< Previousy > Learning CurvesLearning Curves This information provided courtesy of George Hess DPT, COMT. He is the owner of and a physical therapist at Hess Physical Therapy. He is also the author of the book “Back To Normal.” He can be reached at his Kennedy location at 566 Pine Hollow Rd., Mckees Rocks, 15136, at (412) 771-1055, at his Crafton location at 37 Foster Ave., 15205, at (412) 458-3445, or by email: George@hesspt.com. BY GEORGE HESS, PT, DPT, COMT HESS PHYSICAL THERAPY Peripheral neuropathy refers to a problem with the peripheral nerves. These nerves send messages from the central nervous system, the brain and the spinal cord to the rest of the body. The peripheral nerves tell the body when, for example, the feet are cold. It can lead to tingling, prickling, numbness and muscle weakness in various parts of the body. Peripheral neuropathy can affect a range of different nerves, so it can impact a variety of locations in different ways. It can affect a single nerve or multiple nerves at the same time. It is also associated with a number of different underlying medical conditions. Sometimes there is no identifiable cause. Peripheral neuropathy affects approximately 20 million people in the U.S. What is peripheral neuropathy? Damaged myelin sheath of an unhealthy nerve. Healthy nerve cell Unhealthy nerve cell Quick facts about peripheral neuropathy Here are some facts about peripheral neuropathy: • Neuropathy is a common complication of a number of different medical conditions. • It can involve the motor nerves, the sensory nerves and the autonomic nerves. • Sometimes, it affects a single nerve or multiple nerves. • Physical trauma, infection, metabolic problems, repetitive injury, exposure to toxins and some drugs are all possible causes. • People with diabetes have a high risk of neuropathy. Learn more at our FREE screenings on Jan. 27. See next page for details: 20 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021 The year 2020 was to be a year of substantial job and new business growth in our western Pittsburgh communities. The Southern Beltway connector reaching completion, Amazon bringing thousands of new jobs to the area, Robert Morris University spreading its wings, and Pittsburgh International Airport embarking on a new face-lift were all high points as we moved into 2020. While none of these situations have disappeared, they have been disrupted to some extent by COVID-19. I say disrupted because the airport community and businesses will somehow rebound, just as they always do. As we move forward into the New Year, we must navigate a new road map that has never been traveled before: social distancing, customer interaction from behind a barrier, the missing smile of a satisfied customer hidden by a mask, and the most noticeable of all physical contact: the lack of a handshake. One can only imagine the countless number of business deals that were solidified by a single handshake and a simple nod of appreciation. The Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce is committed, as it has been since the early 1900s, to navigating a new road map and serving our citizens and the business community. We want what is best for our existing and new businesses and consumers: sustainable re-growth. The PAACC will continue with our various events, and though for now they will be virtual, we hope to soon be back to meeting face to face. Our successful future depends on our partnership with you, the business owner, the worker, and the consumer. We are here to serve you in whatever capacity is necessary to help navigate that new road map. We promise to have an open dialogue and be receptive to suggestions and ideas. Until then, we wish you and your family a safe and happy New Year. Together, we will succeed and prosper. Chris Heck President/CEO Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce Sustainable Re-Growth through Optimism for 2021 22 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021N Your Schools Your Schools STORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ST. PHILIP CATHOLIC SCHOOL St. Philip Catholic School Everett Sargent has been a student at St. Philip Catholic School since preschool. He has always worked hard at his studies and his extracurricular activities, and achieved success in both areas. In sixth grade, he was inducted into St. Philip’s chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. Everett is a highest honor roll student and has received the Principal’s Award for earning all As every quarter of his academic career at St. Philip. He is a member of Thinking Caps, and was a member of the America Bowl, the Science Bowl, the Quiz Bowl, the History Bowl, and the Design Lives Here teams for St. Philip. In seventh grade, Everett spearheaded an alternative energy project for Powering Pittsburgh, and his team received first place in the Middle School Division, with one of the prizes received being a donation to St. Philip’s STEM program. Everett is also actively involved in St. Philip’s forensics team as well as its newspaper, robotics and K’nex clubs. Everett volunteers at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, and he is a frequent student reader during Mass. He enjoys reading, running and hanging out with his friends during his free time. In addition to his academic achievements, Everett is a multi- sport athlete. He is part of St. Philip’s varsity cross-country, soccer, basketball, track and boys’ volleyball teams. Outside of St. Philip, Everett swims for the Carlynton Barracudas during the winter and the Crafton Crocodiles in the summer. While he loves all of the sports he plays, running is his favorite. Everett has been a member of St. Philip’s cross-country team since third grade. In sixth grade, Everett began placing among the top 10 finishers at area meets. He took 17th place at the Diocesan Cross Country Championships. In seventh grade, Everett continued to improve and began placing in the top five at area meets. He led St. Philip’s varsity boys to a successful season and finished fifth at the cross- country championships that year. This year, as an eighth-grader, Everett went undefeated during his final season with the St. Philip cross-country team. He won every regular season meet that he ran and set a new course record on St. Philip’s home course, twice, during each of St. Phillip’s home meets. Mid-season, he won the South Hills Invitational, running only 20 seconds off the course record. At the Diocesan Cross Country Championships this year, Everett took first place in the varsity boys division and finished nine seconds off the course record. Everett also ran in the post-season, endeavoring to qualify for the Junior Olympics. He qualified at the regional finals on Nov. 14, winning the race and putting himself into contention to compete at the Junior Olympics. On Dec. 13, while wearing his St. Philip cross-country jersey for the last time, Everett placed 15th at the U.S. Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships in Lexington, Kentucky. In his national running debut, he finished 15th in a crowded and competitive field against the fastest runners in his age group from across the U.S. Everett will represent St. Philip on its track team this spring and wants to continue to run in high school and college. He is grateful to his cross-country teammates and families for all of their support this year, as well as that of his coaches, teachers, and Principal Dougherty for giving him the resources and opportunity to compete, both academically and at sports. Everett hopes to one day study materials science and chemical engineering in college. St. Philip Scholar Athlete Everett Sargent finishes at the U.S. Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships. January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 23Your SchoolsYour Schools N STORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ARCHANGEL GABRIEL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Making Snow Part of the sixth grade curriculum includes Earth science and meteorology. In an intense lesson about the weather and learning about winter, students formed their own snowballs. While the weather in Pittsburgh does not always allow for authentic snowballs to be possible, students took advantage of a sunny fall day to create man-made snowballs outside. Once the snowballs were complete, students had a blast throwing them in the parking lot. Middle School Einstein Stage Portrait Thanks to a generous grant, Archangel Gabriel middle school students were able to “attend” a free production of “Einstein: A Stage Portrait.” In this production, Albert Einstein invited the audience - in this case sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders - to his house to make sure people knew who he really was. He was not the father of the atomic bomb, as has been claimed! This one-actor play reveals the deeply human side of the great genius, including his humor, his passion for work, and his love of music - especially Mozart. Students were able to see and understand the reluctant celebrity who changed forever the way that humanity looks at the universe. Students enjoyed the break from their normal schedule and were able to immerse themselves in a little history and culture. A few more “virtual field trips” are lined up for students this year and AGS can’t wait to attend. Students race to form snowballs during a warm fall day for a lesson on meteorology. Archangel Gabriel Catholic School Reading gifts for third-graders Third-graders are learning more words than they expected to this year with their new student dictionaries! State Rep. Anita Kulik was happy to represent members of the Parkway West Rotary Club in presenting the dictionaries. “Every year we bring dictionaries to all of the third-graders at the school - and while we could not do a presentation this year, it was still a joy for me to get to make a quick visit,” said Kulik. AGS is grateful for this reference book, as it also features the Periodic Table, the Declaration of Independence, U.S. presidents, information on the states, planets, braille, and more. The cover of the book features a mask over the Earth with the words “6 feet” and the back shows the coronavirus cells. It is interesting to see the pandemic already memorialized in a printed book. St. Nicholas Day On Dec. 7, Archangel Gabriel Catholic School celebrated St. Nicholas Day, or the Feast of St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas is known for selling all of his possessions and giving his money to the poor. Traditionally, families left their shoes by the fires at night so that they could dry. Legend states that he made gold appear in their shoes. Current traditions in the school allow for children to line their shoes up in the hallway so that St. Nicholas could leave a treat. This year, as with most things, observance of the day was a little different. St. Nicholas visited each classroom and brought along a bag of treats for each student. The school also had a surprise visit from Bruster’s. Thanks to Father Joe Codori, each child was able to enjoy some ice cream! State Rep. Anita Kulik (pictured at right, above) delivers dictionaries (pictured at right) to AGS students on behalf of the Parkway West Rotary Club. Students get a visit from St. Nicholas. 24 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021N Your Schools Your Schools Parent-Teacher Guild The Parent-Teacher Guild went above and beyond this year as they planned a quick replacement to its typical breakfast with Santa and little shopper event, where students get to purchase Christmas gifts for their family and loved ones. Instead of breakfast with Santa, AGS held a virtual story time with Santa. Parent volunteers dropped off a special gift box at each student participant’s household. The package contained a craft, a treat and a game. While joining the virtual meeting, children painted an ornament, listened to Santa tell them stories, played a game with Santa, and enjoyed their treat. At the little shopper event, parent volunteers allowed children to shop safely as they each selected the items they wanted to purchase as gifts. Volunteers wrapped and delivered gifts to classrooms safely without students even touching them! AGS has been determined to make this year a positive experience for students and families. Teachers have been nothing short of amazing during the planning and implementation of each event. Monochromatic Art Project Color theory involves both the science and art of using color. It explains how color is perceived and the visual effects of how colors mix, match, or contrast with each other. Students have gone over many different color schemes, but art teacher Miss Tharp decided to focus on monochromatic for self-portraits! Monochromatic is a color scheme based on a single color. It uses different shades and tints of a single hue, made by altering the saturation and brightness of color. After weeks of hard work, students mastered their understanding of color theory, thanks to Miss Tharp. She is proud to display the results, and AGS is grateful to see them hanging on the wall outside the cafeteria! Students created these colorful self-portraits during a lesson on color theory and monochromatic colors. AGS students got a virtual visit from Santa in the weeks leading up to Christmas. January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 25Your Primary Choice for Care . There’s a big difference between seeing a doctor and having a doctor. Your primary care physician knows you, your medical history, and your concerns. Laurie Sherman-Molinda, M.D., an internal medicine physician with St. Clair Medical Services, is now accepting new patients at her Robinson Township office location, offering early-morning and evening hours for busy patients. Count on Dr. Molinda to help you manage your health—from annual physicals, immunizations and screenings to specialist referrals. Make Dr. Molinda your PCP and know that she’s there to coordinate your care. Call today for an appointment: 412.572.5020. Office hours: Mon. 8 a.m.– 4:30 p.m., Tue. 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Wed. 8 a.m.– 5 pm, Thur. 8 a.m.– 5 p.m., Fri. 7 a.m.– 5 p.m. 5482 CAMPBELLS RUN ROAD | PITTSBURGH, PA 15205 | 412.572.5020 | ST.CLAIR.ORG St. Clair Medical Services accepts all major health insurances. LAURIE SHERMAN-MOLINDA, M.D. Dr. Molinda, a board-certified physician with 30 years of clinical experience, practices internal medicine, focusing on preventive care and medical treatment of adults. A firm believer in treating the whole person, she uses an integrative approach to health care, blending traditional western practices with alternative medicine.January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 27 Montour School District Superintendent’s Message I hope you had a happy holiday season and are ready to take on the second half of the school year. The first half of this school year was certainly interesting and productive! We are very proud at Montour, as we continue to educate students during a pandemic. I applaud and sing the praises of the Montour faculty and staff who continue to offer in-person learning opportunities to the children of our community. It continues to be our intention to adhere to recommendations from the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Pennsylvania Department of Education relating to using fixed data as a determining factor for temporary remote learning pauses due to an increase in positive COVID-19 cases in our schools. The purposes behind remote learning three-day pauses are to: • observe any additional spread, • contact trace, and • clean. We are very fortunate at Montour if our students have to pause for a remote learning break. Montour has been a 1:1 technology school for the past eight years. Our teachers are incredibly fluent in teaching remotely. This year, our staff has become exceptional at using live video streaming from the classroom to educate remote learners! I recently submitted an attestation from the state of Pennsylvania. The attestation document is to be executed by the school board president and the superintendent. It requires the district to select one of two options relating to the district’s mitigation efforts during the period that Allegheny County is designated as exhibiting “substantial” transmission of COVID-19 for two or more consecutive weeks. The first option, which was selected by Montour, requires the district to attest that all or some students are currently receiving in-person instruction. By choosing this option, the district must attest that it has read and is complying with the updated Pennsylvania mask order and the updated recommendations for schools following the identification of a case or cases of COVID-19. Per the new orders, Montour will closely monitor the presence of positive cases in the schools and observe the updated closure protocols, as required. In summary, we as a district will do everything in our power to keep students and staff safe as we continue to provide a world-class educational experience to ALL students. Finally, on behalf of the school board, faculty and staff....I wish you best of luck in the new school year. Follow Dr. Stone on Twitter! @DR_CHRIS_STONE Dr. Christopher Stone Superintendent Montour School District A few years ago, I had the opportunity to listen to John Foley, a former lead solo pilot for the Blue Angels, the Navy’s elite flight squadron. He offered an inspirational message on excellence built around the term, “Glad to be here.” This is a Blue Angel expression used within their unit that encapsulates both gratitude and operational excellence. As board president, I reflect back on this as I am certainly grateful to so many people within the Montour community who have responded with both gratitude and operational excellence in the wake of the COVID-19 challenges we have faced throughout this pandemic. I am grateful to all of our Montour employees for what they have collectively accomplished with caring hearts and innovative minds. I am grateful to my fellow board members for their ongoing support to make necessary resources available to administrators, teachers and students in order to manage this crisis with success. I am grateful to our community leaders, police departments, fire departments and EMS teams for supporting our schools without pause. Finally, I am grateful to our parents and their children who have flexibly pivoted from the norm in support of our district’s decisions and actions. I believe responding to these challenges in a positive way will provide value to our students as they move forward in life and face new challenges of their own. So, as for me, I can certainly say that I am “Glad to be here” as part of the Montour community and I hope that you are as well. May you find peace, prosperity and good health in the New Year. From the School Board By Mark Hutter, President, Montour School District Board of School Directors School board members have many roles and responsibilities. After taking the oath of office, they are expected to become skilled interpreters of school law, experts at board policy development and vigilant overseers of resources. Each member brings specific talents, skills and expertise to contribute to a collaborative effort aimed at accomplishing work benefiting the district and its students. So, how can you be sure that the education in your local public schools meets your expectations? A good place to start is by electing effective school board members. Cynthia Morrow, a lifetime resident and graduate of Montour, is just that. A member of the Montour School District Board of School Directors, Morrow currently serves as treasurer but has also served as vice president and president. She is now being recognized for her 12 years of volunteer service by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. Since 1983, the PSBA has been recognizing the contributions of dedicated local school directors with long-term service. School directors today have a difficult job in this complex society. They are increasingly expected to dedicate more and more of their personal time to this unpaid, volunteer effort. The PSBA’s Honor Roll is the association’s way of thanking those individuals who exemplify leadership and statesmanship. These individuals give unselfishly of their time and talents for the betterment of public schools. Through their service, they give something back to their communities as they provide guidance critical to the education of today’s youth. When talking to Morrow, one instantly recognizes her level of compassion and concern for what is best for Montour. Having not had children of her own, she has said that by being a board member, she can help contribute to the good of all children in the Montour community. The Montour school community is excited to share this accomplishment and looks forward to having Morrow as part of the Montour School District Board of School Directors for many years to come. Pennsylvania School Boards Association honors Cynthia Morrow During the COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves constantly reminding each other to practice safety precautions. Wearing a mask, social distancing and washing hands often have all become the new normal. While many schools are currently operating remotely, Montour has provided the student population with several options: in-person, remote and cyber learning. Surprisingly, most Spartans opted to physically return to the classrooms this year (82% of 3,000), which means our security department has needed to remain vigilant. In November of 2020, the Montour School Board of School Directors took a proactive step to ensure that we are continuing our efforts to bolster school security. We hired a female armed police officer and she is regularly assigned to the high school daylight shift. Ashley Thomas is an eight-year veteran police officer with the Oakdale Police Department. Aside from adding diversity to our department, Ashley will assist with the day-to-day security operations and be available for students who may be more comfortable approaching or confiding in a female officer. We also strengthened our David E. Williams Middle School security staff with the addition of a part-time armed officer. Mark O’Donnell, former chief of police for the North Fayette Township Police Department and a 30-year veteran officer, was hired in August to complement our existing security personnel. Mark’s presence, experience and expertise not only bolster the current staff, but his personable nature and professionalism mesh perfectly with the middle school students and staff. When concerns regarding additional students driving to school and increased parental traffic due to student drop-off and pick up were expressed, once again, Montour addressed these concerns proactively. Walt Perri, a PennDOT-certified crossing guard, was hired part-time at the high school to safely assist students crossing from the student parking lot during the early morning hours. Additionally, Walt assists with the elementary school drop off, making sure every child gets from car to curb safely. Students will tell you that the traditional relationship between school security officers and students has evolved over the past few years. Many students now recognize the benefits of having security personnel in their school, and most seem genuinely appreciative. Building bridges and relationships between our students and our guards can begin as early as kindergarten and potentially last a lifetime. The Montour Security Department strives to instill trust and approachability. We want our students to know that we value their safety and that it is our duty to do whatever is necessary to keep them safe. Best wishes for a safe and prosperous New Year from the Montour Security Department. Montour hires new safety personnel By Jerry Waldorf, Director of Safety and Student Residency “The Montour School District Board of School Directors is very pleased with the results of having armed security guards in each of our schools. The students and staff welcome the feeling of having a safe and secure environment.” ~ Tom Barclay, School Board Director Jerry Waldorf “Making a difference is important to me in all aspects of my life and I am grateful to be awarded the opportunity to do so.” - Cynthia Morrow, Montour School District Board Treasurer. 28 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021 Typically each year around Veterans Day, Montour invites veterans and active duty personnel to each of the district buildings to meet and talk with students. These events have helped students connect with military personnel in the community and allowed them to show their support. This year, due to COVID-19, Montour couldn’t host military personnel in person but students and faculty still found some enterprising ways to connect with service members. At the middle school, fifth grade science and social studies teachers Dennis Earley and Chris Hutter put together a virtual Veterans Day tribute. Elementary students, meanwhile, watched a video featuring four service members in the Montour community. High school students heard from area Army recruiters who came to the school and had their presentations streamed into classrooms. In return, students showed their gratitude by participating in Operation Troop Appreciation. At each school, students brought in various goods, from household items to hygiene products, to donate to the organization. Their donations will be shipped to troops serving on front lines overseas where those products aren’t readily available and to service members struggling at home. In addition, ninth grade English students wrote cards thanking troops serving abroad while students in CHS theories of leadership produced a video expressing their appreciation to troops. Some of the buildings also hosted themed patriotic dress-up days and held contests. The district-wide effort to support Operation Troop Appreciation was spearheaded by students in the CHS theories of leadership course. This was the second year that students in the course, which is taught by Eric D’Antonio, worked with the organization. Last year, the class welcomed representatives from OTA to the high school to talk about the organization’s work and what it means to service members. Sgt. James Nickelson, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, talked about the positive impact those packages have on troops. Sgt. Ryan Tuszynswki, a Montour alumnus, also addressed students, saying he’d received almost 300 letters from the Montour community while he was in boot camp. In addition to their efforts to support OTA, CHS theories of leadership students utilized a trophy case at the high school to display pictures and other memorabilia from service members connected to Montour community members. Part of the display includes a list showcasing the names of Montour graduates who have served in the military. Student Sara Yurkovich, who helped create the display, says the list was compiled and provided by the National Honor Society. Among the items in the case are medals from her grandfather, who served in Vietnam. Yurkovich wasn’t the only student in CHS theories of leadership who has family members in the military. Blair Schick, who recently enlisted in the U.S. Army and intends to become a watercraft engineer, has two grandfathers who fought in Vietnam. Brock Martindale’s father is an engineer on a C-17 and has a number of other family members in the military. In all, the district-wide effort managed to collect several truckloads worth of donations for OTA. Frankie Diaz, another student in the class, says she feels that they did a good job getting the word out about the effort. “We wanted to capitalize on how fortunate we are today and bring attention to the fact that some are less fortunate than us,” she says. “I think we got the message out really well in school. It’s the most I’ve seen donation-wise.” Leadership students spearhead district-wide effort in honor of Veterans Day ABOVE: Fifth grade student Talon Bruce proudly wears a t-shirt in support of his father on Veterans Day. BELOW: CHS theories of leadership students established a trophy case at the high school honoring veteran Montour alumni. LEFT: Students at the high school gather supplies donated to Operation Troop Appreciation. RIGHT: Donations for Operation Troop Appreciation are collected at David E. Williams Middle School. January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 29Next >