The public has spoken

Peters 4-4

Democrat

Candidate

Percent

Votes

Lori Cuervo

12.2%

129

David P. Hvizdos

13.8%

146

Sue Smith

20.6%

218

Cynthia Golembiewsk

12.2%

129

Lisa Anderson

23.4%

248

Rebecca Bowman

16.8%

178

Write-In

Could it be?

School Director/Peters Twp 4-4

Republican

Candidate

Percent

Votes

Jamison J. Hardy

17.6%

362

Lori Cuervo

10.4%

214

Rebecca Bowman

16.1%

331

Sue Smith

16.2%

332

David P. Hvizdos

10.7%

219

Cynthia Golembiewski

10%

206

Lisa Anderson

18.8%

386

Write-In

0.2%

5

Upcoming School Board Election: Issues - Answers - Candidates! Your thoughts?

News Flash

Phone Outage at PTHS Monday, May 13

We are currently experiencing problems with the phones at Peters Township High School. As technicians works to correct the problem, please note that staff members may still be reached via email. In an emergency, the building may be reached by calling 724-941-4238. Thank you. Peters Township School District 631 E. McMurray Road McMurray, Pennsylvania 15317

A Message from PTA Area Council

PTA Area Council invites you to an informational tour of the Peters Township High School at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 9. This is your chance to ask questions and take a look at the school firsthand. Please also consider attending the PTSA meeting at 9:15 a.m. before taking the tour, Police Chief Harry Fruecht will talk about, "Issues for Parents and Students." Visitor parking may be found in the Visitors lot (nearest McMurray road and PV drive), Faculty lot (in front of building), and in Pleasant Valley's upper lot. Clear here for more information on the HIGH SCHOOL FOCUS

Superintendent Search Update May 2013

The search for a superintendent has reached the interview stage. The paper screening and phone screening interviews of the first set of candidates has been completed. The Board is now in the process of conducting in-depth interviews with the candidates in order to ensure that the next superintendent possesses the qualities and demonstrates the skills identified in the focus groups as essential in the next superintendent. Focus groups were held with teachers, support staff, principals, central office administration, students, community leaders, parents and the community at large. Based on focus group participant comments and discussion, a candidate profile was developed. The search team is now in the process of matching the candidate profile with the applicants. This will be achieved through a series of in-depth interviews. There will several rounds of interviews. At the conclusion of each round of interviews, candidates will either advance to the next round or be eliminated from the process. The Board extends its appreciation to the community for your patience and support as we works to ensure that the best candidate is selected as the next superintendent of the Peter Township School District.

Help PT Family

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Help McMurray Elementary Help a Family in Need!

McMurray Elementary School

626 E McMurray Rd, McMurray, PA

/listings/mcmurray-elementary-school

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Help McMurray Elementary Help a Family in Need

 

Photos

Credit Geri Whalen

 

The McMurray Elementary School community is coming together to help the family of one of its fourth-grade students.
Geri Whalen, of Venetia, recently underwent a kidney transplant and is currently awaiting a pancreatic transplant. The costs associated with these transplants and the lifelong medications she will need are excessive—but you can help!

To help the family with some of these costs, McMurray Elementary is having a basket raffle fundraiser. The raffle tickets for the baskets will be for sale during the McMurray Spring Evening Events.
Tickets cost just $1 at any of the upcoming events listed below:

* 5th Grade Band Concert (Wednesday, May 8) at 6:30 p.m.
* 6th Grade Band concert (Wednesday, May 15) at 6:30 p.m.
* Science Olympiad Fun Night (Friday, May 17) at 5:00 p.m.
* 6th Grade Orchestra Concert (Monday, May 20) 6:30 p.m.
* 4th Grade Band Concert & Art Fair (Tuesday, May 21) 6:30 p.m.
* 5th Grade Orchestra Concert (Tuesday, May 28) 6:30 p.m.
* 4th Grade Orchestra Concert (Wednesday, May 29) 6:30 p.m.
* 3rd Grade Parent Orientation (Thursday, May 30) 6:30 p.m.

Related Topics:Geri Whalen and McMurray Elementary School

With all the talk of "Budget Cuts" where does this leave the "High School Improvement Campaign"  and the other buildings that need work?

 

Budget cuts expected to be difficult to find in Peters schools

 

May 2, 2013 5:56 am

 

 

 

By Janice Crompton

The Peters Township School District rolled out a plan last year to allow students to bring their own devices -- tablet computers, smartphones, laptops and the like -- to class in hopes it would cut down on technology costs for the district.
So far it hasn't worked, according to district technology director Duke Maloy. Students are bringing their devices only sporadically, and not all of them are compatible with the Windows curriculum.
So, Mr. Maloy has proposed spending more than $300,000 next school year to buy all new computers, and he wants to rewrite the curriculum so that tablets or other devices can be used eventually.
Mr. Maloy wants to replace 1,600 devices, mostly desktop computers in classrooms, through a four-year lease, with payments of $302,000 per year. For now, the district will need to continue using Windows-based desktops.
He made his request Monday at a meeting of the school board's finance committee, where department heads provided wish lists and requests from building principals.
In all, the requests, along with mandatory costs, total $54 million in spending, which is about 6 percent higher than the current budget. The district is expected to pare expenses significantly before the board adopts a budget for next year.
And, they are looking to district employees to help them do that.
"We have to bite the bullet and make cuts now," said board member Lori Cuervo, who suggested that contracts could be renegotiated with teachers and other staff. "It's 75 percent of our budget," she said of staff salaries.
"I can't see how we can do this without them," agreed board president Cindy Golembiewski.
The district avoided staff layoffs for this year by raising the tax rate by 3.79 mills, refinancing $22 million in debt and freezing spending on discretionary costs, such as curriculum. But it doesn't have those options for next year.
The board will be limited to a state-mandated cap of 1.7 percent -- or about 1.64 mills -- for any tax increase for next school year, and curriculum, materials and other expenses that were delayed this year can't wait another year, according to administrators.
Mr. Maloy said the district could save money by partnering with vendors to offer discounts to students who purchase devices to take to school.
Rewriting the district curriculum to use Web-based systems, rather than Microsoft Windows, would also produce significant savings, he said.
"But we're not there yet," Mr. Maloy said of the rewritten curriculum.
Thomas McMurray, finance committee chairman, said the district spent a lot of money last year building a "backbone" for devices at the high school, including electrical and network infrastructure.
"Explain to me why this wasn't a waste of money," he asked Mr. Maloy.
Mr. Maloy said having students bring their own devices -- what he called "BYOD" -- wasn't designed to save money at the outset but that savings associated with it should be forthcoming when the curriculum catches up. He said he would research cost savings further before the next finance committee meeting next month, along with other options, such as virtual desktops.
Special education is likely to be another rising expense for next year, according to special education director Patricia Kelly.
"We're looking at additional teaching and paraprofessional staff," said Ms. Kelly, who noted that special education staffing costs are driven by student needs that must be met under state and federal regulations.
With districtwide enrollment expected to increase by about 45 new students next year, the special education population also is expected to increase, as it did this year, Ms. Kelly said.
The department is facing cost increases of more than $426,000, she said, including the creation of a life skills class for autistic students in the high school.
Although enrollment has gone up, the state subsidy for special education has been frozen for the past six years, shifting more of the cost to local taxpayers.
Other increases proposed for next year include an additional $1.4 million in pension costs, curriculum increases of $318,000 and about $130,000 for a new Internet-based phone system.
"We will continue to look at this budget and go through the line-item detail," district business manager Vincent Belczyk said.
The next finance committee meeting is at 6:30 p.m. May 13; it is open to the public. A preliminary budget is expected to be passed by the end of this month, with the final spending plan approved by the end of June.

Janice Crompton: jcrompton@post-gazette.com or 412-851-1867.
First Published May 2, 2013 5:56 am

Panic at the Point! Workshop for Teachers & Students Breaking News: There was an explosive attack at Point State Park on fireworks night! Fireworks contaminated with a biological agent, a chemical agent and shrapnel exploded over the crowd. Your Mission: Retrieve and test the unexploded material to identify the contaminants, assess the risk of exposure to the crowd, and to identify the perpetrator. The Panic at the Point! Workshop kicks-off with a mock press conference, followed by a week of hands-on STEM-related activities, geared for both high school teachers and students (grades 9-12). Student instruction covers STEM content, lab skills, team building, and career opportunities. Teachers receive separate instruction in STEM content, lab skills, pedagogy, and gender equity and diversity training. Throughout the week, STEM professionals will add excitement, real world context, and exposure to STEM careers. Instructors for each lab include an Upper St. Clair teacher, a Science Center staff member, and STEM Master's Program students from California University of Pennsylvania. On the last day of the workshop, students and teachers will participate in a final "press briefing" to report their results and resolve the case! Teachers register now and share this cool opportunity with your students! Dates: Monday, July 30 - Friday, Aug. 3 Times: 9 am - 3 pm Location: Upper St. Clair High School Cost: $350 per Student (lunch included); FREE for Teachers ($300 stipend and lunch included); How to Register: Call 412.237.1637 At registration, students should have ranked the following content areas for their workshop experience in order of preference: biotechnology, robotics/engineering, or chemistry/materials science.
THIS EVENT, PROGRAM OR GROUP IS OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY OF THE PETERS TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT. DISTRIBUTION OF THIS INFORMATION DOES NOT INDICATE ENDORSEMENT BY THE DISTRICT

	PT SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE FORUM Co-sponsored by LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, THE PT PTA AREA COUNCIL and THE PETERS TOWNSHIP CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
	TUESDAY, APRIL 23 7 - 9 PM PT MIDDLE SCHOOL AUDITORIUM Seven candidates are running for the office of Peters Township School Director in the upcoming municipal primary election on May 21. All of the following seven candidates running have confirmed their attendance at the forum: Lisa Anderson Rebecca Bowman Lori Cuervo Cynthia Golembiewski Dr. Jamison J. Hardy David Hvizdos Sue Smith The seven are vying for four open positions. The goal of the forum is to give voters the opportunity to hear from the candidates in person on a variety of issues. Candidates will be given equal time for an opening statement and then will respond in turn to written questions from the audience. There will be an opportunity following the forum to talk with individual candidates. For more information, contact the LWV of Washington County at 724.745.3111 Any student or parent who is interested in helping the night of the event, please contact pthsptsa@gmail.com This event qualifies for NHS community service hours

PT parents protest sex-ed material                      

by Terri Johnson


Published Apr 15, 2013 at 11:50 pm (Updated Apr 16, 2013 at 12:19 am)

McMURRAY – An overflow audience attended Monday’s meeting of Peters Township School Board to address parents’ concerns about a program on human growth and development that is being taught in the middle school.

No decision was made by the board on any of the issues brought up. However, Joseph Dimperio, acting superintendent, said the curriculum was being rewritten this summer and would take into consideration parents’ concerns.

Jennifer Alexander of 104 Kingwood Drive, Venetia, said she has been a resident of the township for seven years.

“I’m a proud mom of three boys, and I know what’s best for them,” Alexander told the board, adding she found some of the items included in the Human Growth and Development supplemental material was not suitable for some fifth-graders. Particularly objectionable, Alexander said, was a list of websites that referred middle-school students to various sites. That particular reference was removed from the fifth-grade curriculum and was not referred to in any classroom instruction. Alexander said she also objected to descriptions of bestiality, masturbation and group sex. She also objected to a listing, that has been removed, giving Mary Jo Podgurski’s name and a telephone number. Podgurski is a nurse, educator, speaker and trainer who oversees the Teen Outreach through Washington Hospital. However, the curriculum at Peters Township is currently taught by educators from the district. Podgurski attended the meeting but did not speak publicly.

The district has used the materials provided through Teen Outreach for 20 years. Each parent must sign a permission slip for the student to be included in the program. Those who opt not to sign will have their student assigned to another activity. Classes are not a full or half semester. Participating fifth-graders attend only two 40-minute classes and sixth-graders attend three 40-minute classes during the school year.

A vast majority of the audience appeared to support Alexander’s position that the curriculum was too personal and too advanced for those in fifth and sixth grades.

District policy prohibits audience members from addressing anyone by specific name. Hence, Alexander and others who spoke, referred to Podgurski as “her.” As for the inclusion of Podgurski’s name and a telephone number, Alexander said, “I don’t know her, and I don’t want her to contact my son.”

Alexander said her husband and she would address any questions their sons may have.

“Our children do not need this information at this age,” Alexander said.

Roxanne Zeisloft of 301 Molly Drive also expressed her displeasure at the literature and curriculum involving Human Growth and Development. She told the board she was “upset” with the vagueness of the permission slip, adding she was amazed that when the permission slip for the 2013-14 school year arrived last week, it came in a “sealed envelope.”

Parent Kathy LaBellarte of 113 Singletree Drive, Venetia, said she was “outraged” at much of the content, detailing sex, masturbation and orgasms.

“This could encourage them to go home to their bedrooms” and try some of the items in the book. LaBellarte said some of the information dealt with abortions, all without parental approval.

She said, as one who is pro-life, that the morning after pill is considered a form of abortion and there are side effects to the pill that the school district has not considered. LaBellarte said she objected to references to transgender, homosexual and lesbian individuals and that she heard teachers were not to refer to the family unit as only husband and wife.

“This is an all-out assault on family values,” LaBellarte said.

There were those who supported the curriculum and the need for children to learn sex education from those trained in the subject. During those addresses to the board, several audience members groaned and were otherwise disruptive to the speeches.

Parent Clarence McGee of 141 Meadowbrook Circle said he preferred to teach his children about sex and sexuality from “Bible-based information” that puts forth “God’s interest first.”

Linda Kelly of Washington was given permission to speak after consultation with the district’s solicitor Jack Cambest to speak as a nontownship resident.

As a nurse for 35 years and most recently as a labor and delivery nurse, she said children need to know the correct facts rather than learning about sex and sexuality on the streets or from their friends. Some of her comments were met with groans from the audience.

After nearly an hour of discussion, Cindy Golembiewski, board president, told the audience the curriculum would be addressed this summer. Parents would be asked to be part of the process and they will be notified by an e-mail from the district.

Following the meeting, Podgurski said she has always believed parents make the right decisions about what their children learn. She stressed that no student is required to participate and that any parent may opt out from having their student attend.

Also attending, but not speaking publicly, was James Longo, chair of the education department at Washington & Jefferson College. His education credential are lengthy.

“There is no one I have more faith in or confidence in than Dr. Podgurski,” Longo said following the meeting. “She’s done more good for more children than anyone I’ve ever met personally or professionally. We are very blessed to have her.”

In information provided by Podgurski before the meeting, she said her mission has been “viciously and stealthily attacked” in the past several weeks through e-mails and other communications among some parents. In the past month, Podgurski said her work, character, professionalism and motivation were questioned by a group of parents. She called the attacks “personal and brutal.”

“I am transparent and open to discuss any parent’s needs yet none of these attackers gave me an opportunity to defend my work,” Podgurski said. “They used e-mails and nonschool sanctioned meetings to distort and take my words out of context. I have been called degrading, disrespectful, disgusting and immoral.”

• Schools

Are PSSAs Ruining Our Schools?

One Pittsburgh woman says so. Patch readers chime in.

• ByBecky Brindle
• Email the author
• 5:57

An opinion piece recently published in the Post-Gazette has created quite the buzz on Facebook.
Kathy Newman, an English professor and mother of a third grader, wrote that she is having her son "opt out" of this year's PSSA because the stressful tests "warp the educational environment." Her son attends Pittsburgh's Linden Elementary School.
We asked our Patch readers on Facebook if they support Newman's decision and what they think of Pennsylvania's standardized tests, and we received a mixed bag of reaction.
Most of the commenters think Newman is right on—calling the PSSAs "a waste of time."
Two others think Newman might be making the wrong decision.
"You might be able to shelter your young child from the rigors of the real world, but eventually, he's going to have to face challenges, sometimes unpleasant ones, all on his own," Linda Trader wrote.
"People coddle their children too much these days," Dawn Sartori Hudock wrote.

So what do you think? Will you join the "opt-out" of PSSAs movement?

In todays Pittsburgh Business Times. Where is Peters?

Top 10 school districts in Pennsylvania

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Here are the top 10 school districts in Pennsylvania based on the 2013 Pittsburgh Business Times Guide to Western Pennsylvania Schools.

Paul J. Gough

Digital Producer- Pittsburgh Business Times

 

            

A mix of eastern and western Pennsylvania school districts make the state's top 10, with Upper St. Clair School District in suburban Pittsburgh once again at the head of the class in the Pittsburgh Business Times' annual ranking released Friday.
Mount Lebanon School District moved up three places to take No. 2 on the list, and closed the gap overall with perennial leader Upper St. Clair.
Unionville-Chadds Ford School District in eastern Pennsylvania is No. 3, falling one place from the 2012 ranking. Tredyffrin-Easttown School District dropped one spot to No. 4, and the North Allegheny School District rose one place to round out the top 5.

MORE: 2013 Guide to Western Pennsylvania Schools
Allegheny County had the most school districts in the top 10, with five. Chester had two school districts represented, and Montgomery, Bucks and Delaware each had one.
The PBT's 2013 top 10 school districts for Pennsylvania are:

1. Upper St. Clair School District (Allegheny)
2. Mount Lebanon School District (Allegheny)
3. Unionville-Chadds Ford School District (Chester)
4. Tredyffrin-Easttown School District (Chester)
5. North Allegheny School District (Allegheny)
6. Radnor Township School District (Delaware)
7. Hampton Township School District (Allegheny)
8. South Fayette Township School District (Allegheny)
9. Lower Merion School District (Montgomery)
10. Central Bucks School District (Bucks)

You can find the complete listing on our Guide to Pennsylvania Schools website.
The Pittsburgh Business Times annually ranks school districts based on a three-year average of PSSA test scores.
MORE: How we rank the state's school districts

Paul J. Gough is digital producer at the Pittsburgh Business Times. Contact him at pgough@bizjournals.com or 412-208-3827. You can also follow him on Twitter.

Superintendent Search Update March 26, 2013

The search process for a new superintendent is progressing nicely. We have received nearly 20 applications and anticipate a dozen or so more before the application deadline closes. The search team is reviewing the applications and will be scheduling screening interviews in April. All applications will continue to be reviewed as they are received until the process has concluded. Meanwhile, 11 focus groups have been conducted with building and central office administrators, office and support staff, faculty, students, parents and the community. From the focus group feedback, the board and the search committee will develop a candidate profile and interview questions, which will be posted on the website after candidate interviews have been completed. If you would like to express your thoughts and or comments with respect to the qualities that you feel are important in the next superintendent of the Peters Township School District, but were unable to attend a focus group, please email your suggestions to PTSDSuptSearch@cciu.org.

Police Chief: Middle School Evacuation 'Was a Mess'

Parents rushing to pick up their children caused a traffic disaster after a bomb threat was found on calculators.

• ByBecky Brindle
• Email the author
• 5:45 am

 

 

Peters Township's police chief speaks to the Peters Council on Monday, March 25.Credit

Becky Brindle

 

Peters Township Police Chief Harry Fruecht told Peters Council Monday night that he made the decision to evacuate Peters Township Middle School on Friday after school authorities found a threat on calculators that said the school would blow up at 10:40 a.m.
Fruecht said police received the report of the threat around 10:15 a.m., which did not give them enough time to sweep the building before the supposed detonation.
Four bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in to search the building and no credible threat was found.
Meantime, students were evacuated to buses outside of the school to keep them warm. It was then decided to shuttle the students to McMurray Elementary for the rest of the day, but the traffic from all the concerned parents coming to pick up their children caused a "disaster," according to Fruecht.
"It worked, but it was a mess," he told Peters Council.
Council Chairman Frank Arcuri said he would like to let the school board know that the council is concerned and would like them to work on making sure the situation doesn't happen again.

 

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Peters Volunteer Fire Department's President Sends Warning About Phone Calls

PT parents want a new high school to be built

 

by Terri Johnson
Staff Writer

The Peters Township School Board was looking at spending several million dollars during a meeting March 18 as a group of parents is pushing for a new high school, and the artificial turf on the high school stadium is at the end of its predicted life. The requests come on top of the $2.5 million spent last year on improving and replacing athletic fields near Pleasant Valley Elementary School.

About a year ago, Peters Township residents were surveyed as to whether they would support building a new high school ,with the result being a possible tax increase. Those who returned the survey gave a resounding negative response.

Now, however, a group of parents, many of whom are members of the PTA Area Council, spoke to the Peters Township School Board asking them to consider building a new high school, citing overcrowding and student safety.

The board took no action.

The group is circulating a petition online asking for support to build a new school, including distribution of a tri-fold brochure.

Parent Lisa Breigel, 100 Keystone Court, Venetia, told the board she supports construction and feels the survey results were “because the public is not fully informed as to the need for a new high school.”

Breigel said Peters Township has one of the lowest millage rates in Washington County, second only to the California Area School District, and has the highest median income, according to the 2010 census.

Parent Joanne Bates, 118 Lexington Drive, McMurray, spoke of overcrowding in the classrooms and in the hallways during class changes. Some of the classrooms, Bates said, do not have windows.

Parent Minna Allison, who is also part of the PTA Area Council, told the board members that safety is an issue, especially at the front door.

Allison said the online petition has been has been accessible since March 13 and there are 248 responses. There is a place to make comments on the petition, she said.

Interested residents may view or sign the petition at ipetitions.com/petition/improvements., Allison said.

Overcrowding will increase as enrollment is projected to jump from the current 1,496 students to 1,537 students by 2018. The capacity at the high school is 1,500 students.

When the original high school was completed in 1969, there were 623 students. The high school was expanded in 1982 when there were 1,165 students, and a large renovation was completed in 2000 when the enrollment was 1,123.

“I’d like to see a long-range plan for the district,” Breigel said.

The PTA Area Council stated in the brochure that neighboring school districts have or are in the process of new construction or renovation, including Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair, Mt. Lebanon and South Fayette School districts.

And the high school was not the only topic of discussion involving needed improvements.

The artificial turf at the high school stadium is 10 years old, two years past its life expectancy.

Parent Barry McGlumphy, 121 Forestwood Drive, Venetia, is president of the district’s soccer boosters, a college professor and is trained in sports medicine. He said he believes the turf should be rehabilitated or replaced to eliminate any safety issues. The current turf has been repaired, but there remain some areas that are potential tripping sites.

Later in the meeting, board members unanimously passed a resolution authorizing the school’s architect HHSDR Architects in Pittsburgh, to prepare specifications to seek bids for turf replacement, and also authorizing Brian Geyer, athletic director, to obtain quotes for rehabilitating the existing turf. No potential amount of either rehabilitation or replacement was announced with the exception of the architect’s fees.

According to Joseph Dimperio, acting superintendent, architects fees are generally seven percent of the total project. However, if the board opted to rehabilitate the turf over replacement, HHSDR could charge a fee up to $40,000 for the replacement design.

Several board members questioned the $40,000 possible fee, including Cindy Golembiewski, board president. Board member David Hvizdos said $40,000 just for a design does “not make sense.”

“We don’t need to rush into this, but there is a time frame,” said board member Thomas McMurray, who is chairman of the finance committee. McMurray said work on the stadium turf could not begin until after graduation in June and would need to be completed by late August for football season.

Dimperios said the current turf is at “the end of its usable life.”

Solicitor Jack Cambest said the current field’s condition would not result in higher insurance rates. However, Cambest said, since the board is aware of the condition and if an injury would occur, the board would be open to legal action based on negligence.

Dimperio said any high school building renovation or replacement would not affect the stadium.

Improve the HS petition - Interesting

Click on  Sign the petition to get the link.   The link will open in a new window when you click on it.


Sign the petition

Let the search begin

PT Hosts Focus Groups as Search Begins for New Superintendent of Schools

The Peters Township School District will host focus groups for our community so that residents may share their experience and insight into the type of leader that the District will need to successfully educate our students for the 21st century. The goals of the focus groups are to: Identify the qualities needed in a superior school leader; Identify the strengths and skills essential for the next superintendent to demonstrate; Identify key issues facing the district in the next five years that the next superintendent will need to address; and, Identify the obstacles to student achievement and the strategies the next superintendent will need to employ to overcome those obstacles. Please review and note the dates for the public below as appropriate to your involvement in our schools. If none of the dates provided work for your schedule, please know that your input is important to this process. Input may be received via email at ptsdsuptsearch@cciu.org or by calling 484-237-5010. All input is considered valuable and will be used in the process of selecting the next superintendent. Monday, March 11, 2013, Middle School Auditorium 11 a.m.: PTA Leadership and Members 6:30 p.m.: Community Leaders (Township Leaders, Character Counts, Parks and Recreation, Civic Leaders, Clergy, League of Women Voters, Education Foundation, Senior Citizen Groups, etc.) Thursday, March 14, 2013, Middle School Auditorium 5:00 p.m.: Booster Groups, Creative Learning Collaborative 6:30 p.m.: General Community Friday, March 15, 2013, Middle School Auditorium 8-10 a.m.: Open Forum for anyone unable to attend a previous session 2-4 p.m.: Open Forum for anyone unable to attend a previous session To register for the general community focus group, please click here. A complete listing of all focus group sessions is also provided here.

Your thoughts; Where is PTSD headed in 2013?

PSSA Writing Field Test

PSSA Writing Field Test for Students in Grades 3, 4 & 5

Dear Parent/Guardian of Students in Grades 3, 4, and 5: During the weeks of February 4-13, 2013, students in grades 3, 4, and 5 across the state of Pennsylvania will be participating in a field test of items for a new version of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA). Historically, the PSSA Writing test has only been given to students in grades 5, 8 and 11. In 2014, the PSSA test for students in grades 3, 4, 5 will reflect the Common Core Standards which combine Reading and Writing into a single English Language Arts (ELA) test. The purpose of the Writing Field Test is to validate the new questions for next year's ELA PSSA. The state department has indicated that it will not be returning individual student or school score reports. Additionally, the 2013 PSSA Writing Field Test results will not be counted towards our Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status. Our participation in the Writing Field Test will mainly benefit teachers and students in the Peters Township School District by allowing them to a preview next year's test content. Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 at Bower Hill, Pleasant Valley, and McMurray will take their Writing Field test the morning of February 7, 2013. Each building will develop the specific testing schedule according to its own building schedule. Please note that students who arrive late will not be admitted to their classroom once testing has begun. These students will be housed in an alternate location until testing is complete in their classrooms. Your child cannot study for this assessment, but can prepare by getting plenty of rest and eating a healthy breakfast the morning of the test. Since the information gained from participating in the Writing Field Test will be used to design your child's future instruction, the district requests that you stress to your child the importance of doing his or her very best on the assessment. If you have any questions or would like to review the assessment, you may contact the building principal. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance. Respectfully, Mara Linaberger         Kelly Gustafson       Michael Fisher        Blair Stoehr District Assessment    Principal                  Principal                  Principal Coordinator

Flu Update

Flu Season Update from PTSD

Dear Parents, As you may know, the flu can be easily spread from person to person. Local and national media outlets are indicating that this year's flu season has struck early and hard. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu in the Peters Township School District. We want to keep our students safe and healthy during this flu season. But, we need your help to do this. The District nursing staff and administration have been working with the Department of Health to provide guidelines on staying healthy. Attached are documents that you may find helpful to review: The Pennsylvania Department of Health has provided a Guide for Parents that details the best ways to protect your child from the flu, as well as vaccination guidelines. Influenza Fact Sheet, created by the PTSD Health Services Team Everyday Prevention Actions, from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention If you suspect your child is getting the flu, it is important that he/she does not attend school or go anywhere else - such as group childcare, the mall, or sporting events - where other people would be exposed to flu germs. It is also important to teach your children how to reduce their risk of getting the flu and protect them from infection. Remind your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. You can set a good example by doing this yourself. Remind your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or un­washed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. Covering up their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable. Know the signs and symptoms of the flu, which include fever, cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs. Please plan ahead and make arrangements for childcare as necessary to keep your child at home. The health and well-being of our students and staff is a priority in the Peters Township School District. Thank you for your efforts to help stop the spread of germs in our schools and in our community. Respectfully, Dr. Patricia Kardambikis Assistant to the Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment