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Monthly Digital School District Newsletter May/June 2013

Upper St. Clair SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Upper St. Clair School District has been selected as a first place winner in the 19th annual Magna Awards program sponsored by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) American School Board Journal (ASBJ).

The School District is being honored in the under 5,000 enrollment category for its Student Leadership Academy which helps students understand how they can change the world through their leadership. The academy de-velops the leadership skills of students in grades four through twelve. Each student develops a personal lead-ership plan and writes goals. High school students also create an organizational plan, which identifies a glob-ally focused, service-oriented project. Academy students have shown marked improvement in personal goal at-tainment and leadership development and an increased sense of responsibility to the global society.

The Magna Awards recognize districts across the coun-try for outstanding programs that advance student learning and encourage community involvement in schools. Upper St. Clair was one of fifteen schools to receive a first place award this year. ASBJ initiated the Magna Awards in 1995 to recognize school boards for taking bold and innovative steps to improve their educational programs. An indepen-dent panel of school board members, administrators, and other educators selected the winners from nearly 300 submissions.

“I commend Assistant Superintendent Dr. Sharon Suritsky and Mr. Lou Angelo, High School Associate Principal, who initially developed the Student Leader-ship Program, as well as all of our leaders and trainers of the High School, Middle School and Elementary School Leadership Programs,” stated Dr. Patrick T. O’Toole, Superintendent of Schools.

“The Magna Awards showcase the great work going on in local school districts across the country to increase student achievement and success,” said Thomas J. Gentzel, Executive Director of NSBA. “This year’s Magna Awards recipients are national models from which school leaders can learn.”

Upper St. Clair’s Magna Award was highlighted in a special section of the May issue of ASBJ and was for-mally recognized at the Best Practices for School Leaders Luncheon at NSBA’s Annual Conference in April.

School District Receives Magna Award for Student Leadership Academy

Mr. Lou Angelo, High School Associate Principal, Dr. Sharon Suritsky, Assistant Superintendent, and Dr. Patrick O’Toole,

Superintendent of Schools, proudly display the Magna Award.

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As we wind down the current school year and prepare for our upcoming 2013-14 school year, I have much infor-mation to share with you about exciting events that have occurred. I hope that our students and their families have had a productive school year and wish everyone a safe and fun summer vacation.

As you read through the information below, click on the

links provided for expanded information on each topic.

High School Students Inducted into National Honor Society— The Induction Ceremony of the National Honor Society, Upper St. Clair Chapter, was held on Tuesday, April 30, where 149 students were inducted. The National Honor Society is the nation’s premier organization estab-lished to recognize outstanding high school students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Character. Congratulations to all of our inductees into the National Honor Society for 2013.

Connection Link: http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/Page/6410

USC High School Ranked as One of America’s Best High Schools by Newsweek— Newsweek and The Daily Beast analyzed data from thousands of high schools to find the country’s high schools that best prepare students for college. Upper St. Clair High School was given the ranking of 189 out of 2,000.

I congratulate our students for their outstanding per-

formance. Once again, our ranking demonstrates the USC community’s commitment to delivering excellence in education.

Connection Link: http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/Page/6411

Boyce Students Present The Innovative Customized Classroom— Boyce Middle School students Mary Groninger and Ben Nelson, along with their teachers, Mrs. Kristin Cilli and Mr. Matt Henderson, presented at the Creativity and Innovation Fair of the Forum for Western Pennsylvania School Superintendents on Wednesday, May 1.

During their presentation entitled, “The Innovative

Customized Classroom: 21st Century Learning,” the group shared an instructional delivery model that can be replicated, which uses both practical and innovative ways in which 21st century skills can be implemented into ev-eryday instruction and ways that technology can be used to facilitate and customize learning. They also explained how the student-centered learning environment highly

engages learners and has the potential to improve student achievement.

Thanks Mary and Ben for

a job well done! Connection Link: http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/Page/6447

Commencement Address at Clarion University— I was very fortunate to have been chosen to deliver the

Commencement Address to Clarion University graduates on Saturday, May 18. In my address, “Leadership, Learn-ing, and Opportunity,” I encouraged graduates to seek the opportunities that come through personal leadership and learning, as evidenced through my own career.

I graduated from Clarion University in 1979 where my

family has an extensive history, dating back to my grand-mother. My grandmother (Mary Schierberl 1909), parents (the late Michael J. ’51 and Mary C. O’Toole ’48) and two siblings (Michael J. O’Toole, Jr. ’76 and Erin M. Brannon ’86) are Clarion alumni.

The following link will take you to an article from Clarion University’s website entitled, “Alumnus, 2012 Superintendent of the Year is Clarion commencement speaker.” http://www.clarion.edu/405333/

Connection Link: http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/Page/6448

Student Board Representative Megan Adamo Recognized by School Board— At its meeting on May 28, the Board of School Directors recognized High School senior Megan Adamo for serving as the Student Board Representative for the 2012-13 school year. Megan was chosen to serve in this role because she exhibited per-sonal integrity and a willingness to assume the responsi-bility as a representative of the entire student body.

Megan did an exemplary job while she served in her role as Student School Board Representative. In addi-tion to serving in this very important position, Megan is a member of the National Honor Society and will be attend-ing Amherst College in the fall. She is a volunteer for many activities and events, including the Invisible Children Club which raises awareness and funds for Sudanese refu-gees. Megan is also an accomplished tennis player and received the Middle States Sportsmanship Award.

Connection Link: http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/Page/6452

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Retirees Recognized by Board of School Directors— The following six professional staff members were recognized by the Board of School Directors at their meeting on May 28.Robin Forgerson-Pleta, Eisenhower Resource TeacherAnna Marie Glowaski, Boyce Art TeacherRobin Shoup, Fort Couch LibrarianBarbara Starr, Streams Elementary TeacherKimberly Watt, High School Mathematics TeacherPatricia Zapp, High School Resource Teacher

Connection Link: http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/Page/6451 At their June 10 meeting, the Board of School Direc-

tors recognized the following staff members:Karen Brown, Boyce PrincipalPaul Fox, Curriculum Leader Fine & Performing Arts/ Music TeacherMaryann Kress, Eisenhower Technical Instructional AideGail O’Hara, Boyce/Baker School NurseBarbara Peresie, Library Department Chair/Eisenhower LibrarianHedy Pitcairn, Boyce Head SecretaryNeelaveni Sankar, Eisenhower Elementary TeacherMichele Scureman, Curriculum Leader Fine & Performing Arts/Eisenhower Art TeacherBarbara Williams, Curriculum Leader Elementary Science/Baker Elementary TeacherSusan Bosco, Central Office Confidential Secretary (Pupil Personnel)Eileen Dobbins, Fort Couch Teacher AideSondra Fetter, Boyce Teacher AideDara Georges, Central Office Accountant (Payroll)Anne Johnston, Streams Special Education TeacherElizabeth Williard, High School Teacher Aide

Connection Link: http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/Page/6465 And finally, the Board of School Directors recognized the

following staff members at their meeting on June 18:Carolyn Idler, Baker Physical Education TeacherZoltan Toth, Fort Couch Guidance Counselor

Connection Link: http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/Page/6482 I thank each of our retirees for their many years of ded-

ication and service to the School District and the students and wish them well in their retirement.

Summer STEM Academy Offered to Students Enter-ing Grades 9 through 12— During the week of June 24, the high school will be offering their second Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Acad-emy when they offer “Does Energy Matter?” to students entering grades 9-12 next school year. Students select from one of the areas of focus in this hands-on program,

including Biology, Chemistry, Engineering and Robotics. Participation in the Robotics or Engineering focus can be counted toward the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program technology elective requirement. Last year’s STEM Academy “Panic at the Point!” consisted of a workshop that simulated an explosive attack at Point State Park on fireworks night. I offer special thanks to Dr. Michael Ghilani, High School Principal, for his leader-ship of this summer offering for our students.

Summer Student Leadership Academies Continue— Summer Student Leadership Academies will again be of-fered to our students entering grades 4-12. These one-week summer workshops offer students exposure to leadership concepts and practices. Students identify their leadership strengths and learn how these skills can be used to make them successful in all stages of life.

The Student Leadership Academy began in the sum-

mer of 2010 with twenty students entering grades 9-12. In 2011, the Student Leadership Academies were expanded to students entering grades 4-8, and nearly 300 students from grades 4-12 participated in the summer of 2012.

The Upper St. Clair School District was selected as a

first place winner in the 19th Annual Magna Awards Pro-gram sponsored by the National School Boards Associa-tion’s (NSBA) American School Board Journal (ASBJ). I commend Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Sharon Suritsky, and Mr. Lou Angelo, High School Associate Principal, who initially developed the Student Leadership Program, as well as all of our leaders and trainers of the High School, Middle School and Elementary School Leadership Pro-grams. Please be sure to read the cover page article of this month’s issue of e-BLAST entitled, “School District Receives Magna Award from National School Boards As-sociation for Student Leadership Academy.”

Connection Link: http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/Page/6454

Congratulations to Amy Pfender, New Boyce Middle School Principal for Upcoming School Year— Please join me in congratulating Mrs. Amy Pfender for being pro-moted to Boyce Middle School Principal effective July 1. Mrs. Pfender is currently the Middle School Assistant Principal (Grades 5-8) and was appointed to that posi-tion in March, 2012. Her employment with the School District began in August, 2005, when she was elected as a Special Education Teacher at Boyce Middle School. She assumed the position of Elementary Special Educa-tion Department Chairperson in the 2009-10 school year followed by her election as Special Education Curriculum Leader in the 2010-11 school year. Mrs. Pfender is very prepared to lead our outstanding middle school.

Connection Link: http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/Page/6449

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High School Annual Awards Program— The Annual High School Awards Program was held on May 21 where students were recognized for receiving awards and schol-arships. Photographs were taken of the student awardees along with the presenter of the award. Watch for a posting on our District’s website homepage later this summer that will include more information about the Awards Program and the photographs taken so that we can further recog-nize our students for their accomplishments.

Beginning of Year Information for 2013-14— Please note that the first student day for the 2013-14 school year is on Monday, August 26. The Adopted 2013-14 School Calendar is on the District’s website homepage at http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/cms/lib02/PA01000033/Centric-ity/Domain/1/2013-14SchoolCalendar.pdf

Reminder to Register and/or Update Your Subscrip-tions for eAlerts— I encourage you to continue to visit the District’s website for up-to-date information and to register and/or update your subscriptions for eAlerts in order to receive email notifications from the District when important news items are posted on our website. Re-member that if your child moves to a new school build-ing or changes teachers, your eAlert subscriptions should be updated so that you receive the appropriate eAlerts for your child. Please note that once you’ve registered, you will only have to update your subscriptions in coming years.

“Back to School Online” and Beginning of 2013-14 School Year Mailings— A mailing will be sent home at the beginning of August that will include this year’s In-fosnap “Snapcode,” student schedules, and class place-ments for each of our students. Information regarding bus routes and bus stops will be mailed home on a postcard by August 20.

Big Changes Ahead for USCSD Student Directory— The USCSD Student Directory, which has been of great benefit to our community for several years in a print ver-sion, is transitioning to a new user-friendly smartphone/mobile device app and web-based directory. The app in-cludes GPS driving directions and the ability to filter stu-dents by class, as well as the capability to email, text or call parents directly from the app. The PTAs and PTSO will offer meetings in the fall to demonstrate the app. I of-fer my special thanks and appreciation to our PTAs/PTSO for transitioning to this electronic means for our USCSD Student Directory.

Kim Anderson -“Teammate Spotlight”

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Please join me in recognizing Kim Anderson for being chosen as our “Teammate Spotlight” for May/June. Kim has worked in the High School Nutrition Center since 2005. She works part-time as a School District nutrition center worker and part-time for Aramark in the High School Nutrition Center office doing accounting. When you talk to Kim, you realize how much she enjoys the students and working in the nu-trition center. She commented, “I enjoy work-ing here so much and the kids are awesome!” Whenever I visit the nutrition center, I can al-ways be assured that Kim will be at the cash register to greet me with a smile! Kim lives in Upper St. Clair with her husband, Andy, of thirty years. She has four children (Brian, age 27; Maureen, age 25; Elise, age 22; and Joe, age 19). Kim’s career working in the nutrition center and her duties as wife and mother are her main focus and what give her the most joy in life.

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NASA “Blasts-Off” with an Inspirational Program at Boyce

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” This quote from astronaut Neil Armstrong has evoked feelings of pride, excitement, and wonder for Americans for over 40 years. There’s a “certain some-thing” when one speaks of space exploration and NASA in particular.

On April 16, to enhance the study of their Space Unit, the students from Boyce Middle School had the oppor-tunity to hear and speak with a NASA official, an astro-naut, and a NASA scientist. Mr. Geoff Yoder presented in the Boyce Theater and discussed his leadership role and the science behind the James Webb Telescope (the successor to the Hubble Telescope) which is scheduled to launch in 2018. An international collaboration be-tween NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the Webb is considered the world’s next-generation space observatory, the most powerful telescope ever built. Mr. Geoff Yoder is serving as the Webb’s Program Director.

Via Skype, the fifth grade students had the opportunity to hear Dr. Eric Smith, the JWST Deputy Program Director and Program Scientist, discuss the telescope’s capabili-ties and NASA’s mission concerning the JWST. The stu-dents were also engaged when they had the opportunity to hear first-hand astronaut experiences by Mr. Leland Melvin and watch a real space shuttle launch, also via Skype. Currently serving as Associate Administrator for Education for NASA, Mr. Melvin was an astronaut who had over 500+ hours in space. His message for the stu-dents was that “you can do and be anything and with a good foundation in math and science, anything is possible.”

The children were prepared by their science teachers prior to the presentation, learning concepts such as ab-solute zero, facts about the JWST, libration points, and Kelvin temperatures. Carly Abraham, a student in fifth grade, stated, “The NASA people seemed like real peo-ple. Working for NASA doesn’t seem impossible for me. Perhaps one day I will be a NASA scientist.”

The event, organized by Boyce teacher Ms. Dawn Yoder, proved to be both educational and inspirational. Mr. Geoff Yoder said of his visit to Boyce, “I was over-whelmed by the attention, curiosity, enthusiasm, and preparedness of the students.” Dr. Smith said, “I was de-lighted to see how many students knew about the Hubble Space Telescope and its discoveries. I know NASA’s fu-ture will be in good hands when people from schools such as Boyce come to work there some day.” Who knows? This program may have created the desire for a student in USC to pursue a career as a NASA scientist, engineer, artist or administrator.

1) Mr. Geoff Yoder spoke about NASA’s Webb Telescope, which, once launched and fully operational, will provide images of the very first galaxies ever formed and will be able to explore planets around distant stars.

2) Britta Wheeler, Amanda McFerran, and Chloe Perkins (left to right) were attentive and showed that they were enjoying the NASA program.

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After significant planning, hard work, and diligence for the past several months, fourth grade Primary Years Program (PYP) students at Streams Elementary School presented “The Inquiry Exhibition” on Friday, May 3.

The PYP exhibition of the International Baccalaureate represents a significant event in the life of a PYP school and student, combining the essential elements of the PYP and sharing them with the whole school community. As a culminating experience, it is an opportunity for students to exhibit the attributes of the student profile that have been developing throughout their years in the program.

Streams students were required to participate in a col-laborative, transdisciplinary inquiry process that involves them in identifying, investigating, and offering solutions to real-life issues or problems. They researched orga-nizations focused on helping others, the environment, and animals, to name a few. They were excited to share their work with their families, peers, and members of the community.

This is an annual event. Next year it will be held on STAR night in the spring as well as the following day for the rest of the school. Family members will be invited to come to either or both exhibits.

“The Inquiry Exhibition” Showcases the Primary Years Program

1) Spencer Allen-Johnson shared his PowerPoint presentation about the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank with Colin McCarthy.

2) Averi Elsbury and Kendall Green listen to Emily Rocco’s presentation about The National Wildlife Federation. As students of all grade levels walked through the exhibition, they had the opportunity to hear presentations and to ask the 4th grade presenters questions. Drew Conwell discusses the Mario Lemieux Foundation with Christopher Blass and Aidan Gaussa (3) and Liam Holleran (4).

5) Peyton Culp informs Jessica Mueller and Elizabeth Delo about the World Wildlife Fund.

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The high school Academic Biology classes of teachers Ms. Monica Erwin and Ms. Laura Carlino participated in the Fairchild Challenge through Phipps Conservatory this year. The Fairchild Challenge fosters interest in the envi-ronment by encouraging students to:

• APPRECIATE the beauty and value of nature,

• DEVELOP critical-thinking skills,• UNDERSTAND the need for biodiversity

and conservation,• TAP community resources,• BECOME actively engaged citizens,• RECOGNIZE that individuals make the

difference.

In 2008, the Phipps Conservatory became a satellite partner for this multidisciplinary, standards-based, environmental education program designed and initiated at the Fairchild Tropical and Botanic Garden in Miami, Florida. The contest encourages high school students to investigate, devise imaginative and effective re-sponses, and take action at many levels on en-vironmental issues through a menu of Challeng-es. Each Challenge option is designed to appeal to a broad range of students with varying inter-ests and abilities by incorporating visual, literary and performing arts, research, and community action.

The following USC students earned special recognitions:• Leah Day placed 3rd for her colored pencil drawing of a flower

and its pollinator.• Jula Herold won 2nd place for the Frisbee logo contest.• Thea Contis received a 3rd place ranking for the Frisbee logo

contest.• Ben Rieker placed 3rd for his movie review of Dirt: The Movie.

In addition to these individual awards, the classes were present-ed with the Fairchild Challenge Award for earning more than 900 points. The science students were also awarded 3rd place overall in the challenge and presented $250 to support an environmental project.

Biology Students Engage in Environmental Projects

Beaming with pride, Leah Day, Thea Contis, Jula Herold, and Ben Rieker (left to right) hold their Fairchild Challenge Award.

Boyce Middle School students Lexi Feldman and Lauren DeShields were awarded the first annual Boyce Green Leadership Award at the school’s Deer Valley assembly on June 7. The students were honored for their leadership throughout the entire year, as well as their passion for promoting positive environmental awareness.

Boyce Students “Turning Green”

Lexi Feldman (left) and Lauren DeShields (right) proudly display their Boyce Green Leadership Awards.

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With submissions from the Painting and Drawing, 3D Art, Ceramics, and IB Visual Arts classes of more than 250 student participants, the Annual Spring Exhibit is a culmination of the entire school year’s worth of art-work. The exhibit epitomizes how each student took an idea and developed and implemented a plan to create a uniquely individual and personally relevant piece of new expression.

Taught by high school art teachers Ms. Robyn Smigel and Ms. Estelle Luck, the following students won special awards and recognitions which were presented by Presi-dent of the Upper St. Clair League for the Arts, Vi Laux:

Best of Show: Acrylic painting by Sydney HellmanHighest Honors - Ceramics: Rebecca Van RyzinHighest Honors - 2-D: Hayden Bernhard and

Meg HaggertyScholarship Winners:

• Anna M. Smith Award: Mary Kate Kauffelt and Hana Hueser

• William R. Shaffalo Award: Mary Kate Kauffelt• League for the Arts Award: Anna Rosati and Mary

Kate Kauffelt

At the evening awards presentation held on Wednes-day, May 29, in the high school LGI, Ms. Smigel reminded the parents that, “Art classes help to develop 21st century learning skills that our students need to be successful in other areas in life, such as creativity, flexibility, problem-solving, divergent thinking, planning, and development. These students’ pieces show just how much effort is put into a successful work of art, and highlights the crafts-manship they have learned throughout their classes.”

She added, “They are always so proud to see their work in the exhibit, and it’s a wonderful way to celebrate the fantastic and diverse artistic talent we have here at USCHS.”

Artists Display Recent Achievements, Awards, and Mastery of 21st Century Learning

1) Announced on May 29, surprised but proud USCHS artists Mary Kate Kauffelt (left) and Hana Hueser won the Anna M. Smith Scholarship, each receiving $841. Vi Laux presented Anna Rosati (2) and Mary Kate Kauffelt (3) each with $500 Upper St. Clair League for the Arts Scholarships.

4) The William R. Shaffalo Award of $537 was given to Mary Kate Kauffelt. Representative winning art included Sydney Hellman’s “Best of Show” painting (5), Hayden Bernhard’s “Highest Honor” pencil drawing (6), Meg Haggerty’s “Highest Honor” cutaway design (7), and Rebecca Van Ryzin’s ceramic bowl (8).

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Twenty-one Boyce students recently won the Creative Communications poetry contest, an annual literary com-petition held for students in grades 4-6 in Pennsylvania. Sponsored by Boyce teacher Ms. Julie Mauder, they are Meghan Baldwin, Angela Belack, Olivia Debski, Lauren DeShields, Trey Getner, Sammy Koller, Jessie Kuhar, Erin Lang, Ethan Mann, Lindsay Moskal, Nick Mudry, Duy Nguyen, Collin Poerstel, Morgan Ragaller, Alec Saluga, Katie Weber, and Jessie Weryha. Two-time published po-ets for this year are Reilly Ford, Abby McCardle, and Cam Scott. Nidhish Yarlagadda, a student of teacher Deborah Spada, entered his winning poem independently. For this distinction, their poems get published in “A Celebration of Poets” hardback book.

The award announcement letter sent to Ms. Mauder provided more detail about the philosophy, criteria, and statistics concerning the contest:

“The fact that you have numerous students accepted makes a strong statement about your school… The list of your students that have been accepted to be published represents a lot of talent, hard work, and dedication… In judging thousands of poems, our judges have found that the single most important factor in creating a qual-ity poem is the quality of the instruction. We have found that schools with excellent language arts programs have a much higher percentage of their students’ writing ac-cepted.” The letter went on to say that fewer than 50% of the poems submitted were selected for publication.

Believe it or not, musician and songwriter Taylor Swift

was a Top Ten Winner in the Creative Communications contest when she was in 5th grade.

Boyce also earned a Creative Communications “Poetic Achievement Award,” the honor given to the top 10% of the schools who entered the contest, and qualify-ing Boyce to apply for one of $250 Language Arts Grants.

Boyce Writers Are Lauded for Outstanding Poetry

1) Will these writers become famous future poets? Boyce students whose works were commended and will be featured in the anthology, “A Celebration of Poets,” include (front row from left to right) Lauren DeShields, Duy Nguyen, Alec Saluga, Sammy Koller, Angela Belack, Jessie Kuhar, Morgan Ragaller, Ethan Mann, and Jessie Weryha; (back row) Olivia Debski (with sponsor Ms. Julie Mauder standing directly behind her), Lindsay Moskal, Reilly Ford, Abby McCardie, Nick Mudry, Trey Getner, Cam Scott, Erin Lang, Katie Weber, and Nidhish Yarlagadda.

2) Thanks to the efforts of Ms. Mauder’s students, Boyce earned a “Writing Achievement Award” certificate now on display in the school’s front trophy case.

Presented to

This award is given to schools whose students’ entriesin the poetry contest were of exceptionally high merit.

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Boyce Middle School

SPRING 2013 CONTEST

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The Upper St. Clair High School video media de-partment attended the 20th Annual TVT (Teacher of Vid-eo and Television) Awards on Tuesday, April 30. Eleven USC students participated in the competition at Robert Morris University. With over 30 schools from western Pennsylvania entering videos in the ceremony, USC won awards in the categories of Commercials, Broadcast News, and Stop Motion/Animation.

TVT is an organization comprised of individuals who share a passion for teaching media. Founded in 1991, the organization now has mem-bers in more than five states. Its goal is to provide a forum where those who teach tele-vision and video at the sec-ondary level can network and

exchange ideas and resources. Organization members also share technical resources, information and expertise.

Congratulations and BRAVOs go to all of the media stu-dent participants and sponsor/teacher Mr. Keith Froelich!

Calling all artists! Seeking a change to its official logo, the Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair (CFUSC) is sponsoring a contest awarding an iPad with retina display or an iPad Mini as the first and second place prizes. This contest is open to all residents of Upper St. Clair; student entries are specifically encouraged.

Organized by residents concerned about the future of USC, the Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair is one of a growing number of municipal foundations across the United States. The CFUSC’s goal is to augment the many advantages to living in Upper St. Clair by providing financial support for special programs and projects that are not funded by tax dollars.

Interested participants for the logo contest must REGISTER by Saturday, June 29, with the deadline of Thursday, July 4, to SUBMIT their design. To enter the contest, go to the Community Foundation of USC website for the contest rules - www.cfusc.org.

High School Media Department “Highlighted” at TVT Ceremony

Community Foundation Announces Logo Contest

1) Celebrating with their awards are (left to right) video/media club members Taylor Johnston, Jared Houy, John Buckholt, Connor Pyles, Sam Connors, Chad Beisner, Ryan Harding, and Lexi Kennell.

2) Two TVT plaques are displayed behind the window of the entrance of the high school media classroom.

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A mock car accident was staged for the students of Upper St. Clair High School on May 20 during lunch mods as a pre-prom activity. Directed by school counselor Dr. Bill Rullo, the event was organized by the Natural Helpers Program, a peer-to-peer support-based program that has been active at the high school for the past 28 years. The Upper St. Clair Township Police, the Upper St. Clair Volunteer Fire Department, and the Tri-Community EMS participated along with several high school students from the theater class to create a “real life” scenario of an alcohol-related crash. The staged car crash was designed to encourage students to think about the decisions and consequences that will help them to make right choices for themselves.

Another wrecked car, an example from a real DUI fatal

accident, was placed in front of the entrance to the high school arts lobby, and remained on the campus during the week of May 20 as an additional reminder for the stu-dents to make good choices for themselves.

Then, on May 21, eighteen Natural Helpers represen-tatives sponsored the “Tolling Bell” activity. According to national statistics, approximately every 22 minutes some-one dies from a “drinking and driving-related accident.” A “tolling bell” sound was substituted for the mod bells ringing every 25 minutes. For each simulation, a desig-nated Natural Helper put on a black t-shirt re-enacting another alcohol-related death, after which “the victim” did not speak for the rest of the school day. A tombstone of the mock deaths was placed on the wall outside the Nutrition Center.

Lastly, the Arrive Alive Tour from UNITE visited Upper St. Clair High School on May 31. Organized by Ms. Kristie Dawson, Ms. Corrin Lowry, and Ms. Sheila Lloyd, the Allegheny County Bar Association brought the Arrive Alive Tour to Upper St. Clair with the hopes of reducing the high number of fatal crashes among teens. UNITE used a high-tech simulator, an impact video, and a number of other resources to educate students about the dangers of drunk driving and texting while driving. The volunteer drivers were allowed to control the gas and brake ped-als along with a 3-D head set in order to experience, in a controlled environment, the potential consequences of alcohol-impaired and distracted driving.

Students Focus on the Consequences and to “Think Before You Drink”

(1) and (2): The remains of a real DUI automobile accident which caused two fatalities were parked in front of the arts entrance to the high school. Mock tombstones (3) and the official Natural Helper t-shirt (4) for the “Tolling Bell” activity were grim reminders of the frequency of alcohol-related deaths, and that students should make careful choices for themselves, especially as prom and graduation party time approach.

(5) Lining up to try the Arrive Alive Tour program, USC student drivers later said they struggled to keep control of their vehicle in a high-tech simulation of driving while distracted or impaired.

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The 2013 Mathematics Council of Western Pennsylvania First Year Algebra /Integrated Math II Contest was held on Saturday, April 13, at Baldwin High School. Open to all students who are currently enrolled in Algebra I or Integrated Math II, the pre-liminary round of the competition consisted of sixty questions to be completed in 90 minutes, and in-cluded student participants from the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence, Washington, Greene, Westmoreland, and Fayette. When the top twenty-five students in Allegheny County were an-nounced, fifteen of them were from Upper St. Clair! Sam Ding, a sixth grader from Boyce Middle School placed first, Raahema Durrani, an eighth grader from Fort Couch Middle School placed second, and Ab-bie Wagner, a seventh grader, also from Fort Couch, placed third. Also included in the Top 25 were the following students: Vashisth Parekh, Spencer Miller, James Khor, Ariana Chiu, Taim Aizooky, Jack de la Parra, Dina Leyzarovich, Amna Amin, Andrew Rocks, Abby Matheny, Vedant Parekh, and Suneel Banerjee.

All twenty-five of these students were eligible to

compete at Derry Area Middle School on Saturday, May 11. This final round consisted of only ten ques-tions, and points were awarded not only for the cor-rect answer, but for showing all the steps leading to the answer. Upper St. Clair is proud to announce

that all of the winners in this final round were from Upper St. Clair! The Helen B. Malter Memorial Prize, a plaque and $100 were awarded to Dina Leyzarovich, a sixth grader from Boyce, who earned first place overall. Eighth grader Raahema Durrani took second place, earning $75. Placing third was sixth grader, Sam Ding, who was awarded $50. The prizes were made possible through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Head Football Coach Mr. Jim Render will be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lou Holtz/Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame at their Annual Induction Event on Monday, June 24.

The Lou Holtz/Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame was estab-lished to showcase individuals and

communities throughout the region stretching from Western Beaver County in Pennsylvania to Wheeling, West Virginia, for their outstanding contributions in commerce, medicine, politics, sports, entertainment and community enrichment.

Congratulations, Coach Render!

Middle School Mathematicians Win Contest

High School Football Coach Jim Render Receives Special Recognition

1) Sam Ding (third place) and Dina Leyzarovich (first place) display their winning Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics math awards.

2) Raahema Durrani earned a second place plaque in the final round of the Algebra/Integrated Math II competition.

Head Football Coach Jim Render has 364 career wins at Upper St. Clair.

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Celebrating the musical achievement of more than 1,700 Upper St. Clair students in grades 4-12, numerous “spring finales” were presented to the public. Providing opportunities for talent exploration, development of self-expression, leadership, self-confidence/poise, and “team-work,” and the “customized learning” of 21st Century skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and communications, all school buildings sched-uled experiences in band, strings, choral, and musicals.

In addition to the more than 50 public events held at all schools this year, the high school Per-forming Arts students also performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, River City Brass Band, Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra, internationally-famous sopra-nist Giorgi Fumanti, in the Cherry Blossom Parade, and at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Con-ception in Washington, D.C. Next year, the high school music department, comprised of the concert and jazz

bands, choirs, strings, and “The Pride of Upper St. Clair” marching band, is planning a trip to Orlando, Florida, to participate in music workshops, adjudications, Disney concerts, and a parade.

Subject to administrative review, the proposed 2013-14 Fine and Performing Arts calendar is post-ed online at http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us/Page/522, and a hard copy listing is available on the first link of http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us//Domain/81.

The “Curtain Closes” on a Busy USC Performing Arts Season!

1) The USCHS Jazz Ensemble, directed by Mr. Frank Eisenreich, played at the Tri-State Superintendent Banquet at the Edgewood Country Club on March 21.

2) The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association All-State Chorus concert on April 20 in Erie had a record-breaking six representative singers from USCHS choirs.

3) With almost no room to spare on the high school stage, Ms. Paula Scandrol directed “hundreds” of elementary string players in their annual concert on May 14.

4) Members of the Men’s Ensemble spontaneously “break out into song” during their choir senior awards banquet at the Crowne Plaza on May 31.

5) High School Orchestra Concertmaster Brenna Presutti and her mother Kaye practice for their performance of the Mozart Violin Concerto in G, the featured solo at the String-a-thon Concert.

6) Under the direction of teacher Mr. Craig Madge, percussion players from the Boyce Band prepare for their spring concert on June 3.

7) Boyce students are coached in new marching skills and songs by music teacher Ms. Jennifer Schetley during the annual Civil War Day festivities held on May 31.

8) Hearing strands of the ever-popular “Pomp and Circumstance” processional, Maestro Don Pickell rehearses one of his bands for the senior graduation ceremony on June 13.

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At Fort Couch Middle School, Teams 2 and 3 Spanish students were given the opportunity to communicate with a pen pal from the third grade attending a private school in Salinas, a coastal town in Asturias, Spain. When Señora Leskovich retired from Baker Elementary School, she transferred the pen pal program to Fort Couch, and Señora Montgomery received it with much enthusiasm.

“The students were so excited to open their letters and presents,” said Señora Montgomery. “They learned so much about the Spanish culture from the letters, postcards, soccer cards, books, and games that they received.”

Fort Couch students wrote correspondence telling their pen pal about life in Pittsburgh. The students sent little gifts with their letters to the Manuel Alvarez Iglesias School in Salinas. A few weeks later, Señora gave every-one their gifts and return letters. The process repeated itself throughout the school year.

This program further reinforces the World Language goal of promoting global learning and cultural awareness. “I think that the pen pal exchange supports the students’ need to be culturally aware,” said one Fort Couch stu-dent. “I now know about student life in Salinas, Spain, and I would like to visit there someday.”

Pen Pals Share USC and Spanish Life Experiences

Fort Couch Spanish students participating as pen pals are (left to right) Emma Bisch, Melanie Mantel, Kate Groninger,

and Jack de la Parra.

Baker Elementary teacher Erik Wiesemann and members of the fourth grade “All Wound Up Yo-Yo Club” raised over $2,000 for Operation Second Chance (OSC)! OSC is an organization that serves wounded and ill combat veterans returning from over-seas. Money was raised by students who contributed $30 each for a seven-week instructional yo-yo club. All Wound Up teamed up with YoYoFactory in Arizona to create custom OSC yo-yos featuring their logo. YoYoFactory generously sold them to All Wound Up at cost and let the club sell them at retail to increase the donation.

Knowing how much the students enjoyed par-ticipating in the All Wound Up Yo Yo Club, Mr. Wiesemann received approval from Superintendent Dr. O’Toole to have yo-yos made with the District ta-gline and to have them placed in a basket which was presented to the homeroom collecting the most dur-ing a food drive. And now, the District tagline yo-yos are being included in the All Wound Up Yo-Yo Club’s fundraising efforts!

Baker’s Fourth Graders Are “All Wound Up”

1) The official Baker elementary yo-yo displays the District’s tagline - Customizing Learning, Nurturing Potential...Delivering Excellence.

2) Fourth grade students are proud members of the All Wound Up Yo-Yo Club.

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In addition, congratulations go to the following Fort Couch students for their participation in PRSEF under the direction of Fort Couch teacher Ms. Connie Gibson: Alex Brufsky, Kevin Chen, Connor Byrnes, Sahil Doshi, Vashisth Parekh, Vedant Parekh, Neale Misquitta, Jr., Pramod Narayanan, Keshav Reddy, and Aditi Chattopadhyay.

Sponsored overall by the Carnegie Science Center, the PRSEF competition is open to all students in grades 6-12 from twenty-three counties in western Pennsylvania and three counties in West Virginia and Garrett County, Maryland. In 2014, the Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair (PRSEF) will celebrate its 75th year of open competition of research projects in the fields of science, mathematics and engineering on March 28 (competition day) and March 29 (awards ceremony) at Heinz Field.

High School and Fort Couch Student Scientists Research and Showcase Winning Projects

Two of the five PRSEF winners from USCHS, Gaurav Bhushan (1) and Dilanka Dharmasena (2), standing with

Superintendent Dr. Patrick O’Toole (left), HS Science Curriculum Leader Ms. Lynn Kistler, and HS Principal Dr.

Michael Ghilani, were presented certificates of achievement during the high school awards ceremony.

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Brinda Doshi Gender Behavior Analysis

Award Type

American Psychological Association

Chatham UniversityClarion UniversityPerseverance Award -

Honorary ScientistWaynesburg University

Affiliate

ScholarshipScholarshipPerseverance

Scholarship

Gaurav Bhushan Surface Tension of Water and Lipid Hydrophobic Behavior

Award Type

Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh

Sponsor

Dilanka Dharmasena Ram Jet Power

Award Type

The Aviation Foundation Sponsor

Eva Roy Epigenetic Difference in Lung Cancers

Award Type

Society for In Vitro Biology Affiliate

Brendan Campbell Focusing Wireless Signals

Award Type

Perseverance Award - Associate Scientist

Perseverance

Several Upper St. Clair High School students attended the Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair (PRSEF) at Heinz Field on April 5-6. Sponsored by Dr. Colin Syme, HS Biology teacher, these USC participants earned numerous award recognitions:

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Solving problems can be fun… or at least that is what teachers think at Boyce Middle School. In April, seventy-one Boyce students signed up to solve a lot of tough problems to prepare for the 2012-2013 Annual Mathematics League (PML) Contest. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Mathematics League, this contest gives young mathematicians thirty tough problems to solve in 30 minutes. Calculators may be used, but the human brain is really a better tool for this type of non-routine problem. For example - the largest perimeter a rectangle made of 100 2x2 squares can have is……?

Participants were provided with as many practice tests

as they requested prior to the test date. On the test date, each participant earned a small prize and a sweet treat, rewards for their efforts. Once the tests were scored, tro-phies, medals, and gift certificates were awarded to the top scorers as they had their fifteen “seconds of fame” on the Boyce Television Network.

Honors were awarded in two categories. Among stu-dents studying fifth grade math the winners were:

• A four-way tie for Third Place: Julia Brubach, AJ Daley, Basir Khan and Lily Shi

• Second Place: Nick Kalra • First Place: Aleksa Rodic

From the students studying sixth grade math, the winners were:

• Third Place: Avaneesh Rade• Second Place: Chand Vadalia • A two-way tie for First Place: Jason Choi and

Jack Clark It is worth noting that on the front of each test, the Math

League points out that “few students score as high as 24 points (80%) correct. Students with half that, 12 points, should be commended.” According to this standard, over 90% of the Boyce participants earned a commendation!

Boyce Students “Calculate, Deduce, and Resolve” at PML

1) Studying fifth grade math and recognized by PML were Boyce mathematicians (left to right) Aleksa Rodic, Nick Kalra, AJ Daley, Julia Brubach, Basir Khan and Lily Shi.

2) Boyce “math brains” Jason Choi, Avaneesh Rade, Chand Vanalia, and Jack Clark earned the top PML awards for solving sixth grade math problems.

3) All PML participants celebrated their accomplishments on Boyce TV.

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“Reflections” is a theme-based arts contest sponsored by the National PTA. This year’s theme was “The Magic of a Moment.” Student entries progress through the local, council, region 3, state and then national level of judging. This year, USC had three students win at the state level, with two of them going to the national competition. For the first time in recent history, Upper St. Clair had a national winner! Joseph Lapham, seventh grader at Fort Couch, won second place for his photograph in the Special Artist category. Congratulations to all who participated!

The National PTA Reflections Program is PTA’s cor-nerstone arts program. It was developed in 1969 by Colorado’s PTA President Mary Lou Anderson to en-courage students to explore their talents and express themselves. Since then, the Reflections Program has in-spired millions of students to reflect on a specific theme and create original artwork. Each year, students in Grades Pre-K through 12 are recognized for bringing the theme to life through dance choreography, film production, litera-ture, musical composition, photography and visual arts.

Fort Couch Student Receives National Award in “Reflections”

Students from Fort Couch Middle School and Upper St. Clair High School represented the School District with excellence at the Future Problem Solving State Bowl in Camp Hill, PA, on April 12 and 13. Future Problem Solving, developed by Dr. E. Paul Torrance, is a problem solving method that engages critical and creative thinking skills, develops a vision for the future, and encourages collab-oration. Fort Couch and USCHS teams competed in a qualifying problem earlier this year that earned them the opportunity to compete at the state level.

This year’s future scene dealt with the problems, and solutions, associated with “ocean soup” — the presence of plastic waste in global oceans. Upper St. Clair High School team members Gaurav Bhushan, Michael Nastac, Misha Rameswarapu, and Steven Wagner successfully competed to win second place in the 7th-9th grade divi-sion! Also competing in the 7th-9th grade division were Fort Couch team members Tommy Bednarz, Sahil Doshi, Kriti Shah, and Mythri Sundar. Team coaches were teach-ers Pat Palazzolo, Connie Gibson, and Tim Wagner.

Future Problem-Solvers Return from State Bowl

1) Members of the Fort Couch Future Problem Solving team are (left to right) Tim Wagner (sponsor), Kriti Shah, Mythri Sundar, Tommy Bednarz, and Sahil Doshi.

2) High School team members showing off their second place medals are (left to right): Michael Nastac, Pat Palazzolo (sponsor), Misha Rameswarapu, Steven Wagner, and Gaurav Bhushan.

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In March, Fort Couch and Boyce Middle Schools each held their own school-wide “24” Competition to de-termine the top students for each grade level. Challenge 24 is a unique math card game where players com-pete to be the first to make “24” with

four numbers. The top students for each grade were: Fifth - Braden Yates, Devon Ekbote, and Zachary SmithSixth - Brooke Christiansen, Meghan Joon, and

Vikram ReddySeventh - Sahil Doshi and Theja DuvvuruEighth - Arushi Kewalramani, Amna Amin,

and Siddarth Aduri These students competed at the Regional 24 Com-

petition held at the Jefferson Hills Municipal Center on April 26. Their enthusiasm and dedication paid off as the students represented Upper St. Clair with pride. Devon Ekbote eagerly played two rounds of single and double-digit cards and earned a silver medal after making it in the top four of the 4/5 grade bracket. For 6th grade, both Brooke and Meghan earned spots in the final four. After the final round, which involved challenging variable cards and a quad card, Brooke earned a shiny silver medal and Meghan’s outstanding play landed her the gold medal of the 6th grade.

In the 7th and 8th grade bracket, Sahil, Theja, and Arushi ambitiously played two rounds of integer and double digit cards and all three of them placed into the final four. After their final round involving strenuous variable cards and a quad card, their rapid arithmetic skills earned Theja and Arushi each a silver medal and Sahil the gold medal in the final four!

Siddarth stepped up to compete in the platinum round,

where the “24” patterns can include exponent operations in addition to the four main operations. Sid battled his competitors fiercely and earned the silver medal in the platinum round.

While the top four of each grade bracket competed

for their medals, the rest of the students competed for table medals of their own. Braden, Zach, and Vikram each earned their own table medal while playing an extra round of double-digit cards. All the students competed diligently and left with their heads held high.

“Challenge 24” Students Bring In Great Results!

1) Top math performers in the school-wide Tournament 24 competition are (back row, left to right) Theja Duvvuru, Amna Amin, Arushi Kewalramani, Siddarth Aduri, and Sahil Doshi, (front row) Zachary Smith, Vikram Reddy, Devon Ekbote, Braden Yates, Brooke Christiansen, and Meghan Joon.

2) Taking a break during the final round of the seventh and eighth grade bracket of Challenge 24 are Arushi Kewalramani, Theja Duvvuru, and Sahil Doshi.

3) Celebrating their achievements afterwards at Steak n’ Shake are Zachary Smith, Devon Ekbote, Braden Yates, Brooke Christiansen, and Meghan Joon.

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On April 15-17, sixteen Upper St. Clair High School students traveled to Hershey, to participate in the 62nd Annual Pennsylvania Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State Leadership Con-ference. These students qualified for the State Leadership Conference based on their performance at the Regional Leader-ship Conference in December of 2012. At the conference, students competed in ob-jective and performance events, attended seminars and workshops, and networked with over 3,500 students, advisers, and professionals.

Upper St. Clair students performed ex-ceedingly well. Thirteen of the students who attended the conference placed in the top ten in their selected competition! Student participants included:

• Kevin Monpara and Brian Tsui - Global Business - 4th place

• Dom D’Amico and JP Schrott - Network Design - 6th place

• Joe Ardolino, Seshu Kamineni, and Akash Monpara - e-Business - 8th place

• Krupa Golakiya and Jasma Mody - Business Plan - 9th place• Hannah Harris, Gabby Granato, Connor Mielcusny, and

Luke Walker - Parliamentary Procedure - 9th place• Luke Gaetano, Robbie Mertz, and Lauren Schoeppner -

Management Decision Making

High School Students Earn the Top Spots at FBLA Competition

USC’s finest “future business leaders” include front row (left to right) Lauren Schoeppner, Luke Walker, Hannah Harris, Krupa Golakiya, Jasma Mody, and Gabby Granato, and back row Joe Ardolino, Robbie Mertz, Dom D’Amico, JP Schrott, Connor Mielcusny, Luke Gaetano, Akash Monpara, Brian Tsui, Seshu

Kamineni, and Kevin Monpara.

High school students Christian Kelly, Nate Novak, Ryan Walsh, and Meredith McDonough were commended for winning the top prize at the Cultural Communications Alli-ance 2013 International Marketing Competition. The USC team beat six other schools in the business interscholas-tic competition which was held at the College of Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday, April 30. Working on their extracurricular project since No-vember, the marketing campaign presented by our high school team was considered to be of “graduate-school caliber.” Professors from the University of Pittsburgh and

employees from the Bayer Corporation judged the com-petition. North Allegheny won second place, followed by Franklin Regional in third.

The Cultural Communications Alliance (CCA) works with Pittsburgh area high school teachers to introduce in-ternational business concepts to their students using an international case competition. Students had to research and develop a marketing plan for Bayer’s “One-a-Day Teen Advantage” vitamins. The target market was Chile.

Top Prize Is Awarded at Cultural Communications Alliance International Marketing Competition

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Over Memorial Day weekend, the High School Forensics Team traveled to Philadelphia for the Catholic Forensics League Grand Nationals, the penultimate com-petition of the season which included thousands of stu-dents from around the country.

Qualifying, but non-advancing Panthers included Se-niors Catherine Wertz, Madison Chafin, Kylee Banton, and Qinglan Huang; Juniors JP Miller, Jordan Ryan, Bren-na Carse, George Sun, Mandy Seiner, and Mary Gen San-

ner, who won a ballot from the national champion; and Freshman Saraj Quinto. Senior Trudel Pare and Junior Eva Roy advanced to the top 48 in the nation in Oratory and Oral Interpretation, respectively. Junior Younos Manfoud, who did not originally qualify for the tournament, achieved the highest national placing of any USC student with a 6th place in Lincoln Douglas Debate.

All competitors are congratulated and wished good luck at NFL Nationals in June!

High School Students to Attend National Forensics Competition

Commendations to Students and Staff!Monthly commendations are archived online on

the USCSD home page under “Headlines.” For your convenience, click here to view these

commendations.

In honor of May being “Better Hearing and Speech Month,” Baker Elementary School classes had the opportunity to participate in special lessons conducted by Ms. Monica Harmon, the Speech Lan-guage Pathologist at Baker. These lessons taught students about the dangers of loud noises and how/when we can protect our hearing. They also had the opportunity to learn about American Sign Language, using the ASL alphabet, and how to sign several simple phrases for everyday com-munication. For participating in these spe-cial lessons, classes were entered into a drawing for a special BHSM prize. All stu-dents had a “blast” learning about how to protect their ears and how to use ASL!

Baker Elementary Students Recognize “Better Hearing and Speech Month”

Winners of the drawing, Mrs. Petrarca’s 4th grade class, pose with Ms. Harmon and their prizes, a water bottle and chapstick, and spell

the word “Baker” using sign language.