PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • MARCH 2015
Across the DISTRICT
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There is great
cause for celebration
and Falcon Pride in
Pennsbury this year!
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DISTRICT ACHIEVES SPECIAL
DESIGNATIONS FROM CHARACTER.ORG
The School District
was recently named
OF CHARACTER
a 2015 State District
of Character by the
Pennsylvania affiliate
of Character.org, a
national advocate and leader for the character
education movement based in Washington, D.C.,
Pennsbury is one of only four school districts
nationwide to achieve this honor. At the same time,
seven Pennsbury schools were also recognized
as State Schools of Character, including Afton,
Edgewood, Fallsington, Oxford Valley, and Quarry
Hill elementary schools, as well as Pennwood and
William Penn middle schools. A special recognition
of these accomplishments will occur at the public
meeting of our Pennsbury School Board on
Thursday, May 14th.
The State Schools and Districts of Character
program recognizes growth and excellence in the
area of student character development through
the 11 Principles of Effective Character Education
framework. Pennsbury’s Charles Boehm Middle
School earned State and National School of
Character Honors in 2014.
www.pennsburysd.org
According to Dr. Gregg Amore, who leads the
Pennsylvania affiliate of Character.org, this is the
first time that as many as seven schools in one
district received recognition at the same time. With a
student enrollment of just over 10,500, Pennsbury is
also the largest school district in the country to earn
the State District of Character designation.
“In Pennsbury, we are committed to increasing
student achievement and improving school culture
through character education in all of our schools,”
said Donna Dunar, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent
of Curriculum and Instruction, who leads the
character education initiative in Pennsbury. “We
are thrilled with this special state recognition of
our work. A significant component of Pennsbury’s
Comprehensive Plan is focused on ‘Developing the
Whole Child,’ in which teachers and administrators
support students in striving to do one’s best in a
caring and respectful environment. Infused into
our rigorous curriculum are elements that provide
students an understanding of the world with the
pro-social skills to engage with resilience.”
Dr. Dunar continued: “Our goal is to help students
feel safe and happy to learn. All of these factors are
integral to garnering these impressive distinctions.
I am so proud of all of our principals, teachers,
and students in each of our schools. Even those
schools on our roster that were not singled out this
year already have impressive character education
initiatives underway, and I know they all aim to
apply for this honor in the near future, as well.”
An important outcome of this collaborative effort
is the focus on creating a “culture of caring” in the
Pennsbury schools, according to Dr. Dunar. “This
recognition is an uplifting affirmation that as a
PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • MAR CH 2015
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S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
District, we are fulfilling our mission to develop the
‘whole child’ and increase student achievement for
ALL students.” Practices that are considered aspects
of character education that lead to such positive
results include:
•Community engagement
•Pro-social skills training
•Peer mediation programs
•Bully prevention initiatives
•Service learning
•Student leadership K-12
•Cultivation of the growth mindset
•Expectations of excellence
•Positive reward systems
•Reflections on one’s behavior and attitude
•Infusion of critical thinking and ethics in
curriculum
•No Place for Hate designations
•Restorative practices (secondary level)
•“Responsive classroom” approach to teaching
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Fallsington Elementary School
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MAR CH 2015 • PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA
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Fallsington’s core beliefs are
expressed through PAW Pride – with
the PAW acronym standing for Put
Safety First, All People Deserve Respect,
and We Are a Responsible Community.
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•Mosaic Pillars of Character in the school lobby
•A Character Education Team comprised of
committed teachers from across grade levels and
disciplines
•Monthly SOAR celebrations
•Monthly Calendar of Character campaigns
•Daily character education songs to start the day
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OF CHARACTER
•Core values of ROAR reinforced through signage,
stakeholder interactions, classroom discussions,
and other means of nurturing students to become
caring citizens
•Strong interconnectedness among families, school
personnel, and the community
•Character-related themes embedded within
curricula so that students connect to lessons in a
meaningful way
•Service learning opportunities that cultivate caring:
Breakfast Club for Seniors, Children Helping
Children, Recycling Program, the 5th Grade
Legacy” project, Baby Bundles, and many more
•Inclusion of District’s Autistic Support classrooms
at the elementary level
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Highlights of Afton’s school-wide culture of
character include:
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Highlights of Edgewood’s school-wide culture of
character include:
Afton Elementary School
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Using the concept of Edgewood
Tigers ROAR, the Edgewood
community embraces character
by educating the whole child
through four core values: Respect,
Open-Mindedness, Appreciation, and
Responsibility.
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Edgewood Elementary School
The individual Pennsbury schools selected as
2015 State Schools of Character appear below, with
brief highlights of the schools’ site-based character
education initiatives:
The Afton team developed the
acronym SOAR to inspire students
to Show You Care, Open Your Mind,
Accept Responsibility, and Respect
Yourself and Others.
•Building Community Through Literature program
•Focus on random acts of kindness
•Community service projects: Operation Kind
Hearts, Operation Helping Hand, Baby Bundles,
Giving Tree, Souper Bowl food drive, coat drive,
Red Cross blood drive, school community garden
and outdoor classroom, letters of appreciation to
veterans.
OF CHARACTER
www.pennsburysd.org
S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
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OF CHARACTER
Highlights of Oxford Valley’s school-wide culture of
character include:
•Daily Cornerstone reminders and
curriculum-based activities
•In-school and after-school programs that promote
teamwork, positive peer relations, and good
sportsmanship
•Special focus on skills for learning, empathy,
emotion management, and problem solving
•Community partnerships that help to foster a safe
and enriching learning environment
•Engagement of active learners in acts of good
citizenship and development of high aspirations
•Fundraisers and community events that provide
www.pennsburysd.org
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Oxford Valley Elementary School
adheres to and promotes the school’s
adopted “Cornerstone” principles of
character, which incorporate four main
traits reflective in certain behaviors:
Respect, Responsibility, Cooperation,
and Sportsmanship.
PAWS is Quarry Hill’s acronym
to encompass the four aspects of
character development: Practice
Respect, Accept Responsibility, Work
Together, Stay Positive.
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Oxford Valley Elementary School
Quarry Hill Elementary School
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•PAW Pride Awards for behaviors displaying core
beliefs
•PAW Pride Awards in Reading and Math for
noted academic achievements
•Paw Pride weekly events
•Community events, such as Family Dinners and
Family Activity Nights, Bully Prevention Puppet
Shows, Fallsington Day
•Service learning projects, such as Pennies
for Patients, Hoops for Heart, Safety Patrol,
Read-a-Thon for St. Christopher’s Hospital for
Children, Valentines for Veterans, food and
clothing drives
•PTO-Sponsored Activities
•Outreach and active partnerships with local firms
and agencies
opportunities for students, families, and staff to
demonstrate moral action and caring for others
•Mentoring programs to build relationships
between students and adults through weekly
meetings
•Assemblies that promote bully prevention,
encouragement of others, building of relationships,
tolerance, and a sense of community
PENN
Highlights of Fallsington’s school-wide culture of
character include:
OF CHARACTER
Highlights of Quarry Hill’s school-wide culture of
character include:
•Character education themes woven daily through
every element of the school day
•Partnerships with parents and the local community
to foster the academic, emotional, and social
growth of students in order to develop responsible,
productive, and caring citizens
•Community service initiatives, including: candy
and cards for the military, Grand Friends Forever
(an inter-generational partnership with Sunshine
Assisted Living) Sunshine Fund, Hoops for Heart,
Give A Christmas, Thanksgiving and Souper Bowl
food drives, Nor’Wester Canine Assisted Learning
Program, coat and dental hygiene collections
•Collaborative and nurturing school and
PTO-sponsored events, such as NFL Fuel Up
to Play 60, Reading Olympics, Big Buddies, Art
Show, Science Fair, after-school enrichment, Pizza
Bingo, Young Authors’ Night, Family Formal,
Reading Olympics.
Pennwood Middle School
The Unity Team at Pennwood reflects the
“united” nature of this school community. UNITED
stands for Unique, Nurturing, Involved, Together,
PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • MAR CH 2015
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S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
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Highlights of Pennwood’s
school-wide culture of character
include:
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Empowering, Diverse.
OF CHARACTER
•A Unity Team comprised of
students, faculty, administration, parents, and
support staff
•An annual Unity Week with themed activities
to foster a supportive learning environment for
students
•No Place for Hate student-signed resolutions
•Annual cyber-bullying prevention assembly for
6th graders
•Philadelphia Police Heads Up program for 8th
graders
•Bully awareness assemblies, Bully-Busters
program, Student Council-generated
bully-awareness programs
•Thriving in Middle School program
•Lessons in respect and citizenship in Language
Arts, Health, Physical Education, and Social
Studies
•Sportsmanship Mondays, Unity Wednesdays,
Pennsbury Pride Fridays
•Community service projects, such as Pennwood
Has Heart, Little Dresses for Africa, Toys for Tots,
Letters of support to the troops and veterans,
Letters of support to police and firefighters,
greeting cards for nursing homes, Thanksgiving
food drives, NJHS Halloween candy collection for
the troops, and NJHS tutoring program
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•Annual Character Ribbon awards, Bully
Pennsbury is now in the starting stages of
launching Google Apps for Education for all faculty
and secondary students. “These users will have
access to Google Apps, which include Google Docs
and Google Drive,” said Kevin Dorsey, Director
of Technology. “Students at the secondary level
no longer need to transfer files between home and
school using flash drives, as all files can be uploaded
to Google Drive.” The School District has also
recently deployed about 200 Chromebooks with great
success at the middle school level, according to Mr.
Dorsey. The Chromebooks have allowed Pennsbury
to replace and add equipment in a cost-effective
manner, increasing access to online resources.
ODYSSEY OF THE MIND TEAMS COMPETE
IN SOUTHEASTERN REGIONALS
OF CHARACTER
Highlights of William Penn’s
school-wide culture of character include:
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LAUNCHED IN PENNSBURY
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The school’s acronym, SOAR,
stands for: Strive for Success, Own Our
Actions, Accept Responsibility, and
Respond Respectfully.
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William Penn Middle School
Prevention Pledge, Mix it Up Day, and Chalk it
Out Day
•Girls Unlimited program, Boys to Men group
•Kindness Club
•Mad Hatters after-school community service club
•Pink Out Day for breast cancer awareness
•Letters to veterans
•Evening events for parents, including a
presentation on cyber-bullying
•Curriculum-based Holocaust presentation
•Souper Bowl food drive
•Buddy groups
•Princesses’ Closet
•Little Dresses for Africa
On February 28th, Pennsbury hosted the
Southeastern Regional Tournament of Odyssey of
the Mind on the high school campus. Out of the 125
teams participating at this year’s tournament, 27
were from Pennsbury, the most teams ever fielded
by the District, according to POMA president, Steve
Purdy. Odyssey of the Mind is an international
MAR CH 2015 • PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA
www.pennsburysd.org
S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
educational program that provides creative
problem-solving opportunities for students from
kindergarten through college. Team members apply
their creativity to solve problems that range from
building mechanical devices to presenting their own
interpretation of literary classics. They then bring
their solutions to competition on the local, state, and
World level. Thousands of teams from throughout
the U.S. and from about 25 other countries
participate in the program.
“All of the teams did a great job this year in the
Regional Tournament,” said Mr. Purdy. Of the 19
teams eligible to compete in the State Tournament,
six will be moving on. We had eight Primary
teams who do not compete beyond the Regional
Tournament.”
Those teams moving on to States are:
•Afton Elementary - finished 1st in Problem #1,
Runaway Train
•Fallsington Elementary - finished 2nd in Problem
#2, Experiencing Technical Difficulties
•Makefield Elementary - finished 3rd in Problem
#5, Silent Movie (they will take three teams to States
due to the large number of teams)
•Oxford Valley Elementary - finished 1st in
Problem #4, Lose Your Marbles
•Charles Boehm Middle School - finished 2nd in
Problem #2
•William Penn Middle School - finished 1st in
Problem #5
Congratulations and best of luck to all of our State
competitors!
A TRIBUTE TO GALLUS OBERT
On Sunday, February 22nd, we lost one of the
School District’s most ardent and vocal activists, Mr.
Gallus Obert. A Board meeting regular and frequent
contributor during public comment sessions, Mr.
Obert carefully prepared and shared his views on
nearly every aspect of District operations. Over
www.pennsburysd.org
the past five decades as a Falls
Township resident, Mr. Obert
became a familiar face at both
School Board and Supervisors’
meetings, and he never passed
up an opportunity to share his
thoughts and concerns. Also
active in the past with the
Hamilton, NJ Fire Company (his
hometown), his local church,
Gallus Obert
CYO, and Little League, Mr.
Obert was known to thousands of local residents
for his dedication to his community and the people
who comprise it. We will miss his jocular approach
in expressing serious issues, his true commitment
to the residents of Pennsbury, and most of all, his
friendship. As Mr. Obert himself would say, “That’s
for darn sure!”
In the SCHOOLS
AFTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Heather Kirk and her fourth grade class are
partnering with the Global Virtual Classroom to
participate in an international Web design contest.
The class is paired with another class in Russia.
Together the two groups of students decided on
the topic of healthy lifestyles as a theme. “We are
creating videos, gathering pictures, conducting a
survey, and writing about all of the things we do
to stay healthy,” said Ms. Kirk. “We are also using
the site to teach others ways that children can stay
healthy. The Web site will be completed in April.
This is a wonderful opportunity to incorporate
global collaboration, creativity, technology, writing,
and many other areas into one year-long project.”
Teacher Coleen Jones writes about a recent
Pennsbury Partners activity at Afton. “Mr. David
Wilcots, P.G., a paleontologist and geologist, is
a new Partner,” said Ms. Jones. “Afton’s fourth
grade ‘paleontologists’ went on an archeological
‘dig’ under the guidance of Mr. Wilcots. Students
PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • MAR CH 2015
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S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
See the Commendable Accomplishments section in
this newsletter to learn about a special recognition for
Afton teacher, Francesca Holm.
EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
This exciting news comes from Dr. Christine
Zervos, Coordinator of Community Partnerships and
Grants: “Edgewood Librarian Jennifer Schlosberg
applied for a Library Services Technology Act
grant and was approved! Edgewood will receive
approximately $34,000 to purchase 30 Dell
computers, a computer cart, e-books, and library
databases to address the goals of Ms. Schlosberg’s
library program at Edgewood.” Congratulations!
Afton fourth graders received a special lesson from paleontologist
David Wilcots, P.G. as a tie-in with their Social Studies curriculum.
found fossils from all different time periods and
regions of the United States. The young scientists
even discovered fossils from Pennsylvania. This
interactive program served as a ‘real life’ application
for the level four Social Studies curriculum on U.S.
Regions and Early Pennsylvania.”
Afton Eagles know that “character counts,”
according to Ms. Jones and “you can feel the love and
friendship in the air!” she said. Fourth grade and
Kindergarten buddies in Ms. Jones and Stephanie
Reither’s class celebrated Valentine’s Day early with
a very special service project. “This holiday often
makes us all think of chocolate, flowers, and cards,”
said Ms. Jones. “But there are many parents in the
area who struggle to provide the very basic needs for
their children. With this in mind, we thought having
an ‘others-centered’ activity would be the best way for
our children to share the gift of friendship with our
youngest citizens. The students decorated and filled
bags of baby items (onesies, diapers, bottles, pacifiers,
wipes, bibs, and more) to donate to the United Way of
Bucks County. Each student also placed a handprint
(in the shape of a heart) on a small white onesie. It is
heart-warming to know that somewhere a precious
infant will be wearing a onesie that was made with
love and kindness, by some very caring students.”
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ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
In honor of Read Across America Day, the
principal, staff, and students at Eleanor Roosevelt
dressed as their favorite literary characters. In
addition, the Cookie Mouse character from the book,
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, was
a special guest in the Kindergarten and first grade
classrooms, courtesy of Pennsbury Partner, Barnes
and Noble. A school-wide assembly in the afternoon
included a book reading by Principal Elizabeth
Aldridge and reading-related performances by
individual grade levels. This special celebration of
reading was organized by Reading Specialist Alisa
Myles and Librarian Rose Marie Shire.
Kindergarten students taught by Kathy Adams
and Melanie Baccari participated in an African
Celebration Day on February 12th. The students
were learning about the seven continents and this
was a culminating activity for their second continent
of study, Africa. The students performed for their
big buddies in older classes by singing a “continent
song,” counting to ten in Swahili, and sharing many
facts about Africa. “They also did a traditional
African dance at the end of the show while wearing
masks and African garb and necklaces which were
hand-painted by the students,” said Ms. Baccari.
MAR CH 2015 • PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA
www.pennsburysd.org
S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
“After the show, their passports were stamped and
they said goodbye to Africa. The students will be
boarding the plane for their next mystery continent
shortly.” This cross-curricular unit was designed
and written by Ms. Adams and Ms. Baccari and tied
into the PA Core Standards for Language Arts and
Mathematics, as well as Social Studies.
The new Lego Club at Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary is a
popular after-school activity for students in grades K-2.
FALLSINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Kindergarten teacher Melanie Baccari guided her students
onto a “plane” for their African Celebration Day at
Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary.
A new after-school activity for grades K-2
students at Eleanor Roosevelt immediately attracted
a total of 80 participants before sign-ups had to be
closed, according to Principal Elizabeth Aldridge.
The new Lego Club, split into two sessions to
accommodate all of the interested students, was
inspired by Pennsbury substitute teacher, Ryan
Davidson, who is leading the free, hour-long
sessions with the support of volunteer parents
and secondary students. Plenty of Lego materials
were donated by Roosevelt parents and many
of the school’s teachers. “It’s great to provide a
STEM-related activity for students in the primary
grades,” said Mr. Davidson. “This gives them time
to be little architects and think creatively. They are
also making new friends at the same time.”
www.pennsburysd.org
Fifth grade teachers Courtney Gould and Monica
James worked with their students to stage a “wax
museum” during Black History Month to showcase
the accomplishments of well-known African
Americans for the rest of the Fallsington students
in grades K-4. The fifth graders conducted detailed
research on their assigned subjects, then made
Students at Fallsington Elementary proceeded through a “wax
museum” during Black History Month. Pictured above (in red) is
a student portrayal of Arctic explorer Matthew Henson.
PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • MAR CH 2015
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S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
display posters on the individuals to use as part
of their museum “stations.” Finally, they gathered
props and costume materials to complete their
exhibits on the famous Americans. The “museum,”
which filled the school’s entire gymnasium, included
such notables as President Barack Obama, Supreme
Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, astronaut Mae
Jemison, athletes Hank Aaron, Dominique Dawes,
and Arthur Ashe, and entertainers Aretha Franklin,
Ella Fitzgerald, and Lena Horne.
MAKEFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Makefield’s Colonial Day was the first school
event highlighted in an article about locally-inspired
PTO events in the February 2015 mid-Atlantic
edition of PTO Today. In her announcement to
the PTO, Makefield PTO President, Pam Webb,
congratulated her team for their involvement “in
helping to bring this and all of our other wonderful
programs to the Makefield community,” adding, “I
am so proud to see all of your hard work recognized
as a model for other schools.”
Colonial Day at
Makefield Elementary
was highlighted as an
outstanding community
event in a recent issue of
PTO Today magazine.
Makefield hosted its seventh biennial International
Fair earlier this week. The free event, funded and
organized by the PTO and supported by Principal
Donna McCormick-Miller and the school faculty, is
an interactive, educational experience that celebrates
different cultures and embraces the global nature of
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the school. Each time the event is staged, students
experience life as a child in one of four highlighted
countries; this year’s featured lands were Germany,
India, Morocco, and Uruguay. Each country’s
exhibit included history, people, and traditions. In
preparation for the event, students researched the
countries and created posters that were featured in
each display. In addition, the children decorated
each classroom door, spotlighting different countries.
Activities occurred during the school day for
students and continued in the evening for families.
OXFORD VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Principal Fran Nitkin offers a big thank you to
the students who participated in Oxford Valley’s
annual Science Fair in February. All grade levels
were invited to circulate around the gym to talk with
the OV “scientists” and discover some new things
for themselves. A cold evening didn’t stop families
and friends from coming out to a packed gym.
“Everyone who visited had a chance to explore
a gymnasium full of student/family scientific
interests…and there was much to discover from each
other’s pursuits,” said Ms. Nitkin.
Ms. Nitkin extended congratulations to fifth
graders, Alexia Rago, Kylie Wright, and Kayleigh
Crozier, for taking the opportunity to explore
Budding scientists had a great time as they displayed their
discoveries at the Oxford Valley Elementary Science Fair.
MAR CH 2015 • PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA
www.pennsburysd.org
S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
Science by participating in the Science Fair every
year from Kindergarten through fifth grade! These
students each received a medal to recognize this
commendable effort.
Ms. Nitkin continued: “Many thanks go out to
all parents and teachers, custodial staff, and our
secretaries who helped to produce the fair’s annual
brochure, facilitate setting up/breaking down in
the gym, monitor the fair, distribute t-shirts and
ribbons, and encourage scientific thought. Life is an
exploration with discoveries every day and it was
great to see the enthusiasm displayed by students
in a capacity-filled gym.” In particular, Ms. Nitkin
thanked the Science Committee: Shawn McElhaugh,
Alison Morris, Meghan Caron, Hollie Rothrock,
and Rosemary MacMath.
“Oxford Valley had a special visitor in February,”
shared Ms. Nitkin. “He decided to visit our school
because we are “Phanatics About Reading.” Can you
guess? Yes, the Phillie Phanatic!
Cherie Lynne Kooker’s class won the “Be a
Phanatic About Reading” contest sponsored by the
Phillies. The class was presented with a plaque and
the whole school was able to join in the fun as the
Ms. Kooker’s class at Oxford Valley Elementary earned a school
visit from the Phillie Phanatic through their reading achievements.
www.pennsburysd.org
Phanatic danced and acted out a program titled, The
Phillie Phanatic Phantastic Journey.
Angela Mastropaolo’s Gifted Support class
celebrated foods from around the world by bringing
in an array of edibles to celebrate the 100th day of
school. Teachers and students had a chance to taste
different foods from Israel, Pakistan, India, Holland,
Germany, Ireland, and Italy.
QUARRY HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Reading Specialist Krista Schmidt writes that
Quarry Hill students took part in Read Across
America Day by having a school-wide “read-cess” in
the hallways for 15 minutes as a school community.
“There was also a mystery reader on the morning
announcements, and each child guessed the reader’s
name and the Dr. Seuss book that was read,” said
Ms. Schmidt. One winner in each grade level was
awarded a $10.00 gift card provided by the Student
Council. “In addition, each class read extra time at
home during the week to ‘physically’ Read Across
America by recording extra reading minutes (one
minute = 1 mile). The miles accumulated per class
were then posted on a map of the USA in the
hallway, documenting their journeys from Yardley
to California.” Pennsbury’s Reading and Language
Arts Curriculum Coordinator, Mary Ellen Lane,
Quarry Hill Elementary students staged a hallway “read-cess”
in celebration of Read Across America Day.
PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • MAR CH 2015
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S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
helped to kick off the home assignment by reading
The Scrambled States of America to the students after a
Dr. Seuss biography assembly.
PENN VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Teacher Sue Kline is pleased to announce that she
was awarded a Pennsbury Partners mini-grant for
Penn Valley Kindergarteners to receive a special,
health-related presentation. Representatives from
Snipes Farm, a Pennsbury Partner, visited the school
last month to present three 20-minute presentations
to the students about making healthy food choices.
These young learners had a chance to sample
“scrumptious spinach, crunchy carrots, beautiful
blueberries, and awesome apples” thanks to the
visitors from Snipes.
–– Wacky Wednesday – Backwards/crazy outfit
Day
–– Thursday – Fox in Socks Day – mismatched or
crazy socks
–– Friday – Cat in the Hat Day – wear stripes
•There were daily Dr. Seuss-related announcements
as well as trivia questions for grades K-2 and
grades 3-5. In the cafeteria, students found boxes
(wrapped in happy birthday paper) into which
they submitted their answers. A daily winner was
pulled from each box.
•Each child received a Dr. Seuss bookmark and
pencil. The PTO purchased a Cat in the Hat cookie
for each child from the Bucks County Technical
High School.
•Students in each classroom decorated their doors.
•Each grade level selected a book and completed
activities centered on that book.
•Each teacher took a “shelfie” – a picture of him
or herself in front of a bookshelf (at home or at
school).
•A “reading train” was created in the hallway on
March 2nd. Every person in the school (students,
teachers, and staff) sat and read in the hallway –
knee to knee.
CHARLES BOEHM MIDDLE SCHOOL
Kindergarteners at Penn Valley Elementary were treated to a
nutritious snack of fruits and vegetables thanks to Pennsbury
Partner, Snipes Farm.
Reading Specialist Kerry Bauerle reports that
several activities were planned to celebrate Dr.
Seuss’s birthday (Read Across America Day) at Penn
Valley last week:
•Each day of the week had a theme:
–– Monday – Dress Up as a Book Character (or
Dr. Seuss character) Day
–– Tuesday – Hats off to Reading! Day (Wear
crazy hat or hair)
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Science students at Charles Boehm used the
fictional lead character from The Lorax and his legacy
as a platform to spread environmental awareness,
reports teacher Anita Quinn. “Students kicked off
this month of mindfulness by celebrating Dr. Seuss’
birthday on Read Across America Day. As part of
the festivities, we read, analyzed, and wrote about
Dr. Seuss’ underlying messages with support from
our guest readers – the performers from the school
play, Seussical.” The Student Council ran a “Thneed
You No Longer Need” clothing drive to practice
sustainability, as students reused, repurposed,
and recycled their unwanted clothes. Donations
went to Good Stuff Thrift store. “Proceeds from the
shop benefit the lives of kids in our community,
reduce waste, and keep our community green,” said
MAR CH 2015 • PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA
www.pennsburysd.org
S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
and Jenny Schaeffer, also won a $100 Shop Rite gift
card for nominating their daughter for the contest.
Congratulations, Allison!
As a tie-in with Dr. Seuss’ birthday, Science students at Charles
Boehm Middle School “grew” Truffula Trees in the hallway and
decorated paper leaves with ways to improve the environment.
Ms. Quinn. “To spread our message beyond the
classroom, students partook in multiple activities.
First, they ‘grew Truffula Trees’ in the lobby. The
paper tree leaves contained written messages on
how to help the environment. The students also
developed posters incorporating many Seuss quotes
to motivate and inspire us to take care of the world
around us. Both of these activities added to the
ambiance of the musical and were visible to all
who entered the building. Students learned about
all types of pollution – including noise pollution –
and how to keep their ears and health from being
harmed by sound. The week of activities ended with
a look to the future. This year is the 45th anniversary
of Earth Day, and the theme is It’s Our Turn to Lead.
Our students developed conservation goals to be
more responsible, take care of our planet, and make
this impact felt in our community. Because to quote
Dr. Seuss from The Lorax: ‘Unless someone like
you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get
better. It’s not.’”
Allison Schaeffer, a 7th grade student at Charles
Boehm, was honored at a recent Board of Supervisors
meeting in Lower Makefield Township. Allison
won first prize in the Dove/Shop Rite Girls Giving
Back to Their Community contest. The prize included
a $1,000 scholarship and Allison’s parents, Chuck
www.pennsburysd.org
Charles Boehm student Allison Schaeffer (center) received special
recognition from Shop Rite of Yardley at a recent meeting of the
Lower Makefield Township Supervisors.
PENNSBURY HIGH SCHOOL
PHS Mathematics teacher, Matthew Groden,
is pleased to announce that the PHS Mathletes
team won their fourth consecutive Bucks County
Mathletes title, making it their sixth in the past seven
years. “The team won by more than 30 points over
the second place team,” said Mr. Groden. “That is
proportional to the Phillies winning the division
crown by 27 games! This is one of the most talented
and deep teams we have fielded in many years and is
comprised of some of the most genuinely modest and
fun-loving students. Our success is due to the selfless
and kind ways in which the kids share their ideas and
problem-solving methods with each other. Students
began practicing abstract problems in early October
and the competition season spanned from December
through early February. Our students go up
against teams representing seven area high schools:
Bensalem, Bucks County Technical HS, Council
Rock North, Council Rock South, Neshaminy, New
Hope-Solebury, and William Tennent. Points are
accumulated in each of the six competitions. A perfect
PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • MAR CH 2015
11
S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
meet is 30 points and this awesome team averaged
nearly 27 points per competition. The team with the
highest point total at the end of the season wins the
title. It should also be noted that Jacob Wachspress,
a senior this year, won his fourth individual title in a
row...a remarkable feat!”
Instrumental Music Curriculum Coordinator
Frank Mazzeo shares that the Pennsylvania Music
Educators Association All-Regional Band and
All-District Orchestra are comprised of the best
students in Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia,
Delaware and Chester counties. “We had a total
of nine students successfully audition for the
All-Regional Band,” announced Mr. Mazzeo.
These students are: Kevin Caruso, Kelsey Busch,
Evan Schnurr, Alex Gold, Matt Hetrick, Tasha
Schapiro, Sam Davis, Ryan McHenry, and Aaron
Newitt. “We also had nine students successfully
audition for the All-Regional Orchestra, said Mr.
Mazzeo. They are: Tasha Schapiro, John Wagner,
Ryan McHenry, Mia Gaenzele, Kelsey Busch,
Zac Cohen, Noah Smith, and Evan Schnurr.
Congratulations!
World Languages Curriculum Coordinator
Andrea Garberina is pleased to announce that eight
teams (38 students) from Pennsbury High School’s
French, German, and Spanish classes participated
in the Bucks County World Language Competition
at Council Rock South in February. Five of eight
Pennsbury teams placed in the top three of the
13 Bucks County high schools in attendance.
Congratulations to the following students and
their teachers for their hard work and dedication to
World Language study!
Spanish 3 Group - 1st Place
Emmeline Evans, Matthew Hetrick, Jason Hyman,
and Paul Secchia
Spanish Advanced Group (Levels 4 & AP) 2nd Place
Ari Bortman, Emily Higginson, Iliana Linares,
Francesca Riva Sanchez, and Justine Wallace
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This PHS Spanish 3 team won first prize in a
county language competition.
German Advanced Group (Levels 4 & AP) 2nd Place
Megan Engeland, Dagny Gould, Samuel
Hamacher, and Larissa Mednis
German Novice Group (Levels 1 & 2) - 3rd Place
Mercedes Cavallo, Jeffrey Cragin, Emily
Engeland, Zahra Kahn, Andrew Kisler, and Jordan
Newton-House
French Novice Group (Levels 1 & 2) - 3rd place
Laura Fishman, Jason Friedman, Rachel McGurrin,
Shaheen Memar, Isaac Stephens, and Shaine
Stuhlmuller
The student choral trip to Germany and Austria
in February was a huge success, according to PHS
Assistant Principal Rich Fry, who served as one of
the chaperones. The itinerary was organized by Vocal
Music Curriculum Coordinator, James Moyer: “What
a great trip we had,” Mr. Fry said. “The performance
in St. Thomas Church in Leipzig was beyond belief.
It was hard to believe that the performers were
students. The 99 young men and women who made
the journey with us were a wonderful representation
of Pennsbury. They were extremely well-behaved
and a pleasure to travel with. The hard work
they put in leading up to this trip and during the
rehearsals in Europe was evident each time they
MAR CH 2015 • PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA
www.pennsburysd.org
S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
sang. A gentleman came up to me in Salzburg,
Austria with tears in his eyes after they sang in the
cathedral to tell me in his broken English how moved
he was by their performance. These students were
terrific ambassadors for Pennsbury.”
PHS World Languages students traveled recently to Quebec and
Montreal with their teachers to immerse themselves in French
culture and experiences, both indoors and out.
Passers-by were moved by this PHS choral performance
inside a cathedral in Salzburg, Austria.
World Languages teacher Matthew Snyder writes
that he accompanied Pennsbury students on a trip to
Canada in recent weeks. “The trip ran from February
12-16 and we visited Quebec and Montreal,” said
Mr. Snyder. “The students on the trip were French
students from levels 2-AP and in addition to myself,
the chaperones were Paul Devlin, Sarah Timlin,
Assistant Principal Vinny DePaola, and Darcy
Golden. On the trip, we visited the winter festival
known as Carnaval, an authentic sugar shack where
they produce maple syrup, we went dog sledding,
tubing, visited the Montmorency Falls, learned the
history of Quebec and Montreal on guided tours,
saw an improv style comedy show, went shopping
in the underground city of Montreal, and practiced
our French A LOT! It was a great opportunity for
the students to see how by driving a couple of hours
north, they can be in a completely francophone
community. Everyone enjoyed the trip and it
definitely helped create more of a community within
our French department.”
The Technology Student Association Regional
competition was held at Strayer Middle School
in Quakertown, reports Applied Engineering/
Technology Education Curriculum Coordinator,
Matthew Peitzman. Pennsbury results are
highlighted below:
Structural Design & Engineering: 2nd Place:
Kevin Kenny and Erik Crowthers
Flight Endurance: 6th Place - Alyson Farkas;
1st Place - Brendan Lam
Digital Video Production: 5th Place – team of
Dawson Musser, Abigail Hartman, Mercedes
Cavallo, Bryan Doane, Connor Healy, and
Arianna Logan.
Future Tech Teacher: 5th Place - Jennifer Boxer
Technology Problem Solving: 4th Place - Abigail
Hartman and Arianna Logan
Robotics: 4th Place - team of Joey Axler, Zarif
Morshed, and Jason Friedman
Safety Illustration: 6th Place - Bryan Doane
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PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • MAR CH 2015
13
S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
Exhibition Problem Solving: 8th Place - team of:
Erik Crowthers, Ed Sirovetz, and Tyler Bardfeld;
6th Place - team of: Dawson Musser, Abigail
Hartman, Mercedes Cavallo, Bryan Doane,
Connor Healy, and Arianna Logan
Children’s Stories: 8th Place - team of: Dawson
Musser, Abigail Hartman, Mercedes Cavallo,
Bryan Doane, Connor Healy, and Arianna Logan
Mr. Peitzman added: “Teachers Chris Anderson,
Jess Perfetto and Rick Stellwagen gave up much of
their time to help these students succeed. They also
deserve many congratulations as well.”
PHS Assistant Principal Vincent DePaola (center) and his
family selected bowls for their soup dinners at the Empty Bowls
fundraising event organized by Art and F&CS teachers.
Commendable
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ARI BORTMAN EARNS A PERFECT
SCORE ON AP SPANISH EXAM
Members of the PHS chapter of the Technology Student Association
gathered for this group photo during a regional competition.
Last month, Pennsbury High School’s Art
Department and Family & Consumer Sciences
Department co-hosted an Empty Bowls fundraising
event as part of a national initiative to eliminate
hunger in the U.S. The public was invited to attend.
PHS Art students and local professional artists
supplied hand-made, food-safe, ceramic bowls
for purchase. The Family & Consumer Sciences
Department provided fresh soups to fill the bowls.
Donated artwork was also on display and available
for purchase. Guests bought and ate from the bowls,
for a donation of $10-$15, as a reminder of those who
are hungry. Proceeds were donated to a food pantry
in Fairless Hills.
14
Please join in congratulating PHS senior, Ari
Bortman, who performed so well on his AP Spanish
Language and Culture exam that he joined a select
category of students. Ari not only received the top
score of 5 on this AP exam, but he was also one of
just 91 students in the world to earn every point
possible on the test, answering each multiple-choice
question correctly and earning full points on the
free-response section of the exam. “This outstanding
accomplishment is likely a direct reflection of the
top quality education being offered at Pennsbury
High School,” stated the College Board in its
announcement letter to the PHS Principals. The
letter continued: “We applaud Ari for his hours of
hard work and also his AP teacher for the ability
to engage students and enable them to excel in
college-level courses.” PHS Principal Lisa Becker
recognized PHS Spanish teacher, Harry Padilla, in
sharing this exciting news about Ari. Kudos to all!
MAR CH 2015 • PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA
www.pennsburysd.org
S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
PENNSBURY STUDENTS SHINE AT
MATHCOUNTS COMPETITION
We have exciting news from Mathematics
Curriculum Coordinator, Debra Garonski: “A
total of 29 students from the three middle schools
participated in the Bucks County Competition of
MATHCOUNTS on Saturday, February 14th, at
William Tennant High School. Highlights included:
•Three students placed individually:
Andy Delworth- Grade 8 - Charles Boehm - #6
Ellen Zhang - Grade 6 - Charles Boehm - #7
Robbie Oleynick - Grade 7 – Pennwood - #11
•Charles Boehm’s team, consisting of Andy
Delworth (8), Pranav Chivukula (8), Sutirth
Mannikeri (7), and Diya Cherian (7), and coached
by Emily Coffey and Olivia Legg, placed third in
Bucks County!
•Pennwood’s team, consisting of Will Bednarz
(8), Brandon Ferraro (8), Miles Borowsky (8) and
Devisree Tallapaneni (7), and coached by Jackie
Gallelli and Aubrey Ferraro, placed fourth in
Bucks. Congratulations to all!
BCTHS HONORS PENNSBURY’S OWN
We wish to congratulate the
following students, who were named
Student of the Month in February by
the administrators and teachers at
Bucks County Technical High School:
Autumn Antoniewicz, Alex Gardner,
Allison Rago, and Andrew Volpe.
STEPHANIE OWENS WINS PRESIDENT’S
VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD
The 2015 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards,
sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership
with the National Association of Secondary School
Principals, recognizes middle level and high school
students across America for outstanding volunteer
service. Congratulations go to PHS student
www.pennsburysd.org
Stephanie Owens, who qualified for the President’s
Volunteer Service Award, which is granted by this
awards program on behalf of President Barack
Obama. The prestigious honor recognizes Americans
of all ages who have volunteered significant
amounts of their time to serve their communities
and their country. Well done, Stephanie!
ALEXA COHEN EARNS CERTIFICATE OF
EXCELLENCE FOR SERVICE
PHS student Alexa Cohen was conferred a
Certificate of Excellence by judges selecting winners
for the 2015 Prudential Spirit of Community
Awards, signifying that Alexa was among the top
10 percent of all applicants from Pennsylvania this
year. The judges noted that Alexa’s “volunteer
activities stood out as an impressive example
of what young people can do to improve their
communities.” In addition, Alexa qualified for
the President’s Volunteer Service Award in light
of her extensive volunteerism in our community.
Congratulations, Alexa!
PENNSBURY STUDENTS WIN AWARDS
IN VETERANS’ COMPETITIONS
Congratulations to the following Pennsbury
students, who were honored recently by the
veterans and Ladies Auxiliary of the Yardley VFW
Post 6393 for their prize-winning essays and audio
recordings. Earning second place in the District
8 category of the Patriots Pen Essay Competition
was Ryan Ward, a sixth grader at Pennwood
Middle School. Taking second place in the Voice
of Democracy Audio Essay Competition was Omni
White, a senior at Pennsbury High School, and
winning third place in the audio essay category was
Stephanie Woloshin, also a senior. These students
submitted recordings or essays on the theme, “Why
veterans are important to our nation’s history and
future.” All three were recognized at a special
dinner held last month in Yardley.
PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA • MAR CH 2015
15
S uperintendent ’ s R eport • KEVIN J. McHUGH, Ed.D.
FRANCESCA HOLM HONORED BY
VETERANS GROUP
Upcoming MEETINGS
Afton Elementary Principal Joseph Masgai is
pleased to share news of the “great recognition and
award that was bestowed upon Fran Holm, a second
grade teacher at Afton.” Mr. Masgai continued:
“I had the pleasure to join Fran at a recent award
banquet sponsored by the Yardley VFW Post 6393.
Along with student essay winners, a teacher was
recognized for the first time for demonstrating
service and appreciation to veterans. Fran Holm
earned this distinction and brought this honor to
Afton and Pennsbury!”
7:00 p.m., March 16, 2015
Afton Elementary School
Ms. Holm was chosen as a result of a nomination
submitted by an Afton parent, Amanda Sciortino,
whose essay focused on the multiple years Ms. Holm
has spearheaded a student letter campaign to veterans
in VA hospitals to express gratitude for their service
to our country. In addition, Ms. Sciortino’s essay
spotlighted last year’s visit by 94-year-old World War
II veteran, Mr. Joe Finn, to Afton. “At the banquet,
everyone was very impressed and touched by Ms.
Holm’s work and she was commended by all the
veterans present. I am very proud of the recognition
she has earned,” said Mr. Masgai.
“This is the first year our Post has recognized a
local teacher,” said Russ Davidson, Commander VSO
of VFW Post 6393. “The idea came to us through
our committee discussions about the VFW National
Teacher of the Year contest. We currently make
nominations to the District, State, and National levels
for teacher awards. We decided to further this effort
and recognize a local teacher who has had a direct
impact on our Post, its members, and our community.
Ms. Francesca Holm was selected because she enacted
a learning process that became part of her classroom
students’ behavior and value system. The teaching
practices of Ms. Holm extend to her students the
bonds, practices, and principles of Americanism.
These practices are what the VFW aspires toward,
and…we are forever both proud and grateful.”
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Board Budget Hearing
Board Education Committee
8:30 a.m., March 27, 2015
Superintendent’s Conference Room
Board Budget Committee
5:30 p.m., April 9, 2015
Superintendent’s Conference Room
Board Agenda Meeting
8:00 p.m., April 9, 2015
Fallsington Elementary School
Board Facilities Committee
5:30 p.m., April 16, 2015
Superintendent’s Conference Room
Regular Board Meeting
8:00 p.m., April 16, 2015
Fallsington Elementary School
Board Budget Hearing
7:00 p.m., April 21, 2015
Walt Disney Elemetary School
Board Education Committee
8:30 a.m., April 24, 2015
Superintendent’s Conference Room
BUDGET HEARINGS
Monday, March 16, 7:00 p.m.
Afton Elementary School
Tuesday, April 21, 7:00 p.m.
Walt Disney Elementary School
MAR CH 2015 • PENNSBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT • FALLSINGTON, PA
www.pennsburysd.org