Bethel Park School District

January 2014 Highlights

Please enjoy reading about the outstanding achievements of our students and staff!

Congratulations, Adam Larson!

Bethel Park High School senior Adam Larson received the Best Feature Writing in Pennsylvania Award from the Pennsylvania School Press Association, for his story, “From the Desk of Dr. J: Is There A Crackdown On Social Media?”

Adam is also the Editor-in-Chief of Hawk Eye, the BPHS student on-line newspaper. Earlier this school year he received two Gold, four Silver and three Bronze Writing Awards from the Pennsylvania School Press Association.

83 BPHS DECA Students Qualify For State Conference

Eighty-three Bethel Park High School students finished in Fifth Place or higher at the DECA District Conference, and qualified to compete in the DECA State Conference in Hershey in February. Qualifying for States are: FIRST PLACE • Tarush Bahl • Maura Ellsworth • Alex Reich • Erik Stack • Ana Kopriva • Emily Kukan • Sean McClaine • Caleb Pierson • Sam Polen • Maggie Wolf • T.J. Gallagher • Nick DiCenzo • Kara Cianca • Brittany Porzio • Gary Gerst • Logan Vignovic • Tasha George • Carolyn Vona • Emma Bruno • Justin Nath • Tara Nath

• Amanda Stofesky • Taylor Evans • Kristina Frangione SECOND PLACE • Brandon Drusbasky • Jenny Gavett • Zach Davis • Cassie Brown • Alexis Zuber • Deanna Nagel • Becca Kubiczki • Shane Schreiner • Mike Gronsky • Casey Jo Scanlon • Natalie Lalama • Josh Sosnak • Corey Roach • Casey Schreiner • Dan Breit • Luke Hahey • Jamie Gerst

• Megan Tomasetti • Chad Groves • Spencer Hayes • Riley Frank • Haylee Seeberger

THIRD PLACE • J.D. Measures • Alanna Lizun • Cassidy DeLeo • Lexi Stevenson • Christian Lach • Will Dunn • Noah Friday • Danny

Christenson • Kaylee Gordon • Mia Johnson • Courtlynn Tarr • Lauren Michell • Rachel

Kimberland

• Miles Turner • Brendan Murray • Alex Yorkey FOURTH PLACE • Sean Davis • Corinne Swogger • Paige Williams • Noah Blanc • Travis Glaser • Emily Dalton • Anthony Bomar • Jake Seavy

FIFTH PLACE • Nick Marsteller • Paige Swindell • Nick Gelosh • Madison Zaremski • Natalie Coccagno • Josh Krafczynski • Jake Wengryn

• Aaron Modrak • Gabe Gentile DECA QUIZ BOWL • Michaela Yonto • Tyler Smith • Madee Stewart • Rachel Kennedy

Rotary Names Brock Zekany and Chelsea Conway Students Of The Month

BPHS senior Brock Zekany was named the November Student of the Month and BPHS senior Chelsea Conway was named the December Student of the Month by the Rotary Club of Bethel Park. Each month the Club recognizes a BPHS student for outstanding commitment to school and/or community service.

Katerina Kimes Selected For PMEA Honors Jazz Band

Bethel Park High School senior Katerina Kimes was selected to play the trombone in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s Honors Jazz Band Concert, which was held in November at Pine Richland High School.

Nine BPHS Musicians Selected For District Band

Nine Bethel Park High School musicians will participate in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s District Band Concert, to be held on February 7 at Charleroi High School.

• Tori Chorey – Clarinet

• Josh Como – Baritone Saxophone

• Emma Davin – Clarinet

• Molly Gorges -- Oboe

• Phoebe Gorges – French Horn

• Corey Kroboth – Clarinet

• Matea Pranjic -- Bass Clarinet

• Mary Hannah Swaney – Flute

• Joe Wasko -- Tuba

Ten BPHS Musicians Selected For District Orchestra

Ten Bethel Park High School musicians participated in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s District Orchestra Concert, which was held this year at Bethel Park High School.

• Joe Beaver -- Trumpet • Eiren Burkhart -- Viola • Michelle Duke -- Bass • Katerina Kimes -- Trombone • Jelena Mrvos -- Violin • Samantha Smith -- Violin • Mary Hannah Swaney -- Flute • David Uhlmann -- Percussion • Jonathan Unger -- Viola • Joe Wasko -- Tuba

Sixteen BPHS Vocalists Performed In District Chorus

Sixteen Bethel Park High School Vocalists performed in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s District Chorus Concert, which was held in January at Shaler High School.

• Josh Como -- Bass 1 • Marie Dykstra – Soprano 2 • Drew Gaffron – Tenor 2 • Phoebe Gorges – Alto 2 • Anna Henkels – Soprano 1 • Michael Krut – Bass 1 • Zach Laufer – Bass 2 • Shannon Mueser – Alto 2 • Ben Muscato – Bass 1 • Nick Pilotta – Tenor 2 • Patrick Raymond – Tenor 1 • Joe Serafini – Tenor 1 • Dan Spanner – Tenor 1 • Matt Tarbert – Bass 2 • Abi Thompson – Alto 1 • Rachel Unger – Soprano 1

Twelve BPHS Vocalists To Perform In Region Chorus

Twelve Bethel Park High School Students will perform in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s Region Chorus Concert, which will be held on February 14 at Blackhawk High School.

• Josh Como – Bass 1 • Marie Dykstra – Soprano 2 • Phoebe Gorges – Alto 2 • Anna Henkels – Soprano 1 • Michael Krut – Bass 1 • Zach Laufer – Bass 2 • Shannon Mueser – Alto 2 • Patrick Raymond – Tenor 1 • Joe Serafini – Tenor 1 • Dan Spanner – Tenor 1 • Matt Tarbert – Bass 2 • Rachel Unger – Soprano 1

Three IMS Students Play In Junior High District Band

Three Independence Middle School Students will perform in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Junior High District Band Concert, which will be held February 22 at Moon Middle School.

• Bruce Deal – Tuba

• Kathryn Kimes – Alto Saxophone

• Tyler Petrossi -- Percussion

Four IMS Students Play In Junior High District Orchestra

Four Independence Middle School Students will perform in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Junior High District Orchestra Concert, which will be held April 5 at Chartiers Valley High School.

• Elizabeth Hartnett – Violin

• Will May – Violin

• Preston Smith – Viola

• Jenelle Wu -- Violin

Independence Middle School Honored By JDRF

Independence Middle School was invited to attend the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s 2014 Awards Celebration, as one of the top five fundraising schools for JDRF.

For the past two years, the Diabetes Support Group at IMS has hosted a Walk for JDRF on the BPHS Track, where students solicit pledges to participate.

The 2013 Walk raised $5,000 for JDRF.

IMS Nurse Lori Kelley coordinates the Diabetes Support Group at IMS.

NAMS Students Win Gingerbread House Contest

Neil Armstrong Middle School students in the Social Skills Group worked together to create a gingerbread house that they entered in the PPG Place Gingerbread Contest.

The theme of their house is “Christmas at NASA” and the students worked in small groups and used their talents to create this beautiful work of art that was on display at PPG Place this past holiday season.

Their house earned First Place in the Middle School category!

Zachary Simmons Wins Holiday Card Decorating Contest

Franklin Fourth Grader Zachary Simmons earned First Place in the Franklin PTO Holiday Card decorating contest. Zachary’s design was also chosen by the School District for use on its e-Holiday Card.

Fourth Grader Megan Harrie’s card design was judged Second Place and Fourth Grader Eli Straub’s card design earned Third Place.

The PTO gave all three students a Michael’s gift card for doing a great job.

The designs were put on cards and sold as a PTO Fundraiser.

Reading Zombies Win Penn Fourth Grade Battle

Of The Books

The Reading Zombies—Joelle Sprandle, Madilyn Walters, Madison Thiele, Nick Carbone and Dylan Wentz—won this year’s William Penn Fourth Grade Battle of the Books.

Students were required to read five books in preparation for the competition and be prepared to work together to answer a series of questions about all five books. Tying for Second Place were the Reading Rebels—Luke Lawton, Lily Parker, Liam Hefferan and Isabel Burke—and the Radical Readers— Alex Markunas, Max Radcliffe, Megan Cunningham and Sara Ackerman.

Memorial Third Graders Make Busy Bags For

Ronald McDonald House

The students in all three Memorial Elementary School Third Grade Classrooms decorated gift bags in a variety of holiday and cartoon themes, and filled the bags with games, toys and puzzles, which were donated to the Ronald McDonald House. These bags gave patients and siblings of patients at Children’s Hospital, who are staying with their families at the Ronald McDonald House, something to do during the holiday season. Memorial teachers also purchased needed items for the House.

Thank You, Rotary Club of Bethel Park!

Every year the Rotary Club of Bethel Park generously donates a copy of Webster’s Dictionary to every Bethel Park Third Grade Student. The dictionaries are the students’ personal copies to keep and will come in handy as they begin studying for the Second Annual Bethel Park Third Grade Spelling Bee, which will be held on Thursday, February 13 at 6:30 PM in the Independence Middle School Auditorium. Thank you, Rotarians, for also sponsoring the Spelling Bee!

New Furniture Arrives At NAMS

Throughout the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the custodial staff at Neil Armstrong Middle School completed the removal of old furniture at the school, and cleaned classrooms in anticipation of the delivery of 298 student desks, 781 student chairs and 40 teacher desks. The District was able to recycle more than four dumpsters full of metal furniture. Thank you, NAMS Custodial Staff for your hard work!

District Receives $42,228 Grant from State

The Bethel Park School District was one of 81 Pennsylvania School Districts to receive a grant from the State to help offset the District’s cost for a School Resource Officer. The District received $42,228 this year and is eligible to receive another $21,114 in 2015. The successful grant proposal was written by Director of Special Services Lori Sutton and Director of Secondary Curriculum Janet O’Rourke, with assistance from School Police Officer Jim Modrak and School Resource Officer Scott Zinsmeister.

Pre-Register Your Child For Kindergarten

Parents whose children will be age five on or before September 1, 2014 are encouraged to Pre-Register their child for Kindergarten by Friday, January 31. Pre-Registration Forms are available in all Bethel Park Elementary Schools or are available on-line at: http://www.bpsd.org/protected/ArticleView.aspx?iid=6G0IPU0&dasi=3IGY. Once parents Pre-Register their child and return the forms, they can pick up a Kindergarten Registration Packet and have the forms completed in time for Kindergarten Registration in March. Kindergarten Registration Forms are also available on-line at: http://www.bpsd.org/KindergartenRegistrationForms.aspx.

The Mission of the Bethel Park School District is to lead an educational partnership with the community, maintaining an environment that challenges all students to reach their potential as lifelong learners and responsible members of

society.

The Bethel Park School

District Where Futures Begin