Bethel Park School DistrictOctober 2019 Highlights

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

Mrs. DeGregorio Earns State-Wide

Recognition

Lincoln Instructional Support Teacher Rose DeGregorio received the Hilda M. Sundermann Award from the PA Chapter of the National State Teachers of the Year in recognition of her positive and nurturing spirit, as well as her love for teaching elementary students.

She was nominated by Franklin Fourth Grade Teacher and 2017 PA Teacher of the Year Finalist K.D. Meucci and presented with her award at a surprise assembly at school.

In addition to the award, she received $500 to use in her classroom. Mrs. DeGregorio is the fourth teacher to receive this award and the first Instructional Support Teacher.

Five BPHS Seniors Recognized By National Merit Scholarship Program

Five Bethel Park High School seniors were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in its 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Xavier Gaefke, Hannah Gold, Brandon Janus, Caleb Shook and Nicholas Walker were named Commended Students. They are among the top 50,000 scorers in the country on the PSAT, but were not among the top 16,000 scorers who were named Semifinalists.

They will receive Letters of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and possibly be eligible for special scholarships that are provided by National Merit corporate and business partners.

35 BPHS Students Named Advanced Placement Scholars

Thirty-five Bethel Park High School students were named Advanced Placement Scholars by the College Board for performing at high levels on the AP Exams which were administered last spring. Approximately 22 percent of the 2.8 million high school students world-wide who took AP Exams in 2019 were able to earn college credit, advanced placement or both for their scores.

NATIONAL AP SCHOLAR (Awarded to students who received an average score of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, with scores of 4 or higher on eight or more exams.)• 2019 Graduate Jerry Varghese (currently attending Purdue University)

AP SCHOLARS WITH DISTINCTION (Awarded to students who received an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, with scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.)• 2019 Graduate Joseph Bilski (Pitt)• 2019 Graduate William Martin-Farmer

(Penn State)• 2019 Graduate Jenna Peretin (Pitt)• 2019 Graduate Cameron Sillman (Baldwin

Wallace)• 2019 Graduate Jerry Varghese (Purdue)• 2019 Graduate Alexa Will (Pitt)• 2098 Graduate Anton Yanovich (George

Washington)

• Senior Xavier Gaefke• Senior Hannah Gold• Senior Molly Hoffman

35 BPHS Students Named Advanced Placement Scholars

AP SCHOLARS WITH HONOR (Awarded to students who received an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, with scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.)

• 2019 Graduate Zachary Janus (California University of PA)

• 2019 Graduate Emma Petrick (Penn State)• Senior Edric Craven• Senior Sarah Long

• 2019 Graduate Eliza Albenze (Penn State University)• 2019 Graduate Elijah Allridge (Penn State University)• 2019 Graduate Natalie Farmerie (University of Pittsburgh)• 2019 Graduate Gavin Heinrichs-Majet (CCAC)• 2019 Graduate Blake McGee (Vassar College)• 2019 Graduate John Skaggs (University of Pittsburgh)• 2019 Graduate Jillian Sullivan (Gannon University)• 2019 Graduate Ryan Tischler (Purdue University)• 2019 Graduate Holly Troesch (Washington and Jefferson)• 2019 Graduate Aidan Walsh (University of Pittsburgh)

• 2019 Graduate Kobe Coleman (Allegheny College)• 2019 Graduate Will Coplan (Cal-Polytechnic)• 2019 Graduate Regan Gray (Ohio University)• 2019 Graduate Patra Hsu (Boston University)

AP SCHOLARS (Awarded to students who received scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.)

• Senior Alexander Brownfield

• Senior Adam Collier• Senior Sebastian

DiPrampero• Senior Brian Einhaus• Senior Caleb Shook• Senior Anthony Will• Senior Lily Wilson

Bethel Park High School offers 19 Advanced Placement Courses.

Congratulations, Becky Mack!

Bethel Park High School sophomore Becky Mack was recognized for her excellent writing for the 2019 Literary Festival’s Essay Contest, sponsored by the Western Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English.

She received a certificate and a book for her 500 word reflective essay to the prompt, “There’s no place like home,” as it applies to author Jack Gantos’ experience of home as he communicates it in his books.

Becky was presented her award at the WPCTE’s annual luncheon, which was held in September at Seton LaSalle High School. She was one of two students to receive recognition at this event.

Brianna Riether Named October Rotary Student Of The Month

BPHS senior Brianna Riether was named the October Student of the Month by the Rotary Club of Bethel Park for her involvement at school, which includes serving as Student Government Vice President and Chairing the Homecoming Dance Committee for the past two school years. Additionally, Brianna earned her Girl Scout Silver Award and is working on her Gold Award.

Three Students Selected For Honors Orchestra

Three Bethel Park High School musicians successfully auditioned and were selected to play in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s Honors Orchestra Concert, which will be held on Sunday, November 17 at Fox Chapel High School.

• Grace Gealey (viola)• Bill Kumer (cello)• Samantha Wolf (violin)

Symphonic Band Selected To Perform At PMEA State Conference

The Bethel Park High School Symphonic Band was selected to perform at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s State Conference on Friday, April 24 at 12:30 PM at the Kalahari Resort in the Poconos.

Over 130 music ensembles state-wide applied for selection.

Congratulations on this great honor!

IMS Inventors Club Continues Their Study Of Flight

The 20 students who participate in the Independence Middle School Inventors Club are continuing their study of flight this year, by making a bushwhacker airplane that can land in rough terrain, and flying a high-performance plane that can perform aerobatic maneuvers.

The students will also be partnering with the Pittsburgh Soaring Club to learn about gliders.

FCCLA Students Make Positivity RocksThe students in the Independence Middle School Family Career and Community Leaders of America Club (FCCLA) made Positivity Rocks out of Model Magic clay and decorated them with positive words and encouraging messages to spread kindness throughout the school.

The students gave the rocks to every IMS staff member to be placed in every classroom so students can find them whenever they need a positive message boost. Some of the encouraging messages include “Smile,” “Be Unique,” “Spread Kindness,” and Don’t Stress.”

NAMS Partners With Shade Tree Commission To

Plant 20 Trees At Their School

Neil Armstrong Middle School students learned the importance of a world with trees in it, thanks to a partnership with the Bethel Park Shade Tree Commission, which had the students planting 20 October Glory Red Maple Trees in front of their school.

The students enlarged the pre-dug holes, planted the trees, backfilled, mulched and watered the trees. We can’t wait to watch them grow!

Sixth Graders Are Using New Robots

Neil Armstrong Middle School sixth graders are having fun learning with the new Lego EV3 Mindstorm Robots that were purchased for their Technology Education Class.

Students are working together to build and program the robots to perform a series of tasks. This class helps them to develop essential skills such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication.

Thank You, Rotary Club Of Bethel

Park!

The Rotary Club of Bethel Park recently visited all Bethel Park elementary schools to deliver copies of A Student’s Dictionary to all Bethel Park Third Grade Students.

The dictionaries are the students’ personal copies to keep and use throughout their school careers. The books will come in handy as the students begin to prepare for the annual Rotary Third Grade Spelling Bee, which will be held on May 14 at Neil Armstrong Middle School.

‘Digging Deeper’ Is the Vision Themefor 2019-2020

Digging Deeper for Student Achievement is the Bethel Park School District’s Vision Theme for the 2019-2020 school year with a focus on four areas:1. Project-Based

Learning2. Student Supports3. Reflecting Teaching4. Family EngagementEach school has been asked to develop SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely) goals for their building.

Nominate Deserving BPHS Alumni for the 2020 Great Alumni Hall of Fame

Bethel Park High School is accepting nominations for the 2020 BPHS Great Alumni Hall of Fame. This is the seventh year for this program which honors Bethel Park alumni who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments either personally or professionally after graduating from Bethel Park High School.

If you know alumni who have significantly improved the lives of others, contributed significant volunteer or community service, or achieved significant advancement in their professional field, please consider nominating them for this award. Nomination forms are available at https://www.bpsd.org/Downloads/2020NominationForm.pdf.

The deadline to submit nominations is Thursday, October 31, 2019. The Class of 2020 will be honored on January 31, 2020. Please note, this Hall is separate from the Athletic Hall of Fame.

BPHS To Stage “Fireworks On The 4th” November 7-9

Bethel Park High School will stage “Fireworks on the 4th,” Thursday through Saturday, November 7-9 at 7:30 in the BPHS auditorium.

The show is written by its Director, Bethel Park High School English Teacher Cortney Falce Williams and is a comedy about a small town that pulls out all the stops to keep its residents from patronizing their rival town’s parade.

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door on performance evenings or in the BPHS Lobby• October 31 and November 1 – 8-10:30 AM• November 4 – 8-11 AMBreak a leg, cast and crew!

SPECIAL NIGHTSThursday, November 7 –Scout Night and Senior Citizen NightFriday, November 8 –Veterans and Active Service Member NightSaturday, November 9 –First Responder Night

Veterans And Active Service Members Invited To A Pancakes And Sausage Breakfast

Independence Middle School Student Council Students and the students in the Bring A Smile To The Service group invite all area Veterans and Active Service Members to enjoy a Pancakes and Sausage Breakfast on Friday, November 8 from 9 to 11 AM in the IMS Library Commons.

If you are a Veteran or Active Service Member (or know someone who is!) please contact Student Council Sponsor Jennifer Makel at 724-344-3977 or makel.Jennifer@bphawks.org with your name and address, so the students can extend a personal invitation to you.

The students look forward to thanking you for your service!

Join Us For Electrify Your Strings 2020!

Bethel Park High School and Independence Middle School String Musicians will perform Electrify Your Strings on Friday, November 22 at 7 PM in the BPHS Auditorium. Tickets are $5 in advance and $8 at the door.

Led by former Trans Siberian Orchestra musician Haydn Vitera, the students will perform classic rock tunes such as “Stairway to Heaven” and “Carry On Wayward Son” on traditional and electric string instruments.

Don’t miss this rocking evening of music!

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