< PreviousExpress knows jobs. Get to know Express. Oces in Robinson & Monaca 412.494.2000 ExpressPros.com Full-time and part-time opportunities in a variety of positions: Administrative, Professional, Industrial, Skilled Labor, Skilled Trades, and Skilled Professional No Fees! Imagine your website working as hard for your business as you do. 412.205.8998 | DDSWebDesign.com Websites that get results. Designed in Pittsburgh Contact us for a free website analysis. Affordable Custom Designs Responsive Sites | Content Management SEO | E-commerce | Hosting | Maintenance 20 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2020May/June 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 21 Montour School District Follow Montour School District @MontourSD Superintendent’s Message Dr. Christopher Stone - Superintendent of Schools Dear Montour Community, As you know, all Montour School District schools are to remain closed for the rest of the school year in accordance with Gov. Tom Wolf’s stay-at-home order, which is intended to promote social distancing and combat the spread of COVID-19. With that in mind, I hope this message finds you and yours as well as possible. Montour students, like all of you, are adjusting to changes in how they lead their daily lives. This means finding ways to navigate new routines for learning, work and family time at home. While we need to remain focused on our students and their ongoing academic needs, we also recognize that this situation requires people to attend to their personal, family, social and emotional needs. We, as a district, are pleased to do our part and continue providing meals to over 150 children daily. Additionally, in conjunction with the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, we have been able to feed nearly 50 families each week. Over the past several weeks, Montour School District teachers, support staff and administrators have made a fairly smooth transition to remote learning for our 3,000 students. They have committed a tremendous amount of time and energy to ensure that the district curriculum continues to be delivered in a scope and sequence similar to if students were still attending school. Montour has been fortunate in its proactive planning. The district is one of just a very few that operates in a 1:1 technology environment. Over the past six years, our teachers and students have become competent with tools such as Google Classroom and Google Meet to facilitate instruction remotely. We have already started to plan for the conclusion of the school year and summer extended learning opportunities. Of course, we are especially sensitive to functions such as prom and a formal graduation ceremony. Montour, like other districts, has adopted a “wait and see” policy so as not to disappoint parents and students should the social distancing order not be lifted. Our seniors will be recognized and we will try to keep a sense of normalcy. Though it is too early to commit to a time or date, our best estimations will be an outdoor July/August ceremony on the football field that will allow for anticipated social distancing. We know this is challenging and not the ideal situation for our senior class. In conclusion, I thank the Montour school community for your patience and understanding as we continue our efforts to tackle COVID-19. The Montour School District Board of Directors continues to be comprised of proud leaders and representatives from our amazing community. I certainly appreciate these elected officials’ commitment, dedication and “whatever it takes” attitude as they support our efforts to provide a world-class education. Stay healthy, safe and MONTOUR PROUD! Important information and forms are available at www.montourschools.com, including: • A special section dedicated to the COVID-19 shutdown under the Resources tab. • Email addresses for school employees. When contacting personnel, please use email for the fastest response. • Email addresses for school counselors, who remain available to students and parents during this time. • A remote learning feedback form. Montour is asking for feedback on how the district is doing during this transition to virtual learning. Visit www.montourschools.com to log your feedback. Also, please note: • Grab-and-go meals continue to be offered during the shutdown. For a list of times and locations, see next page. • Students in need of Chromebook maintenance can contact: tech@montourschools.com.Stay up to date at www.montourschools.com! Want more good news about Montour? Search #MontourProud on Twitter. A Montour student stood patiently and waited, his hands shoved into the pockets of his hooded sweatshirt on a brisk March morning during the COVID-19 school shutdown. Montour School District’s delivery van pulled up and driver Mike Fashian waved from the front seat with a warm smile. Despite being closed since March 16, the district has continued providing Montour students who qualify for the federal lunch program with the opportunity to continue receiving meals. All meals are being distributed as “grab & go” at the following locations and times, Monday through Friday (no appointment needed): · Fairhaven Park Basketball Courts: 10-10:30 a.m. · Ingram Borough Building: 10:45-11:15 a.m. · Groveton Rec. Center: 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Since the closure, Montour’s food service director, Cortney Gill- Marsilio of The Nutrition Group, has been rearranging her daily schedule to accommodate the need for lunches to be prepared and sent out daily. The cafeteria is now an assembly line where food service workers are filling bags with sandwiches, apples, carrot sticks, crackers, granola and more. “During this difficult and uncertain time, I am humbled and honored to be able to give back to the Montour community, through our breakfast and lunch program,” said Gill-Marsilio. “I love feeding kids, it’s just done a little differently now.” In the first month of the shutdown, Montour’s distribution numbers jumped from 229 breakfasts and 206 lunches to 681 breakfasts and 681 lunches. “We understand that these are unprecedented times, and we recognize the impact that this may have on our students and community,” said Dr. Christopher Stone, Montour superintendent. “Montour is thankful to be able to provide this service to our students.” At the same time, the Montour Classroom Cupboard has been providing large deliveries of non-perishable food items, toiletries, cleaning supplies and other items at each of the district’s three breakfast/lunch drop-off locations. This will continue with one large drop-off per week in hopes that it will provide additional assistance to district families in need. The Montour Classroom Cupboard was established in 2018 with the goal of providing food assistance to students on a regular basis, free of charge. The program is available to all enrolled students and is distributed by a dedicated team of school volunteers. The program has assisted many community members since its inception. Though it was unknown at that time that a pandemic was on the horizon, it has proved vital during the current crisis. Montour has teamed up with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank on the effort and received assistance from community members. “A huge thank you to Mike Fashian, who is delivering everything for us, along with our incredibly dedicated teachers and staff members, Nicole Stagl, Natalie Rowe, Rhonda Marasco, Kathy Sokol and Jean Mitaras, who are stocking the shelves and boxing the deliveries,” said Todd Price, high school principal. “Without their dedication these supports would not be possible. An additional note of thanks to parent and community member Jane Dixon, whose vision for creating a food pantry in our school district started this process many months ago.” School efforts continue to help those in need during COVID-19 shutdown ABOVE: Montour’s Classroom Cupboard is continuing to supply food and supplies to families in need during the COVID-19 shutdown. BELOW: Lunches also continue to be distributed at locations and times listed at left. 22 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2020 At one time, it might have been hard to imagine a school supporting a class or sport dedicated to playing video games. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, however, and Esports grows into a major spectator sport with $1 billion in revenue, educators are beginning to embrace video gaming as both a legitimate pursuit and a career path. Such has been the case at the high school, where students and educators established an Esports team this school year. While doing so, Montour’s educators adhered to the district’s priorities of Supporting a Growth Mindset, Creating a Learning Culture and Putting Children First. The idea started when a group of students approached English teacher Nicole Kashmer with the idea. “As a mom who didn’t allow video games to be played until my son went outside for exercise, and as a teacher who stayed abreast of the articles saying that there were benefits to gaming in the classroom, it wasn’t until my son built his first computer that it all clicked for me,” she says. With support from a 2020 PAsmart Targeted Computer and Science Grant, Montour’s Esports team got up and running. The team joined the North America Scholastic Esports Federation and began competing against other high schools from across the country. “During our first match, I watched as a handful of students worked together and had nonstop ‘chatter’ in order to win,” says Kashmer. “The communication and strategizing was unreal. I truly had not felt so good about something in a long time.” According to Montour’s Esports coach and technology support specialist Aidan Mulvihill, Esports provides students with an avenue to learn collaboration, STEM and computer skills in a comfortable and positive social atmosphere. He says the team at Montour will provide students with the opportunity to collaborate with players from around the country who share similar interests, thereby creating lasting connections. “Video games have been something that we have always played for fun with our friends,” say Montour Esports team captains Josh Narehood and John Kashmer. “Now we have an opportunity to turn it into something more than video games: Esports. This is going to be an organization that allows for different types of students to build relationships and learn important STEM and computer skills while also competing in this common interest that was never available to us before.” According to Business Insider, Esports viewership is estimated to increase between 2019 and 2023, from 454 million in 2019 to 646 million in 2023. Most projections put Esports on track to surpass $1 billion in revenue for the first time in 2020. A number of tech giants are also investing in new platforms dedicated to video game spectatorship. Examples include Amazon Twitch and Microsoft Mixer. Google’s Youtube has also become a popular venue for video game spectatorship and, in April, Facebook launched its own dedicated platform called Facebook Gaming. “Bottom line, Esports is now a viable career and social pathway option for students because of its relevance and meaningful nature to students’ lives,” says Justin Aglio, Montour’s director of academic achievement and district innovation. Due to the shutdown put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19, Esports league play was suspended but resumed April 20. Montour’s team started as a 14th seed in the League of Legends playoffs but lost to seventh- seeded Lampeter-Strasburg in a close, three-game set in the first round. In the future, the team could go up against teams from across the U.S. and the U.K. An Esports arena was scheduled to open at the high school by the end of this school year but that was delayed due to the shutdown as well. Regardless, the new initiative is creating a niche for gamers and giving them a space to cultivate their interests. “This student-led initiative has created great enthusiasm within our student body,” says high school principal Todd Price. “I can’t thank those students enough who have taken us on this journey. Their efforts have helped to bring together and connect students to their school community in a way that I never would have imagined possible.” High school establishes Esports team ABOVE: A diagram from the North American Scholastic Esports Federation shows how different roles within Esports overlap with career choices. BELOW: Montour’s Esports team competes in a lab at the high school. May/June 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 23 March started out like any other month at Montour School District, with classes, sports and extracurricular activities proceeding as normal. By mid-month, however, students, educators and parents found themselves at home with the school year put on hold. As the two- week closure expanded to the rest of the school year, the Montour community - along with the rest of the country - had to adjust to a whole new way of life. Yet as classroom instruction has transitioned to online platforms, teachers and students at Montour have been able to rely on familiar tools that have helped ease the transition. “Montour’s a district that’s been fortunate to have the technology already in place to provide one-to-one instruction at all grade levels,” says Daryl Yonkers, Montour’s director of operations and technology. Over the past six years, Montour has been rolling out Chromebooks to each of its students. As well, teachers have been utilizing cloud-based software such as Google Classroom and G-Suite for Education as part of their instruction. Thus, even though the delivery is now different - and teachers are no longer standing in front of students - the digital resources haven’t changed. “The district’s professional development plan always includes various aspects of educational technology integration,” says Dr. Christopher Stone, superintendent. “Not to mention, Montour is one of the few districts that has been incorporating this technology into daily teaching and learning practices for many years. Each building is staffed with a full-time technology specialist, as well as a teacher who serves as the lead for training and technology integration of our curriculum.” Stone says that a week prior to the formal closure, Montour was already making sure its teachers were prepared for that eventuality. He says the district asked teachers to formulate 10 days of remote learning across grade levels and content areas. “Our staff was very well prepared since Google Classroom and one to one technology is a naturally embedded protocol in our students’ daily learning while at the buildings,” says Stone. “When the district was notified the school closure was going to be extended, we made certain live / synchronous instruction was incorporated into students’ weekly routine, special education supports were bolstered, and behavioral health and support services were put in place to provide support and intervention. At the same time, we were keeping our parents informed.” As soon as the shutdown was announced, Yonkers says the district also organized a pickup location so elementary families could collect Chromebooks. Unlike students at other buildings, elementary students leave their devices at school. He says the district passed out about 700 devices to elementary families in just a few days. As more families realized the difficulty of sharing computers, even more Chromebooks have gone out the door. “Fortunately for Montour teachers, having students who have already had Chromebooks assigned to them, along with familiarity of online resources, made the transition smoother than it may have been otherwise,” says fifth grade math teacher Dana Rongaus. After that first week at home, Rongaus says she and her students adjusted well to the virtual classroom. Now, she and other DEW teachers post assignments, tutorials, videos, resources, worksheets and more to their Google Classroom page. Because most textbook series also have an online component, students can access the content they need online. Montour’s tech eases migration to online learning TOP AND BOTTOM: Teachers and students are now communicating and completing assignments remotely by using a range of online resources. BELOW LEFT: High school social studies teacher Michael Waldron reacts on Twitter after his class’ first experience using Flipgrid remotely. BELOW RIGHT: Third grade teacher Julie Lewis reacts on Twitter after her first Google Meet session with her elementary students. 24 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2020 Testing resources like Study Island, ixl, Khan Academy, Quizizz and others also allow Rongaus to assess student progress and areas where they’re experiencing difficulty. A couple times each week, she uses Google Meets to video chat with students. The chat gives her the opportunity to give presentations and ask the class to problem solve or demonstrate a concept. She’ll also randomly select students to answer specific questions, thereby keeping them on their toes. “While I miss my students and would prefer to see them in the classroom setting, this certainly helps to fill that void,” she says. Eighth grade math teacher Michael Phillips also laments the lack of personal interaction that once let him better assess when his students were having trouble. Instead of answering questions in person, he’s now answering concepts via email and his students send him screenshots to illustrate where they’re experiencing difficulty. He says a few other programs that the class was using previously have become indispensable. “Programs such as Edpuzzle, which allow us to post instructional videos and insert paced questions that allow students to think and allow teachers to assess student learning have become very valuable,” he says. Like Rongaus, he’s now relying on testing programs like Quizizz and Edulastic to send students practice tests and assess their progress. Seventh grade math teacher Leslie Slusler says she uses video narrations of examples given in notes she posts to Google Classroom in order to help her students better understand the steps involved in math problems. High school social studies teacher Michael Waldron, meanwhile, has been creating 15- to 20-minute videos in an attempt to recreate the school environment. He says that’s proven to have a number of benefits. “Students express that they like this format because they can learn at their own pace,” he says. “Videos and questions are posted at 7:30 a.m. and students are expected to complete the work by the end of the day.” Like other teachers, Waldron uses Google Meet about one to two times per week to work with students. He says he’s also making an effort to also meet with each student individually. Waldron says students have expressed that they still very much value the face-to-face interaction and get a lot of use out of Flipgrid, which allows students and teachers to post videos to each other in a secure environment. Using Flipgrid, Waldron’s students answer questions, give opinions on content and even use it just to say “Hello.” “In my first experience with Flipgrid I had over 38 hours of student engagement,” he says. “This is the amount of time that around 80 students spent in one day watching classmates’ videos and responding.” Tenth grade English teacher Gina Ligouri says she, too, has been using Flipgrid in an attempt to keep content engaging and interactive, along with programs such as Goosechase, which she can use to create a virtual scavenger hunt. “Flexible learning” is the term teachers use to describe situations in classrooms where teachers must adapt by observing what does and doesn’t work. Sixth grade English teacher Catherine Klein says that’s exactly what she and teachers everywhere are now doing. “Thinking on your toes and being able to adapt and adjust on the spot are marks of an experienced and impacting teacher,” says Klein. “Teachers can demonstrate flexibility when an instructional activity isn’t working by modifying the activity, changing the pace, or backing up and explaining further. We can also be responsive when some spontaneous event sets up a valuable learning opportunity.” May/June 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 25New high school courses announced for fall of 2020 Returning high school students will be able to choose from a half dozen new courses starting this fall. Courses range in subject from artificial intelligence to broadcast media. Here’s a rundown: Integrated Studies 12 - This course is an integration of English literature, mathematics, and business concepts and skills for students in grade 12 who are engaged in a career major at Parkway West Career and Technology Center. The course will emphasize technical reading and writing activities along with various mathematics topics. Students will also develop a professional resume with a cover letter and participate in interview activities. Financial literacy will be explored as well. AP Research (0118) - AP Research, the second course in the AP capstone experience, allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, issue, or idea of individual interest. The course culminates in an academic paper of 4,000 to 5,000 words and a presentation with an oral defense. Mass Media Studio - Mass Media Studio is an innovative program that provides students with the unique opportunity to authentically explore platforms within mass media and communication through university-level partnerships with the University of Pittsburgh and Point Park University. Students will have the opportunity to gain college credit and/or college experience while exploring and participating in learning activities in the University of Pittsburgh Studios. Broadcast I (0175) - Offered in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, Broadcast I focuses on the foundations of broadcast and mass communication through means of audio and visual components, as well as journalism. Students will also gain an appreciation for digital and social media. Human Interest Stories for Broadcasting (0176) - Offered in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, Human Interest Stories for Broadcasting offers students a deeper dive into the purpose of broadcasting as a whole. Students will combine creative writing, journalism and filmmaking techniques to create feature news stories in formats which span all of mass media. Environmental Sustainability Flash Lab (CHS) (0319) - This course provides a starting point for understanding sustainability by measuring our individual and collective impact through “home labs” designed to target specific areas of consumption. By examining energy and resource use in our own lives, we begin to understand the complex web of production, distribution, delivery, and consequences of human society. Discussion will be aided by texts, essays and reflection on the personal experience of working toward sustainable life changes. Explore AI (Artificial Intelligence) (0029) - This hands-on course will provide students with an introduction to the world of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Students will learn about the benefits and risks of AI and machine learning; natural language processing; how neural networks work; the basics of programming in Python using Collab notebooks; sentiment analysis programs; AI’s societal impacts; and how natural language processing systems can be biased. No prior experience required. Members of the Montour High School Marching Band got the chance of a lifetime when they traveled to Walt Disney World in February. Ninety-four students took part in a special performance at the theme park on St. Valentine’s Day. Marching down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, the band performed a somewhat untraditional but appropriately themed tune: “Mickey and Cupid Shuffle.” Thousands of people from across the world gathered to watch the parade. During the rest of the five-day trip, students were able to enjoy all of the Disney parks. For many, it provided them with their first opportunity to visit Disney World. All band members, however, took advantage of the trip to make great memories with their friends. Marching band performs at Disney The Montour Marching Band performs at Disney World over Valentine’s Day weekend. 26 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2020 When science and forensics teacher Phil Morrow established a unified bocce team at the high school last year, he hardly imagined that the effort would receive the kind of attention it did. Rather, from administrators to students, many in the Montour community took it upon themselves to help in whatever way they could, from making facilities available for practices and matches, to performing the National Anthem, to even constructing an equipment cart. This year, Montour’s unified bocce team returned for its second consecutive year and, thanks to all the buzz it created last year, the team attracted 24 participants. Of those participants, 13 qualify for Special Olympics. During its regular season, the team only won one out of four of matches but came together when it mattered most. After dropping its first home meet to Hampton in overtime, the team rebounded with a win in its second home meet against Moon Area. The team lost its next two matches before entering a countywide tournament the following week. There, Montour faced off against 30 teams from Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. Defying the odds, Montour came out on top and secured a spot in the playoffs, which were scheduled to take part at the end of March. Unfortunately, just as the team was preparing to go, schools were shut down by Gov. Tom Wolf in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. “We were just getting all geared up and ready to go when it got pulled out from under us,” says Morrow. Even with the season effectively cut short, he says the team still gave students another great opportunity to work together. “They did a really good job of meshing together,” says Morrow. “They interacted really well…. It was great for inclusion and showed that while we all might have some differences when you get down to it we’re all the same.” Morrow started the team last year after his son participated in a team at his own school. Special education teacher Tracy Blyzwick and early childhood education teacher Nicole Stagl both jumped on board as co-coaches and again returned this year. Teacher’s aide Gina Tirone also volunteered her time to lend a hand. Morrow says that toward the end of last season, Stagl and Blyzwick searched out an outreach program sponsored by T-Mobile. Through a grant program offered by the company, the team received $5,000. In addition, a group of T-Mobile employees volunteered to referee and man the concession stand during home matches. The grant money helped the team construct two new courts and equipment carts. As with last year, the team has received support from the district’s athletic department and administrators who have ensured that the team has access to what they need. Morrow says high school principal Todd Price also attended their practices and athletic director Lou Cerro traveled with the team to their tournament in March. “It’s really a school-wide effort,” say Morrow. “The school has really jumped on board and supported us.” Sixth-graders at David E. Williams Middle School were challenged with a project in their science classes that taught them about collaboration and engineering. Students working in groups were tasked with making bridges that adhered to a set of guidelines. Their bridges had to be 50 centimeters long and hold 50 grams of weight without collapsing. Students worked collaboratively in groups of two or three to design and build their bridges. They first studied different types of real-world bridge designs before constructing their own miniature bridges from a variety of crafting materials. What started out as a seemingly simple task quickly proved difficult, however, as designs failed at their weakest spots. Working together, students revised their designs by improving structural integrity and developing ways to more evenly distribute weight across their bridges. The lesson concluded with students comparing their designs and determining which would work the best in a real-life situation. Bocce team earns playoff berthBridge project cultivates learning and collaboration Members of this year’s bocce team pose for a photo with volunteers from T Mobile who lent a hand during matches. Students show off the bridges they built during a collaborative exercise that encouraged teamwork and hands-on learning about STEM concepts. May/June 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 27DEW students place at countywide battery-powered car race DEW Students of the Month Each month, two students in each grade at David E. Williams Middle School are chosen as students of the month. These individuals exemplify the positive characteristics of a successful student. February’s Students of the Month were eighth-graders Caitlyn Sill and Dom Bodek; seventh-graders Carly Marnich and Nino Kerchin; sixth- graders Jada Molinaro and Erik Benson; and fifth-graders Lydia Olivani and Duke Kadlecik. March’s Students of the Month were eighth-graders Neveah Rice and Fehmi Yilmaz; seventh-graders Ariona Hunter and Ackeem Burrowes; sixth-graders Gwen Benton and Braden Kulak; and fifth-graders Victoria Smithnosky and Lane Martinec. Six DEW students received honors at a battery-powered car race held at Duquesne University on March 5. Harrison Titus and Zachary Ciamacco took home second place overall after winning for best design document and best car. The pair also competed in the finals and took home a second-place trophy for the fastest car. Fiona Tarquinio and Cayleigh Freeman won third place overall for best design document and best car. Ava Martinec and Mackenzie Maslanka, meanwhile, won first place for best overall design document. DEW’s strong showing started in Dena Baron’s accelerated science classes, where each year students face off against each other in the battery-powered car challenge. With the help of Bill Black and Cindy Caliguire, students build their cars in a workshop out of a battery pack and motor. This year, in addition to engineering their car, students had to design their car to resemble a U.S. state of their choosing. Along the way, students also created an electronic design document highlighting their learning process from start to finish. Once all of their cars were completed, students raced against each other in order to qualify for the countywide race. The top 10 fastest cars from DEW attended the race and faced off against 46 cars from schools across Allegheny County. Counseling services remain available for DEW families As David E. Williams Middle School continues to provide education to students in a virtual setting, DEW school counselors are available to provide families with counseling services on a daily basis. Services are available either through email or Google Meet. These services are available to any DEW student in grades five through eight who is struggling socially, emotionally or academically. Counselors are also available to parents. Prior to the school closing, counselors at DEW were hosting Mindfulness Sessions every Thursday in an effort to give students another tool to combat daily stressors and anxiety. Counselors plan to continue to offer this service to any student wishing to join and take 15 minutes out of their day to bring a sense of calm to their lives during this crisis. Parents are welcome to join as well. Parents are encouraged to reach out to school counselors if they feel their child is struggling socially, emotionally or academically. They are available to help! Email addresses for school counselors can be found at www. montourschools.com. Pictured are February’s Students of the Month. A picture of March’s Students of the Month was not obtained due to the shutdown. ABOVE: DEW students celebrate with their trophies after competing against other county schools in a battery- powered car race March 5. BELOW RIGHT (from top): Harrison Titus and Zachary Ciamacco took home second place overall; Fiona Tarquinio and Cayleigh Freeman won third place; and Ava Martinec and Mackenzie Maslanka won first place. 28 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2020 Montour Elementary School gifted students participated in the First LEGO League Junior Expo held at MES on March 7. Twenty-two teams from across southwestern Pennsylvania participated in the event, which included student demonstrations and many activities for teams to explore. Two teams represented Montour this year. The Spartan Smarties team was comprised of Emilia DeCola, Charlotte DeCola, Max Guckert and Wylie Ogurchak. Teammates on the Montour Winners were Alex Pitassi, CJ Ihrig and Camden Molka. Each participating team had to create a town with the theme of “Boomtown Build.” Students were challenged with incorporating designs that were environmentally friendly, accessible and durable. Montour received awards for innovative design and collaborative teamwork. They also made shirts with teacher Amy Sclight, who organized this year’s expo, to showcase just how “bright” they are. This was the second consecutive year that MES has hosted the First LEGO League Junior Expo. Members of the third grade basketball team were: (back row) Viviana Donovan, Maddie Keating, Alana Dawson, Abigail Garrison, Alina Sidick, (front row) Rylee Dwyer, Brynn McGroarty, Reese Vojtecky, Graysen Kissinger and Sammi Bryan. If this past season is any indication, the girls basketball program at Montour has a bright future. Both the third and fourth grade girls teams clinched their divisions in the Chartiers Valley Youth Basketball Organization in March. The teams both played throughout the winter and won their championship games prior to the school closure. The fourth grade team is coached by Lauren Rose. Jon Vojtecky and John Kissenger coach the third grade team. Basketball teams win division MES hosts second consecutive LEGO expo Members of this past season’s fourth grade MES basketball team were (back row) Nora Fisher, Phoebe Satcho, Natalie Ciamacco, Brooklyn Young, Dillyn Dzurenda, (front row) Carmen Zamboni, Peyton Rose, Irelynn Hobbs, Hailey Herbst and Mia Pessy. For many students at Montour Elementary School, leap day is a pretty big deal. They’ve only experienced the special day one other time and many were likely too young to remember it. Thus, students and teachers at MES made sure to commemorate this year’s leap day the Friday prior to it, on Feb. 28, with a lineup of special frog-themed activities. For instance, in Amy Jarosinski’s third grade ELA class, students completed a goal-oriented short writing assignment that focused on what students hoped to accomplish over the next four years. They then attached their writing samples to paper cutouts of frogs and hung them in the hallways. In Holly Rippole’s classroom, meanwhile, students made frog-themed paper crowns and glasses while in Amanda Seretti’s class students made certificates commemorating the day with important information about themselves on that day. Feb. 28 also coincided with FUNctional Fridays in life skills classrooms at MES. The day typically consists of practicing two daily living skills, making a snack, practicing fine motor skills, working on gross motor skills and making a craft. The day prior to leap day, K-2 life skills support teacher Sheri Sumpter and K-4 autistic support teacher Erin Ritchey created a number of themed activities, including making frogs on a log out of ho-hos, icing and gummy frogs, and some leaping games. Activities commemorate leap year The Spartan Smarties (left) and the Montour Winners (right) both competed in this year’s First LEGO League Jr. Expo. Students in Amy Jarosinski’s third grade ELA class wrote a goal-oriented assignment and danced to celebrate leap year. May/June 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 29Next >