MNSD Press Releases

Young Authors' Project 2008 Winners -- It is the mission of the Delaware County Reading Council to promote literacy in schools and in the community by supporting international, national, state, and local literacy efforts. They provide educators, pupils, and other adults with opportunities to participate in sponsored events, which heighten interest and promote skills in the teaching of reading and writing. The Delaware County Reading Council works in conjunction with the Delaware County Intermediate Unit.

Dr. Nicholas Spennato Young Authors’ Project is designed to heighten interest in writing among Delaware County pupils, grades 1-8. The culminating activity is a Young Author's Conference which celebrates the best writing of pupils and provides each with a framed writing certificate of excellence, a bound book of the best writing, and a presentation by a children's author. Marple Newtown School District has 19 County winners for 2008.
Dr. Nicholas A. Spennato 30th Young Authors’ Project 2008 Winners:

Grade 1
Gwyneth Bozentka, Culbertson Elementary – All About Me
Aidan Curley, Culbertson Elementary – One Lucky Girl
Becca Ritchie, Loomis Elementary – My Cat Jessie

Grade 2
Isabella Capodanno, Loomis Elementary – Summer Camp
Ava Cardonick, Worrall Elementary – Brook, The Magical Book
Chad Lairdieson, Culbertson Elementary – My Chincoteague Vacation
Tea Latollari, Culbertson Elementary – Albania
Jordan Miller, Loomis Elementary – The Newspaper Disaster
Zachary Quinn, Loomis Elementary – The Little Girl With The Crazy Life
Michael Stellabotte, Russell Elementary – Giggle Bells

Grade 3
Nicholas Marcellino, Loomis Elementary – My Hero

Grade 4
Mia Cardonick, Worrall Elementary – As Night Falls
Sarah Hasson, Culbertson Elementary – Coming To America

Grade 5
Reuben Daniel, Worrall Elementary – The Time I Was Responsible
Emily Ding, Russell Elementary – Chinese New Year Is Coming!
Flavjo Latollari, Culbertson Elementary – Winter Days

Grade 6
Sarah Rote, Paxon Hollow Middle School – From The Diary Of Anne Rose Morris: Summer of 1783
Ally Sabatina, Paxon Hollow Middle School – L’Chaim, To Life
Lindsey Walsh, Paxon Hollow Middle School – The Secret Of The SPHINX

June 9, 2008 -- Local Students Selected for 2008 Pennsylvania Governor's Schools
High school students from the Delaware County Intermediate Unit region have been selected to participate in the 2008 Pennsylvania Governor's Schools of Excellence.
            A state tradition spanning more than three decades, the Governor's Schools of Excellence are a comprehensive set of residential summer programs held on college campuses. Admission to the programs is highly competitive. This year, 3,736 applicants vied for 788 positions in the programs.
            Students are selected on the meritorious basis of their artistic or academic talent as demonstrated through their applications.
            The programs are: The Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Agricultural Sciences at the Pennsylvania State University, University Park; the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts at Mercyhurst College, in Erie; the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for Global Entrepreneurship at Lehigh University, Bethlehem; the Pennsylvania Governor's School for Health Care at the University of Pittsburgh; the Pennsylvania Governor's School for International Studies at the University of Pittsburgh; the Pennsylvania Governor's School for Information, Society and Technology, at Drexel University, Philadelphia; the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh; and the Pennsylvania Governor's School for Teaching at Millersville University, Lancaster County.
            Additionally, a new program, the Governor’s School for Urban Teaching is being launched at Temple University this summer.
Governor's Schools involve participants in challenging, intensive and experiential activities that are closely mentored by professionals in each field. Graduates of the programs are encouraged to share their talents in their local communities through service leadership.
            Alumni of the programs include the 1998 Pultizer Prize winner in music composition, Aaron Jay Kernis, actor Kevin Bacon and bestselling novelist Alice Sebold. There are over 15,000 graduates distinguishing themselves in many different walks of life, including the creative and performing arts, scientific research, engineering, technological industries, law, public service and policy, scholarship, medicine and human services, education and private business.

The Governor's Schools are sponsored by the state Department of Education. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Governor's School for Health Care is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Local students selected to attend the programs are:

Amanda Borson, Marple Newtown High School, International Studies and Teaching
Amy Guo, Marple Newtown High School, Urban Teaching and Health Care
Wei Wang, Marple Newtown High School, Urban Teaching
Kira White, Marple Newtown High School, Agricultural Studies

For more information on the Pennsylvania Governor’s Schools of Excellence, go to the website at www.pgse.org, e-mail pgse@csiu.org or call (570) 524-5244.

April 1, 2008 -- Students Participate in Annenberg Science Symposium

Marple Newtown once again participated in the 4th Annual Annenberg Science Symposium held March 4th at Bryn Mawr Hospital. The symposium is designed to promote discourse among high school science students in the Delaware Valley.

This year's topic was modern medicine, technology, and innovation. Earlier this year, the Marple Newtown team had the opportunity to laparoscopic gallbladder surgery at Lankanau Hospital. For their project and presentation, Marple chose the topic of antibiotic overuse and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics resulting in the spread of infections that are difficult to treat.

Led by Daniel Albert and advised by Mrs. Frances Carr and Dr. Young Kim of Bryn Mawr Hospital, the students wrote and performed a skit based on the popular television show "House." The students used humor to convey the magnitude of the looming antibiotic crisis.

Sponsored by the Walter and Lenore Annenberg Foundation, other participating schools included Barrack Hebrew Academy, Episcopal Academy, and Radnor High School

March 27, 2008 -- Computer Fair Winners at Paxon Hollow! We are proud to announce the winners from Paxon Hollow for the 2008 Middle School Computer Fair for Delaware County.

Colleen Eccles—7th Grade 1st place computer fair logo design,
Jake Shapiro—8th Grade 3rd place--graphic design
Sinead Egan—7TH Grade—Participant—computer fair logo design
Valentina Kariouk—7th Grade—Participant--multimedia

Colleen will advance to the state competition on April 23, 2008 in Harrisburg. If she places 1st, her logo design will be used for the 2009 PA Middle School Computer Fair.The Pennsylvania Middle School Computer Fair is a student event that highlights computer technology integration within the middle school classroom and recognizes student achievement. Students are able to unleash their creativity, convey information more dynamically, apply state standards, and collaborate to create innovative projects. For more information, please visit: www.middleschoolcomputerfair.org.

Philadelphia Inquirer Highlights Marple Newtown Teachers! Over the course of the 2007-08 school year, these teachers have been highlighted in the Philadelphia Inquirer. You can read their stories below. Please congratulate them for their hard work and dedication to our students!

Dennis Reardon, MNHS:

www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/main_line_delaware/nabes/9635842.html

Eva Kaufmann, MNHS-German foreign student exchange Program:

www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/main_line_delaware/delaware/10663612.html

Joan Blaschak, PHMS:

www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/main_line_delaware/delaware/11960582.html

Randi Rentz, Worrall-Asperger's Program: Article and video

www.philly.com/philly/news/local/10759912.html

Dennis Andrews, MNHS:

www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/main_line_delaware/delaware/14305816.html

Dr. Tina Sweeley, Culbertson:

www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/main_line_delaware/delaware/15864277.html

MNHS and Don Guanella Partnership:

www.philly.com/philly/hp/sports/15537722.html

Dr. Steve Subers, PHMS - Award:

www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/main_line_delaware/delaware/10663622.html

Paxon Paddlers:

www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/main_line_delaware/delaware/10099817.html

Paxon Hollow Middle School - Potter Cup 2008

www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/main_line_delaware/delaware/15426282.html

February 1, 2008 — Russell Students Wins Top Prize

For the past ten years, the Office of Attorney General has published the Attorney General’s Drug-Free calendar featuring art work created by Pennsylvania’s fifth-grade students. The contest is in conjunction with National Drug Prevention Month, which is in October. Fifth-graders from across the commonwealth had a chance to have their artwork displayed on the 2008 drug-free calendar. The top prize winner has his artwork displayed on the cover of the calendar, and receives a $500 savings bond.

Robert Baxter, a Russell Elementary student in Amy Miller's Health class, took top prize, winning the $500 savings bond. His picture is on the cover of the 2008 Drug-Free calendar. Winners were invited to Harrisburg on December 18, 2007 for a luncheon and they toured the capital building.

January 11, 2008 — PAXON HOLLOW AND HAVERFORD MIDDLE SCHOOLS FACE OFF FOR THE 5TH ANNUAL POTTER CUP, FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2008

Proceeds from rivalry to be donated to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation For Childhood Cancer

Rival Middle Schools Haverford and Paxon Hollow will participate in the 5th Annual Potter Cup on Friday, January 25, 2008 beginning at 2pm at Haverford High School to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. Students and teachers alike will participate in a pep-rally before reveling in competitions between the wrestling teams and boys’ and girls’ basketball teams. “The Potter Cup” will be awarded to the school that wins two out of three of these sporting competitions.

Along with the sports related festivities, those in attendance will have the opportunity to enjoy food, fun, games and prizes for children of all ages. In a show of solidarity to cancer victims, a number of students and faculty members will shave their heads for donations to the cause. Magician Chad Juros will also be in attendance to entertain.

Since its inception, the Potter Cup has raised over $100,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation grew from a young cancer patient’s front yard lemonade stand to a nationwide fundraising movement to find a cure for childhood cancer. Since Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004) set up her first lemonade stand at the age of 4, over $17 million has been raised towards fulfilling her dream of finding a cure for all childhood cancers.

January 4, 2008 — Marple Newtown High School Recognizes Student Athletes

The Marple Newtown High School Athletics Department recently held a ROAR, Recognizing Our Academic Responsibility, award luncheon.

The fall sports team with the highest grade point average for the semester was honored with a pizza luncheon, t-shirt and certificate. Of the 350 student athletes in 8 programs, the Girl’s Soccer Team was the recipient this semester with a grade point average of 92.17.

This is part of the “Raising the Bar” program which is the mission statement for the athletic department. Student athletes are being encouraged to raise the bar in terms of their academics and character. Six pillars: respect, responsibility, citizenship, sportsmanship, integrity, and hard work have been identified as characteristics that they want the student athletes to model. They are challenging them to strive to be the best person and student that they can be as they go forward and represent the Marple Newtown School District

December 6, 2007 — Marple Newtown High School Welcomes New Principal. Mrs. Merle Horowitz, Superintendent of Schools and her administrative team, recently conducted a national search for a new high school principal. There was a large, representative, building level committee that interviewed candidates and recommended the finalists to an administrative/School Board committee.

We are pleased to share that on December 3, 2007 the Board of School Directors unanimously approved high school assistant principal, Raymond McFall as the new principal of Marple Newtown High School.

McFall has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware, a Masters in Secondary Mathematics from Widener University and is currently a doctoral candidate at Widener University. Born and raised in Ridley, Pennsylvania, McFall now resides in Springfield with his wife, Joanne and two daughters.

Mr. McFall will work closely with current building administration to ensure a smooth transition for our high school community.

Please join us in wishing Mr. McFall much success in his new position. His appointment will be official on January 2, 2008.

November 11, 2007 — SAP Americas Hosts Marple Newtown School District Foreign Exchange Students. This year Marple Newtown High School hosted the first ever foreign exchange program! Twelve students from Ingelheim, Germany, a small town along the Rhine, visited for two weeks, arriving on October 20th. There were many exciting activities planned, such as trips to Philadelphia, New York and Lancaster County. These students also attended school with their host students. It was great to see that they chose to come during Spirit Week and experience Halloween.

On Tuesday, October 23 rd, SAP Americas hosted a dinner for our MNSD families and students at the SAP Headquarters in Newtown Square. The dinner was hosted and planned by Richard Knowles, Senior VP of Operations & Communications. Mr. Michael Golz, CIO of SAP, greeted the students in both English and German. Marple Newtown families, students, teachers, administrators and school board members had a wonderful time.

Ms. Zeikat and Ms. Eiler-Engelhard are both teachers at the Kaiserpfalz Realschule and chaperones for the exchange. Heidi teaches English, and Gisela teaches biology and physical education.

About SAP:

SAP Americas is a subsidiary of SAP AG, the world's largest business software company and the third-largest software supplier internationally. SAP Americas' corporate headquarters is located in Newtown Square, PA.

October 22, 2007 — Important message from the Superintendent about the MRSA infection:
Dear Parents & Guardians:
MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is a significant concern for parents and
school officials as recent outbreaks have occurred throughout our state and region. As always,
standard practices for good hygiene are the best prevention and medical care is effective in
almost all cases.
The district is following all Department of Health guidelines for best practices for preventing the
MRSA disease from infecting the students and staff of your child’s school. Every attempt to
prevent transmission of MRSA is being made throughout the Marple Newtown School District.
We are providing some basic guidelines regarding MRSA.
• Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcoholbased
hand sanitizer.
• Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.
• Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages.
• Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, clothing, or razors.
For additional guidelines and resources, please visit our website and other links below.
The Marple Newtown School District nurses have received information and training about MRSA.
All staff and students are being reminded to practice good hygiene, and staff members are
receiving information about the infection so they can be vigilant and watch for signs of it. Our
custodial staff is using increased diligence in cleaning bathrooms, sinks, wrestling mats and other
athletic equipment, as well as locker rooms and showers. We believe we are taking all the
necessary precautions, and hope that by notifying parents about the issue, we will reinforce the
importance of good hygiene at home, as well as in our buildings.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your school principal and/or school nurse.
If your child is diagnosed with MRSA, please notify the school principal and/or school nurse
immediately. We will require a physician’s note to allow your child to return to school.
Thank you for your time and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Merle Horowitz, Superintendent
http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?a=178&q=248839
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca_public.html#8#8

October 19, 2007 — Paxon Hollow Unveils Mural -- Paxon Hollow's new tile mosaic entitled "The Path We Take" is a result of a grant awarded to the art department from the Tiger Foundation. It took almost 7 months of planning and preparation, followed by 2 months of labor intensive work by the students, staff and friends at Surrey Services for Seniors.

The small purple, green and blue tiles that fill the tree life form are symbolic of the thousands of students passing through Paxon Hollow. The administrators, teachers and staff do their best to shape, mold and give guidance to our students, notice the written words representing the characters of education along with the many extracurricular activities offered at PH. When students leave the school they have started to find new direction and interests in their life, thus the many branches.Approximately 200 students along with teachers, friends and senior citizens worked on this project. A special thank you is extended to Mr. John Beltrante for his amazing carpentry skills and Dr. Steve Subers for his willingness to support the vision and to Mr. Dan Collin's class of awesome tile makers ! Mrs. Dianne Blickle and Mr. John Gilleeny are the Paxon Hollow art teachers responsible for this mosaic!Photo of progress working with Surrey Services for Seniors:

October 12, 2007 — Paxon Hollow Middle School Principal Dr. Steve Subers Receives 2007 Bob D. Schiller Memorial Cancer Research and Support Award -- Dr. Steve Subers, Principal, Paxon Hollow Middle School, Marple Newtown School District, was selected to receive the 2007 Bob D. Schiller Memorial Cancer Research and Support Award (sponsored by Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc.).

This award is presented to schools and principals who have promoted programs that support cancer research or survivors of cancer.

The Potter Cup -- Paxon Hollow Middle School has developed a program called The Potter Cup that connects its students with the community in a very unique way. They created an all-school event that raises money for pediatric cancer research in the name of Alex’s Lemonade Stand. In three years, the school raised $98,000. This past January, they held their 4th Annual Potter Cup.

Each December, the Paxon Hollow school community begins planning for this massive event. What began as an event to raise school spirit evolved into an inspiring event in which the students learn the value of helping others. The Potter Cup revolves around an athletic competition between Paxon Hollow and Haverford middle schools. The athletes compete in basketball and wrestling for the honor of taking home the cup.

The school involves all aspects of its school community in the preparation for the event. Within the technology department, commercials are made for the morning news; the art department facilitates the design of the Official Potter Cup T-shirts with the theme of “Kids Helping Kids;” those involved in the advisory program discuss the benefits of helping others and the story of Alex Scott and her amazing Lemonade Stand; Alex’s parents set up a stand at the event and sell lemonade and speak to the students to further the message of helping others.

The award will be presented at the PAESSP's 23rd Annual Banquet held in conjunction with the association's state conference on Sunday, October 21, 2007 from 6 - 8:15 p.m. Other awards that will be presented at the banquet include the Principals of the Year, the National Distinguished Principal, the PAESSP/Metlife Mini-Grant Awards and the Educational Excellence Award, which will be given to Sen. Arlen Specter.

September 21, 2007 — Marple Newtown High School has 4 National Merit Semifinalists ~~The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has announced the names of the individual students who show exceptional academic and potential for success in rigorous college studies. More than 1.4 million juniors in nearly 21,000 high schools entered the 2008 National Merit Program by taking the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. That represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

Marple Newtown High School is pleased to announce that four students of the Class of 2008 have been designated as National Merit Semifinalists. Congratulations are extended to Roashan I. Ayene of Newtown Square, Jennifer L. Dailey of Broomall, Joseph D. Mansky of Broomall, and Alexander J. Vigderman of Newtown Square. They are ranked in the top 16,000 students nationally. These students will be notified in February if they have advanced to the next level of competition and recognition, that of National Merit Finalist. We wish them well.

“Their outstanding performance is a tribute to the students themselves, their families and the fine work of the Marple Newtown faculty,” said Principal Mr. John Sanville.

September 4, 2007 -- High School Receives Classrooms for the Future Grant ~~ Governor Rendell announced late last week that our school district has received a Classrooms for the Future Grant award in the amount of $340,000. This will help Marple Newtown High School students engage in learning on a new level, as we will be able to purchase laptop computers, as well as other high-technology tools, to improve instruction and learning and better prepare our students for future success. Classrooms for the Future will increase student engagement and help our students connect their academic coursework to the real world, giving deeper meaning to what goes on both inside and outside the classroom. This state-wide initiative includes substantial professional development to ensure that our teachers are prepared to integrate high-technology into classroom instruction and learning activities. Congratulations to Joe Violanti, Stan Piecara and John Sanville who co-authored the grant and to all Marple Newtown High School staff who assisted them. The entire high school community will reap the rewards of their efforts!

August 7, 2007 -- MNHS Students score 13 perfect SAT Scores! Marple Newtown High School has many students whose academic excellence is worth noting. This year there are 13 perfect SAT scores and 11 scores of 780 or above (which indicates only one missed question). The superior scores reflect intellectual ability coupled with hard work and dedication.

These 24 perfect and near perfect results demonstrate a dramatic increase in scores over previous years. In fact the number of perfect SAT’s in 2007 is more than the previous five years combined. Mr. Sanville states, “This is proof positive that the new SAT prep program at Marple Newtown High School is exemplary!” Mr. Sanville credits the high school teaching and administrative staff for successfully implementing this new program. The achievement demonstrated by these young people is no surprise to Principal John Sanville. “We have directed a lot of our energy and expertise into increased academic rigor throughout the school and our students have stepped up. These exceptional performances on the SATs are proof positive that MNHS offers the opportunity to excel. We are very proud of the scholarship shown by these students.” The 2006 PSAT scores, which increased by 16%, also indicate that there is depth and breadth to the high school’s strategy.

The remarkable results are part of a concerted and comprehensive approach by Marple Newtown High School administrators and teachers to offer all students enhanced scholastic opportunities. The increased emphasis on scholarship greatly augments the curriculum and is integral to all programs at Marple Newtown High School. According to Mr. Sanville, “We look forward to the upcoming year and are devoted to providing our students with academic challenges in every class.”

August 17, 2007 -- Marple Newtown School District Welcomes New Principal --Dianne Smith, new principal at Russell Elementary School, is beginning her tenth year as an elementary principal. She has served as a principal in the West Chester Area School District and in the Upper Darby School District. Previous to that, she was the Assistant Director of Special Education for Upper Darby. Her experience includes teaching at the middle and elementary school levels in both regular and special education.

Mrs. Smith completed her undergraduate and graduate work at Pennsylvania State University as well as her Supervisory and Administrative Certification programs. Ongoing professional development includes a focus on data-driven instruction, Literacy and Math instruction and Character Education.

Mrs. Smith was a longtime resident of Marple Newtown and attended Marple Newtown schools from kindergarten through 12 th grade. She and her husband, David, have three grown children who also graduated from Marple Newtown and have three young grandchildren. Her father, David Paxson, retired from the Marple Newtown School District in 1990 after 35 years in the district. He had been principal at Worrall and Russell Elementary Schools.

Mrs. Smith is excited to be returning to the Marple Newtown School District. “I am proud of this district’s legacy, and I am committed to seeing that the children of Russell School receive an excellent education. I have been involved with Marple Newtown as a student, parent and, now, as an employee. I am proud to, once again, be a Marple Newtown Tiger!”

Press Releases 2007-2008