colfax - Pittsburgh Colfax PTO

COLFAX
COMMUNICATOR
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PITTSBURGH COLFAX K-8 PTO | VOL 8, NO 4 MARCH, 2015
IN THIS ISSUE
IMPORTANT DATES
(SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Welcome | Elementary Updates | Sports | Library News
Middle Level Updates | PARTY 4 PLAY | Clubs and more...
March 27 - Early Dismissal
April 14 - Report Cards
March 30 to April 3 - Spring Break
April 15 - PSCC/PTO Meeting
WELCOME NOTES
PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS
Hello Colfax Families,
I think spring has finally arrived. It has
been a challenging winter to say the least.
I wonder if it was a record for delays or
delays on Mondays.
In spite of the cold and snow, Colfax was
able to put on a wonderful winter concert
highlighting our orchestra and choral students. Mr. Lee and Mrs. Moule did an incredible job of preparing our children, as they
performed remarkably. It should be noted
that the children do not have orchestra class
or chorus on a regular basis. Participation is
about two times a week as a pull-out from
another class. This highlights the excellent
job that Mr. Lee and Mrs. Moule did as the
performance was top notch!
Ski club was another challenge this year with
every ski trip being cancelled and rescheduled. Thankfully, we were able to get in all
three trips to Seven Springs. The beauty of
ski club is that people who have never skied
before get to participate as well as those
who are more seasoned. There was significant improvement in all of the new skiers
after each trip. I would declare that everyone
had a great time. Special thanks goes to
Mrs. Conroy who was key in organizing all of
the information of the skiers. I also want to
acknowledge and thank our chaperones since
we couldn’t have ski club without volunteers:
Mr. Wolfe, Ms. Murdock, Mrs. King, Mrs.
Conroy, Ms. McKenna, Mrs. Mayor, and Mrs.
McKee.
During the winter months, we also had
two very successful fund raisers. First, we
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COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
had our annual ASK DRIVE where the PTO
sends home a letter requesting funds of any
amount. From this we raised about $21,000!
It is a fantastic display of generosity on
behalf of the parents at Colfax. Our second
fundraiser was our annual Party4Play. Dory
Levine and Diane Curry took this on as
Co-Chairs and did an outstanding job. The
new venue at the Edgewood Club was a big
hit. We had beautiful baskets of goodies to
raffle and dozens of items to auction. A new
record was set with Principal for the Day
going for $2000 in the live auction. What a
wonderful night for Colfax! As a result, we
grossed about $27,000. A true success for
our 9th Party4Play.
If you contributed to the ASK DRIVE and/or
came to Party4Play, please know that without
parents like you we would not have the outstanding PTO that we do. It is only through
your generosity and dedication to events like
P4P that we are able to accomplish and provide all that we do for Colfax and its students.
Thank you.
On a completely separate note, I’d like to
thank and recognize both Julie Wilson for
getting Constant Contact up and running,
and Amber McCann for setting up and
staying on top of our new Facebook page.
Both of these tools allow Colfax to better
communicate with our families and do a
little bragging in the process.
Best wishes,
Abbie Campsie
PTO President
WELCOME NOTES
PRINCIPAL’S REMARKS
Dear Colfax Families,
I hope this edition of the Communicator finds you
and your family doing well. We are all enjoying
the warmer weather and are hopeful it continues
to Spring Break. This time of year a great deal of
planning is taking place to account for both my
transition and PSSA testing preparations. As was
shared via letter earlier this month, during my
absence, Mr. May-Stein, Assistant Superintendent, will fill in during my maternity leave. This
will enable the Assistant Principals and teaching
staff to remain unchanged and allow Colfax to
maintain consistency. I plan to return and transition back sometime in June after the school
year ends. This positions me well to plan for the
2015-16 school year.
Another important piece we’ve been working
through are the details of the PSSA testing
window (April 13 to May 1). Our specific PSSA
testing schedule will be as follows: April 14-17:
Reading; April 20-22: Mathematics; and April
28-29: Science. Make-ups will be scheduled as
needed throughout the window. More specific information will be shared as the month progresses.
In an effort to minimize the number of make-ups,
we are planning to have a field trip incentive
to Romp & Roll for students in grades 3-8. We
will emphasize students’ attendance, effort and
behavior during the testing season. The students
who meet these criteria will be invited to attend
the field trip in May. We want our students to be
present and to do their very best!
Last month, we celebrated the great generosity of
our parents and friends at the Party4Play event.
It was an evening filled with exciting auctions
and wonderful conversations. I want to take this
opportunity to thank all of the folks that contributed to the planning for the event. Without these
magnificient members of our Colfax community,
sponsorship of so many great programs would
not be possible. Thanks for your ongoing commitment to the students of Colfax and for your
generosity. A special thanks to the PTO for the
wonderful basket of goodies to mark the arrival
of our little girl. My husband and I thank you for
your kindness and warm wishes as we welcome
our new bundle of joy!
As my time wraps up this year, I’d like to thank
all of you for your ongoing support as we endured change. We all know it isn’t easy, but with
commitment and effort, all is possible. Thanks
for welcoming me to the Colfax community and
helping this year to be a big success. I’m looking
forward to an even better year for the 2015-16
school year.
Happy Spring and Best Wishes for a great close
to the school year!
Sincerely,
Jamie Kinzel-Nath
[email protected]
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
PAGE 3
CELEBRATING GREAT CHARACTER TRAITS:
COLFAX STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
written by Mrs. Pellegrini
Colfax Students of the Month are selected 1 per
classroom in the self-contained primary grades
(K-2) and one student per grade level at the
departmentalized level (3-8). The students are
selected at the end of the month, which is why
the announcement may seem like it is a month
behind.
The Colfax Students of the Month for
February who were selected for
Optimism are:
The Student of the Month character trait for
January was Responsibility. People who are
responsible can be trusted to do what is right
or to do the things that they are supposed to.
Oprah Winfrey said: “We are each responsible
for our own life - no other person is or even can
be.”
In 1st grade: Charlie Schneider,
Mariah Podrat, Aaden Jacobson,
Malaysia Mattox
In 2nd grade: Jocylen Barren, Che Castro
Jarrett, Ichika Suenga, Jaden Small
Colfax’s January Students of the Month who
were recognized for consistently responsible
behavior included siblings Rebecca and Dora
Gordon (8th and 4th grade), Jerimiah Davis
(7th grade), Jack O’Connor (6th grade), Arian
Afont Garcia (5th grade), and Rachel Petro
(3rd grade).
Third grader Jamier Johnson
Each self-contained classroom teacher selects
one student who represents the character trait.
For 2nd grade, this included Salome Rojas,
Satyan Chickering, Landon Johnson and
Aivlen Carey. In 1st grade, RaBraya Sidberry,
Jason Hao, Teresa Cauda and Annabelle
Oberbarnscheidt were selected, and in
kindergarten, we had Kaida Greene, Erik Mednis,
Sam Livshin and Tyler Allan.
Seventh grader Taijauna Moon
The February character trait for Student of
the Month was Optimism. Richard DeVos,
who founded the multi-million dollar company Amway, said: “Few things in the world
are more powerful than a positive push. A
smile. A world of optimism and hope. A ‘you
can do it’ when things are tough.”
PAGE 4
In Kindergarten: Terria Stevens,
Lourdes Doswell, Christopher Graves,
Jayden Hankinson
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
Fourth grader Minh Nguyen
Fifth grader Taleah Barren
Sixth grader Will Wurzel
And Eighth grader, Mary Claire Rethage
CONGRATULATIONS to our newest students
of the month! Their names were announced
on March 6, 2015.
Be sure to check out the awesome Star Students
bulletin board across from the main office next
time you are at school. For further information
contact Beth Pellegrini at
[email protected].
COLFAX COBRA CLUB
COBRA CLUB 2015
written by Mrs. S. King
Cobra Club 2015 has begun and our students have made
their selections of the clubs that interest them the most.
Here are some of the clubs that were offered this year.
Some primary clubs include Tangram Zoo Club with Mrs. S.
King where students solve tangrams using iPads, tangram
puzzle kits as well as create a tangram book of zoo animals.
Fun Fitness with Ms. Gallagher offers fun stretching and
moving while learning yoga and kickboxing. Dr. Seuss Club
with Mrs. Bartels will give our students the opportunity to
read and create a variety of activities about Dr. Seuss books.
Students will be able to create art projects that reflect the
style of Eric Carle in Eric Carle Art Club with Mrs. Morgano.
Future game creators joined Strategy Games Club with Mrs.
Juhas where students will learn a variety of strategy games
and design their own games.
In the intermediate level, students will be dancing it up
with Mrs. Acie at her Line Dancing Club. Ms. E. Montgomery’s Animal Lovers’ Club will be learning about issues
concerning domestic and wild animals and donate supplies
to a local animal shelter. Students will explore and review
movies and critiques in Mrs. Mlay’s Movie Critic Club. Fine
Lines Club with Mrs. Pellegrini will teach techniques of
drawing and shading while studying various artists’ work.
Colfax Cheerleading with Miss Schrieiner and Mrs. Stefanyak is an interest club for students at the intermediate level
and consists of over 25 girls. The girls meet to learn side
line cheers, dances, and jumps. It is a fun and engaging
way to teach leadership skills such as respect, communication and collaboration. Let’s Go Colfax!
The middle level has a variety of great clubs that include
Walking Club with Mrs. Lavelle and Ms. Dawson which will
help start the day off right with a focus on fitness. Games
N’At with Ms. Malvin will allow our kids to make their own
carnival game based on probability skills they have learned.
Students will have a blast from the past listening and
studying the music of the 60s and 70s in Mr. Scmeidlin’s
club. Ready, Set, Action!! Colfax students will learn how
to make iMovies and create their very own Colfax iMovie
in Mrs. Herr’s iMovie Club. The Colfax Cadet Club consists
of students that have selected to volunteer and assist in
the primary classrooms during Cobra Club. This club will
promote mentoring and leadership skills for our middle level
students while giving back to our school. Thanks Cadets!!!!
Look for next month’s edition featuring other great Cobra
Clubs that Pittsburgh Colfax has to offer.
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
PAGE 5
LIBRARY NEWS
WHAT’S NEW AT THE COLFAX LIBRARY
written by Ms. McKee
A lot! The newest book in your favorite series is not the only thing you can
find in the Colfax Library these days. Public libraries are lending more than
books and we are giving it a try as well.
With our Lego books becoming more and more popular, the library is now
offering two Lego building kits! The kits include more than 600 pieces,
and can be borrowed for a week at a time. Building with Legos (or other
blocks) can help children build skills in math, spacial thinking, fine motor
skills and problem solving - as well as foster creativity. If your child would
like to borrow our kits, they can pick up a “Lego Lending Permission Slip”
in the library. Our Lego books and kits are in a new section of the library,
along with books on Minecraft.
Two summers ago, Colfax and the PTO teamed up to buy 7 American Girl
Dolls for our library, along with corresponding books and videos. The books
and videos are very popular, but up until recently, the dolls never left the
library. But now, through the new American Girl Cobra Club, the dolls are
going out to the homes of the club members. We’ll be learning about the
geography and history in their stories. The Heinz History Center is working
with the Allegheny County Libraries on a similar program lending American
Girl Dolls. After reading about this program in the Post Gazette, I contacted the History Center. They graciously provided us with information
about what life was like when the dolls’ stories take place. I’m hoping that
lending the dolls to a small group of students this year can lead to making
them available to all students in the future.
soon, meeting on Day 5s when Guys Read does not meet. You can visit
www.amightygirl.com to learn about their book recommendations and
much more. These clubs are for grades 6-8 only. I hope that members of
these clubs can form teams to compete in next year’s Battle of the Books
at the Carnegie Library.
As you can imagine, keeping all of this organized and in good condition
takes a lot of time. If you would like to help out, please let me know.
Finally, I would like to thank the MANY students and families who have
donated books to our library. While there are too many to list here, I would
like to mention a few. Anisha Willis, Nate Sirlin and Audrey Olmsted made
their birthdays an occasion to give to us! Instead of asking for gifts for
themselves, they asked their friends to buy books for the Colfax Library (We
have an ever-evolving wish list on Amazon.com). All I can say is, “WOW!” I
am continually amazed by the kindness and generosity of the Colfax Community.
A library is a place of discovery. A place where you can discover the world
or discover yourself. Come to the Colfax Library. You never know what you
might find.
Next up, we will begin lending small, reusable Science Kits. All of our
students are required to create science projects. Sometimes coming up
with new ideas can be difficult, and the materials can be expensive. We are
starting with 3 items: “Minerals Around the World” kit, “Simple Machines”
building kit, and a hand held microscope. I have been introducing these
items to students over the past few weeks and they are eager to start borrowing them! No permission slips are needed for these Science Kits, just a
mind full of curiosity. If you have any kit ideas, or would like to donate science activity items, just visit or send me an email ([email protected]).
Of course, we have books as well. Our new International Collection is
geared to our growing population of students from around the world. We
have had a large collection of books in Spanish for many years. Now we
also have books in French, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese and Russian. This
collection is in its early stages, but it has been very well received! I am
hoping to add books in Portuguese, Korean and Vietnamese soon. Research
shows that providing students with books in their first language leads to
better reading skills in English. Plus, there is nothing like seeing the joy in
students’ eyes when they spot a book in their first language! We now have
copies of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in Chinese, French and
Arabic - and they are never on the shelf for long!
Although I am no longer holding “Guys Read” during Cobra Clubs, we will
now be meeting during lunch on alternate Day 5s. Guys Read is a national
initiative started by author Jon Scieszka. You can find out more about it
at www.guysread.com. After starting Guys Read, many girls asked if they
could have a book club, too. “A Mighty Girl” book club will be forming
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COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
Check out these new
additions to our library!
BELIEVE • WORK HARD • ACHIEVE
THIRD GRADERS - CONSTRUCTING VIABLE ARGUMENTS
written by Ms. Murray
According to the 8 Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice, students
should be able to “Construct Viable Arguments and Critique the Reasoning of
Others” (CCSS, 2010). It is one thing to be able to solve a given problem, but
we want students to articulate how they solved it so they can communicate their
math thinking to someone else. One of the best things about math is that there
are different ways to get to the solution of a problem. Will your way always work?
Can you understand why you made your error and discover how to alter your
strategy so that it is effective? One way we help our students learn this idea is
by talking about math. In third grade we have math for two periods and, on most
days, we talk about math for two whole periods. Third graders talk about our
thinking with partners; they discuss ideas with teachers; they write to communicate their ideas; they share with the class how they solved their problems; and
they defend their strategies so they know it will work and why it will work the
next time they see a problem like that. We talk about math to make connections
to past experiences in our brains, so that we have a deep understanding of these
concepts.
Open task partner problem solving is an activity used in our math classes to get
students talking about their thinking. They collaborate to solve a problem and
they can choose any way to solve it. They create a poster and prepare to share
with the rest of the class. Teachers typically highlight different strategies the
students used to get to the same solution. They do this so students know there
are different ways to get to the correct answer. It helps young minds know their
thinking is valid, and that they can use what they know to solve the problem.
Third graders each create their own path based on what they already know and
that’s how they make sense of the mathematics and create structure and meaning in their minds. Students flourish when they are not restricted by a specific
way of doing things. They love expressing themselves mathematically and they
impress us every day with their thinking! We are seeing increased engagement
and improved confidence. The students know they are doing hard work, and
they love the challenge!
Naomi Segel and Anisha Willis collaborating to
solve a problem.
Spencer Waite and Jean Paul Portuguez
engaged in their problem.
THE MAGICAL MEGABYTES WIN 3RD PLACE
IN BATTLE OF THE BOOKS
written by Ms. Greco
On February 24, 2015, four 6th grade bibliophiles from Colfax competed in the
Second Annual Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Battle of the Books. The students placed third - even though it was their first year competing. The students
representing Colfax were Will Wurzel, Alex Echols, Adina Faeder and Maya
Cranor. The voracious readers formed their team in October, and they recruited
Ms. Greco to coach them. Will, Alex, Adina and Maya read ten books selected
by the contest coordinators. On a frigid evening in February, they competed
against 15 teams from various schools including Pittsburgh CAPA, St. Edmunds,
Winchester, Shadyside Academy, and Pittsburgh Urban Christian School. The
contestants answered 40 questions in 4 rounds to earn points. This was the first
year students from Colfax competed in the Battle of the Books, but it will not be
the last!
Will Wurzel, Alex Echols, Adina Faeder and
Maya Cranor.
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
PAGE 7
MIDDLE LEVEL
COLFAX COMPETES IN 21ST ANNUAL AFRICAN
AMERICAN HISTORY CHALLENGE BOWL
written by Mrs. Pellegrini
points, coming in fourth out of many schools.
First place was taken by Obama. The students
studied hard and learned a lot. They pledged to
come back next year and help coach the kids so
that next year Colfax can come in first!
On Friday, February 27, 2015, four of our 8th
graders represented Colfax admirably at the
21st Annual African American History Challenge For further information, contact Mr. Schmiedlin
at [email protected] or Mrs. Pellegrini
Bowl. Kazuma Parkinson, Sammy Arunkumar,
at [email protected].
Gianna Griffin and Ariel Holstein completed
four rounds of questions and accumulated 620
SIXTH GRADERS HEAD TO CSC SciTech DAYS
written by Mrs. Pellegrini
The entire 6th grade team braved another wintery
morning for an amazing experience at the Carnegie
Science Center on March 4, 2015. Admission to CSC’s
SciTech days was funded thanks to the generous
support of the Howard E and Nell E Miller Foundation.
Students participated in a program about neurosurgery
and the brain, and took part in hands-on workshops
ranging from nanotechnology to a CSI style forensic
investigation to food production and its effect on the
economy. Students explored a variety of career options
in the STEM fields.
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COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
COLFAX SPORTS
EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS
ATTEND “SELMA”
written by Mr. Cohen
On February 26, 2015, the entire 8th grade attended a special screening of the movie “Selma” as part
of African-American History Month. The screening,
held at the Waterworks Cinema, was part of a grant
program involving several schools in the district. As
part of the grant, the trip was free for all students.
“Selma” tells the story of the famed Civil Rights
protest in March, 1965, led by Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., which was planned as a 50-mile march
from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in an attempt
to gain voting rights for all African-Americans.
MIDDLE LEVEL UPDATES
written by Jennifer Ganger, Chair,
Middle Level Parent-Teacher Advisory
Committee
FUNDRAISING FOR END-OF-YEAR TRIPS: BINGO
ON APRIL 12, 2015
-Fundraising for the Middle Level trips will end with
a BINGO on April 12 in the Colfax gymnasium.
Fabulous prizes--including Coach and Michael Kors
purses--will be up for grabs. See the flyers at school
and in your child’s backpack for details.
-Treats from the March Sarris Candy sale will be
delivered before Spring Break.
-Final payments for the Baltimore/Hershey trip are
due on April 10, 2015, or after Bingo proceeds are
disbursed.
MIDDLE LEVEL MUSICAL
Once on This Island is moving full steam ahead
under the direction of the talented Ms. Bridgette
Perdue. Don’t miss performances on May 15, 16 &
17, 2015.
Want to receive more Middle Level news through
email? Contact MLPTAC chair Jennifer Ganger at
[email protected].
4th and 5th Grade Basketball
Coach Arena
The Colfax 4th and 5th grade basketball season is off to an exciting start!
The first game of the season was played at Pittsburgh Liberty with a jampacked gym. Fans surrounded the court and cheered until the final buzzer.
That game, the boys’ team fell short by 2 points and the girls’ by 4 points.
But the following game the boys retaliated and beat their opponent, Fulton,
by 2 points and though the girls’ team fell short by 4 points again, they
scored 14 more points than their previous game! Both teams are already
halfway through the season and continue to improve in hopes of making
the playoffs.
Building Toward a Great 2014-2015 Soccer Season
Coach J. Mongomery
Coming off of a Championship Year we need to work hard to replace the
great players we lost. It will be a building season since we only have a
handful of returning players. All players are required to have a positive
attitude toward their teammates, coaches, opponents, referees, fans and
their peers throughout the entire season. Each player is to practice the
concept “We are a TEAM FIRST and an individual second”!! Each player
is expected to encourage and motivate each other with a positive approach.
All players are required to attend all practices and games in order to build
self-confidence in positions and in each other. Finally all players are to be
dressed and ready for practice at 3:00 p.m. We will be using Fern Hollow
at the beginning of the year so punctuality is important so we can utilize all
practice time. It’s going to be a great year!!
Colfax Soccer Always Plays Hard
Coach Lydon
The boys’ soccer team is always a popular team with our school, and this
year we will have many new faces as a large part of the team has moved on.
We are a team that believes in playing hard, playing fair and being a true
team -- taking care of each other on and off the field. We never know what
fun adventures are ahead . . . Who will surprise us? Who will shine? Who
will be the player or players that keep the team together when things get
tough? We have to deal with weather, tough competition, mud and so much
more, but we will get through it! Wish us luck!!
Colfax Wrestling Team
Coach Schmiedlin
The 2015 Colfax wrestling season will focus on commitment, hard work,
determination and perseverance; these qualities will help our students succeed on the wrestling mat and in the classroom. All students were invited
to attend tryouts, which were held on March 9. Practice is held everyday
after school.
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
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COLFAX COMMUNITY
FIFTY-FOUR COLFAX STUDENTS
COMPETE IN SHAKESPEARE MONOLOGUE
AND SCENE CONTEST
written by Ms. Dawson
On February 13, 2015, 54 of our middle-level students took turns
taking the Pittsburgh Public Theater stage to perform monologues or
scenes in the Pittsburgh Public Theater’s 21st annual Shakespeare
Monologue & Scene Contest. This was Colfax’s third year participating
in this contest, which draws contestants from across Western Pennsylvania. Our PTO’s generous support has helped to make this possible
all three years.
Our students had been preparing for this event since the start of the
school year, working daily during Enrichment time in classes led by
Ms. Malvin and Ms. Dawson. As she had done for the previous two
years, Pittsburgh actor Karen Baum brought her skills and enthusiasm
to our school, helping to coach each and all of our students.
Colfax students wowed the parents, teachers and judges who gathered
to watch their performances on that Friday. That night, we received
news that our 6th-graders Benjamin Godley-Fisher (as Romeo) and
Luke Chinman (as Juliet) had been selected as finalists!
When Ben and Luke took the stage the next Monday night, competing
against the top scenes from around this whole area, they performed
to a full house, and judges who -- drumroll -- selected them as the
winning scene in their age bracket (grades 4-7)! They are the first ever
Colfax first-place winners in this contest. However, all 54 participating
students left the experience as winners, having performed as Shakespearians on the stage of the Pittsburgh Public Theater.
The story continues for Ben and Luke, who have been asked to perform their scene to the School Board’s Education Committee, to begin
the committee’s meeting on Tuesday evening, March 3.
Read more: http://triblive.com/aande/theaterarts/7795105-74/monologue-students-division#ixzz3T9wKIoyZ
TAKE NOTE
written by Mrs. Moule
On Wednesday,
February 11,
2015, it was
standing room
only at the annual
Winter Music
Concert. Under
the direction of
Mr. Brian Lee
and Mrs. Victoria
Moule, the
audience was
treated to a
delightful program
of music and songs that had folks tapping their feet, clapping their hands,
and sometimes even singing along!
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COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
The instrumental students opened the program with “Bacon and Eggs”
performed by the Advanced Percussion group and ended with the
Advanced Band playing the popular song “Don’t Stop Believin’.” In
between, group after group took the stage and impressed everyone with
their music talent and skill. Perhaps most impressive was the number of
student musicians that Mr. Lee had listed: 93!!! Way to go, Mr. Lee!
Following the instrumentalists, the 4th grade chorus opened the choral
portion with “Hopes the Thing”. With the song “The Wonderful Wonders of
Winter”, the audience got a surprise when snow appeared at the end of the
song. The 5th grade chorus” performance of “One Little Candle” was very
moving, and when they ended their segment with “Just Chillin,” the whole
audience was moving to the beat. Mrs. Moule has put together 65 students
in those two chorus groups!
The chorus is still looking to raise money to fund their participation in the
music festival at CMU this spring. The trophy case across from the office
has 5 trophies marked “Superior” from previous trips to the music festival.
Let’s hope the chorus brings home another one this year. A special thank
you to all that made contributions to the funding of this year’s festival.
COLFAX COMMUNITY
STUDENT COUNCIL MIDDLE LEVEL
SPRING DANCE
written by Ms. Dawson
Colfax Student Council members, with the
support and help of our amazing PTO, held our
first-of-the-school-year middle-level dance on
Friday, March 13, 2015.
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
PAGE 11
C-O-L-F-A-X-!
SPELLING BEE
written by Amber McCann, parent
On February 10, 2015, parents and students joined together to cheer on Colfax’s best spellers. After classroom
and grade level competitions, 26 students took their turns
spelling words that made much of the audience feel very
thankful for spellcheck!
Can you spell synecdoche, neophyte, obstreperous, and
pusillanimous? Our students can!
We want to give a big THANK YOU to Mr. Cohen, Ms. Greco,
and Ms. Ricketts, who served as the evening’s judges.
Veteran winner, Kazuma Parkinson, came out on top once
again and will be representing Colfax at the Western Pennsylvania Spelling Bee on March 14, 2015, at Robert Morris
University.
Want to try your hand at spelling the words from the competition? Check out www.spellingbee.com/resources-students.
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COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
SCIENCE STARS
CMU SCIENCE SQUAD
written by Mr. Wolfe
This year, we had 31 students participate in creating
science projects for the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of
Science Region 7 Competition: 28 students through the
CMU Science Squad and 3 students independently. These
students are a source of such pride not just for our school,
but our district as well. The students are: Jamil Agip,
Taryn Bivins, Maeve Denshaw, Alana Dickey, Gianna Griffin,
Ariel Holstein, Ra’Niah Jones, Malia Lyons, Dalia Maeroff,
Niajaha Malloy, Svea McCann, Jasmynie Miller, Kazuma
Parkinson, Russell Petro, Sydne Samuels-Rottenberg, Brian
Woolley, Cal Zimmerman, Dvonne Barren-Strothers, Bailey
Donley, Daniel Caplan, William Ganger, Sean Graves, Nicole
Gurvich, Keyanna Hillard, Aiyon Hopson, Rosa Johnson,
Abe Kurzweg, Travis Scott, Alyssa Starr, Triste Tyler, and Zoe
Zeff.
away with 8 first places, 15 second places and 1 third
place!
In May, at the PJAS State Competition, Colfax will be represented by our 1st place winners: Dvonne Barren, Daniel Caplan, Gianna Griffin, Malia Lyons, Jasmynie Miller, Kazuma
Parkinson, Brian Woolley, and Cal Zimmerman.
Of special note, Dvonne, Gianna, Brian, and Cal received
special awards from Dusquense University, and Cal also
earned a second award for his project from an engineering
society.
I can not express adequately the thanks of your support in
serving probably close to 300 students in this program. The
students gain an experience unlike any other -- not just
learning concepts, but competing, presenting and accepting
the results. These experiences this early in their educational
career are invaluable.
Twenty-four students represented us on Saturday, February
7, 2015, at the competition. In all, the students walked
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
PAGE 13
MATH COUNTS
written by Mrs. Ricketts
On Saturday, February 14, 2015, seven Colfax
students and Mrs. Ricketts attended the 2015
Western PA MathCounts Regional Competition
at A.W. Beattie Career Center. The competition consisted of several individual and team
problem-solving rounds, culminating in an
elimination round for the top 10 individual
competitors. Team Colfax, the only PPS school
at the competition, was very strong, placing
10th out of 22 teams. 8th grader Rebecca Qui
was the strongest CX individual, placing 21st
out of 159 competitors.Congratulations to all!
PAGE 14
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
PARTY 4 PLAY
PARTY 4 PLAY 2015 IS A GREAT SUCCESS
What a wonderful time we had Saturday night, February 21,
2015.
I can’t say for sure, but I think a few guests may have
had an adult beverage or two. There was also some nicely
catered food and so many delicious donated cookies that
everyone was able to have nice bite. (I personally enjoyed a
great brownie!! Really I had two).
The Edgewood Club was a beautiful setting for our 9th
annual event. Although mother nature threw everything but
the kitchen sink at us, most everyone who planned to come
to the event braved the elements and had a wonderful time.
Our collective community contributed over $26,000 to
benefit our Pittsburgh Colfax Students. Your generosity was
incredible and greatly appreciated.
Thank you to our committee members, teachers, school
staff and family members for the countless hours spent
volunteering their time, answering emails and phone calls,
and responding to call for assistance, all in hopes of making
Party for Play a successful, fun, and prosperous evening.
We had a great DJ and dancing. Our Contributors donated
over 60 Silent Auction baskets with some high stakes
bidding for anyone interested in being a part of the action.
The Cobra Raffle Baskets, donated by all the grades at the
school, generated plenty of activity and beautiful large
Paper Mache Hearts made our own Colfax students.
Diane Curry and Dory Levine
It is our pleasure, on behalf of the Colfax PTO, to express
our gratitude to all Party 4 Play volunteers, contributors,
and attendees.
Co Chairs Party for Play 2015
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
PAGE 15
FUNDRAISING NEWS
FUNDRAISING UPDATE
written by Alan Crawford,
VP Fundraising
Think Spring everyone! Our annual PLANT
SALE is just around the corner. The date of the
plant sale is Thursday May 7, 2015 - just in
time for Mother’s Day! Also, it will be Teacher
Appreciation Week. We will have special flowers that you can purchase for our fantastic
teachers and we will even deliver them for you!
More details will be coming soon, so be on
the lookout! We will have detailed information
on our website and will also send information
home with our students.
If you’re interested in helping out, please let
our Volunteer Coordinator Tiffany Stuckey
([email protected]) know that you want to
help. As always, thanks for your support!
SAVE THE DATE: WAKE UP THE GARDEN
(written by Farmer Jim)
You’re invited to join Grow Pittsburgh and the Colfax PTO on April 25, 2015, from 2 to 4 p.m., to celebrate our
school garden during Colfax’s third annual Wake Up the Garden event. The last two years have both been great
fun, with over 200 people estimated to be in attendance. This year’s event will feature salsa tasting, hulahooping,
nature activities (provided by Frick Environmental Center), live cooking demo and food tasting (by Chef Jessica
Podolsky of the Joy of Catering), live music, special guest Murray the Squirrel, and more. As part of the event, we
are collecting food donations to benefit the Squirrel Hill Community Food Pantry. Middle school and grade school
families are both encouraged to attend. Colfax Garden Club students will be guiding families in garden tours.
Keep a look out in backpack mail for more information and to RSVP!
PAGE 16
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
VOLUNTEER UPDATE
STAY INFORMED ABOUT WHAT’S
HAPPENING AT COLFAX!
written by Julie Wilson,
VP Communications
Are you on Facebook? Come “like” us on our
brand new Facebook Page to receive up-to-theminute information, connect with other parents,
and communicate with your PTO. You can find
us at www.facebook.com/pghcolfax.
We are only as successful as our audience.
Please encourage others to sign up for the
PTO’s weekly emails. It’s easier than ever! Just
go to the Colfax PTO website, at www.colfaxpto.
org and click on the big blue “Sign Up” button
at the top of screen.
COLFAX VOLUNTEERS!
CHANGE TO VOLUNTEER CLEARANCE POLICY
EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2015
VOLUNTEERING FOR THE FIRST TIME AT COLFAX?
In accordance with changes to the State law, the District has
adopted changes to the current Volunteer Clearance Policy. These
new requirements are effective January 1, 2015, for new volunteers. Prior to volunteering in a school or on a school trip, a
volunteer must complete and submit the following to their child’s
school.
• Intake Form for Volunteers (obtained online)
http://www.colfaxpto.org
• PA State Criminal History Report (obtained online)
https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp
• Child Abuse Certification (obtained online)
https://www.compass.state.pa.us/CWIS
• The FBI Criminal History Report (fingerprinting required –
FBI report access code will be provided; apply online)
https://www.pa.cogentid.com/index_pdeNew.htm
OR a signed PA Resident Form AND Waiver Request.
ALREADY A VOLUNTEER AT COLFAX?
If a parent or community member was cleared for volunteering
prior to January 1, 2015, they must submit their FBI Criminal
History Report or PA Resident form and Waiver Request to the
Title Programs Office by June 30, 2015.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
If you have questions, please contact the main office or Joie
Conroy at [email protected] or 412-529-3525. We can help
you determine if you have all of the appropriate documentation to
volunteer.
**All documents are also available in paper form from the main
office.**
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
PAGE 17
Thank you to the Party for Play’s generous in-kind donors:
10,000 villages
Daviea Davis
Joan Rothaus Stationery/
Pointe Brugge
14th Ward Baseball
Dawn Wallhausen
Invitations
Prantl’s Bakery
A better U Personal Training
Dina Ellen
Judy Manion
Premier Hair Design
Aldene Lacaria
Dorian’s Catering
Kards Unlimited
Pursuits
Allegheny Chesapeake PT
Double Wide Grill
Lara Hudson Press
Rainbow Nails
Allegheny Valley School
Dory and David Levine
Littles Shoes
Red Lantern Bike Shop
Allegro Hearth Bakery
Drew Cloud/Pittsburgh Pirates
Lorrie Faith Cranor
Red Oak Cafe
Alumni Theatre Company
East End Brewery
Make your Mark Artspace &
Riverside Design Group, Inc
Astrobiotic
East End Veterinary Medical
Coffee House
Sakura Restaurant
Bagel Factory
Centre
Mark Haffner
Sam Bloom
Bella Christie’s Bakery
Eat-n-Park
Martin Grodin
Sara Stock-Mayo
Beth Thomas Meyer
Elizabeth Curry
Mike Gordon
Sarah Galusha, Alba Botanica/
Betsy Juhas
Ellen and Bob Katzen
Milky Way
Avalon Organics
Big Burrito
Eric and Cheryl Seeley
Mon Aimee Chocolates
Sarah Ricketts
Bikram Yoga
Eva Gelman
Model Cleaners
Schiller’s Pharmacy
Camp Spirit of the Game
Evelyn Castillo
Murray Avenue Grille
Dr. Sean Sherman
Carnegie Museums
Five Points Artisan Bakery
NuGo
Sherri and Fred Mayer
CBS Sports/KDKA
Flight Trampoline Park
Orr’s Jewelry
Social Restaurant
Chatham University Summer
Four Winds Gallery
Penn Brewery
Studio E Salon
Camps
Fred Miller Jewelers
Petland (Village of Eastside)
Sunburst School of Music
Cheeks/Glassworks
Frick Art and Historical Center
Phipps Conservatory and Bo-
Tan Lac Vien Vietnamese Bistro
Children’s International Theater
Gemini Theater
tanical Gardens, Inc.
Tennis Village
Children’s Museum of
Giant Eagle
Picket Fence
The Parlor
Pittsburgh
Girasole
PICT Classic Theatre
Trader Joe’s
Chloe & Isabel by Tracy
Grow Pittsburgh
Pino’s
True Runner
Royston
Gymkhana Gymnastics
Pittsburgh Aviary
Upcycled Designs
City Theatre Company
Hairdressers II
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
Walt Disney World
Club One Fitness
Harris Grill
Pittsburgh Glass Center
Waterworks Cinema
Color Me Mine
Heinz History Center
Pittsburgh Musical Theater
Whole Foods
Contemporary Concepts
Henne Jewelers
Pittsburgh Opera
Will Halim, WHPIX
Coriander Indian Grill
Hepatica
Pittsburgh Penguins
William Penn Jewelers
Crazy Mocha
Howard Hanna
Pittsburgh Pirates
Women of the Cloud Forest
Curry/Robinson Family
Independent Brewing Company
Pittsburgh Steelers
Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh
Cut & Sew Studio
Jamie Kinzel-Nath
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Downtown
Dan Koch, Fifth Ace
JCC of Greater Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG
Yeni
Entertainment
Jennifer Copeland Millinery
Aquarium
PAGE 18
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
THANK YOU FROM ASK DRIVE
Thank you all for making the 2014-2015 Colfax ASK Drive a tremendous success! You have helped us raise over $20,000. With your
contributions, the Colfax PTO is able to support so many incredible programs. These generous gifts to the Colfax PTO help support so
many exciting initiatives such as:
•
•
•
•
•
UPDATING SCIENCE LAB EQUIPMENT AND COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY
FUNDING THE EDIBLE SCHOOL YARD AND GARDEN CLUB IN CONJUNCTION WITH GROW PITTSBURGH
SUBSIDIZING SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS AND TEACHER SUPPLY FUNDS
MAKING THE CODING CLUB AND CHESS CLUB POSSIBLE
SENDING OUR STUDENTS ON EDUCATIONAL FIELD TRIPS
These are just a few of the many ways in which the Colfax PTO helps to support our school and students each year. We could not do it
without your generosity. We would like to acknowledge those listed below for their generous gift to this year’s ASK Drive:
Abbie Campsie and Ken Harber
Gonzalez - Montelibano Family
Rika Maeshiro and Mike Parkinson
Abigail Horn and William Carter
Hal Coffey
Rob Denshaw and Joan Soulliere
Alan Crawford and family
Heather and Tim Sendera
Ron and Christine Deramo
Amanda Godley
Henry Xu
Rudick Family
Amathieu Family
Jacobs Family
Sara and Ken Segel
Amber and Justin McCann
Jamie Tew and Sunny Park
Sara Goodkind
Amy and Russ Shorkey
Jay Aronson
Sarah Galusha and Matt Chinman
Ann and Eric Anish
Jenny and Greg Ganger
Sarah Sirlin and Brett Yasko
Anonymous (8 donations)
Jeremy Feinstein and Stefani Pashman
Seeley Family
Arunachalan Family
Jian Yu and Lin Zhang
Segall Family
Barbara Griffin
Jim and Zauyah Waite
Sharma Family
Bennett and Brian Kotkiewicz
Joe and Susan Freudenberg
Sharon Achilles
Carol and Joshua Smith
Johanna and Chad Schafer
Sukanya Srinivasan and Henry Willis
Carolyn Anderson and Barry Edwards
Joshua Bellin and Christine Saitz
Thomas Kamarch
Cauda Family
Julie Wilson and Marcio Silva
Tiffany Stuckey and family
Charlotte and Francis Lann
Katsumi Kadekawa
Weikers - Musser Family
Chris Allen
Kristine Pugliese
Wendy King
Connie and Morris Cranor in honor of Maya
Kurzweg Family
Will, Cathy, Cole and Lillian Schaefer
and Nina Cranor
Leslie and Michael Heilman
Yali Min
Copich Family
Lorrie and Chuck Cranor
Yan Yu
Crystal Morrison
Maren and Neil Donahue
Yohei and Kazu Doi
Curry - Robinson Family
Melanie and Steven Weisbord
Young Woo Seo
Daniel Vitalie and Patrick Denham
Michael and Anne Marie Kuchera
Yuriy Semenov
Daniel Bain
Michele Levine and Jim Rosenberg
Darcy and Mike Gordon
Mike and Laura Dickey
Darryl Phillips
Naoko Tajima
Deb Polk and Val Monaco
Naokoi Wada
Deborah and Doron Farkas
Neetha Khan
Divya Heffley
Niveditha Mohan
Alan Crawford,
Ella and Camille Washburn’s Family
Olena Sherbinin
VP Fundraising, Colfax PTO Ellie and Jo-Jo Monaco
Paul Salvador
Eric Friedlander
Primack Family
Frank and Sandra Woolley
Rachel Rosenfeld and Benjamin Rosenthal
Galal Mensouri
Ray Obenza
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
Sincerely,
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
PAGE 19
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FROM THE COLFAX PTO
PAGE 20
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
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COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015
PAGE 23
Colfax PTO Site: www.colfaxpto.org
Join us on Facebook and Twitter: ColfaxPghPTO
www.facebook.com/pghcolfax
The Executive Board:
2014-2015 Colfax PTO Executive Board
President, Abbie Campsie: [email protected]
VP Volunteer Coordinator, Tiffany Stuckey: [email protected]
VP Communications, Julie Wilson: [email protected]
VP Fundraising, Alan Crawford: [email protected]
Secretary, Amber McCann: [email protected]
Treasurer, Ray Obenza: [email protected]
Assistant Treasurer, Mary Lou Robinson: [email protected]
Faculty Rep, Joie Conroy: [email protected]
Middle Level Teacher Rep, Raffaela Greco: [email protected]
Principal, Jamie Kinzel-Nath: [email protected]
Newsletter Staff: Editor: Julie Wilson, Designer: Sivan Earnest, Editorial Board: PTO Executive Board
PAGE 24
COLFAX COMMUNICATOR | MARCH, 2015