Friday Updates

January 30, 2015

Dennis R. Kergick

Panther Valley School District

We made it to February and Super Bowl Sunday is directly ahead. The weather has not been very cooperative and we do what we can to make sure that everyone in our district is safe and sound. I don’t think that I have ever been in communication with so many people so early in the morning in my whole entire life. Of course today is a good example. This morning it appeared as blizzard conditions and now the sun is shining very brightly. I can attest that the warmer weather is on its way and we can confidently look forward to the sun shining and defrosting shortly.

Thought for the Week

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”

– Lao Tzu

“If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else."

– Yogi Berra

I know that some folks have grown to love or appreciate the fortune cookie that I deliver each week. Some not so much! Perhaps a little preachy? I hope that some of the wisdom of others can somehow rub off on all of us.

I had a difficult decision to make this week in choosing from the two listed above. Two unique quotes this week coming from wildly divergent philosophers. They touch on the same concept but the perspective is certainly different. Or are they?

The intent and desire of the weekly message is to help guide us in the positive direction that we so sorely desire to be headed towards. I know that every week I have been alluding to the process of change and modification of what we currently do. This cannot be done without planning and preparation. We all play a part in the process. We can only accomplish the tasks that we need to do by working together.

My question then quite simply is: where are we heading?

Putting Assessment in Perspective

The administrative staff of the Panther Valley SD met with representatives from PDE in late December in order to discuss the SPP related to the assessments that we participated in last spring. I must say that the visit and discussion was productive and we learned a great deal during the visit. I am hopeful that by ALL of us working together we will make some modest advances. Once again I emphasize that the true measure of Panther Valley and every other school district should not be placed on one high stakes test.

John Spicko writes; Testing is high stakes for everyone. The Superintendents goals are based on the district student performance and that of their administrators. Administrator evaluations are based on their building performance and teacher effectiveness at moving the students’ performance on standardized tests upward. Finally, the teacher’s evaluation is based on the classroom performance of the students they see every day.

Spicko goes on to say; So, everyone is at the mercy of the student in the back row that did not sleep last night because they were too cold, or did not eat since their last school lunch, or had to watch their siblings because mom and dad were not home for whatever reason. In spite of their hardships, most children show up for school every day. They may not have learning as their most important agenda, but they are, for the most part happy to be there. Happy for many different reasons, for many to be safe and warm, knowing they will get to eat today, for others to be with friends and to be with teachers who are sometimes the only adults they can trust. I assure you this, testing and often learning is not at the top of their agenda. The challenges we face in our educational systems today go far beyond collecting as much data as possible on every child to assess where they are. The real question is, how do we reach every child where they are, provide for their physical, emotional, social and academic needs and achieve a years’ worth of growth every year?

I have been here long enough and attended enough functions to realize that our students are far more than a number and that their past and future achievements are not solely reliant on the PSSA, Keystone, SAT, ACT or any other test. I respectfully request that you do not panic, don’t stress out, and don’t doubt your abilities to connect with our kids. They need you to focus on our mission and vision and stay the course. Be nice to one another, depend on one another, and exhibit patience. For the remainder of the school year we should focus on building morale. We are a team dependent on each other. As Aaron Rodgers so eloquently stated: R-E-L-A-X.

SPP Review from Board Meeting January 22, 2015

Evaluation and analysis provides us with a process for moving forward

• Visit from PDE staff provided us with some possible solutions.

• Achievement & Growth

• Grant application and acceptance into the Mentee grant assists in paying for some solutions.

• Visits to mentors will allow for collaboration.

• Try to replicate some of the ideas that we had learned through the visits.

Commonalities of schools demonstrating improvement

• Relentless attention to culture and climate

• Making sure that curriculum and materials align to standards

• Look at Curriculum articulation from K-12

• Aligned assessments to meet rigor of standards

• Use of Formative and diagnostic assessments

• Use of data

• Professional development-

• Use of data

• Understanding the standards

• Curriculum mapping

• Reading and Writing across the curriculum

• Principals in the classroom a priority

• Supplementary Instruction-not just remediation

Need to develop a focus on student growth-center on proficient and advanced students.

Panther Valley Elementary School

Expository Writing Lesson with Practical Application

Ms. Kim Scarcella reports that as part of our expository writing unit we have been working on this

month, one of the topics of interest was "How to Build a Snowman." We did our brainstorming outside

today as we built a snowman (or three) to prepare ourselves to write our next essay.

PSSA Preparation!

The PSSA Motivational Team is starting to gather some ideas for the 2015 PSSA Tests! Mrs. Kim Scarcella voluntarily leads this committee and sets up the meetings. Everyone that is interested is invited to attend the meetings. At the meetings, the committee thinks of a theme and some ideas to get the students motivated and excited to do their best on the tests! Each year the school is decorated and students are given motivators to help them understand the importance of the test and doing their best! Last year Mrs. Figura and Mrs. Altemose ordered water bottles for the students taking the test! The motivation is also helpful for the teachers and proctors that administer the test! Thanks to our motivational committee!!

Celebrating National School Counseling Week The first week in February is designated for celebrating School Counselors and what they do!! In the elementary building, Mary Ellen Greco tries to plan some fun activities for the faculty and staff. Some of the activities she has done in the past several years have been treats set up in the faculty room, Chinese auctions, selling candy and treats and donating the funds to a good cause, putting treats in the faculty's mailboxes and making daily announcements. She credits Mrs. Figura for being so proactive and child centered. Mary Ellen also credits the staff of teachers and IA's. These are the people "on the front line" of helping students even before she talks with them. The students in the elementary center have a wonderful group of adults that have their best interest at heart. The instructional aides have much interaction with the students and help them in many aspects of their day! Thanks to all administration, faculty, staff and support that help and give of their time talent and energy to make our district better!

Next Generation? Common Core? Sorting It Out

The proliferation of standards these days can be daunting. Which ones should be followed? How can all

of them be met? The Center helps educators sort it out with a common-sense, low-drama approach that

emphasizes the power of effective Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

instruction to exceed all modern standards. Because the Center’s team is involved actively in the

development of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s (PDE) Standards Aligned System, educators

can be sure that their work meets state standards.

PVE teachers Tonia Miletto and Autumn Gilbert at the DaVinci Center playing in the inquiry based sand

box during their science workshop on January 28th. The workshop hosted by the DaVinci Center in

Allentown inspires educators to participate in hands-on learning activities

Mrs. Figura announced the following modifications due to the weather issues: Awards 1st - 2/4 @ 2:45 2nd- 2/5 @ 9:20 3rd - 2/6 @ 1:40 - change 4th - 2/6 @ 2:45 - change 5th - 2/2 @ 1:40 - unless Monday is a snow day then 2/4 @ 1:40 PSSA Motivational Meeting Held on the first Day 6 2/2 @ 8:40 - unless Monday is a snow day then 2/3 @ 8:40 If either day has a 2 hour delay then we will meet @ 10:40 Geography Bee Preliminary Round 2/2 @ 2:30 in the cafeteria for participating students - unless Monday is a snow day then 2/3 @ 2:30 in the cafeteria Geography Bee Changed from 2/2 @ 6 PM until 2/4 @ 6 PM A letter will be going home.

Panther Valley High School

Panther Valley splits, advances

WHITEHALL — The Panthers moved on to Saturday’s competition with a 36-30 win over Palisades before losing 59-18 to Saucon Valley.

Panther Valley won six of the first seven bouts, as Rian Shubeck (285), Mike Lazar (113), Tanner Kennedy (120) and Darren Goida (126) notched pins and Hunter Kennedy (132) won by decision.

The Panthers made it stand up by staying off their backs, surrendering decisions at 145, 152, 160 and 182 before yielding a pair of forfeits. Grant Lorkowski’s decision at 170 clinched the win.

In the quarterfinals, top-seeded Saucon built a 26-0 lead through five bouts and never looked back. Ali Capobianco (138) and Dylan Moyer (145) recorded falls for the Panthers.

Panther Valley Middle School

Panther Valley Middle School names December Students of the Month

The Panther Valley Middle School recently selected its Students of the Month for the month of

December. Students are awarded based on excellence in academics and conduct and are awarded

certificates of achievement and gift cards. From left are, Antonio Perelli, grade six, and Rachelle Filer,

grade eight. Not pictured is seventh-grader Faith Drumbore.

What’s So Cool About Manufacturing Video Contest

Mrs. Janet Branchide and Mrs. Pauline Davis reported that the video is near completion and will be

presented to the Board of Education at the February meeting. Our students were teamed up with

Ametek, Inc. The Video team members are Jordon Bamford, Emline Markovich, Aaron Miller, Erica Tout,

and Trey Turner. The team assembled the GoPro camera and accessories. They then reviewed the

timeline and content packet. An important part included watching some of the 16 videos from last

year’s entries to get some pointers.