AASD Feb 27 News Tracks

8/20/2019 AASD Feb 27 News Tracks

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Home of the Mt. LionsSaturday, February 27, 2016



VISION STATEMENT

We will continuously improve theAltoona Area School District so thatall are an integral part of our learningcommunity. We strive to cultivate asafe environment where all learn andgrow through positive and respectfulinteractions.

MISSION STATEMENT

We seek to continuously improve thelimate,culture,and student achievement within

a safe environment by fostering trust,coll abora-tion, and progressive communication.

MOTTO

Aspire, Achieve, Succeed, Dream

Te Altoona Area School District has a clearand concise vision,mission,and motto state-

ment that it continues to follow as we moveforward developing the future opportunities anddreams for our children. As each of you readthrough the spring newsletter,I would ask thatyou evaluate the evidence.Arewe holding true to our vision,mission,and motto statements?I believe as you discover theplethora of academics, enrich-ment activities, communityservice projects,cultu ral diversity,and collaborative opportunitiesthat our students participate indaily,the answer is a resoundingyes!Continuing improvement of

our academic excellence andproviding those opportunitiesto allow our students a deepand wide breadth of pursuits,willalways be at the forefront. Ourcommunity should be proudof the excellence that occurs throughout theAltoona Area School District. A constant desireto excel,while always focusing on children,isan occurrence that is a stable within the valuesystem of the Altoona Area School District.As you can see throughout the pages of ournewsletter, a dedication to a healthy climateexists,a rich and diverse culture displayed,and akeen focus on student achievement represented.As our students work together with each otherand their community,promoting all their talentsand abilities, one can witness an environmentof trust, collaboration,and progressive commu-nication. Te numerous interactions that ourstudents and faculty are involved in continueto cultivate the safe learning environment forall to enter and engage in as they seek theirown pathway to success. Encouraging ourchildren to Aspire,Achieve,Succeed,Dream,is a hallmark we are proud of and something

all educational systems should fosteramong their students.Tis also holdstrue for the greater Altoona communityas we together move into an unknownfuture that is fast paced,complex,andloaded with opportunities. It is obviousour community cares about each other,has a strong work ethic,and a set ofcore values that encourages our youthto believe that “anything is possible.” Tis newsletter demonstrates the qual-

ity of the academics and community support in Altoona is alive and thriving. Furthermore,our vision demands that we continuously improvethe Altoona Area School District and thatimprovement is occurring within the walls of your school district each and every day. Cur-rently,we are working on the five overarchingthemes that I have been told are most importantto the Altoona Area community: echnology,

Business Management and Practices, PhysicalPlant, eaching and Learning, and School andCommunity Partnerships. Each area is thefoundation we are using to improve an already

strong school district.Muchprogress has been made in eacharea over the past year and inthe weeks ahead,we will presentto the public our future visionas we finalize facts, information,and data gained from all stake-holders. Over the next month,I invite the Altoona communityto watch for opportunities toparticipate in the numerous in-formation gathering sessions we will hold. Our goal is to focuson improvement and to build aneven greater school district thatoffers unlimited possibilities forour children. It was WinstonChurchill who stated “Tere

comes a special moment in everyone’s life that aperson was born. Tat special opportunity,whenhe seizes,will fulfill his mission – a mission for

which he is uniquely qualified. In that momenthe finds greatness. It is his finest hour.” As we make every effort to provide the best forour children,we can trust that promoting our vision,mission,and motto will continue to allowour children to discover their special momentand seize every opportunity available to them,defining their true greatness…Aspire, Achieve,Succeed,and Dream.

Stay Well,

John J.KopickiSuperintendent of Schools

John J. Kopicki, AASD

Superintendent

Superintendent’s Message

Webster school was originally built in 1870 on the corner of LexingtonAvenue and Ninth Street. It was built as an elementary school, but even-tually, the first Altoona High School class would graduate from there. Theclass of 1877 was the first class to graduate from Webster. How manystudents graduated in the Class of 1877? Answer on page 9.

Remember When

ALTOONA AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT1415 Sixth Avenue, Altoona, Pennsylvania 16602

www.aasdcat.com | Facebook: /AltoonaSD

Superintendent’sOffice 946-8350

AssistantSuperintendent PupilServicesand SecondaryEducation 946-8218

AssistantSuperintendentInstructionalProgramming&ElementaryEducation/FederalPrograms 946-8365

Pupil Special Services 946-8252

BusinessOffice 946-8206

Police ServicesOffice 946-8233

Tax Office 946-8421

StudentRegistration 381-7585

DistrictTransportation 946-8221

Human Resources 946-8325

AthleticOffice 946-8289

Community Education Center 946-8330

PublicAccessTV 946-8227

Central Supply Office 946-8234

Maintenance Department 946-8263

Altoona Area High School 946-8273

Altoona Area JuniorHigh School 381-7500

William P. KimmelAlternative School 946-8246

BakerElementary 946-8388

LearningExpressPreSchool 946-8465

EbnerElementary 946-8400

McAuliffe HeightsProgramatIrviing Elemntary 946-8392

Juniata Elementary 946-8394

Juniata GapElementary 946-8401

Logan Elementary 946-8370

Penn-Lincoln Elementary 946-8396

PleasantValley Elementary 946-8397

CONTACT INFO

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

For more information, contact:

Paula R. Foreman, Community Relations Director Telephone: (814) 946-8424 Fax: (814)946-8565

E-Mail: [email protected]

Mrs. Kelly Clouser was elected Principal atEbner Elementary School effective Decem-ber 28, 2015. Mrs. Clouser holds a Mastersof Educational Leadership and PrincipalCertification from Saint Francis Universi-ty. She also earned a Bachelor of Sciencedegree in Elementary Education from PennState University and a Bachelor of Sci-ence degree in Special Education from theIndiana University of Pennsylvania. Priorto coming to Altoona, Mrs. Clouser taughtat yrone Area School District where shehelped create and served as the lead teacherfor LEAP (Learning Everyday AcceleratesProgress) an Alternative Ed (K-6) Program.Additionally she has served as a mentorteacher for new teachers and middle school

Yearbook Advisor. She enjoys reading, walking and spending time with her family. “As principal at Ebner, I look forward

to building positive relationships withfamilies, students and staff. I will operate ingood faith when making decisions for thestudents at Ebner to ensure they are being

provided a safe, and nurturing learning environment. I hope to inspire students to bepositive contributors to society and to striveto be successful.”Mr. Jason McGinnis was elected Assistant

Principal at Altoona Area High Schooleffective August 5, 2015. Mr. McGinnisholds a Masters of Educational Leadership with Principal Certification K-12 fromEdinboro University. He earned a Bache-lor of Science degree in Health & PhysicalEducation from Slippery Rock Universi-ty. Prior to being elected as an AssistantPrincipal, he served as an AAHS Health &Physical Education teacher for eight yearsand served as an assistant basketball coachfor the Mt. Lions.

“Serving as an Assistant Principal atAAHS allows me to give back to thiscommunity, our school, our staff, and mostimportantly our kids. I am very positive,energetic, and enthusiastic about this oppor-tunity, honored to be part of a great schooldistrict, and proud to lead the class of 2018.”

“There comes a spe-cial moment in every-one’s life that a personwas born. That specialopportunity, whenhe seizes, will fulfillhis mission – a mis-sion for which he isuniquely qualified. Inthat moment he findsgreatness. It is hisfinest hour.”

– Winston Churchill

On December 7,2015 the newly electedand re-elected members of the AASDBoard of Directors were sworn in by

Attorney David Andrews with Mr.JohnDonley and Mrs.Sharon Bream electedas President and Vice-president,respec-

tively.A warm Altoona welcome to newlyelected members Mr.Dutch Brennan,Mr.

William Ceglar and Mr.Wayne Hippo. Tank you for your service and dedica-tion to providing a quality education for

Altoona Area students.

AASD Welcomes New AASD Board of Directors

2016 AASD Board of Directors (Left to Right) Seated: Mr. Dick Lockard, Mrs. SharonBream, Mr. John Donley, Mrs. Judy Berryman, and Mr. Wayne Hippo. Standing: Mr. DutchBrennan, Mr. John Klingeman, Superintendent Mr. John Kopicki, Solicitor Attorney DavidAndrews, Mr. Ron Johnston, Mr. William Ceglar, Student Representative Allan Buchness

Mr. Jason McGinnis

Mrs. Kelly Clouser

Staff Updates

a ur ay, e ruary , www.aas ca .com www.aas ca .com a ur ay, e ruary ,

a ur ay e ruary www aas ca com www aas ca com a ur ay e ruary



I’ve Got Your Back

AAJHS Freshmen AcademyProvides a BlendedApproach to Learning

AAJHS STUDENT RECEIVES PATRIOTPEN ESSAY CONTEST AWARD

Te AAJHS Freshmen Academy offersninth grade honors students an opportunityto participate in an environment that blendstraditional and virtual learning. Learnersenrolled in the Freshmen Academy com-plete their Honors Algebra 2 and HonorsEnglish courses using an online curriculum

with the support of facilitators, Lori Brownand Kathy Morgan. Each learner receivesan iPad Air,making it easy to access,man-age,and complete course content.Whilelearners in the Academy meet for blocks oftime during the school day,moving muchof the instruction online opens up opportu-

nities for individualized instruction, smallgroup collaboration,application projects,and community service during school hours.Learners are offered a great deal of controlin customizing their learning paths bytailoring pace,rigor,and mastery of course

objectives. “You are at your own pace,“ saidstudent Devin Henry.“If you want to spendtwo days on a hard topic,you can.If you

can do it in 30 minutes,the n you can dothat too.” In a rapidly changing,technol-ogy-driven world,the Freshmen Academystrives to inspire a new learning motivationthat empowers its members to be self-driv-en,life-long learners.

Altoona Area Junior High School student Alex Taler recently participated in the 2015-2016Patriot’s Pen essay contest sponsored by theVeterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Students

were asked to write an essay based upon this year’s theme,“ What Freedom means to me.” Te Patriot’s Pen contest is open to students ingrades 6-8,who are enrolled in a public,private,or parochial high school or home study programin the United States and its territories.Complet-

ed essays are submitted to the local VFW Post. Taler placed second with his essay which wassubmitted to James L.Noble VFW Post #3. Taler was recently recognized for his achieve-ment with a certificate and monetary award byseveral retired military members of AltoonaVFW Post #3,Ron Russler,Jr.Vice Command-er; om Byrne,Past Commander; and John F.Gority Commander.

Freshmen Molly Pfahler and Olivia Hudson collaborate on a project during classtime.

AAJHS 7th Grade student Alex Thaler (center) was recognized by members of the localVFW Post #3 for his Patriot’s Pen essay contest submission on “What Freedom means tome.” Participating in the presentation were members of the Altoona VFW Post #3 includ-ing Ron Russler, Jr. Vice Commander; Tom Byrne, Past Commander; Alex Thaler; John F.Gority, Commander; and Mrs. Angie Baughman, AAJHS English teacher.

“You are at your own pace.If you want to spend twodays on a hard topic, youcan. If you can do it in 30minutes, then you can dothat too.”

– Devin Henry, student

Te AAJHS Aevi dum club used theirartistic talents to paint positive messageson the windows in the hallways at the

Altoona Area Junior H igh School. Ae- vidum’s goal is to create posit ive mentalhealth environments where all studentsfeel accepted, appreciated, acknowledged,

and cared for in schools and communitiesacross the nation. Te word Aevidum,

which means “I’ve got y our back,” wascreated by students in 2004 after theirclassmate died by suicide. Aevidum clubsare offered at both the junior high andhigh school.

(L to R): Students preparing for Mulan, Jr. include: Richard Mowery, NathanWilt, Andrew Auker, Dan Porter, PaigeDeGennaro, Christian Howard, Jarrrett Hann

Take a Mystical Tour to Ancient China!

by Frankie Price Just like the beat,you ca n’t stop the Altoona

Area High School theater department.Students have been working hard on the

upcoming spring musical Hairspray.Cast, crew

and musicians rehearse for hours each day overten weeks.

Te production showcases the talents of nearly75 students and multiple teachers. Hairspraytakes the stage April 7-9 at 7 p.m. each eveningin the AAHS auditorium.ickets are available inadvance at Tompson’s Pharmacy and at the door.

Te show is overseen by faculty directors BenCossitor,Michele Dugan and Bridget Rogan,as

well as student director Nikki Roland. Te student pit orchestra plays throughout the

show.Director Kelly Detwiler guides and teachesthe students the music.Choreography is added

with the help of student choreographers juniorsEmily Baker and Lizzy Perlman and sophomoreMorgan McNulty.

“Te most difficult part about carrying out therole is probably the tap. I have haven’t dancedsince I was really young,”senior Kirstin Adams,

who plays racy urnblad,said.Students working backstage create a list of all

the props and costumes needed for the show.Props and costumes either come from what theschool already has or the students create them.

Junior Cassandra Hamel and her mother,Karen,make and modify costumes.

No show can be successful without a strongcrew behind the scenes.Students must makescene changes as fast as possible,typically around30 seconds.

Te musical production numbers are critical.“What people walk away humming -- and

what people walk away from a musical usuallythinking about -- is the musical numbers,s o thatis a priority.[Te cas t] needs to know the musicand be able to do that in [its] sleep,”Cossitorsaid.

“I hope the audience takes away from the showthat it celebrates diversity and independence,and[that] you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover,”sophomore Jacob Wilt,who p lays racy urn-blad’s mother,Edna, said.

Photos courtesy of Frankie Price

Each year the AAJHS Drama club performs afall production as well as a spring musical leavingaudiences impressed and entertained. Just offtheir fall production of Crazytown,the AAJHSDrama Club presents the musical Mulan,Jr.Based on Disney’s Oscar nominated film,thisis a heartwarming celebration of culture, honor,and the fighting spirit. Disney ’s Mulan,Jr.bringsancient China to life with a modern sensibility.

Te Huns have invaded, and it is up to the misfitMulan and her mischievous dragon sidekickMushu to save the Emperor! Defying the villagematchmaker,Mulan takes up arms and disguisesas a boy in order to spare her father from havingto serve in the army. As th e great battle with theHuns approaches,Mulan must choose betweenrevealing her true identity as a girl or saving all ofChina with her clever plan.

“Drama club continues to grow each year,and we are very pleased with the interest and areexcited to see where the future takes us!” said Al-

yssa Hetrick, the head faculty advisor for DramaClub.Around 80 students in seventh, eighth,andninth grades will be involved in the show,spend-ing countless hours working on set design,props,sound and lights,cost uming,make-up, learninglines,and blocking scenes.

Performances will be held March 4 & 5at 7:00 PM with a special parent previewand Senior Citizen Night,Wednesday,March 2 at 6:00 PM. ickets can bepurchased at Tompson’s Pharmacy onChestnut Avenue or at the door on thenight of the performance. $8

Adults; $5 Students (K-12).

BOOK BY MARK O’DONNEL & THOMAS MEEHANMUSIC BY MARC SHAIMAN LYRICS BY SCOTT WITTMAN & MARC SHAIMAN

Based on the New LineCinema film written and directed by John Waters





Pleasant Valley Elementary School Honored as DistinguishedTitle One School For a Second Year! Te Pennsylvania Depart-ment of Education announcedit will honor Pleasant ValleyElementary School as a 2016Distinguished itle I School atthe 2016 Pennsylvania itle OneImproving School PerformanceConference. Tis is the secondyear Pleasant Valley has receivedthis honorable distinction. If youask Principal Susan Richardellahow she feels about receivingthe Distinguished itle OneSchool honor for the second yearin a row,she would tell you,“Asthe principal of Pleasant ValleyI could not be more proud ofour learners and faculty as ourfabulous school has been selectedfor the second year.I am blessed

to be the instructional leader of aschool where teachers believe ineducation,where parents supportthe homeschool relationship

and where our learners come toschool to learn. I am extreme-ly proud to be surrounded bydedicated,committed, creativeteachers and staff, supportiveparents, and wonderful children.

Tis honor is a highlight for allof us!”Gia Dixon,itle One teacher

along with Mary Sabatino itleOne teacher will be presenting inFebruary at the 2016 Pennsylva-nia itle One Improving SchoolPerformance Conference.Tey

will be sharing informationtitled,“A Winning Approach toLiteracy…How One Profession-al Learning Community shiftedtheir instruction and improved

their PSSA scores.Te presen-tation will include the use of en-gagement strategies to improvestudent achievement.

BELIEVE HERE IS GOOD IN HE WORLD! Tis is the Juniat aElementary Student Council’s mottofor the 2015-2016 school year. As youcan see,the words,“BE HE GOOD”are emphasized. Tis group of fif-teen dedicated fifth and sixth gradestudents, advised by teachers,H eidiSoldner and Christopher Perry,wereselected by their peers at the beginningof the school year to serve as represen-tatives to the council. Tese represen-tatives function as a liaison betweenstudents, teachers, and administration.

Te student council meets at leastonce every month to discuss ways tohelp out their school and community.

Teir advisors strive to help studentsrecognize the importance of helping tomake a difference in the lives of others.Over the holidays,student councilmembers organized a hat day for theentire school,and raised $506.00 fortheir neighborhood partner,the JuniataUnited Methodist Church. Te money

will be utilized to purchase shoes and winter clothing for children in the Juniata community who are in need.

Student council members are cur-rently planning a marshmallow contest.Students will pay 25 cents per vote totry to guess how many marshmallowsare in a container.Te winner whocomes closest without going over will

win a gift card and a hot chocolatetreat for their class! All proceeds willbe used to assist in purchasing Elmoprojectors for each classroom in theschool. In February,members will be head-

ing to the Mountain Lion Backpackheadquarters on a Tursday evening tohelp pack over 800 backpacks of food

for area students. Tey will also bepromoting a Bubble Gum day wherestudents may pay $1.00 bring gumto school. Participating students willbe permitted to chew gum while they

work throughout that day. Tis was ahuge success last year,so advisors ex-pect large numbers of students to takepart. Proceeds will go to the MountainLion Backpack program. Te council is also busy planning bigevents that are going to occur withinthe upcoming months.Tese eventsinclude a PSSA Kick Off,which will

help give Juniata students excellent testpreparations for the PSSA in April.Included will be special dress days to

symbolize the importance of healthyeating,plenty of rest,exercise,confi-dence,and school spirit! Also, students

will be earning a chance to duct tapetheir principal,Mr. Erik Dambeck, tothe wall! Mr.Da mbeck is very sup-portive of the school’s student councilendeavors. “You know me,I’ll doanything for the kids,”he replied uponbeing asked if he would be willing toparticipate! Tis group of students is workinghard to BE HE GOOD,both intheir school and their community!

Tis is the first year Juniata GapElementary school has offeredan auditioned choir opportunityfor 5th and 6th grade studentsand the results have been pos-itive. Music utilizes and helpsdevelop the area of the brainrelated to language and reason-ing skills. “Learning to singor play an instrument is challenging, “ saidMrs. Hillard. “But, the mastering of even the

smallest musicgoal makes students proud.Students learn team workand build lasting friendshipsthrough music.”Te choirconsists of twenty-eightauditioned 5th and 6th gradestudents who meet once a week to rehearse during the

school day. Tese students are already begin-ning to understand what it means to work in

an ensemble and are gaining confidence intheir musical abilities. Te goal of the choiris to provide students with proper singing/performing skills in order to get them readyto join the choral opportunities available atthe secondary level. Tis past December,the Juniata Gap Singers visited Te Windsat Mattern Orchard in Hollidaysburg. Teysang a variety of holiday songs and visited with the residents attending the perfor-

mance. Tis winter the choir is preparingto perform at Juniata Gap’s Night of Musicthis spring with a set from the musical Wicked as well as singing “God Bless America”at the Altoona Curve ballparkthis coming May. In addition to the JuniataGap Singers, Mrs. Hillard also directs theLogan Singers at Logan Elementary. Choirexpenses were funded in part by an AASDFoundation Venture Grant.

Participating in the check presentation to Juniata UnitedMethodist Angel Feet project were: Miss Heidi Soldner, 5thgrade teacher; TR Hardic, Juniata UMC pastor; MadisonWeakland (6); Destiny Kelly (5); William Secriskey (6); TannerZeak (5); and Mr. Christopher Perry, 6th grade teacher

Altoona students inducted into the NTHS included (l to R) Row 1: JaydenStarr- Interior Decorating & Finishing; Kirsten Beach- Interior Decorating& Finishing; Michala Cooney- Dental Assistant; Cassandra Hall-DentalAssistant; Jarret Hostler- Electrical Trades; Alana Coppeta-Dental Assis-tant; Alyssa Leach-Dental Assistant; Megan Streightiff-Health Occupa-tions; Salena Neeley-Health Occupations. Row 2: Roxann Bagley-VisualArts Technologies; Angelica Lynam-Dental Assistant; Donald McConnell, Jr.-Dental Assistant; Zachary Boring-Precision Machine; Bradley Weather-walk-Visual Arts Technologies; Emily Runk-Automotive/Diesel Technology;Noah Leberfinger-Automotive/Diesel Technology; Mitchell Miles-Automo-tive/Diesel Technology. Missing from photo were Andrew Williams-HVAC/Plumbing; Lauren Hall-Health Occupations; Nicole Hand-Dental Assistant.

AAHS Students Inducted into the National Technical Honor Society According to ManpowerGroup,skilled trades have been the hardestsegment of the workforce for employ-ers to staff. It is a gap that is likelyto grow in future years. Te Greater

Altoona Career and echnology Centeroffers 26 high school programs forstudents to consider during their highschool program.Fourteen AAHSstudents were recently inducted intothe National echnical Honor Society(NHS) during a ceremony held at the

Greater Altoona Career and echnol-ogy Center. o qualify,each studentmust earn an 85% or higher GPA attheir homeschool for the previousschool year,achieve a 93% or highereach marking period at the GACCthe previous year,have no more than10 absences the previous school year,and have the recommendation fromthe GACC teacher stating they are astudent of good character,integrity, anddemonstrate an exemplary work ethic.

“Students learnteam work andbuild lastingfriendshipsthrough music.”

– Mrs. Hillard

BELIEVETHERE ISGOOD INTHE WORLD

JuniataGap OffersNew Choir

Opportunity





AASD Community Events Calendar

FEBRUARY

February 26 Juniata DramaSingersPresents“ReachingfortheStars”

7:00PM – Juniata Elementary Tickets$2.00

MARCH

March 3 Secondary Conferences

4:30PM – 8:30PM

March 2, 4, 5 AAJHS Drama ClubPresents“Mulan Jr.”(6:00PM –March 2- Sr.Citizen FreePreview)7:00PM -AAJHS AuditoriumStudents-$5; Adults-$8

March 7 KindergartenRegistration

Baker and McAuliffeHeights


Ebner and Juniata


JuniataGap andPleasantValley

March 10 Kindergarten Registration Penn Lincoln and

Logan

March 11 “LightYearsfromAndromeda”

6:00 PM/7:00 PM/8:00 PM - $4 Adults/$3 StudentsNeil ArmstrongPlanetariumReservations takenbeginning Monday,February 29 at 946-8300

March 17 AAHS Band Bash 7:00PM – AAHS Auditorium

APRIL

April 6, 7, 8, 9 AAHS Drama ClubPresents“Hairspray”

(6:00PM –April6–Sr.Citizen FreePreview)7:00PM – AAHS AuditoriumStudents-$5; Adults-$8

April 12 AAJHS Jazz BandConcert7:30PM – AAJHSAuditorium

April 15 “OriginsofLife”6:00 PM/7:00 PM/ 8:00 PM- $4 Adults/$3 StudentsNeil ArmstrongPlanetariumReservations takenbeginning Tuesday, March29 at 946-8300

April 21 AAHS Jazz BandConcert7:00PM – AAHS Auditorium

April 26 AAJHS Band Concert7:30PM – AAJHS Auditorium

April 29 AAJHS Varsity Chorus& Vocal EnsembleConcert7:30PM – AAHS Auditorium

MAY

May 2 9th Grade AwardsCeremony

6:00PM – AAJHS Auditorium

May 3 8th Grade AwardsCeremony6:00PM – AAJHS Auditorium

May 5 7th Grade AwardsCeremony6:00PM – AAJHS Auditorium

May 10 7th Grade Chorus&Orchestra Concert7:30PM – AAJHS Auditorium

May 12 AAHS OrchestraConcert7:00PM – AAHS Auditorium

May 16 National HonorSociety Induction7:00PM – AAHS Auditorium

May 17 AAHS AcademicAwardsBanquet6:00PM – AAHSOpenCafeteria

May 17 AAJHS SymphonicOrchestra/ChamberOrchestra Concert

7:30PM – AAJHS Auditorium

May 19 AAHS ChorusConcert 7:00PM – AAHS

Auditorium

May 20 AAHS JuniorandSeniorProm

May 20, 21, 22 AASD Weekend atthe Curve

JUNE

June 2 LastStudentDay

June 4 2015 AAHSGraduation Day

2:00PM – Mansion Park

June 13 -28 SummerSchool –Session 1

JULY

July 5 – 20 SummerSchool –Session 2

** Ticket priceforall music concertsis$3 at the door.

• 173 course options

• 19 AP Courses and 13 Dual Enrollment Courses

• Electives such as Forensic Chemistry, Botany, Microbiology, Anatomy, CreatingComputer APPs, School-to-Career, Community Service, and Work Experience

• Altoona Cyber Academy

• MLTV Broadcasting Studio

Brian Cohen (right) and son, JaxsonCohen (left) presented the 89th JosephF. Cohen Blanket Award to senior AAHSfootball player Nick Hayden (center)

Members of the AAHS National Art Honor Society include ( L to R): Kennedy Stessney, Madison Stessney,Kaitlyn Umstead, Sylvia Rhodes, Shannon Steightiff, Ariana Ortiz, Kelsey Alwine, Kailyn Pater, Anthony

Koehle, Alexis Evans, Addisyn McGregor, Kathryn Lord, Jennifer Jameson, Shelby Civils, and Fiona Lynch.

Te AAHS Scholastic Scrimmage teamrecently won the Bedford-Blair LeagueChampionship sponsored by the AppalachiaIntermediate Unit 8. Students representing14 schools compete in a fall league withinthe two-county district. Altoona finishedthe regular season with a 12-1 record,advancing to the championship round onNovember 20 as the second seed before

winning the district title. Altoona will face

Westmont Hilltop in the regional cham-

pionship on March 22,with the winning

team advancing to the State championship

in May.Te Scholastic Scrimmage team

meets weekly to practice on a buzzer system

and enhance their knowledge on the eclectic

topics they face.

On December 9,2015,14 Altoona AreaHigh School students were inducted intothe National Art Honor Society. Mem-bership into the Society is based upon artscholarship,ser vice,and character.Mr.Christopher Weiland,retired instructor at

Te Indiana University of Pennsylvania, was guest speaker. Following the induc-tion,stu dents,families, and administrationattended a reception and student art exhibit.Mr.Ronald Bowser and Mr.Erik Hoover,

AAHS art instructors, are the sponsors.

Altoona Area High School senior footballplayer Nick Hayden received the 2015 Joseph F.Cohen Blanket award.Te award was presentedby Brian Cohen at the Mountain Lions’ye ar-endbanquet held at the Bavarian Hall on Decem-ber 13,2015.Hayden is the 89th Mt. Lionfootball player to receive the blanket award.

JOSEPH F. COHEN BLANKET AWARD

National Art Honor SocietyNew Member Induction

AAHS Band Director LarryDetwiler and James O’Donnell

Altoona Area High School James O’Donnell was selected forthe 2015 National Associationfor Music Education (NAfME)

All-National Concert Band.O’Donnell,a junior Alto Sax-ophone player at Altoona AreaHigh School,and AAHS BandDirector Larry Detwiler attended

the NAfME National In -Ser- vice Conference in Nashville,N where outstanding musicians fromaround the country rehearsed andperformed with renowned conduc-tors.Musicians from around thecountry participate in an audi-tion process to be considered forselection.

AAHS Band Member Earns All-NationalConcert Band Selection

ANSWERTO “REMEMBER WHEN” FROM PAGE 2: 6 Students

Altoona Area School District … A leader in Education

ACADEMICS

AAHS Scholastic Scrimmageteam members include (L to R):Michael Scott (12), Juan Gil (12),Michael Flaig (12), Sam Houk (12),Gavin Williamson (11), and AllanBuchness (12).

• Jazz Band• Concert Band• Choral Programs

• Marching Band• Orchestra

MUSIC • Computer Animation

• Painting

• Jewelry

• Pottery

• Sculpture

• Drawing

ART

• AAHS: 22 Sports Teams+ Cheerleading

• AAHS: 10 Sports Teams+ Cheerleading

ATHLETICS

y y y y




Foster Grandparent Gloria Richards assists Sydney Hockenos with an assignment.

Students participating in “Who Wants to be a Millionaire of Black History Education”include (L to R): Row 1 – Christina Evans, Trená Johnson, Abbee Williams, and LexiWhysong. Row 2: Denaé Hurd, Charlie Smith, Devon Kennedy, Jarrett Hann, JebahliCrawford, and Jessiah Witherspoon.

MaleighaBillups (left)

and NevinKelly (right)

proudlydisplay theirModel Magic

Valentinesthey createdin a previous

lesson.

Foster Grandparents Playan Important Role

Ebner students create

Te Foster Grandparent Pro-gram is an asset to the LoganSchool Community.Te programis coordinated by Blair SeniorServices and is funded throughthe Corporation for National andCommunity Service. Blair SeniorServices and Logan

work collaborativelyto provide students

with additionalsupport in the class-room setting. Teprogram is designedto provide a servicethat enriches thestudent’s education as

well as the experience

for the volunteer.Foster grandparents are morethan helpers in the classroom,they have become role models andfriends over the years with staffand students. Currently there arefive Foster Grandparents at Logan

Elementary,each who volunteermore than 20 hours a week in theprimary classrooms. On any givenday you can see Barb,Donna,Gloria,Jean and Nancy listeningto students read,playing literacygames with students, practicing

math facts and sup-porting students whileteachers are instruct-ing. “Te foster grand-parents are a valuedmember to our teamas we all work togetherin an effort to improvethe lives of the Loganstudents,” said LoganPrincipal Jill Daloisio.

Gloria Richards hasbeen a foster grandparent for 7 years and has been assigned toLogan for the past four years. “Ilove working with the kids,”saidRichards. “Tey b ring a lot of joyin my life.”

According to the National En-dowment for the Arts,the NationalEndowment for the Humanitiesand the Institute of Museum andLibrary Services,“Re-Investingin Arts Education: WinningAmerica’s Future Trough CreativeSchools,”studies show students

who study art are 4 times morelikely to be recognized for academicachievement and 3 times morelikely to be awarded for schoolattendance. Tird grade students atEbner Elementary school learnedabout landscapes and silhouettesduring an art lesson with artinstructor ara Miller. Studentscreated their own landscape using

cool colored paper and incorporat-ing a silhouette of a pine tree. “Artallows for creative expression andgives students the extra outlet tocreate and strengthen problem solv-ing and critical thinking skills,”saidMiller.“We attempt to make everylesson meaningful for the student,integrating art history and curric-ulum.” During the Cool ColorLandscape project,students learnedto identify the Cool colors; purple,blue,and green. Miller incorporat-ed new terminology into the lessonas students were asked to define asilhouette and a landscape. Te re-sults were beautiful landscapes,eachreflecting the individual artist.

Te mission of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is to bring business and educationtogether in a positive working relationship throughinnovative leadership and career developmentprograms. It is through this collaboration tha t westrive to prepare our students with the best skill setto meet the needs of the 21st century workforce. Te AAHS FBLA club is comprised of 40

students in grades 10-12. FBLA club activitiesdevelop students’leadership skills and help pre-pare them for business-related careers. AAHSstudents recently competed in the regional FBLAcompetition held at Saint Francis University with14 students advancing to the State LeadershipConference which will be held in Hershey,PA,

April 10-13. Te competition included challengesin business and technology events with students

advancing in Accounting I,Cyber Security,Help Desk,Computer Game + Simula-tion Programming,Spreadsheet Applica-tions,Client Service, Computer ProblemSolving,Job Interview,Global Business,Business Calculations,Business Law,and Personal Finance. In addition to thestudents who are advancing,the AAHSFBLA team took home the most covet-ed Golden Keyboard Award,given to themost outstanding school in the region.TeGolden Keyboard is the “traveling trophy”of the region and will remain at AAHSuntil next year’s competition. Mr. ChrisKing,AAHS business education instruc-tor,serves as the FBLA Advisor.

For more than 10 years students at the Altoona Area Junior High School and Altoona Area HighSchool have participated in “Who Wants to bea Millionaire of Black History Education,” agame show designed to educate the public onthe achievements and contributions of African

Americans. Don Witherspoon, President of theBlair County Chapter of the NAACP,was theoriginator of the program. “T e game show is afun way to educate the kids and the audience onBlack History of America,”sa id Witherspoon.

“Te questions focus on the contributions African Americans have made both nationally and locally.” Witherspoon serves as the host of the sh ow whichincludes a panel of moderators that include SergioCarmona,Executiv e Director of Blair CountyCommunity Action; Rev.Keith Moore,Mt. ZionMissionary Baptist Church who substituted forBill Sweet,V.P.Blair County Chapter of NAACP;and Alice Lawrence,Chairperson of the ExecutiveBoard of the Blair County Chapter.Student participants are selected from the

AAJHS and AAHS Aevidum Clubs. Te win-ning team is recognized at the annual FreedomFund Dinner in the spring. Te show,taped by

Altoona Public Access,will air on the Public/Government V- Channel 14. For a complete listof show times,go to www.apaccess.weebly.com.

Future Business Leaders of AmericaStudents Advance to State Competition

AASD Students Recognize Black History Month

A CTE Program aligns secondaryand post-secondary curricula andoffers students the ability to explorecareers and earn industry recognizedcredentials while in high school.

• Child Care

• Accounting

• Administrative Assistant

AAHS CTE PROGRAMS

“I love work-ing with thekids. Theybring a lot of joy in my life.”

–GloriaRichards,Foster Grandparent

Colored Landscapes

Artists of theDay – Alyssa Sul(left) and MadisonCrownover (Right)show off theirCOOL coloredlandscape.

FBLA students competing at the State Leadership Conference include (L to R) -Seated: Andrew Toth, Alyssa Wilt, Abigail Orr, Madelyn Seidel, and Noah Zolnak.Standing: William Keirn, Ethan Wood, Nathanyel Kelty, Kenneth Brown, EddieRichmond, and Advisor Mr. Chris King. Missing from photo: Christian Wesner,Anna Zettle, Brandon Hazenstab, and Rachell Billetter




McAuliffe Heights Celebrates

a Dalmatian Plantation Winter storm Jonas may have beencreeping on the steps of the newly createdprimary drama club at the McAuliffeHeights Program atIrving Elementary;however,it didn’t stopthe 50 plus learnersin grades K-4 fromperforming 101

Dalmatians KIDS fora packed house in thegymnasium on January21,2016.Based on the classic

animated film,Disney’s101 Dalmatians KIDSis a fur-raising adven-ture featuring CruellaDe Vil,Disney’s mostoutrageous villain,and101 of the most adorable heroes to settheir paws onstage.With a high-spiritedscore and lovable characters,this stage

adaptation charmed and delighted theentire MH-Irving family.SS Substitute Miss Gina Volpe led

learners through several weeks of rehearsals along with music teacher erriMyers assisting with the

vocals in preparation forthe Disney production,

101 Dalmatians Kids.Learners rehearsed 2-3hours each week afterschool. Several parent

volunteers also helped withdesign and logistics.School principal,Mr.

Klingeman,former dramateacher at the Altoona

Area Junior High School,has a passion for K-12theatre programs and

knew with Miss Volpe on staff,the op-portunity to create a new primary drama

club was never better.“Te research

behind learners that participate in theatre

programs in school is clear---better

academic success,more comfort in social

situations, successful public speaking

to just name a few.With Gina in the

school and knowing her background in

theatre programs,we just had to take

advantage of her talent.”

Klingeman,Volpe, and Myers wrotea Venture Grant supported by the Al-

toona Area School District Founda-

tion that funded the project of $1000

to start the club by helping with costs

that included royalties,mat erials,

props,and costumes.

Michele Dugan,5th grade teacher and

AAHS Drama Club Assistant, will

also be producing a Music Teatre

International Show,School House

Rock Jr.with learners in grades 5 and

6 this spring.

Cruella De Vil and her cast of adorable and spirited Dalmations.

“The researchbehind learnersthat participate intheatre programs

in school is clear---better academicsuccess, morecomfort in socialsituations, successfulpublic speaking to just name a few.”

– Mr. Klingeman, schoolprincipal

The Learning Express

provides an inclusive,

integrated environment

allowing for children

with special needs and

typically developing

children to interact and

learn side by side.

Mrs. Amber Creamer participates in astory telling experience with her classof four and five year olds.

Learning

ExpressPre-SchoolProvidesa UniqueLearningEnvironment

Te Learning Express Pre-School is a developmen-tal program that provides Early Intervention servicesfor children ages three to school age living within theboundaries of the Altoona Area School District. TeLearning Express provides an inclusive,integratedenvironment allowing for children with special needsand typically developing children to interact andlearn side by side. Morning and afternoon sessionsare offered on varying days throughout the week toaccommodate various age groups,nap times,andschedules. Sessions are held either Monday throughFriday,Monda y-Wednesday-Friday,o r ues-day-Tursday. Te Learning Express staff providesservices at our center located at the Washington Jefferson site. In addition,teachers provide servicesat various pre-school sites,Pre-K counts, Head Start,private day cares and offer home-based visits. Te Learning Express eam is equipped to provide

evaluations determining eligibility for special edu-cation services,developmental and speech/languagescreenings,and transition planning from 0-3 year oldprograms and to school-age programs. Te LearningExpress offers support with Speech and Language

Terapy,Occupational and Physical Terapy,Hearingand Vision Support,and Orientation and MobilitySupport. Te Learning Express utilizes Applied Behavioral

Analysis and Verbal Behavioral techniques to addressthe needs of our young learners with Autism. Class-room teachers work with PaAN (Pennsylvania raining and echnical Assistance Network) to en-sure they are utilizing the most effective techniquesand strategies with our children. Coaches period-ically provide input right alongside the classroomteacher. Te Learning Express Pre-School implements

program wide positive behavior interventions andsupport with the state of Pennsylvania. Te programis state monitored and affiliated with the Office ofChild Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).

Parents have the opportunity to be part of variousparent education programs,support groups,and anadvisory board that assists with program planning.

If you are interested in enrolling your child or haveconcerns about your child’s development,please call Te Learning Express Pre-School at (814)946-8465.




Full Ahead at Baker Elementary

Math Enrichmentand Mentoring

Te Baker Elementar y S..E.A.M. Commit-tee feels strongly about creating opportunitiesfor children to explore various content areas while exploring 21st century skill s, problemsolving, and cooperative learning. Tis com-mittee made it their goal to provide Bakerlearners with four after school opportunitiesthroughout the 2015-2016 school year to immerse themselves in vari-ous hands-on experiences. Le arnersin Kindergarten through sixth grade were invited to participate in fourevents: Power of Coding (computerprogramming), Music and Science:Good Vibrations (designing and

exploring instruments), Lego/Engi-neering (designing a lego mini-fig-ure and engineering challenge),and Circuits (building circuits). wo events have been held thus far with great success. Committee members setup various locations throughout the buildingfor learners to stay after school from 3:00 p.m.until 3:45 p.m. Fifty-one children attended thePower of Coding where they explored com-

puter programming and had an opportunityto build their own program. Seventy childrenattended Music and Science: Good Vibrations.Learners experimented with manipulations vibrations changed sound, how instruments aremade, and left with an instrument they created. We are excited to see the rest of the e vents

unfold and the excitement ourchildren get from participating! “Itis exciting that we get to do projectsin Science and Math. Tey are mytwo favorite subjects! We are luckythat we are able to be in this club.”Sean Bettwy, fifth grade student. Te committee hopes to continue

expanding various opportunities forchildren to enhance their 21st cen-tury skills in the upcoming years.

“We are amazed at the numberof learners that signed up. It was

exciting to see learners engaged in a codingexperience. We are exposing the next genera-tion to the opportunities they will have in theirfuture!” Jodie Fenness ey, chairperson of theS..E.A.M. committee.

It was through a mutual acquaintance that AAHS Science Department ChairpersonPatty Sohmer was introduced to Dr.MichaelSalzburg of Altoona.Teir first conversation

was about science and the science coursesand opportunities available to AAHS stu-dents. It was that conversation that inspiredDr.Saltzburg, a former educator himself,tomake a donation toward the purchase of newequipment that would further enhance theclassroom experiences for

Altoona students.Dr.Saltzburg and his

wife,Wendy,recently visited the AAHS sciencedepartment to see thenew equipment in theclassroom and to speak

with science teachers andstudents about the howthe equipment was beingutiliized in the labs. “We are so pleased to

have the support of Dr.Saltzburg,”said ScienceDepartment ChairpersonPatty Sohmer. “Troughhis generous donation we

were able to purchase state of the art equip-ment that will allow us to integrate currenttechnology with practical applications andrigorous content.Te purchases will beused with all content areas and courses and

will allow students entering college,as wellas students entering the workforce,with

practical experiences and enhanced problemsolving skills.”Some of the equipment purchased included

a UV Vis Spectrophotometer with RFID echnology,Pasco Human Arm Model,Functional Shoulder Joint Model,InclinePlane Dynamic Set,Video microscope, and asmall wind turbine kit.Dr.Saltzburg spoke with students about

his path in science stating “with sciencesthere are so many optionsto move laterally withinanother discipline. Teimportant thing is to haveself-discipline,persev er-ance,and a good workethic.”Dr.Salzburg visited

chemistry,biology andphysics labs to see the

various equipment anddiscuss its uses. Whenspeaking about the UVVIS Spectrophotometer,

AP Chemistry teacher Joe Sohmer said,“It isunusual for a highschool chemistry lab

to be equipped with this type ofequipment. Instrumentation issomething we want our students tobe comfortable working with whenthey get to college. Te use of thisequipment gives them an advantage

when they get to college.”

“The purchases willbe used with allcontent areas andcourses and will allowstudents enteringcollege, as well asstudents enteringthe workforce, withpractical experiencesand enhanced problemsolving s kills.”

– Patty Sohmer,ScienceDepartmentChairperson

AAHS ScienceDepartmentReceivesState-of-the Art

Equipment

Dr. Saltzburg (Center) visited theAAHS Science classrooms to speakwith students and get a first-handlook at the recently purchasedequipment. Participating in histour included (left to right): Mrs.Wendy Saltzburg, Timmeco King,Dr. Michael Saltzburg, KierstenYoung and AAHS Chemistry in-structor Mr. Joe Sohmer.

Penn Lincoln sixth grade students inMr.Smearman’s class and Mrs.Natalie

rimmer’s AAHS Algebra III students arebuilding new relationships and connectingthrough math enrichment. According

to the National Association of SchoolPsychologists,student s’sense of belongingto school decreases through primary andsecondary education. “Te goal of thisproject is to increase attendance,self-con-fidence,academic performance and socialinteraction skills for the AAHS and PennLincoln students involved,”said Mrs.

rimmer. AAHS students meet bimonth-ly with Penn Lincoln students practicingmath-related activities or games.Priorto visiting with Penn Lincoln students,

AAHS students prepare and practice themath-related activities identifying problemsolving strategies and improving their ownunderstanding of the concepts in order to

break it down for their elementary part-ners. Working as a pair,the high schoolstudent models problem solving strategies,encourages students,and demonstratesgood sportsmanship with their partner.Students will also work in creating theirown math games based on the materialcovered in the 6th grade curriculum. “T ecollaboration between my class and thehigh school students has helped mathcome alive for many if not all of mystudents,“sa id Mr.Smearman. “ Manystudents who would typically shy awayfrom math have found an appreciation forthe subject and are now active participantsin my regular math class. Trough thegrant project, my students’e nthusiasmand understanding in math has grownexponentially!” Te project was funded byan AASD Foundation grant.

Using three dice and different equations, AAHS students Kiersten Smith and DaiquainWatson challenge Penn Lincoln students Stephen Storm, Andre Dokes and ShyannCampbell in a game of Four inaRow.

Students were fully engaged as they learned aboutcomputer programming.

“We areexposing thenext generationto theopportunitiesthey will have

in their future!”– Jodie Fennessey,chairperson of the

S.T.E.A.M. committee

STEAM

PAGE 16 Saturday, February 27, 2016 | www.aasdcat.com



Over the holiday season AASD faculty, staff, and stu-dents generously donated time, money, food, and giftitems in support of our community and our families.

Tank you to all those who so generously gave to makelife just a little easier for those in our community!

Mt. Lion Backpack Program – Weekly packing Bagsof Food, over $800 donated by the AAEA AnnualCharity Volleyball Game

Angel Feet Ministry - $506 for sneakers providedto area children

Sister Paula’s Soup Kitchen – nearly 2,500canned goods collected

Jack of Our Hearts - $1,580 collectedfor assistance with medical expenses

Toys for Tots – 150 new toys for children

St. Vincent DePaul – 800 canned food items collected

Archway ministries – Seventeen boxesof non-perishable food items collected

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh – Sharing isCaring - $11,000 for Children’s Hospital of Pitts-burgh

Hollidaysburg Veteran’s Home – Supporting local veterans with $670 for Christmas gifts

AASD Families – Collection of food items, gifts, giftcards, and toys for more than 150 families!

Caring for Kids With Cancer - $500 donation

American Cancer Society - $326 donation

Erin Dodson Memorial Scholarship Fund -$4,000 donation

“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile”— Albert Einstein

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AASD Feb 27 News Tracks