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1PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • JANUARY 2018www.pennsburysd.org

PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • JANUARY 2018

Across the DISTRICT

Fifth grade students representing each of the Pennsbury elementary schools spent the morning of their school holiday on January 15th honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in service to their community. In a collaborative effort, this first-time initiative involved the donation of materials by Pennsbury parents and faculty members followed by a coordinated effort as student volunteers gathered at Pennsbury High School to work on several service

ELEMENTARY STUDENTS PARTICIPATEIN COLLABORATIVE SERVICE DAY

School Director Recognition Month is celebrated each January in Pennsylvania. It is a time when school districts throughout the state honor and thank the individuals who volunteer their time and skills to ensure that the students in their respective districts receive the best education possible.

The Pennsbury Board of School Directors serves the taxpayers, students, and parents of Pennsbury. Each of our Directors contributes untold hours serving constituents by attending meetings, making site visits, establishing and reviewing policies, and working with teachers, administrators, and support personnel in order to offer Pennsbury students one of the finest educational programs in Pennsylvania.

PENNSBURY BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS Region Years of Service

Jacqueline Redner, President 2 6T.R. Kannan, Vice President 1 2Christian Schwartz, Assistant Secretary 3 2Nancy Lawson 3 began 12/7/17John Palmer 2 6 Gary Sanderson 2 10Christine Toy-Dragoni 3 began 12/7/17Debra Wachspress 1 4Joshua Waldorf 1 4

Pennsbury honorsSCHOOL DIRECTORS

It is fitting that these locally-elected officials are recognized for the important work they do and the service they provide, without pay, to the residents of the communities they represent. That recognition is embodied in a Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) resolution, certificates, and a small gift courtesy of the Art Department.

Standing, l-r: Joshua Waldorf, John Palmer,Christian Schwartz (Assistant Secretary), Gary Sanderson,

and T.R. Kannan (Vice President).Seated, l-r: Debra Wachspress, Christine Toy-Dragoni,

Jacqueline Redner (President), and Nancy Lawson.

THE PEnnSbuRy bOaRD Of SCHOOL DIRECTORS

2 JANUARY 2018 • PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA

suPerintendent’s rePort • WILLIAM J. GRETZULA, Ed.D.

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projects. The community service performed by the Pennsbury students supported the following groups: veterans, local hospitals, a senior center, a homeless shelter, and community members in need. “Our objective was to establish a collective goal of honoring service in and among the Pennsbury community,” said Michele Spack, Director of Elementary Education, who led the effort with the assistance of Edgewood Elementary Principal, Stephanie Hultquist, and Makefield Elementary Principal, Donna McCormick-Miller, along with the eight additional Pennsbury elementary principals. “In an effort to promote civic engagement and model the importance of serving community, we arranged for a variety of activities across partnering schools to make this day off from school a day on in servitude,” said Ms. Spack.

The Pennsbury Partners Advisory Board Mini-Grant Committee recently awarded nine schools with special, corporate-sponsored grants. The purpose of these mini-grants is to foster partnership development in each school that would:

PENNSBURY PARTNERSMINI-GRANTS AWARDED

A total of 200 fifth graders representing all ten Pennsbury elementary schools descended upon Pennsbury High School for a full morning of

service to the community in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Make a positive impact on student academic achievement by linking with curriculum;

• Combine real-life work experiences to prepare students for satisfying careers; or

• Provide students with opportunities for community service activities.

Congratulations to these 2017-2018 winners, recently announced by Ann Langtry, Pennsbury’s Supervisor of Communication Strategies:

Afton Elementary ($350):• Coleen Jones – STEAM for our Youngest Learners

with Problem Solved Math Tutoring

Fallsington Elementary ($858):• Edward Obert-Thorn – Habitats and Ecosystems

with the Fallsington Library• Sheila Miley/Jennifer Tietz – Leaves & Trees

Treasure Hunt and Leaf Printing with the Fallsington Library

• Kristen Cahill – Let’s Learn about Personal Safety with NOVA

• Chris Rosica – Rocks and Minerals with the Fallsington Library

• Duane Kolar – Family Board Game Night with Barnes & Noble Oxford Valley

Makefield Elementary ($500):• Staci Northrup/Nancy Courtney/Karen Baran/

Cortney Wible – 5th Grade School to Work

Oxford Valley Elementary ($500):• Heather Ryan/Cherie Lynne Kooker – Unless

with the Philadelphia Zoo

Penn Valley Elementary ($500):• Arlene Johnson – PVTV with local media and the

Pennsbury Channel

Walt Disney Elementary ($825):• Lorie Becker – Habitats Around the World/Little Zoo

with the Philadelphia Zoo

3PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • JANUARY 2018


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The AOY Art Center, a Pennsbury Partner, is currently hosting the second annual gallery show of adjudicated Pennsbury student work this month. As with the inaugural show in early 2017, this showcase of up-and-coming talent was juried by members of Artists of Yardley (AOY) and prizes were awarded. The public was invited to an opening reception at the center on Friday, January 12th, and the show continued that Saturday and Sunday, January 13-14,

PUBLIC INVITED TO AOY ART SHOW

• Duane Kolar – Family Board Game Night with Barnes & Noble Oxford Valley

Charles Boehm Middle School ($360):• Sue Brennan – Art Extension in Ancient Greece with

the Fallsington Library

William Penn Middle School ($365):• Kristin Slota – Renewable Energy & Energy

Conservation in Middle School with Exelon and the PA Resources Council

Pennsbury High School - West ($500):• Frank Mayo – Career Fair with multiple partners

and will conclude after final showings on Saturday and Sunday, January 20-21. Gallery hours on the weekends are 12:00-5:00 p.m.

A wide variety of student work in many different media is on exhibit, including acrylic and oil paintings, advanced ceramics and sculptures, stained glass, and digital photography. One of the more unique projects features light fixtures made from guitars of various sizes that have stained glass front panels. Guests will also see a variety of clay creations, from flowing water fountains to wood-fired pottery. The works were adjudicated during the Pennsbury High School Art Majors Show held at PHS East.

The AOY Art Center is located on the Patterson Farm at 949 Mirror Lake Road in Lower Makefield Township.

The Pennsbury Education Foundation (PEF) recently accepted a donation totaling $15,000 from Waste Management, Inc. The donation was made through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program and was presented to the PEF Board of Directors by Judy Archibald, Director of Public Affairs for Waste Management PA, and Scott Perin, Senior District Manager for Waste Management PA.

“Waste Management and Pennsbury School District share a mutually beneficial business and education partnership,” said Mr. Perin. “For more than 25 years, Waste Management has been supporting Pennsbury’s educational and environmental programs as well as awarding scholarships to graduating seniors. We are pleased that Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program helps enhance that partnership. We believe it is our job to live up to the highest standards of corporate and individual responsibility. The Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program in Pennsylvania is surely a win

WASTE MANAGEMENT DONATES $15,000TO THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Pennsbury senior, Cole Roberts (right), won the First Prize cash award for his abstract painting in the Artists of Yardley (AOY) exhibition of student work. At left: Fran Leyenberger, an AOY

founder, sponsored the first, second, and third place awards in memory of her husband, Chris.



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Students from Charles Boehm Middle School, and Manor, Edgewood, and Walt Disney elementary schools were invited to Lincoln Financial Field

SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE IN WELLNESS WORKSHOP WITH THE EAGLES

because it benefits students who will become our future community leaders.”

The donated funds will be put to use by Pennsbury teachers whose grant applications for innovative school, classroom, and curricular enhancements are approved by the PEF Board on a semi-annual basis. “We appreciate the clear generosity of Waste Management,” said PEF Board President, Annette Young. “These donated funds will go a long way in supporting new initiatives and technologies that improve upon the teaching and learning occurring in the Pennsbury schools.”

The PA Department of Community and Economic Development’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program awards tax credits to businesses making contributions to the PEF. For more information, call Pennsbury Business Administrator, Daniel Rodgers, at 215-428-4115.

Teams from Manor Elementary (top) and Walt Disney Elementary (bottom) each won $500 in a Shark Tank-style contest to initiate

wellness ideas at their schools.

to participate in a workshop aimed at promoting healthy eating and physical activity. The schools were selected because they achieved “touchdown status” with the Fuel Up to Play 60 program. Fallsington and Penn Valley elementary schools are also touchdown schools in the District. The four schools were able to travel to the Linc and were part of a Shark Tank-style contest with cash prizes to put toward implementing healthy eating solutions. The teams from Walt Disney and Manor won $500 each to start wellness ideas at their schools. Edgewood also won $500 at a similar event at the Baltimore Ravens stadium in November! Congratulations to all the students and schools who are a part of the Fuel Up to Play 60 program and will implement health and wellness programs this year with the help of the NFL and the National Dairy Council. Thanks are extended to Sheri Flinn, Scott Kennedy, Mike DeLuca, and Carmella Bunch, who are all new program advisors this year. Alyssa Churchwell leads the program at

Waste Management representatives (from left), Scott Perin and Judy Archibald, presented a $15,000 donation to the Pennsbury Education Foundation (PEF). Accepting the check were PEF President, Annette

Young, and Business Administrator, Dan Rodgers.



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The Mental Health and Addiction Task Force invites parents of middle and high school students to a special presentation on January 24th at 7:00 p.m. in the William Penn Middle School cafetorium. An overview of prevention resources will be provided by representatives from the Caron Foundation. This program, facilitated by professionals in the field of addiction treatment, is designed for parents and caregivers of school-aged children.

PUBLIC INVITED TO COMMUNITY FORUM

Edgewood Principal, Stephanie Hultquist, demonstrated her caring wing-span as she was joined onstage by students who had just

earned special hero capes in recognition of their fine character.

Boehm. Social Worker, Tammy Kehan, and Physical Education teacher, Joe Gallo, started using Fuel Up to Play 60 to implement a facilitated recess program seven years ago at Edgewood. “There are so many grant opportunities and amazing experiences for students and schools with this program,” said Ms. Kehan. “We’ve had player visits, invitations to the Linc and Novacare Complex, and so many grant opportunities come our way by being involved in this program. We are so happy that more schools have gotten involved.”

in the SCHOOLS

Fourth grade teacher, Melissa Berkowitz, writes: “On December 15th, the Afton Student Council visited St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne. The students delivered over 30 tins of cookies, along with beautiful holiday cards, to the doctors and nurses who work in the hospital. This gesture was offered as thanks for all of their hard work throughout the year, and especially during the holiday season. In addition to bringing the cookies, the Student Council members sang a variety of holiday songs. Their concert was televised throughout the hospital for all patients, visitors, and staff members to view. This tradition of

AFTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

giving and spreading holiday cheer has continued for over 15 years with the Afton Student Council.” In addition to Ms. Berkowitz, the Student Council advisors include Katie Bolger and Dave Woods.

Principal Stephanie Hultquist hosted the second of six planned school-wide Town Hall meetings in mid-December to recognize more ROARS student heroes in conjunction with the school’s character education initiative. Students who were nominated by their teachers to receive hero capes at the meeting

EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Afton Elementary Student Council members spread holiday cheer during a visit to St. Mary Medical Center. Their performance of seasonal songs was viewed by patients, visitors, and staff

members via closed-circuit TV.



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On the evening of January 10th, approximately 100 family members came out for Eleanor Roosevelt’s annual night to celebrate reading. This year it was called the Snuggly Bear Pajama Party. Students wore their warmest pajamas and brought their favorite stuffed animals to hear wintry stories, make cards, and play winter-related games. Meanwhile, parents learned about the best ways to support their children’s reading at home. The presenters included Federal Program Coordinator, Mary Margaret

ELEANOR ROOSEVELTELEMENTARY SCHOOL

(and selected by a committee of stakeholders) included: Colin Zeek, George Diskin, Madeline Deputy, Michaela “KK” Lopez, Sadie Ellis, and Peyton Jaffee. In addition, the student group known as Girls on the Run, with 22 members in grades 3-5, was recognized at the Town Hall meeting. Serving as DJ for the special event was PTO President, Traci Curtis. Two ball girls from the Phillies organization joined the fun and took questions from students about their responsibilities on the job. School-wide positive behavior was also emphasized, as the Town Hall “ushers,” a select group of students, demonstrated the “whole body listening” dance.

A Snuggly Bear Pajama Party attracted students and their families to Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary one evening in celebration of reading.

Pannick, and teachers, Colleen Rhodunda, Jamie Iero, and Alisa Myles. “Childcare was provided by volunteers from the National Honor Society and a local Girl Scout Troop,” said Ms. Myles. “Everyone feasted on pizza. An enjoyable and informative night was had by all!”

Third grade teacher, Bruce Perlman, shared his reflection on special activities gauged to help students focus during the week before the holiday recess: “As the week before the holiday break arrived, I sat down to plan my teaching week in third grade. What can I do to engage the children, adhere to the curriculum, and keep learning alive? Enter PEACE Week! Reading, writing, language arts topics and themes would all be related to PEACE. As any teacher knows, the week leading up to the holiday recess is a tough one. Students’ minds are wishing and hoping and looking forward to family and friend time. At schools across our District, there are secret shops, holiday concerts, and many other exciting holiday-related events. The frenzy of the holiday creeps into school just a bit. However, PEACE week helped the students when in the classroom – and other school locations such as the hallway and lunchroom – to be more compassionate and peaceful. Let There Be Peace on Earth was the song I thought to introduce to the class during the activity part of our morning meeting. PEACE spelling words were introduced during language arts and all homework assignments were connected to PEACE topics. PEACE stickers were used for motivational purposes. A writing prompt for the week included, “What does PEACE mean to you?” Students wrote PEACE cards to family and friends. Some students wrote poems of peace. The PEACE bulletin board was part of the morning work each day during PEACE week. Students designed a PEACE flip paper to add to the board.”

Upon returning to school after the holiday break, Mr. Perlman was gratified to hear one student say, “I wish we could have PEACE week again. I miss it.” Here is a sample essay prepared by one of Mr. Perlman’s students:



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“Hi, my name is Sanvi. We are having PEACE week in third grade. We are making some peace projects, because peace is important for everyone. We are making cards for somebody in our family. We brought in samples of peace. Samples of peace like when you’re mad at something, you have something that calms you down. Peace is quiet, relaxing, calm. Reading is peace. Quiet is peace. Respect is peace and kindness is peace. These things are important because they help you be in peace. Responsibility is peace, too. You can be in a quiet place. That’s peace. A dove, pigeon, and flowers are signs of peace. Peace is a good way to help you get calm. It also means you are respecting yourself and your learning.”

Once again, Manor held a special night of neighborhood caroling on the evening of December 12th. “This was a third grade event,” said Vocal Music teacher, Marta Grothman. “Approximately 60 students participated and 40 parents came along with us. We also had several teachers and Principal Terri Salvucci on hand. We went out in two shifts to the nearby Thornridge section, knocking on doors to sing songs we had practiced once a week during recess since mid-October. When we arrived back at the school, the students were treated to hot chocolate and cupcakes. My lesson plan was to emphasize

MANOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Nearly 60 students and 40 parents from Manor Elementary went caroling through the Thornridge residential neighborhood during

the holiday season.

this experience as community service. The students needed to make a sacrifice to participate (missing recess once a week), and we spoke at length about ‘giving’ our gift of music to make others happy.”

On December 15th, teacher Carolyn White honored her fifth grade authors with a publishing party to celebrate literacy, language, and learning. Throughout the marking period, Ms. White’s students became a community of writers. “They learned how writers work and why writers write,” said Ms. White. Effective writing was modeled and discussed and students were provided frequent opportunities to write and immerse themselves in mentor texts. During writers’ workshop sessions, students could be seen putting creative thoughts to paper as they listened to classical music and cuddled on bean bags or pillows.

“Students learned about an author’s purpose and how one writes to inform the reader, persuade the reader, or entertain the reader,” said Ms. White. “They tried to connect the reader to a familiar experience they have had. Others recorded what they had heard, seen, or felt. Some recorded an experience or reflected on their own lives. Each

QUARRY HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Quarry Hill Elementary parents listened intently as students shared their writing growth by reading aloud their personal narratives.



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Tarisa Bosack, Pre-K teacher, shares that her students got together with their third grade buddies to celebrate the first day of winter with gingerbread houses and pajamas. “After reading The Polar Express and participating in many sequencing and fine motor activities, the buddies got together to watch the movie and enjoy some hot chocolate in their jammies, just like the characters in the book!” said Ms. Bosack.

The holiday spirit was in full effect as the teachers of Walt Disney took the stage under the direction of music teacher, Duane Kolar. The teachers sang original holiday songs, written by Mr. Kolar, and impressed all the students at the annual holiday sing.

WALT DISNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

worked on a personal narrative and developed his/her own story based on one or more of these themes.

Students combined sentences and made compound sentences by using conjunctions such as and, or, nor, but, and so. They learned about literal and figurative language and tried to incorporate idioms in their writing. Some also tried to add onomatopoeias, similes, metaphors, foreshadowing, flashbacks, and techniques, such as doubling up of adjectives to make their writing more entertaining and interesting. They learned about declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative sentences and tried to include them in their work.

Students learned how to write with a clear purpose and they worked on having a story that was focused. Students applied typing skills, formatting skills, and many of the skills they have been learning in computer class such as inserting photos and headers.

When they began, each had an idea for a story. Finally, each of them had a piece that could be shared with others through a written page. Parents and guests listened with enjoyment as students shared their growth over the marking period and read their personal narratives. Today they are all published and celebrated authors!”

Teachers at Walt Disney Elementary took the stage and performed original holiday songs under the direction of Vocal Music teacher,

Duane Kolar (right).

These students were the top contestants in the third annual National Geographic Bee held at Charles Boehm Middle School. See story above for details on the suspenseful conclusion to this year’s bee!

Anita Quinn writes: “Our top Geography contestants, Abhinav Akenapalli, Ashley Makovsky, Matt Boock, Ansh Shah, Eshan Singh, Vilnis Jatnieks, Quinn VanDongen, and Matt Cohen, competed in the third annual Charles Boehm National Geographic Bee. A huge thanks to Ms. Burns, Mr. Bertolette, Ms. Snyder, and Ms. Meehan, along with their G period classes, for supporting our top 10 so enthusiastically! It brought a tremendous amount of excitement to our intense rounds of geography challenge! It was during this extreme line of questioning that our top two contestants emerged. Ansh Shah, our 2015-2016 Geo Bee winner, was to

CHARLES BOEHM MIDDLE SCHOOL



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Students at Charles Boehm Middle School showed gratitude to the local police force by baking cookies and arranging them on

presentation trays during the holiday season.

face off against his 8A classmate, Eshan Singh, the 2016-2017 champion, for the school finale. The two answered tough geography questions that only Google would know the answer to for another five rounds until a victor was determined. Eshan was declared the winner with a perfect score in the final round, just edging out Ansh. Our school Bee was the first round in the 30th annual National Geographic Bee. Thousands of schools around the United States and in the five U.S. territories are participating in the 2018 National Geographic Bee. The school champions across the country, including Eshan, will take a qualifying test; up to 100 of the top scorers on that test in each state will then be eligible to compete in the state Bee, and then nationals!”

The police came to visit Charles Boehm for a very sweet reason on a Friday in December. More than 20 students came together in Alyssa Churchwell’s classroom to bake “cookies for cops” just for fun, not for service hours, according to student, Vika St. Pierre. The school hallways smelled of sugar cookies, cranberry white chocolate chip cookies, and snickerdoodles for two days as the students prepared four full trays of cookies to donate to the police officers at the Lower Makefield Township Police Department. “The police department does so much

for our District and building that we just wanted to let them know we are thinking about them and thanking them for giving up time with their families this holiday to help take care of all of the students and staff at Boehm.” said Mrs. Churchwell. When the police officer came to pick up the cookies, the students were in for a surprise, as he brought his K9 Unit partner, Recon, along. “Next year, we may just need to bake some dog-friendly biscuits to go along with our donation to the police department.”

Students in Ms. Churchwell’s Family and Consumer Sciences class are becoming strong digital citizens. Students went through a series of stations that focused on recognizing what is in their digital footprints, miscommunication with text messages, recognizing phishing scams, understanding password safety, and making safety recommendations for popular apps that they use. Ms. Churchwell said, “I think that the students had no idea that their text message history, computer history, and even XBox Live history can all be brought back up after deletion. It was very interesting to hear the discussion and concern about what their colleges or future bosses would think about their current digital footprints.” Every student at the middle school level will be taking part in a Digital Citizenship unit in their Family and Consumer Sciences class to help them understand how to safely navigate the internet.

On December 13th, Pennwood welcomed parents, family, and friends to attend the first live performance in the newly renovated school auditorium. The seventh and eighth grade winter concert featured the Pennwood Jazz Band, Chorus, Orchestra, and Concert Band performances. “The new auditorium looks beautiful, and thanks to the sound absorption panels on the walls, brand new padded seating, and acoustical ‘clouds’ installed on the ceiling, the room sounds incredible for live musical performances!” said Instrumental Music teacher, Adam Pfannenstiel. See photo on page 10.

PENNWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL



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Teachers, students, and parents were all excited about the first live performance in the newly-renovated school auditorium at

Pennwood Middle School.

Thanks to a grant from the Pennsbury Education Foundation, more than 340 eighth grade students participated in a design challenge

involving simple machines at William Penn Middle School.

Assistant Principal Dr. Michael Hogan shared that students, teachers, administrators, and other members of the William Penn staff participated in the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Drive at the ShopRite in Fairless Hills and the ShopRite in Yardley during the month of December.

On Thursday December 14th, the William Penn Choral Department held its annual winter concert in Keller Hall at PHS West. The choirs sang from a repertoire of holiday favorites such as Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer to newer compositions such as, When the Lights All Shine. “The students sang beautifully and with tremendous amounts of spirit and energy,” said Vocal Music teacher, Derek Cressman.

Thanks to a Pennsbury Education Foundation grant, the William Penn Science Department was able to purchase additional K’NEX last spring to use in all eighth grade science classrooms. Prior to receiving the grant funds, teachers were unable to offer the K’NEX enrichment activity to all William Penn eighth grade students because access to K’NEX supplies was limited. Science teachers, Bridget Blackshire, Kelly Giacomelli, and

WILLIAM PENN MIDDLE SCHOOL

Kristin Slota are pleased to share that at the end of December, over 340 eighth grade students had the opportunity to work with K’NEX to demonstrate their knowledge of simple machines. Students worked in groups of four to build examples of different simple machines. Photographs were taken of the student-built models and then included in a shared Google Slides presentation. Each member of the group contributed to the presentation by adding labels to the images and answering questions about how simple machines work, and how these machines can make our lives more efficient. In lieu of a traditional assessment, student groups created a digital presentation using their Chromebooks. This presentation was then used as a tool to assess student understanding.

Teacher Bridget Blackshire shares: “On December 22nd, William Penn Middle School participated in its 11th annual Turkey Bowl. Over 300 eighth grade students enjoyed an afternoon of flag football. The middle school campus fields were filled with vibrant colors as 20 student teams and two teacher teams battled for the coveted Turkey Bowl trophy. As part of this event, student Turkey Bowl teams were asked to bring in food donations to contribute to the NJHS Thanksgiving food drive. The generosity of the students and families was greatly appreciated by the local families in need. The event was a huge success,



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Elegant gowns and tuxedos were modeled by Pennsbury students during this year’s Prom Fashion Expo fundraiser. Proceeds from

the annual event help to defray Senior Prom expenses.

The 11th annual Turkey Bowl at William Penn Middle Schoolwas held just prior to the winter recess.

and everyone is looking forward to next year! Special thanks go out to Mike Kepner (Applied Engineering/Technology Education teacher) for designing and printing the t-shirts!”

The Pennsbury High School Marching Band, known as The Long Orange Line, performed in the 129th Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California on January 1st. Known as America’s New Year Celebration, the annual Rose Parade features spectacular floral floats that are completely covered with natural materials, along with marching bands, and equestrian units. Approximately 1 million spectators annually line the 5.5 mile parade route, while tens of millions watch the television coverage in more than 200 countries and territories. Pennsbury’s band was one of only 16 selected to

PENNSBURY HIGH SCHOOL

march in this parade, and this was The Long Orange Line’s second appearance! Bands are selected based on musicianship, marching ability, uniqueness, and entertainment value. Geographic diversity is also considered, and bands from around the world are welcomed. This year’s international bands hailed from Japan, Australia, Panama, and Canada. In addition to the parade, our students participated in the Tournament of Roses Bandfest at Pasadena City College, marched in the Disneyland Parade on New Year’s Eve, and took part in an instrumental soundtrack session at the Disney Performing Arts Workshop. The Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band also performed in a private concert at the Catalina Jazz Club with Tom Scott, a renowned composer, arranger, producer, musical director, and saxophonist with three Grammys and 14 Grammy nominations.

Teachers Joscelyne Hauser and Tara Bellman, with the assistance of Art Department Chair, Tony Napoli, worked with the students in the PHS Fashion Marketing class and the 2018 Senior Prom Chairs to stage the 2018 Prom Fashion Expo for the public to enjoy at PHS East. Men’s Warehouse and Bell Tuxedo provided the tuxes and David’s Bridal loaned the dresses for the students to model on a fashion runway during this annual fundraiser created to help defray prom expenses.

The Pennsbury Marching Band helped ring in the New Yearwith an outstanding performance in the 129th Tournament

of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA.



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“On December 14th, the World Language Department held the bi-annual Honor Society Induction for each of our World Languages,” shared Andrea Garberina, World Languages Curriculum Coordinator. “Congratulations to the following students who were recognized for their outstanding achievement in levels 3H, 4H, and AP from last spring. These students earned above a 93% in their current level and an overall average of 91% throughout their language study.”

French Level 3H - Catherine Diamond, India Franklin, Darlyn Kumeh, Vivian Li, Kimberly Lubansky, Alyssa McCormick, Kaitlyn Rainville, and Melanie Tobar.

French Level 4H - Katia Barricklow, Jason Friedman, Dimitrios Dogias, Brielle Estepp, Lia O’Leary, Annie Price, Isaac Stephens, and Emma Zawacki.

French Advanced Placement - Philip Genovese and Shaheen Memar.

German Level 3H - Kathryn Fouss, Josephine Golder, Tae Horton, Jamie Hude, Ryan Livingston, Tara Pfaff, Matthew Steele, Halle Szumigala, and Christina Wills.

German Level 4H - Nathan Carr, Riley Davis, Emily Engeland, Griffin Foll, Katharina Golder, Heather Lohrey, Taylor Matulis, Brooke Weaver, Matthew Shapiro, Julia Westphal, and Max Weissberger.

German Advanced Placement - Amelia Giacobetti, Gianna Passarelli, and Patrick Walsh.

Spanish Level 3H - Alex Ackler, Ana Canal, Kevin Cryan, Caitlin Doyle, Lily Hochhausler, Caylee Jumbelic, Elisa Macera, Tiffany Milosav, Jason Omlor, Elise Palatine, Victoria Parisen, Shivani Patel, Chelsea Riechelson, Dan Rosenthal, Skylar Schmitt, Maria Snedeker, Leah Thomas, Madeleine Umstead, Benjamin Venkatsulu, Nisha Vora, Dean Wadley, and Dominik Zarzycki.

Spanish Level 4H - Kyle Anderson, Miles Borowsky, Peter Bria, Hannah Erdogan, Trevi Galemmo, Samantha Hackman, Lily Haimes, Ramya Jagadeesh, Emma Kane, Robert Krimetz, Alicia Lorantas, Christian McKernan, Katherine Mix, Sophia Parrish, Naaima Qadeer, Nathan Silverman, Dylan Thomas, Jacob Troiano, Anthony Witoshkin, Julia Witoshkin, and Ryan Zajdel.

Spanish Advanced Placement - Sam Beidler, Charles Bluestein, Julianna Nails, Gianna Pinto, and Anjali Sapre.

SENIOR INTERNSHIP PROGRAMThe Senior Internship is a new course offered

at Pennsbury High School that was designed to allow students the opportunity to consolidate and apply the learning from their coursework into a meaningful and relevant on-the-job experience. Students are provided the chance to connect with the world outside of school and to gain the skills to further their education and/or enter the workforce. The Pennsbury School District and Family and Consumer Sciences department are providing an avenue to promote the relevance of such experience and at the same time increase the rigor of high school academics. The Senior Internship is helping students understand what it takes to be successful in the workplace. Without this vital connection, many young people may not know why basic skills are important or how to cope with the complexities of a job in the professional workplace. Through working with an adult mentor at the worksite, students have the opportunity to develop a foundation of general workplace skills and to acquire information about a particular career path.

According to Family and Consumer Sciences Curriculum Coordinator, Nancy Quigley, “The students enrolled in the Senior Internship this year have had the opportunity to work in a variety of workplaces. We currently have five students placed at St. Mary Medical Center. On a recent visit, I met with Marie Triglia, Manager of Volunteer Services, and she had the highest praise for all of



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Marie Triglia (left), Manager of Volunteer Services at St. Mary Medical Center, works with Pennsbury students through the

PHS senior internship program.

the Pennsbury students. She said they were the best group of volunteer interns that they have had. Marie will be working with me to increase and improve our partnership for the Senior Internship Program. Marie took me for a tour of the medical center and introduced me to some of the students’ mentors. Nasan Robbins is currently volunteering in the out-patient rehab center and everyone sings his praises. Several people from the PT department came to tell me what a great job Nasan was doing. I was very impressed that Matt, the physical therapist on duty, took the time to come meet me specifically to tell me how wonderful Nasan is at his job. Matt said, “I feel comfortable having Nasan assist with my patients.” Comments from Matt and other rehab staff included: “He just knows how to interact with patients;” “He is always willing to help;” “He is compassionate and caring;” and “His parents should be proud.” Nasan has been invited back not only as an intern while he is in college but also to consider applying for a job once he is a physical therapist.

“We have several other students placed at St. Mary who are interested in the medical profession,” said Ms. Quigley. Gillian Acuri has an interest in pediatric care, and she had the opportunity to shadow in the Pediatric ER as well as the Mother and Baby unit. “Everyone talked about her constant smile and sunny disposition and what a delight

she was to be around. Our other interns currently at St. Mary include Ciara Jones-Grier, Heema and Heena Joshi. These young interns have an interest in Pediatrics and Biology/Pre-Med. They have all had the chance to learn about working in a hospital setting and move freely from floor to floor while interacting with a variety of patients and working staff at the hospital. They have been able to shadow in the ER, Mother and Baby unit, and Oncology as well as basic care floors. Marie shared that these interns have been so responsible and helpful that she actually allows them to do and see more than most.”

Ms. Quigley continued: “We also have two students interning in different political offices. Katie Currid is interning in State Representative John Galloway’s office and her experience has been nothing less than amazing. When I visited her at the office, everyone couldn’t wait to tell me how wonderful she was. Katie has her own ‘.gov’ email address and does research for upcoming bills and legislation, along with her other responsibilities. Mr. Galloway has written a letter of recommendation for Katie to attend Georgetown University next year. We will keep our fingers crossed as Katie waits to find out if she is accepted. Paige Hanak has a position in State Representative Frank Farry’s office and she enjoys the same high praises at work. Paige works with Ashley, who often says what a wonderful program this is and how she wishes they had this when she was in school. Both of these politically-minded interns have had the thrill and excitement of watching the House of Representatives in real-time action while interning.

Diamond Brown is interning at Foot Locker at the Oxford Valley Mall. She has been working in sales for a while, but this internship has given her the opportunity to see the behind-the-scenes view of how the store actually operates. Diamond is working with Chris, the store manager, and has been assigned to create displays, advertising, review sales information, and chart sales trends through the holiday season. Chris told me he is going to have Diamond review sales information and make projections for future sales as well as



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On December 16th, Pennsbury’s Varsity Cheerleaders attended the PIAA District One cheerleading competition at Central Bucks South High School. Competing in the large division, the Varsity team finished 4th out of 40 PIAA District One schools. The team also received a bid to qualify to compete at the PIAA State Competitive Spirit

CHEERLEADERS QUALIFY FORPIAA STATE COMPETITION

commendAbleaCCOMPLISHMEnTS

Pennsbury High School Art teacher, Jonathan Twersky, is pleased to announce that three of his students will have ceramic art work exhibited in the Tyler School of Art show titled, “Clay Programs of Excellence: Philadelphia Area High Schools,” from January 16-28. Congratulations to these students: Lia O’Leary (senior), whose work was featured on the show’s promotional poster, Leilany Giraldo (junior), and Katrikki Lennon (junior).

PHS student, Michelle Pellegrino, was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers as a “Community Teammate” for the January 2nd game. During select Flyers home games, a Community Teammate honoree is highlighted with a special feature on the video board and presented with a custom Flyers jersey. The team contacted organizations for whom Michelle volunteers to make a video in her honor. At PHS, Michelle serves as the Treasurer and President-elect of the UNICEF Club. Michelle was nominated for the Flyers honor by the Girl Scouts of Eastern PA. Congratulations!

PHS CERAMICS STUDENT WORKINCLUDED IN PHILADELPHIA EXHIBIT

MICHELLE PELLEGRINO HONOREDBY PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

determine cost and profit margins. Her manager is very impressed with her dedication and Diamond is considering looking at their management program after college.”

Sammy Karel worked with the Lower Makefield Township Police Department, an experience he described as having “no downside.” While at his internship, Sammy witnessed a little bit of detective work and went on ride-alongs with police officers. “Sammy was in our nine week program and his internship convinced him that he is making the right choice by pursuing a career in law enforcement,” said Ms. Quigley. In one of his reflections, Sammy wrote, “It’s all about character. If you’re out in the community helping people, then you are a good cop.”

Dylan Shugar loves math (he really loves math), and he accepted an internship working with one of the PHS math teachers. “He spends his day helping struggling math students better understand the course content,” said Ms. Quigley. “Dylan’s mentor has expressed how grateful she is to have Dylan’s help in the classroom. Dylan will also be able to try prepping and teaching a lesson.”

It is not often that you hear only positive feedback about a group of teenage students. “I can honestly say that I have not heard one negative comment about these students or the internship program,” said Ms. Quigley. “While the students are working at their internships, they are also creating professional portfolios to include their profiles, reflections, and experiences. They will evaluate what they have done and determine if they are heading in the right career and educational direction. We truly thank every business and individual who have stepped up to make the Senior Internship a reality. And congratulations to the students for making such a positive impact in the Pennsbury community.”



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competition in Hershey on January 19-20th. The 2017-2018 Varsity Cheerleading team is the first Pennsbury Cheerleading team to ever attend the District One competition and qualify for the state competition! Head Varsity coach this year is Sarah D’Agostino, Junior Varsity head coach is Stephanie Pratt, and the assistant coach is Alyssa Krisak. Way to go, Falcons!

In conjunction with Pennsbury School District’s ongoing character education initiative, students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels are being spotlighted each month for possessing specific positive character assets. For the month of January 2018, students were recognized for exemplifying the trait of “Caring.” The students honored this month are Isabella Milano, Ariana Medina, and Olivia Ware.

Ariana Medina is in the fourth grade at Fallsington Elementary School and was nominated by Sherri Cohoon, Amy Murray, Linda Wainwright, Carey Stolber, Kristin Cahill, and Principal Brian Shaffer. They shared that Ariana is a student who has deep caring for others and who actively seeks

LYFT CHARACTER AWARDWINNERS ANNOUNCED

out ways to help others both at Fallsington and in the greater community. Ariana volunteered her time to help organize a pajama drive for at-risk children. She also reached out proactively to the Student Council at Fallsington to organize a Valentine’s Day fundraiser for children affected by natural disasters. In the library, Ariana demonstrates great kindness to others and is always willing to lend a hand where needed, regularly partnering with and assisting other students in class.

Olivia Ware, a seventh grader from Pennwood Middle School, is the winner this month at the middle school level. She was nominated by Team Fusion: Rebecca Obert-Thorn, Megan Gabbett, Katharina Falcone, Patricia Lyons, and June Bischoff. According to the team, Olivia shows caring through her public service. She volunteers to package food for a local food bank each month and regularly bakes bread with her mother for weekly church functions. She also visits with individuals with behavioral health disorders, hoping to cheer them with her singing. Every December, Olivia participates in Light the World, which is 25 days of service to others. In class, she takes time to help her fellow students with challenging work and is always ready to jump in when a volunteer is needed to assist with lab set-up or break down, even during her personal lunch time.

At the high school level, the award this month goes to Isabella Milano, who is a sophomore at Pennsbury High School. Isabella was nominated by teacher, Andrea Garberina, who says that Isabella is a beautiful and caring person, inside and out.

The Pennsbury Varsity Cheerleading team competed in thelarge division in the PIAA District One competition and received

a bid to compete at the upcoming State Competitive Spiritcontest in Hershey – a first!



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Anthony J. Iacovelli, familiar to local radio listeners as the indomitable Vince Reed (and referred to respectfully here as “Vince”), called play-by-play coverage of Lower Bucks sports for five decades and was known by all of us here in Pennsbury with a special fondness as the Voice of the Falcons. Vince passed away on December 30,

2017, and will be sadly missed by generations of Falcon sports fans who came to rely on his skillful play-by-play coverage of football, basketball, and baseball games. According to Sam Goldberg, the current Sports Director at WBCB 1490AM, Vince called Pennsbury sports for a total of 51 years. He received a standing ovation at Falcon Field when his 50th year was marked during one of that season’s football games. “He was an icon in the community,” said Mr. Goldberg.

During a special, hour-long broadcast heard on WBCB on January 5th, local coaches and co-workers shared their favorite memories of working with Vince over the years and without exception, each shared his/her admiration for his professional manner and how much he cared for the student athletes he covered. While he made it sound so easy on the air, Vince devoted time and focus to each game broadcast, pointing out recent stats and sharing insights that others might have missed. He was known not only for his impeccable preparation

IN TRIBUTE: VINCE REED,THE “VOICE OF THE FALCONS”

Vince reed

and delivery, but also as a great teacher to those around him.

PHS English teacher and Pennsbury basketball coach, Frank Sciolla, shared these memories: “Since 1998, Vince was the voice of Pennsbury Basketball. I learned professionalism from him as we worked together doing football and basketball games and [I learned] humility from speaking to him after every game for more than a decade. He was woven into the fabric of our program at games, banquets, and other events. It’s a terrible loss for our student-athletes as he always brought a big-time feel to every game. He’s surely one of the last of his kind; that is, the local media figure that kids and parents knew for decades.”

Vince was even on hand at Charles Boehm Middle School for the last couple of PHS Sports Nites, adding a new level of excitement with his professional coverage and interviews with students while the event was live-streamed by WBCB. “Vince taught me so much,” said Harry Stymiest, who serves as the teaching assistant for PHS media production classes and is also on hand to lend his directing talents for live sports broadcasts.

“What he did for kids and young professionals was invaluable,” added Sam Goldberg. “I had the opportunity to work with Vince for one year here at WBCB, and the experience was indescribable. What I learned from him in that year was equivalent to ten years in the industry.”

Vince Reed was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Bucks County Chapter, in 2010.

Our thoughts are with the Iacovelli family. We thank them all for “lending” us such a tremendous broadcast talent over the course of five decades, giving Falcon Sports that professional polish that only Vince Reed could deliver.

Through Spanish Club, Isabella raised over $1,500 to support victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico by collecting donations and selling candy. Isabella also volunteers to care for animals on a weekly basis at a local pet store. Her classmates know that Isabella is always there to provide encouragement and support in social settings, as well.



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bOaRD faCILITIES COMMITTEE5:00 p.m., February 1, 2018

Superintendent’s Conference Room

bOaRD fInanCE COMMITTEE7:30 p.m., February 1, 2018


bOaRD EDuCaTIOn COMMITTEE5:00 p.m., February 8, 2018


bOaRD PaRTnERSHIPS/MaRkETIng COMMITTEE7:00 p.m., February 8, 2018


aCTIOn bOaRD MEETIng7:30 p.m., February 15, 2018Fallsington Elementary School

Upcoming MEETIngS

Save the Date!Pennsbury Career Fair

PHS East GymnasiumFebruary 26, 2018

6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Please join Pennsbury and The Caron Foundationas we provide Prevention Resources and

Education for Parents (PREP)

Caron Foundation PresentationJoin us as Caron representatives provide an overview of prevention

resources. This program, facilitated by professionals in the fieldof addiction treatment, is designed for parents and caregivers of

school-aged children.

WHERE: William Penn Middle School Cafeteria 1524 Derbyshire Road, Yardley

WHEN: January 24 th • 7:00 pm SnowDate:January30th

school directors - pennsburysd.orgs report 1 182.pdf · the pennsbury board of school directors...

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