Kevin McEvoy
Robert McGlennon
Maura McGonigal ‡
Evan McIntyre Φ
Sean McLaughlin
Jeffrey Miller
Reilly Moore
Ryan Moore
Michael Morford
Connor Mullan
Amber Mumbray
Kelsey Munsick
Jade Murman
Deven Murphy
Katherine Murphy † Φ
Michael Naumoff
Coleman Nee
Meghan Nee
Wesley Nelson
Gina Nepa ‡ Φ
Austin Nissly † Φ
Stephanie Nitschmann
Christopher Nixon
Samantha Norris
James Northrop
Thomas Norton
Patrick O’Laughlin
Brenna O’Leary †
Kayla O’Rourke
Cassandra Ondeck † Φ
Joshua Pachis
Catherine Paeplow
Marina Pahountis
Matthew Palumbo ‡
Jessica Parham
Monica Paterra
Theresa Peranteau
Kristen Petre
Molly Pisarcik
Thaddeus Piscatelli
Paul Pollock Φ
Brandon Powell
Heather Powell
Nicholas Prewett ‡ Φ
Benjamin Pritz † Φ
Hannah Purkey
Sarah Quinn
Angela Ranalli
Amy Richards
Kaitlyn Richert
Mariano Robles
Fortunato Rose
Brooks Roth
Nicholas Rothaar
Sean Rothermel † Φ
Andrew Rubeo ‡
Brian Rudy
Jeffrey Sadler
Matthew Sadler
Mitchell Santry
Kira Scammell
Joshua Schake ‡ Φ
Nathan Scherrer
Timothy Schilling
Alexander Schratz
Kevin Schumpf
Ross Schweizer
Erica Schwotzer † Φ
Skyllar Sciple
Gina Settimio
Kathryn Sharman Φ
Kaitlin Elizabeth-Aufmuth
Shell
Sarah Shepherd
Ashley Sherwin ‡ Φ
Kyle Sheth
Steven Shifflett
Justin Simpson
Tyler Simpson ‡
Cody Skraitz
Ashley Smith Φ
Shannon Smith ‡ Φ
Eric Spangenberg
Lodovico Spinabelli III ‡ Φ
Corey Spindler † Φ
Madison Squeglia
Renee Stopperich
Douglas Strang
Julie Stroyne
Bethany Suchy Φ
Rachel Sunday
Chelsea Sweeney
Amanda Swick ‡
Charles Swisher
Corinne Swoope
Jessica Szuhoza
Zachariah Tabler
Julianne Taylor
Richard Taylor
Khyati Thakore Φ
Nicole Thome
Meghan Thompson
Ryan Tingle
Mara Tomlins
Natalie Toscano
Jamie Tropeano ‡ Φ
Nathan Troscinski Φ
Jeremy Troup
Brad Trylko
Leeza Tselepis ‡ Φ
Stephen Tupta ‡ Φ
Diana Turbeville
Ann Ultsch
Devan Vachon
Linsey VanNewkirk
Philip Venanzi
Joseph Vibonese
Alex Vierheller
Molly Wagner †
Steven Wagner
Patrick Walker
Daniel Wallach
William Walters
Anna Wassilchalk
John Wawrose † Φ
Andrew Weaver
Benjamin West ‡ Φ
Matthew White
Louis Wickstrom
Kaitlin Wiegmann Φ
Jonathan Wilcox Φ
Jalyn Williams Φ
Zachary Wilson Φ
Craig Wolcott
Brittany Woodrow
David Yundt
Brittany Yurick
Melissa Zuccarini
Andrea Zuloaga Φ
† Denotes Valedictorian
‡ Denotes Graduate of
Distinction
Φ Denotes Senior Member of
the National Honor Society
(above) Each year, graduates celebrating their 50 year reunion return to the High School to take part in
graduation ceremonies. This year we welcomed 21 members of the Class of 1960.
(clockwise from top left) Senior Brian
Johnson is congratulated by Acting Principal Frank Brettschneider. Graduate Kelsey
Cunningham looks out into the crowd after
receiving her diploma. Linsey Van Newkirk
is handed her diploma from Superintendent
Dr. Zetty.
9
The Education Zone
news from the schools
Mentoring Programs Provide
Valuable Experience for PTHS Students
Providing our high school students with valuable
real-life experience is an important goal in developing
curriculum in the District. Over the past several years,
mentoring programs and associated courses have been
introduced at the High School to give the students important information related to career clusters and then
to connect them with professionals in our community
for hands-on internship experiences.
The first of these initiatives was the Medical Mentoring
Program originating as part of the Anatomy and Physiology course at the High School. In 2009, the program
expanded to the field of Law and Government as a
mentor program, and this year will also include a Business, Computing, and Information Technology fields
as well. In the coming years, Media and Engineering
internship opportunities will be added to the offerings.
Peters Township High School is looking for potential
mentors who have experience in these fields to help
shape the lives of Peters Township students. Students
will complete one year of related course work at the
High School where they will spend classroom time developing skills to prepare for their career-based placement. Students are required to engage in 50 hours of on
the job experience in their assigned placement throughout the semester.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a
mentor for students through these programs or in a oneday job shadow, please contact Mrs. Judy Alexander,
Transition Coordinator, at the High School at 724-9416250 x.5610.
PT Students Compete on International
Level with Odyssey of the Mind
Each year the Odyssey of the Mind competition
provides students throughout our District the opportunity to challenge their problem-solving abilities. This
competition is available to students at all grade levels
to work in teams throughout the year on long-term
projects, and to attend competitions where they test
their spontaneous creativity and problem solving skills.
While team names such as “Swine Flew,” “Miracle
Minds,” Air Force 3,” and “The Clock Boxers” show
the humor and creativity of these dedicated groups, the
skills learned about problem-solving, creativity and
team building have produced serious results.
This year, Peters Township was represented by seven
teams at the Regional Tournament in March competing
against more than 120 teams. Comprised of students
from McMurray Elementary and the Middle School,
one team placed second in their division and moved on
to the State competition. Members of “Team Iceburgh”
were Sean Harrison, Wade Ogburn, Nathan Young,
Scott Kerner, John Schlafman and Anthony Corkos.
Taking first place among the 11 teams at the State level
qualified this team for the World Competition at Michigan State University in late May where they competed
among more than 800 teams.
10
Members of Team Iceburgh celebrate their win at the state level of
Odyssey of the Mind before heading on to the International level.
Bower Hill Community Garden Flourishes
As the school year drew to a close and the weather
turned warmer, a group of students, staff and community members were busy launching a new initiative to
help those in need in our area.
With the help of a service learning grant from the High
School, a team of High School students built planters,
installed fencing and set the foundation for a new community garden on the grounds at Bower Hill Elementary. The vegetables that are grown in the garden will
be donated to Meals on Wheels throughout the year.
Welcome Back!
Under the leadership of Bower Hill teacher Joe Bratetich and parent volunteer Angie Phares, students from
the school tend the garden throughout the year and help
harvest the vegetables. Over the summer a group of
staff and community volunteers have helped the garden
to flourish.
Mr. Bratetich (l) and Mr. Shute stand in front of the garden after
receiving the Calla Lilly Award from the Lexington Court Garden
Club for the outstanding community garden.
PTHS Masqued Indians
2010-2011 Performances
October 28-30:
Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap”
January 3-15:
Jonathan Rand’s “Murder in the
Knife Room”
March 3-5:
“Chicago”
April 28-30:
COMING
SOON!
Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
Students representing all grade levels welcomed back
their teachers after their summer break on August 23.
The students lined the hallway in the High School
along with the High School cheerleaders with an
enthusiastic greeting for everyone!
This year’s theater season is under the direction of
Mr. Jeremy Kuharcik, new to PTHS this year. Watch
the District website for ticket information as the dates
draw closer - www.ptsd.k12.pa.us.
11
PTSD Annual Notice to Parents
Screening and Evaluation
The Peters Township School
District uses the following procedures for locating, identifying,
and evaluating specified needs of
school-aged students requiring
special programs or services. These
procedures are described in this
notice as required by law.
The District, as prescribed by
Section 1402 of the School Code,
routinely conducts screenings of
a child’s hearing acuity in grades
Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 7, and 11. Visual acuity is screened in all grades
annually. Speech and language
skills are screened in Kindergarten and on a referral basis. New
students are initially screened the
year of admission. Gross motor and
fine motor skills, academic skills,
and social-emotional skills are
assessed by classroom teachers on
an on-going basis. Other screening activities include the review of
cumulative group-based achievement and ability data; health and
attendance records; grades; and
information shared by the parents.
Specified needs from all of these
screening sources are noted within
the child’s official file.
contacts are available on the District website at www.ptsd.k12.pa.us
under Staff Directory.) Communication with parents and eligible
students shall be in English or the
native language of the parents.
School records are always open
and available to parents, and only
to school officials who have a
legitimate “need to know.” Information from the records is released
to other persons or agencies only
with appropriate authorization that
involves written signed permission
by parents.
The Multidisciplinary Team consists of parents, teachers, a certified public school psychologist,
other related service personnel, and
persons familiar with the student’s
educational experience and cultural background. The evaluations
conducted by the Team must be
sufficient in scope and depth to provide information about the student’s
academic functioning, adaptive and
social behavior, learning problems,
strengths, information obtained
by the Instructional Support Team
or Student Assistance Team, and
information from the parents. After
all evaluations are completed,
Parents with concerns regarding
their child may contact building
principals at any time to request
a screening or evaluation of their
child, or by contacting the Special
Education Department (Names and
phone numbers of the appropriate
12
Screening information will be used
by the Instructional Support Team
or Student Assistance Team within
the student’s school to meet his or
her specific needs, or to document
the need for further evaluation.
Instructional Support Team services
are provided to students in grades
Kindergarten tthrough grade four.
Student Assistance Team services
are provided to students in grades
five through 12. If it is determined
that a student needs additional
services, the team will make adjustments relative to such things as the
student’s learning style, behavior,
physical challenges, and speech
problems to be more in keeping
with traditional classroom expectancies. If a student does not make
progress, parents will be asked to
give written permission for further
individual, professional evaluations
conducted by a Multidisciplinary
Team.
an Evaluation Report (ER) will
be compiled and include specific
recommendations for the types of
interventions necessary to deal with
the student’s specific needs. This
evaluation will be completed and
a report sent to the parents within
60 calendar days. Parents are then
invited to participate in a meeting
where the results of the evaluation
will be discussed.
If the student meets criteria for the
existence of a disability and need
for specially designed instruction, an Individualized Education
Program (IEP) will then be developed for specialized services
for the student within 30 calendar
days. The IEP team must consist
of: the student’s parent(s), special
education teacher, regular education teacher(s), and local education
agency representative (LEA). The
building principal serves as the
chair, and a district psychologist,
other specialists as needed, and
other administrative staff when appropriate may attend.
Prior to the initiation of services,
parents will be presented with a
Notice of Recommended Educational Placement, which explains
the services and class placement
recommendations. Parental consent
must be obtained before providing
initial special education and related
services. The Procedural Safeguards Notice describes the parents’
rights and options if they disagree
with the individualized program
presented.
When screening results suggest a
student may be eligible for gifted
education, the school district seeks
parental consent to conduct a
multidisciplinary evaluation. The
initial evaluation is summarized in
the Gifted Written Report (GWR)
and used by the Gifted Individualized Education Program (GIEP)
team to develop the GIEP. After the
initial evaluation, students identified as mentally gifted are reevaluated before a change in educational
placement is recommended or
under recommendation of the GIEP
team. The Notice of Recommended
Assignment (NORA), signed by
the parent, gives the school district
permission to provide services.
Services for Eligible School-Age
Students
The Peters Township School
District provides a full range of
placement options and services to
eligible students. Options in the
district range from supportive intervention in the regular classroom
to full-time classes, depending
on the student’s individual needs.
Inclusive intervention practices are
the first step in the continuum of
placement options. If a placement
option is not available within the
District to meet the student’s needs,
then services are secured from the
Intermediate Unit, another school
district, an approved private school,
or a community agency. Placement
options provide for a free and appropriate public education for all
eligible students. The District also
provides such related services as
transportation, speech and language
therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing services,
psychological services, social
worker services, and paraeducator
support.
The following programs are provided within the District: Learning
Support, Life Skills Support, Emotional Support, Autistic Support,
Blind or Visually Impaired Support,
Deaf and Hearing Impaired Sup-
port, Speech and Language Support, and Gifted Support. Programs
outside of the District include:
Emotional Support, Learning Support, Life Skills Support, Blind or
Visually Impaired Support, Deaf
and Hearing Impaired Support at
the Western Pennsylvania School
for the Deaf and the DePaul School
for Hearing and Speech; Autistic
Support, and Multiple Disabilities
Support.
Services for Students in
Nonpublic Schools
Public special education is accessible to resident students attending
nonpublic schools by affording
the opportunity for the nonpublic school student to enroll on a
dual enrollment basis in a special
education program operated within
a District school. These services
are accessible following a Multidisciplinary Team evaluation,
determination of eligibility, and
development of an Individualized
Education Program. Parents of nonpublic school students can obtain
further information by contacting
their child’s school principal or the
Office of the Assistant Superintendent at 724-941-6251 x7202.
Services for Preschool
Age Children
Act 212, the Early Intervention
System Act, entitles all preschool
age children with disabilities to
appropriate early intervention services. Young children experiencing
developmental delays or physical or
mental disabilities are eligible for
early intervention services.
The Pennsylvania Department of
Public Welfare is responsible for
providing services to infants and
toddlers, defined as children from
birth through two years of age.
Contact the Alliance for Infants and
Toddlers at 2801 Custer Avenue,
2nd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15227,
(412) 885-6000.
The Pennsylvania Department
of Education is responsible for
providing services to preschool age
children from three to five years of
age. Contact Project DART of the
Allegheny Intermediate Unit at 475
E. Waterfront Drive, Homestead,
PA 15120, (412) 394-5736.
Information Regarding Signs of
Developmental Delays and Other
Risk Factors for Parents to Look
for that May Indicate the Possibility of a Disability
If your child is less than the age of
beginners (age 5 before September
1) and at least 3 years of age, your
child may be considered to have a
developmental delay when difficulties exist in the areas of cognitive,
communicative, physical, social/
emotional or self-help development
where the delay is measured in
comparison to typical development.
Parents who have questions about
their child’s development or possible presence of a disability may
talk with their family physician or
health care provider.
If you have questions regarding difficulties your child may be experiencing, please contact the Office
of the Assistant Superintendent at
724-941-6251 x7202.
Protected Handicapped Students/
Chapter 15
The Peters Township School District, in compliance with Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, and Chapter 15 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code, will
provide without discrimination or
cost to the student or family, those
13
PTSD Annual Notice to Parents (continued)
related aids, services, or accommodations which are needed to provide
the student equal opportunity to
participate in and obtain the benefits
of the school program and extracurricular activities to the maximum
extent appropriate to the student’s
abilities. These services and protections for protected handicapped
students are distinct from those
applicable to all eligible students in
special education programs.
For further information on the evaluation procedures and provisions of
services to protected handicapped
students, contact the Office of the
Assistant Superintendent at 724941-6251 x7202.
Confidentiality of
Student Records
Peters Township School District
and its employees are required by
Federal Law and State and Federal
Rules and Regulations to protect
the rights of students. The foundation of these rights comes from
Federal legislation entitled, Family
Educational Rights and Privacy
Act of 1974 (also known as the
Buckley Amendments). There are
State Rules and Regulations dealing
with regular and special education
students’ rights and privacy. All
students are covered by the State
Regulations contained in Chapter
12 known as Students’ Rights and
Responsibilities.
The Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. §
1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy
of student education records. The
law applies to all schools that
receive funds under an applicable
program of the U.S. Department of
Education. FERPA gives parents
certain rights with respect to their
children’s education records. These
14
rights transfer to the student when
he or she reaches the age of 18 or
attends a school beyond the high
school level. Students to whom the
rights have transferred are “eligible
students.”
• Parents or eligible students have
the right to inspect and review the
student’s education records maintained by the school. Schools are
not required to provide copies of
records unless, for reasons such
as great distance, it is impossible
for parents or eligible students to
review the records. Schools may
charge a fee for copies.
• Parents or eligible students have
the right to request that a school
correct records which they believe
to be inaccurate or misleading. If
the school decides not to amend the
record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal
hearing. After the hearing, if the
school still decides not to amend the
record, the parent or eligible student
has the right to place a statement
with the record setting forth his or
her view about the contested information.
• Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or
eligible student in order to release
any information from a student’s
education record. However, FERPA
allows schools to disclose those
records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):
School officials with legitimate
educational interest; Other schools
to which a student is transferring;
Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes; Appropriate parties
in connection with financial aid to a
student; Organizations conducting
certain studies for or on behalf of
the school; Accrediting organizations; To comply with a judicial
order or lawfully issued subpoena;
Appropriate officials in cases of
health and safety emergencies; and
State and local authorities, within a
juvenile justice system, pursuant to
specific State law.
Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information such as
a student’s name, address, telephone
number, date and place of birth,
honors and awards, and dates of
attendance. However, schools must
tell parents and eligible students
about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a
reasonable amount of time to request
that the school not disclose directory
information about them. Schools
must notify parents and eligible
students annually of their rights
under FERPA. The actual means of
notification (special letter, inclusion
in a PTA bulletin, student handbook,
or newspaper article) is left to the
discretion of each school.
Written parental consent is necessary
for disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information and Educational
Records. The consent must: (1) specify the records that may be disclosed;
(2) state the purpose of the disclosure; (3) identify the party or class of
parties to whom the disclosure may
be made. Furthermore, the Peters
Township School District must maintain a written record of disclosure for
the parents to inspect in case information has been released.
English as a Second Language
Services (ESL)
In accordance with federal law and
state regulations, the Peters Township School District must identify all
students who have “limited English
proficiency” (LEP). These students
typically have a primary language
other than English that is used in
their homes. Students identified with
a limited English proficiency are
eligible for ESL instructional
services to help them attain
proficient skills in their use of
the written and spoken English
language.
All students must have a Home
Language Survey completed by
their parents prior to admission
into the school district. This
survey allows the Peters Township
School District to identify possible
LEP students. A District representative will screen any student
identified as possibly having a limited English proficiency and will
provide direct services to students
based on their level of need.
Parents or guardians who feel that
their child may have a limited
English proficiency should contact the Special Education office
at 724-941-6251 x7271 for more
information.
Title I Performance Report
Pleasant Valley Elementary School
receives Title I funds annually.
The funding is used to provide the
Title I Reading Services to elementary students who are below basic
or basic in their reading skills.
In the 2009-10 school year, 100%
of the Peters Township Elementary Faculty met the No Child Left
Behind Standards for highly qualified teachers. A highly qualified
teacher, according to the United
States Department of Education,
is fully certified, has a bachelor’s
degree, a content area major and
has passed a content area test. In
addition, fully certified teachers
in Pennsylvania have completed
pedagogical course work in education, including student teaching.
We take pride in the tremendous
skill and dedication of our faculty
and staff.
Please note that, as parents, you
have a right to request and receive
timely information regarding the
professional qualifications of your
child’s classroom teacher. If you
have any questions about our Title
I Program or about your child’s
teacher, please feel free to contact
the Pleasant Valley Principal at
724-941-6260 x1111.
Parent’s Right to Know
As stipulated in the No Child Left
Behind Act, parents/guardians may
request information regarding the
professional qualifications of their
child’s classroom teacher(s). Specifically, individuals have the right
to ask for the following information:
• Whether the student’s teacher met
state qualifying and licensing criteria for the grade level or subject
he/she is teaching;
• Whether the teacher is teaching
under emergency or other provisional status;
• The teacher’s college major, the
baccalaureate degree, and/or any
advanced degrees earned by the
teacher;
• Whether the child is provided
services by paraprofessionals and,
if so, their qualifications.
To obtain this information, please
submit your request in writing to
the Office of the Assistant Superintendent at 631 East McMurray
Road, McMurray, PA 15317.
its education programs, activities,
or employment practice, based on
race, color, national origin, sex,
sexual preference, disability, age,
religion, ancestry, union membership, or any other legally protected
classification. Announcement of
this policy is in accordance with
state and federal laws, including
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Sections 503
and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973.
Employees and participants who
have an inquiry or complaint of harassment or discrimination, or who
need information about accommodations for persons with disabilities, should contact: Office of the
Assistant Superintendent, 631 East
McMurray Road, McMurray, PA
15317, (724) 941-6251 x7202.
Information
Guide Online
From the District website, parents
and community members may
download a copy of the 2010-2011
Information Guide that includes
this important information
along with a protocol chart
for contacting the correct staff
member with any question you
may have. Staff names, contact
information, and buildings hours
are also included.
Each request should include the
student’s name, his/her teachers’
names and the school he/she
attends. Please be certain to
include your name, address and
a telephone number at which you
can be contacted during the day.
Non-Discrimination Policy
The Peters Township School
District will not discriminate in
15
Our fall athletic season is in full swing - come
out and support our Indians as they continue the
tradition of pride and excellence in athletics.
Schedules for all District teams can be found
online at www.highschoolsports.net. Please note
that due to weather and other unforeseen events,
schedules may change with little notice. Updates
will be provided on the District website.
For all PTHS home football games, the District
provides shuttle service from parking lots at
Peters Township Middle School and McMurray
Elementary. Shuttles begin at 6 p.m. on game
nights.
Community members interested in purchasing an
athletic pass should visit the High School Office
of Sports, Program and Activities. Prices are
available on the District website for individual
sports and for the All-Season Pass.
Mighty Indian
Marching Band
Athletic Update:
GO INDIANS!
Band Festival Schedule for 2010:
Charleroi & Upper St. Clair Band Festival
September 11th, 2010
Peters Township Band Festival
September 18, 2010
Mt. Lebanon Band Festival
September 25, 2010
Ringgold Band Festival
October 2, 2010
South Fayette Band Festival
October 9, 2010
Veterans Day Parade, Pittsburgh
Novermber 11, 2010
NON-PROFIT ORG.
US. POSTAGE
PAID
MCMURRAY, PA 15317
PERMIT #520
Peters Township School District
631 East McMurray Road
McMurray, PA 15317
POSTAL CUSTOMER