April 18, 2016 - Peters Township School District

Peters Township School District
Excellence in
Education
Academics, Athletics, the Arts,
Leadership, & Character Education
April 18, 2016
Pittsburgh Day at Bower Hill
Third Grade celebrates their hometown pride!
On March 24, Bower Hill third graders celebrated Pittsburgh Day at the school.
Following their social studies unit focused on the history of our region, the students
spent the day learning Pittsburgh traditions. They made pierogies, learned to polka, and
made their own Andy Warhol art projects. The day ended with a tailgate party with
Pittsburgh favorite foods and a visit from KDKA’s Bob Pompeani who shared some
stories of our city’s sports history.
Journalist - Best in Category:
News Article- Angela Roberts
Journalist - Award of Excellence:
Feature Article- Bailey Fink
PTHS Media Department
Earns DMAC Honors
Broadcast - Best in Category:
Special Effects-Bri Spalaris
Documentary-Hanna Marcinak and
Bri Spalaris
Animation-Adianna Williams
Commercial-Hanna Marcinak, Brenna
Schuler, and Bri Spalaris
Digital Cinema-Will Barnes, Paul
Luniewski, Mara Rayburg
The High School Media Department competed at the Digital Media Arts Consortium
(DMAC) awards at Robert Morris University on April 7th. Our students took home nine
awards overall, with 6 being Best is Category distinctions. A complete list of winners is
above.
Broadcast - Award of Excellence:
Live Event- Hanna Marcinak, Bri Spalaris,
Brenna Schuler, Olga Sifontes, Nathan Auld,
Brianna Wuenschel, Marisa Brugger, Abby
Wuenschel, Cammi Artman
PTHS Media Department
Earns DMAC Honors
(continued)
The Morning Announcements- Hannah
Asbell, Ryan Auld, Greg Bates, Marisa
Brugger, Rachel Corrigan, James Curry, Jesalyn
Fada, Vincenzo Giovannitti, Hanna Marcinak,
Reilly McGlumphy, Nick Ritacco, Brenna
Schuler, Olga Sifontes, Bri Spalaris, Meah
Watson, Adianna Williams, Brianna
Wuenschel, Jack Yuran
The High School Media Department competed at the Digital Media Arts Consortium
(DMAC) awards at Robert Morris University on April 7th. Our students took home nine
awards overall, with 6 being Best is Category distinctions. A complete list of winners is
above.
MathCounts Winner
Recognized by County
Commissioners
6th grader Scott Zhu was
recognized along with teacher
Jason Keffel
Congratulations to the Scott Zhu who was recognized by our Washington County
Commissioners for his outstanding performance in the MathCounts Competition. Scott
coach teacher Jason Keffel was also given a certificate from the group.
WACTC Student Heading to
SkillsUSA National
Competition
Senior Kathryn Luttner finished 1st
at state level in the job interview
category
The PTHS senior above who also attends Western Area Career and Technology Center
competed in the state level of the SkillsUSA Competition this weekend and finished first
in the job interview category. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and
industry representatives and the competitions reinforce occupational and leadership
skills. Kathryn will now compete at the national level in June.
PTHS Junior to Attend
Governor’s School
Cindy Hsieh to attend Governor’s School
for the Sciences at CMU
Congratulations to the PTHS junior above who has been admitted to the 2016
Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. One of
only 60 students admitted to this school, Cindy will attend the intense five week
program attending courses in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and computer
science.
PTSD Ranks 6th in Business
Times Guide
District Regional Ranking: 6th
District State Ranking: 14th
Grade levels in the top 10:
11th Gr. Rank: 10th
8th Gr. Rank: 4th
7th Gr. Rank: 5th
6th Gr. Rank: 4th
In the April 2016 “Guide to Western Pennsylvania Schools,” the Pittsburgh Business
Times ranked PTSD sixth among 103 districts in our area, up one spot from 2015 and
was the highest ranking district from Washington County. Among the 494 school
districts in the state, PT also ranked 14th overall (also up one spot from 2015).
Based on PSSA and Keystone results from the previous three years, PTHS ranked 10th in
the region, eighth grade students ranked 4th overall, and the seventh grade ranked 5th.
McMurray Elementary’s sixth grade also ranked 4th overall at that grade level.
All-State Honors for PT Musicians
All-State Orchestra: Kyle Johnson (cello)
All-State Band: Jordan Ranallo (trumpet)
The PTHS seniors above were selected by audition for the PMEA All-State Orchestra and
Band. The conference took place March 31-April 2 and was comprised of the most
talented student musicians from across the state. Auditions during the event led Kyle to
be placed as first seat for cello and Jordan to be placed as 6th seat for trumpet overall.
PMEA Junior High District Chorus
Max Andrae (baritone),
Lucas Dunst (baritone),
Emma Greenberg (soprano),
Elise Romero (alto) &
Jill Wilson (soprano)
were selected by audition for
this honor
Congratulations to PTMS 8th graders above who have been selected by audition to take
part in the PMEA Junior High District Chorus. The event was hosted by Trinity High
School on April 8th and 9th.
Tarzan at
PTHS
Congratulations
to director Ray
Cygrymus and his
cast and crew for
another great
show!
Congratulations to director Ray Cygrymus and his outstanding cast a crew for a wonderful
production of Tarzan at the High School this month.
Wildlife Art Contest
Winner
PTHS Junior Olivia
Castellone placed 4th in the
2016 Youth Wildlife Art
Contest sponsored by the
PA Game Commission.
Congratulations to the PTHS junior above who who placed 4th in the 2016 Youth Wildlife
Art Contest sponsored by the PA Game Commission. She earned a $50 cash prize and
her art will now be displayed by the Game Commission, featured on its website and in
the Pennsylvania Game News monthly magazine.
Second Grade
Musical
The Rockin’ Rainforest
at Pleasant Valley
This week, the second grade team at Pleasant Valley presented the Rockin’ Rainforest –
this musical event is a wonderful synergy of the academic, artistic and musical
curriculum in second grade. The students share informative facts about the rainforest
and our environment along with musical selections from each classroom under the
director of music teacher Barb Viola.
Empty Bowls
Fundraiser
McMurray and PTHS
Students Take Part in
Empty Bowls
Fundraiser
Students at McMurray Elementary and PTHS put their talents to work for the Empty
Bowls Dinner in March. The students created bowls to be sold to raise funds for the
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Just Harvest and to help raise awareness
of those facing hunger in our region. The efforts were organized by teachers Kelly Borra
and Kristin DeGiovanni.
Junior Varsity
Hockey Wins
PIHL
Championship
PTHS JV 2 Hockey takes
home the Junior
Varsity Post Season
Championship
Congratulations to the Peters Township Junior Varsity 2 Hockey team for winning the PIHL
Junior Varsity Post Season Championship Tournament.
HERO Week at
Pleasant Valley
Students learn to be a hero at home,
on the bus and in the classroom!
Pleasant Valley students celebrated Hero Week in April with theme days that focused on
ways they can be a hero on the bus, in the classroom, on the playground and at home.
Daily features on PVTV shared tips from students and they could even earn raffle tickets
for prizes when they were caught being a hero at home or at school.
McMurray Student
Council Provides
Suitcases for Foster
Children
Students raised money for
Together We Rise to
purchase suitcases for local
foster children
Students on the McMurray Elementary student council organized a fundraiser to help
foster children in our area. The students raised money for Together We Rise, an
organization that provides suitcases for local foster children who typically carry their
belongings in garbage bags. The students collected nearly $500 and purchased 19 “Sweet
Cases” and decorative supplies. During an afterschool session they hand decorated each
bag and filled them with kid-friendly necessities. The student council is organized by
teacher Paige Seelhorst.
Interact Club Hosts
Family Bingo Night
More than $1,000 raised to
send wounded veterans and
their families to camp
On April 15, the PTHS Interact Club hosted a Family Bingo Night at the High School. The
event was a fundraiser War Fighter Sports, a nonprofit organization that provides
amputee veterans and their families with an opportunity to attend sports related
camps. Friday night’s event raised $1,000. With matching funds from the McMurray
Rotary Club, the funds will be enough to send two families to camp this year.
PTMS Volunteers with Produce to People
Students repackaged and distributed more than
24,000 pounds of food to 650 families
This past weekend, fourteen PTMS students joined teacher Matt Cheran to volunteer for
Produce to People in McKeesport. They repackaged and distributed more than 24,000
pounds of food to more than 650 families.
PTHS Student Wins $1000
Zonta Club Service Award
Izzy Chopra is named
Amelia Earhart Service Award Winner
The PTHS Junior above has been named the Amelia Earhart Service Award Winner by
the Zonta Club of Washington County. Izzy is the first Peters Township student to win the
$1000 grand prize at the event and she was recognized at a special dinner for her
outstanding community service record that includes 150 hours of work for a variety of
organizations.
PV Wins Kids
of Steel Grant
Pleasant Valley Elementary is the
recipients of a 2016 Kids of STEEL
Physical Education Grant worth
$1,000
Congratulations to Pleasant Valley Elementary as the recipients of a 2016 Kids of STEEL
Physical Education Grant worth $1000. Each year the building sponsors a Run Club to
encourage healthy habits among the students and takes part in the Kids of Steel
Marathon. The grant will be used for equipment for the Run Club at the school.
Bowman Named to
PSBA Board
School Board member Rebecca
Bowman has been named to the PA
School Boards Association Bylaws
Committee
Congratulations to Peters Township School Board Vice President Rebecca Bowman who
has been appointed to serve on the Bylaws Committee of the PA School Boards
Association.
District ALICE Safety Video wins
State Communication Award
The PTHS Media Team
has earned an Award of
Excellence from the PA
School Public Relations
Association for the ALICE
Safety Training Video
The PTHS Media Team has earned an Award of Excellence from the Pennsylvania School
Public Relations Association for the ALICE Safety Training Video. Entries are judged
against submissions from across the state. The video was created as a learning tool for
the District’s safety efforts in the Middle and High School. Parents may also find a link to
the video on the District website.