Back to school/West: New technology highlights return of students to ...

Ambridge

Due to an early retirement incentive offered last year, Ambridge Area welcomed 23 new teachers when classes resumed Monday. Enrollment is holding steady at 2,727.

Principal Aphrodite Galitsis transferred from State Street to Economy Elementary. Stephanie Faith, a district assistant director of special education, now serves in a dual-capacity by becoming State Street?s principal.

Elementary students are now dismissed at 3:15 p.m. daily, adding 10 minutes of instruction time to schedules.

Highland Elementary students are participating in a pilot program titled Highland High Five. this ?positive, schoolwide behavior program? rewards students for good behavior, said superintendent Erwin Weischedel. Rewards vary from extra recess to an assembly or even an ice cream social and can be awarded to classes, grade levels or the whole building. ? Sonja Reis

Aliquippa

Due to budget shortfalls, kindergarten classes have been reduced to half day.

The district?s budget was reduced by approximately $1 million because of cuts at the state level. Aliquippa?s full-day kindergarten program was primarily funded through an accountability block grant. In years past, the district had received a $400,000 grant. For this year the grant total was cut to $150,000.

The district?s 1,200 students began classes Tuesday. Aliquippa welcomed Alvin B. Gipson, a former elementary principal in the district, as junior/senior high school principal.

Lisa Dutkovich will be junior/senior high school assistant principal, while Dennis Drevna becomes the assistant elementary principal. the two have switched positions from last year.

Aliquippa increased lunch prices by 25 cents. Elementary lunch is $1.50 and junior/senior high school meals are $1.75. ? Sonja Reis

Bishop Canevin

The high school?s incoming freshmen are preparing to leap into the future upon receipt of their new iPads today.

?It?s just amazing what that device can do,? said principal Ken Sinagra. ?We believe it?s going to change education. Already it?s changing the way we access information and use resources in the classroom. our teachers are very, very excited about using them.?

The entire algebra curriculum will be on the iPad this year, including practice problems, homework and tests. In addition, freshmen will have access to classic literature, science applications and college lectures.

Also new this year is a service learning program called Crusaders Care Center through which all volunteer and service work will be filtered and tracked.

Mr. Sinagra said the goal is for students to view service as part of who they are and in terms of their own civic responsibilities and faith development. Training will be provided in conjunction with Slippery Rock University.

Enrollment is 400 this year at the school, in the Oakwood section of Pittsburgh. ? Shannon M. Nass

Carlynton

Students started classes last Thursday with open houses scheduled for Sept. 8 for the elementary schools and Sept. 22 for secondary grades.

Among the new programs are a districtwide Olweus Bullying program, an elementary Student assistance Program, a new logo and uniforms for the football team, revised curricula for language arts, social studies and mathematic departments and a new yearlong reading program for grades 7-8.

All high school classrooms are equipped with Promethean Whiteboards and multimedia projectors. An after-school behind-the-wheel and driving certification program for high school students will be offered by the Kennedy School of Driving.

A districtwide technology coach is on duty and an educational government channel (Verizon channel 28 and Comcast channel 765) will broadcast school board meetings, news events, football games, choral concerts.

Central Valley

High school students have the option to enroll in Cyber Academy classes and choose between becoming a hybrid, part-time or full-time Cyber Academy student.

The program blends traditional school with cyber service. Students can choose to become full-time cyber students from home or school and have the opportunity to create their own schedules and class hours.

?We?re pretty progressive here at Central Valley,? said assistant superintendent Nicholas Perry. there are currently 10 students enrolled in the Cyber Academy. Central Valley plans to expand the program next year to encompass 6th through 12th grades.

The online curriculum mirrors that of traditional courses. Additional classes are available online that are not offered in traditional school. All students remain Central Valley students and have the ability to join any of the school?s clubs or activities.

When classes began Tuesday, the district, established in 2009 by the merger of the Center Area and Monaca districts, had 2,400 students. ? Sonja Reis

Chartiers Valley

Changes and improvements begin at the front door of the district administration facility on Swallow Hill Road in Scott, where a large covered roof has been erected over a new entrance.

Besides an expanded glass entryway, the project gives the offices more light, as well as a waiting area for visitors and improved security.

Work is also under way to make the long hillside that leads to the district middle/high school more attractive. a new electronic sign for the site is in the works, too.

High school students and staff were thrilled to receive their personal Hewlett-Packard laptop computers that were distributed prior to the start of classes last Thursday. the laptops, which were purchased for $1 million as part of a One-to-One initiative, are embossed with the district?s colt logo and can be taken home. Students will have the computers throughout their high school years.

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is to be implemented throughout the district.

New breakfast prices are $1 for all grades, and 30 cents for those qualifying for free and reduced-price lunches. Elementary grade lunch price is $1.90, while those in grades 6-12 will pay $2.10. Lunch for free and reduced-price students will be40 cents.

The district has about 3,400 students from Bridgeville, Collier, Heidelberg and Scott. ? Carole Gilbert Brown

Cornell

When students return to classes Tuesday, total enrollment of students from Coraopolis and Neville Island is expected to be the same as last year ? about 700.

The blue-ribbon award-winning elementary school will have a new interim principal, Robert Burnett. Ben Wix is the new art teacher for students in grades K-12.

Despite state budget cuts, the Cornell district has not laid off any teachers, but retirees will not be replaced, said superintendent Donna Belas. Four teachers have retired: first grade, second grade, third grade and a consumer science teacher.

The district?s 58 teachers had their first in-service day on Aug. 29, and they spent it in Coraopolis doing a scavenger hunt.

They wore blue and gold Cornell Super Teacher T-shirts. the goal was to build team spirit among the staff while getting teachers out into local businesses and the community to spotlight the start of school.

The scavenging teachers left blue and gold balloons and a school flag at the gazebo across the street from the Coraopolis municipal building.

Holy Child

The physical science class will be part of a research project funded by the National Science Foundation on using SmartGraphs, a software program that helps students learn about graphs and the concepts represented in graphs by interacting with them.

The installation of a new fiber optic Internet cable has enabled the school to incorporate Blended Learning into its curriculum, in which students in grades 7-8 will participate in online courses. they will also be able to connect with a school in Ireland through video conferencing.

?We?ll be using the best of two ways of teaching ? face-to-face and online communication,? said Sister Barbara Anne Quinn, principal of the Bridgeville school.

The school is also piloting a software program that helps children in grades 3-8 with silent fluency, which is the ability to read text at an appropriate pace with automatic word recognition and with the ability to hear the text as if it is being read aloud.

School opened last Thursday with enrollment holding steady at 130. ? Shannon M. Nass

Holy Trinity

Middle school students at Holy Trinity in Robinson have a new science curriculum with the purchase of the Holt Science and Technology program, which includes Internet accessibility and online books.

An after-school robotics program has been added to the in-school program. Throughit, students can compete against other schools.

To stay current with new technology, two more Smart Boards were purchased this year.

?We?re getting new technology into all of our buildings,? said principal Kimberly Stevenson. ?I think it?s so important today.?

New resources and teaching materials were purchased for the Spanish program, which runs from grades K-8.

Mr. Stevenson said the school will emphasize the value ?acceptance? this year with a focus on service. as part of this emphasis, a new teacher-to-teacher program will be launched with a school in Uganda. Students will receive pen pals and participate in service projects to raise money to purchase materials that they need in their schools.

Enrollment has increased to 320. the first day of school for students was last Thursday. ? Shannon M. Nass

Hopewell Area

When classes started Aug. 24, enrollment was at 2,280 students, which was lower than last year, said superintendent Charles Reina. Graduating classes have been larger than kindergarten enrollment each year.

Lunch prices increased by 25 cents, with breakfast being $1.25; elementary lunch $2 and secondary lunch $2.25. ? Sonja Reis

Montour

When classes resume in Montour on Sept. 9, students in Robinson, Kennedy, Ingram, Thornburg and Pennsbury Village will return to their original school buildings. the high school was closed last year for $50 million in renovations, and students were redistributed throughout the district.

The high school will be open to grades nine to 12 and equipped with more than $1.8 million in computers and technology. other fun facts about the new high school: It has 500 doors, 72,400 square feet of carpet and more than 88 miles of electrical cables and wiring.

In recent weeks, the district has returned furniture, equipment and supplies to their original locations, and students are expected to follow suit.

With their building reopening, high school students no longer will need their temporary digs in David E. Williams Middle School in Kennedy.

Montour has launched a redesigned website at montourschools.com that will be expanded throughout the school year.

Each building has its own home page with a link to an online calendar, which will be updated regularly with school events. no printed calendar will be sent home.

Revised bus schedules are posted on the website. there are 11 fewer routes this year due to efforts at efficiency, the reopening of the high school and a slight enrollment decrease, superintendent Donald Boyer said.

The high school has two new assistant principals ? William King for 9th and 10th grade, and Jennifer Kosanovic for 11th and 12th grades.

Grades 5 to 8 have been combined into a single middle school, rather than separated into lower and upper schools. Dominic Salpeck is principal of all the middle school grades, while Candice Bostick has been hired as assistant principal.

Michael Marvin, formerly a high school assistant principal, is now the Ingram Elementary principal.

As far as curriculum, all elementary pupils will begin receiving a uniform amount of instructional time in all subjects.

Students in kindergarten to fourth grade will strengthen their literacy skills through new reading textbooks and a writing portfolio project, and they will participate in an enhanced math program.

In the middle school, a $5,000 grant from the Grable Foundation will help start a science, technology, engineering and mathematics program in the middle school that involves bridge building and design projects.

Grades 5 to 8 also will see revised math, social studies and science courses.

High school students will have the opportunity to take biomedical science classes and college-level courses such as Anatomy & Physiology. ? Andrea Iglar

Moon Area

When returning to classes Tuesday, the approximately 3,665 students will notice several new faces and plenty of new courses.

Among the new staff members are Ashley Porter, assistant high school principal, and Jeffrey Cater, acting principal at Bon Meade.

Among the new courses is television studio and media production, which will enable students to operate television studio equipment and learn approaches to writing, shooting and editing a variety of video productions and short film projects. Facilities and resources for these courses are available because of the completion of the new high school construction.

Designed for the college-bound student, Survey of British Literature will allow students to read, discuss and analyze literature that traces the origins and development of the English language. a senior research paper, project and speech will be included. Enrolled students will participate in a pilot program using e-readers as their primary resource.

At the middle school, a new, research-based reading intervention program titled Language! will be implemented for approximately 65 students in grades 4-6.

Other new classes are Digital Imaging 3; College in the High School, Financial Accounting; Comprehensive Musicianship 1 and 2; and Mandarin Chinese 2, a distance learning course via live video network. ? Sonja Reis

our Lady of Grace

Students in grades K-6 at our Lady of Grace in Scott can anticipate a new language arts series.

The school also purchased a new personal response system for use with Smart Boards, two wireless hubs and new kindergarten science kits.

Enrollment is steady at 270. the first day of school for students was Monday. ? Shannon M. Nass

our Lady of the Sacred Heart

The student government was busy this summer decorating the halls with signs for all sports teams to encourage school spirit when students returned Monday to the school in Moon.

Heather Schmuck, communications and special events manager, said school spirit has grown with the addition of the football team last year.

?Kids are really coming together and backing this team up,? she said. ?All of the kids are very excited about the program.?

New students and their families were welcomed recently at a picnic by faculty, staff and student ambassadors.

Enrollment this year is 358. ? Shannon M. Nass

Quigley Catholic

Quigley Catholic High School in Baden received a makeover this summer. the first thing students will notice as they approach the school is a newly renovated Blessed Mother grotto.

Junior Jarek Ingros installed a walkway and steps leading to the grotto, added lighting and planted flowers as his Eagle Scout project this summer.

In addition, the exterior of the building was repainted from white to cream and the terrazzo flooring was refurbished. the landscaping around the building was updated and the courtyard received new furniture and paint.

?The building looks fantastic,? said Michael Rubino, new executive director of institutional advancement. He went from serving as development director to his new role.

In the spring, Quigley was awarded a Fields for Kids matching grant from the Pittsburgh Pirates, which was used to upgrade the baseball and softball fields and help with a drainage problem.

Quigley has also welcomed Rita McCormick as the new principal. Previously, she worked as a teacher and admissions director.

Adrianne Kaminsky will continue in her role as Italian and Spanish teacher in addition to serving as admissions director.

Enrollment decreased slightly to approximately 150. School started Aug. 24. ? Shannon M. Nass

St. Malachy

Students returned last Thursday to a building with a new wireless system that will help to power 30 new laptops, said principal Janet Escovitz. the computers contain several Web-based programs for math and reading.

A new pilot reading program, Lead21, provides students and teacher access to digital tools. In addition, a new literature program that can be accessed digitally has been added to grades 6-8.

?Nobody will ever have to carry a book home,? said Ms. Escovitz. ?I?m very excited about this for making backpacks lighter.?

The building also has been repainted. Enrollment remains stable at 215. ? Shannon M. Nass

St. Philip

Smart Boardshave been installed in every room from the preschool through grade 8 at the Crafton school.

?They are very interactive and students love them,? said Sister Geri Marr, principal. ?Our teachers are really able to communicate with the young people and get them interested in learning.?

A new music program will join the art and band programs currently in place.

Also new is eCubed, a program developed in response to a Middle States improvement goal of offering learning experiences that develop new interests. In eCubed, the emphasis on research.

?Research is in, so we?re trying to stay on the edge of life,? said Sister Geri.

The school has once again received its Middle States Accreditation; TerraNova mathematics scores increased by 6 percent.

Enrollment is up slightly to 318. the first day of school was last Thursday. ? Shannon M. Nass

St. Margaret of Scotland

Enrollment remains steady at 286 at the Green Tree school. First day of school for students was Aug. 25. ? Shannon M. Nass

South Fayette

Classes began Aug. 22 with 2,550 students ? about 70 more than last year. Elementary enrollment alone topped 1,085.

Lunch prices have increased by 15 cents, to $1.75 in the elementary school and $2.05 in the middle and high schools.

Due to retirements, middle school students in grades 6 to 8 have two new leaders ? principal David Deramo and assistant principal Thomas Kaminski. mr. Deramo formerly headed the intermediate grades, while mr. Kaminski was a teacher in Upper St. Clair.

Former Mt. Lebanon administrator Greg Wensell is the new intermediate school principal, covering third and fourth grade in the elementary school and fifth grade in the middle school.

The school board continues to plan construction of a separate intermediate school for grades three, four and five. the district hopes to seek bids this fall and complete the building for the 2013-2014 school year.

In the district office, assistant superintendent Michael Loughead replaces Ann Bisignani, who retired.

In the elementary school, interactive Whiteboards have been installed in kindergarten to fourth-grade classrooms.

In the middle school, teaching teams are enhancing the fifth grade program, and a computer programming unit is being added to art classes in grades 5 to 7.

Partnerships with Carnegie Mellon University are giving seventh- and eighth-graders the opportunity to create applications for mobile devices and pioneering the use of social media tools in English and math classes.

The high school Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics program will be helped by a $10,000 grant from the Benedum and Grable foundations.

All 10th- and 11th-graders will be enrolled in the pre-SAT assessment program, and partnerships with outside companies will provide high school students with real-world working experiences. ? Andrea Iglar

West Allegheny

The district welcomed 3,273 students ? 25 more than last year ? back to school Monday.

The school day is 25 minutes longer in the Donaldson, McKee and Wilson elementary schools and 15 minutes longer in the middle and high schools.

Lunch prices have increased by 15 cents, to $2.40 in the elementary schools and to $2.50 in the secondary schools.

The district?s printed calendar has been replaced by a regularly updated online calendar at westasd.org.

An online calendar supplement covers student absentee call-off numbers, booster group and Parent-Teacher Association contacts, school board members and administrators, bus rules, athletic admission fees, meal programs, health guidelines and other information for parents.

About 10 students are enrolled in the West Allegheny Virtual Academy, the district?s new, full-time cyber school for students in kindergarten to 12th grade.

While working toward a West Allegheny diploma via home computer, participants may sign up for sports and extracurricular activities sponsored by the district.

Students will see new and revised course material in library science, math, technology education and social studies. Three- and 4-year-olds will be offered preschool math and literacy curricula.

New equipment includes student lab computers, math software and an electronic and acoustic sound lab in the high school. Expanded use of software means access to virtual science experiments and current events.

Additional courses cover computer programming, website design and development, engineering and digital electronics, software, animation, gaming, newspapers, digital photography, broadcast journalism and other topics.

A 10th anniversary celebration of the district?s state football championship will be held during the football game Friday night. ? Andrea Iglar

First published on September 1, 2011 at 5:21 am

Other articles you might like;

Source: http://www.twiddlegeek.com/networking/cat-55e6-raw-cables/back-to-schoolwest-new-technology-highlights-return-of-students-to-class/

osu osu 9 11 conspiracy theories 9 11 conspiracy theories zeitgeist bush usc football