MNSD Press Releases

Third Circuit Court Of Appeals Upholds Marple Newtown School District’s Ability
to Protect the Rights Of Its Kindergarten Students And Their Families

A June 1, 2009 precedential opinion of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, written by Chief Judge Scirica and joined by Circuit Judge Barry, held that Marple Newtown School District upheld the law when it had requested that a mother refrain from reading aloud from the Bible to an audience of kindergarten students as part of a mandatory classroom exercise. The case is Busch v. Marple Newtown School District, et al. The Court of Appeals held that “a reading from the Bible or other religious text is more than a message and unquestionably conveys a strong sense of spiritual and moral authority. In this case, the audience is involuntary and very young. Parents of public school kindergarten students may reasonably expect their children will not become captive audiences to an adult’s reading of religious texts.” Mark A. Sereni, Esquire of the law firm of DiOrio & Sereni, LLP was lead counsel for Marple Newtown School District.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT DISTRICT SPOKESPERSON
EDWARD C. PARTRIDGE, VICE-PRESIDENT, BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS AT SchoolBoard@mnsd.org.

May 12, 2009 --Culbertson Elementary School Title I Program -- Public notice: MNSD is pursuing an Ed-Flex waiver of section 1113 (a) (2) (B) – Eligible School Attendance Areas – of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act for the Culbertson attendance area in order to maintain a Title I program at Culbertson Elementary and St. Anastasia Schools.

March 24, 2009 -- ROAR Award Luncheon -- The Marple Newtown High School Athletics Department in conjunction with the Renaissance Program recently held a ROAR, Recognizing Our Academic Responsibility, award luncheon.

The winter sports team with the highest grade point average for the semester was honored with a luncheon, trophy, t-shirt and certificate.

MNHS had 250 + winter student athletes with an overall grade point average of 87.9% for the season. This is a reflection of a total team effort, from students, teachers, coaches, parents, etc.

The collective efforts have continued to “Raise the Bar” for our student athletes.

The overall grade point average winners for the winter season were the Girls Indoor Track Team with a GPA of 92.2 %. Congratulations to Michelle Ezzi, 1st year coach, who has inspired and motivated her team to achieve at such a high level.

ROAR 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.

March 9, 2009 -- Culbertson Receives Title 1 Improving School Performance Award -- Dr. Toni Himes, Supervisor of Language Arts and Federal Programs, Donna Dickey, Culbertson Elementary 5th grade teacher and Heather Lyon, Culbertson Reading Specialist, were invited to present at the Title 1 Improving School Performance Conference in Pittsburgh in January. The presentation was Increasing Reading and Writing Achievement: How We Did It!

Culbertson Elementary won a $5,000 Title 1 grant because the students in grade 3-5 were among the state’s top 25 schools for overall performance in reading or math on the PSSA, based on the percentage of students scoring Advanced or Proficient in the All Students category of the 2007-08 PSSA.

Culbertson was the only elementary school in Delaware County to receive this award.

Loomis, Russell and Worrall Elementary schools all received a $1000 grant for achieving Title 1 Academic Achievement. All the reading specialists were recognized at the January School Board Meeting for their school’s outstanding performance.

February 25, 2009 -- Rep. William F. Adolph, Jr. of Delaware County’s 165th Legislative District presented a Citation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to Ms. Christine White for her outstanding contributions to MNHS. Ms. White, Assistant Principal at Marple Newtown High School, has been selected as the 2009 Robert E. Lavely Assistant Principal of the Year by the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (PAESSP).

Pictured above: Dennis Reardon, Assistant Principal and Athletic Director, John Beltrante, Assistant Principal, Bobbi Caprice, MNHS Senior, Christine White, PA Assistant Principal of the Year, Representative William F. Adolph, Ray McFall, Principal, Merle Horowitz, Superintendent, Stan Piecara, Director of Secondary Education

January 22, 2009 – Christine White named Assistant Principal of the Year -- Christine White, Assistant Principal at Marple Newtown High School, has been named the Pennsylvania Assistant Principal of the Year by the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (PAESSP). Now designated a state winner by PAESSP, White is eligible in consideration to be the 2009 NASSP/Virco National Assistant Principal of the Year.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and Virco, Inc. come together annually to honor a winner from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) schools. From this pool of outstanding administrators, one national winner will be chosen at NASSP’s national convention on February 28, 2009 in San Diego, California. The national winner will be awarded $5,000, which can be used in their school or for personal professional development.

White is receiving this award due to her proven success in involving the local community in the life of the school, her astute awareness of current and emerging issues, and her passion in improving the school’s learning environment. “Assistant principals play a key role in the success of secondary schools across the nation,” said Larry Wonder, Virco’s Vice President of Sales. “Virco is honored to recognize their achievements and is committed to contributing to their professional development.”

“As school districts across the country struggle with filling school administrator positions, both principals and assistant principals, it becomes imperative that we highlight and honor the high flyers in the profession,” said Gerald N. Tirozzi, NASSP Executive Director. “To shine a light on the work of a quality educator such as Christine White is an honor.”

November 11, 2008 -- "Mix It Up at Lunch Day" -- Students at Paxon Hollow Middle school are set to Challenge Social, Racial Boundaries During the National "Mix It Up at Lunch Day"

Paxon Students will join more than 4 million others across the country to challenge social and racial boundaries on Thursday, Nov. 13, as part of the annual Mix It Up at Lunch Day, a project designed to foster respect and understanding in schools and communities.

Mix It Up encourages students to question and cross boundaries by sitting with someone new in the cafeteria for just one day.

More than 8,000 schools are expected to participate in this year's program, which is sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance project. Educators are encouraged to visit www.mixitup.org to obtain free supplies, including posters, brochures and activity booklets.

Student organizers say that Mix It Up at Lunch Day successfully encourages students to cross group lines and meet new people; helps foster school spirit and unity; raises awareness about social boundaries; helps students make new friends; and makes students feel more comfortable interacting with different kinds of people.

The Southern Poverty Law Center started its Teaching Tolerance program in 1991 to provide educators with free resources designed to promote respect for differences and an appreciation of diversity. The Mix It Up program began in 2002.

November 6, 2008 -- Winter Athletes Kick-Off Program -- The Marple Newtown High School Athletic Department will be hosting an orientation for winter athletes on November 19th, 2008 from 6:30-7:30 in the High School auditorium.

The evening will begin with a speech from keynote speaker Mr. Chris Wheeler, broadcaster for the World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies.

The Athletic Department would like to extend this invitation to all Marple Newtown student athletes.

Please contact Mr. Dennis Reardon, Assistant Principal & Athletic Director,
610-359-4232 or dreardon@mnsd.org for more information.

About Chris Wheeler
Chris Wheeler is a 1963 graduate of Marple Newtown High School. Chris was inducted into the M-N Hall of Fame by Lou Bonder, which remains a great honor to him today. Chris joined the Philadelphia Phillies in 1971 as Assistant Director of Publicity and Public Relations. While a member of that department, he was added to the broadcast team in 1977 and has been on the air ever since.
Chris graduated from Penn State in 1967 with a BA degree in journalism and broadcasting. His first job was with WCAU Radio in Philadelphia as a news writer and reporter; he also did traffic reports from an airplane.

Chris then moved to WBBM Radio in Chicago, followed by a stint in New York with CBS Radio. In 1982, he was named Director of the Phillies' new Community Relations department and in 1991, he became the department's Director of the Speakers Bureau, a position he held through 1997. Additionally, "Wheels" was the camp coordinator for Phillies Dream Week, 1983-1999.

October 13, 2008 -- Balancing Fiscal Responsibility for the Marple Newtown High School Project

In order to provide our students an excellent education, we have completed the needs analysis for Marple Newtown High School. This analysis identifies the educational program and its requirements for the building, such as integrating technology into the classrooms.

The project team consists of the School Board, administration, high school staff, Bonnett Architects and Reynolds Construction Management. One of the greatest challenges our team faces is balancing fiscal responsibility against the commitment to build the best high school possible for our students. We understand the burden that property taxes impose on many of our residents and our goal is to minimize the impact of this project on our taxpayers. We also face financial realities, such as limitations of borrowing capacity, Act 1 (The Taxpayer Relief Act of 2006) restrictions, and Department of Education requirements. Our duty to the taxpayers and other economic realities guide us as we identify the optimal programs for our students in a building that requires significant repair and is inappropriate for today’s educational environment.

We have considered the options of building new, renovating the current building, or combining new construction with renovation of the existing building. By comparing recent expenditures of other local districts on similar projects, and by using current construction costs, we can better examine each option. When we began the process of securing funding for a major renovation, the borrowing capacity for the district was approximately $70 million. If we build an entirely new high school on our existing site, the cost would greatly exceed $100 million. Consequently, we do not consider an all new high school as a viable option. Therefore, our efforts have focused on deciding between a complete renovation or a renovation with partial additions. Upon reviewing these options, we believe a renovation with partial additions can be achieved for approximately $70 million and can accomplish the majority of our educational goals.

Using this approach, the project team is working jointly to deliver our educational program in an updated facility at a fraction of the cost of a new building. We will have a topnotch academic program, energy-efficient systems, and a building that instills a sense of pride. To address this challenge, we are examining our existing building and identifying portions of the building that can be renovated and portions of the building that are failing too critically to be saved.

The MNSD Sponsor-A-Scholar program is replicated from the highly successful, nationally acclaimed Philadelphia Futures Program. This program recruits financial sponsors who are willing to make a four year commitment to a financially needy student who has demonstrated academic potential and an interest and intention of attending a four year college.

Sponsors create scholarships for their students by making a pre-determined contribution each year for four years beginning with the ninth grade. These funds will help to fill the gap that may exist after all other sources of funding have been exhausted. A second and more important aspect of the program is mentoring. Every student who is selected for the program receives a mentor, who serves as a role model and motivator for the student. The mentor either comes from the sponsor’s organization or from the school district.

The Marple Newtown School District Sponsor-A-Scholar Program is not only a financial outreach program but a human outreach and school-business partnership, as well. Through the vehicle of a sponsor’s generosity, a “significant other” enters the life of a child and develops a relationship that can and will shape the future of the young scholar. All sponsors are encouraged to become the mentor, as well. It is in this role that the sponsor can make the ultimate gesture of human kindness and caring for a young adult.

The first step in becoming a sponsor is to make the commitment to change the life of a child. Then, the sponsor needs to decide the level of the financial commitment.
Gold Sponsor $1,000/yr. for 4 yrs. Silver Sponsor$750/yr for 4 yrs.
Bronze Sponsor$500/yr. for 4 yrs.

Over the past 3 years, these sponsors have made an impact on the lives of 26 students.

The 2008 sponsors include:
Brokerage Professionals, Brightbill, Nancy & Richard Galbraith, Loomis PTO, MNHS PTO, Martin’s Run, Newtown Business & Professional Association, Newtown Rotary, Russell PTO

Recently, MNSD held its Sponsor-A-Scholar recognition program, where Sponsors, mentors, students and their families met.

October 1, 2008 -- Third Group of Chinese Bridge Delegates Take Annual Trip to China to Promote Stateside Language Programs

From school districts as diverse as Schenectady, N.Y., and Salt Lake City, Utah, hundreds of educators traveled to China this summer to learn about the language and culture of one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Mrs. Eva Kaufmann, Foreign Language Department Chair, of Marple Newtown High School was selected as a delegate.
            The third annual Chinese Bridge Delegation took place June 23-July1. More than 400 delegates — including school superintendents, principals and language instructors — participated in the 2008 tour. The goal of the trip, which began in Beijing, was to build sister school ties and network with other U.S. educators who have, or hope to build, Chinese language programs in their schools. After Beijing, the delegation fanned out to visit elementary and secondary schools in 13 provinces. Ultimately, the program aspires to foster better understanding of Chinese culture and fluency in the language among U.S. students.
            The Chinese Bridge Delegation is just one result of a partnership formed in April 2006 between the College Board and China’s Office of Chinese Language Council International (also known as Hanban) to build and expand Chinese language programs in U.S. schools. The partnership also includes a Chinese Guest Teacher program that brings qualified language teachers from China to teach in U.S. schools. More than 100 teachers from China arrived in 2007 and were welcomed in schools and districts in 31 states. In addition, the College Board, with support from Hanban and other organizations, launched the new Advanced Placement Program® Chinese Language and Culture course and exam in 2006-07.
            “In the new global community, students will need fluency in other languages and an understanding of diverse societies,” said College Board President Gaston Caperton. “Advances in technology offer us a great opportunity for sharing ideas and creating a better future, and I look forward to that future being made brighter by the Chinese Language and Culture Initiatives that we are building together.”
            Organizers hope that delegates will return to the U.S. with increased awareness of Chinese language and culture and will provide their own students with new opportunities to learn as well.
            The Chinese Bridge Delegation is sponsored by Hanban in partnership with the College Board, the Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools, the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages, the National Association of District Supervisors of Foreign Languages and Chinese Consulates in the United States.
            Established by the Chinese government in 1987, Hanban is China’s official agency with a mission to promote Chinese language and culture internationally, fulfilling a function similar to that of both the U.K.’s British Council and France’s Alliance Française. For more information about these programs, visit www.collegeboard.com/k12chinese.
            Delegates representing public schools and districts, independent schools, and state and local education agencies from 49 U.S. states participated.

September 19, 2008 -- Helene Duckett Awarded Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Grant

Helene Duckett, Reading Specialist at Loomis Elementary School in the Marple Newtown School District, was awarded a $500.00 grant from the Delaware Valley Region's chapter of the Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Mrs. Duckett's grant, "Beloved Buddies" (on the road to building words) is a project that creates a home to school connection which engages parents in their child's learning. Parents are invited to a mini lesson on structured phonics and provided with a home word building kit to reinforce structured phonics at home. Data will be obtained for the school by evaluating how structured phonics, when reinforced correctly at home, affects students' success in decoding and reading new words.

Regina Fairbanks and Nicholas Finnicum, fourth graders at Loomis Elementary School in Marple Newtown School District, attended the National Young Scholars Program in Washington, D.C. this summer. During NYSP, Regina and Nick explored a dynamic hands-on curriculum, grew in maturity and character and developed key leadership skills. Highlights from their experience include:

Press Releases 2008-2009