< Previous20 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2021 y > Learning CurvesLearning Curves Michele P. Conti is an estate planning and elder law attorney. Conti attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Oxford University and Duquesne University School of Law. She received her LL.M. in taxation from Villanova University. She can be reached at (724) 784-0239 or michele@contilawpgh.com. BY MICHELE P. CONTI The three most important estate planning documents everyone needs So long as we are fortunate, we will all grow older. We will all experience life and its set of obstacles. Then, eventually, we will all die. I’m often asked what documents a person NEEDS to have prepared for when they pass away and what the repercussions are should they not plan ahead. Truth be told, if you fail to plan ahead, the state has a failsafe in place. However, the result in such a circumstance is not always what you may have chosen, and nor is it cheap. As a tax attorney, my thoughts stray to the two most important factors of the fail ages: time and money. Attorneys aren’t cheap. Court processes typically take a long time. Therefore, why not plan for yourself in case you require someone to act on your behalf? Here are the three most important estate planning documents that I recommend for my clients and that you should prioritize as well: Powers of Attorney for Finance and Medical Care Without these two documents specifying who can act for you financially, and who can make medical decisions on your behalf if you lose capacity - no matter if for a day, a month or indefinitely - this can result in guardianship. This is the process where someone petitions the court to have the judge decide on an appropriate person or third party company to act on your behalf and make decisions for you. Sounds simple enough, right? Guardianships are expensive and require depositions of a medical professional and testimony from family. This can lead to in-fighting between your family members. Fighting leads to delays and higher costs. All of this, however, can easily be avoided by drafting the appropriate Durable Financial Power of Attorney and Health Care Power of Attorney. If you become incapacitated, your Financial Power of Attorney allows you to appoint someone to act on your behalf and manage your assets. Paying bills is the most common job for this agent. We may also appoint a backup agent if the originally appointed agent is unable to act on your behalf. This role ends upon your passing and then the executor of your will takes over. Your agent and executor can be the same person but it’s important that each party is aware of their role. Your medical agent doesn’t have to be the same as your financial agent, but we can all become unexpectedly ill and it’s important for us to appoint a trusted person to be our advocate and for all of our wishes to be known. This includes not only end of life goals, but also whether you want to be treated for, say, COVID-19 or a traumatic brain injury. Would you want to be put on life support? What about your wishes once you have passed away? Do you want a traditional funeral? Cremation? Or a simple memorial service? All of this can be addressed in your document. Wills Who do you want to receive your assets and when do you want assets dispersed after you die? Who is in charge of settling your estate? Do your beneficiaries require a trust to hold their share rather than distributing the funds to them outright when you die? Without a will, Pennsylvania has you covered: the Intestacy Laws are created to address which loved ones inherit your assets if you don’t have a will. Sounds great, right? Maybe not. Your spouse or children may not receive the amount you intended or thought they’d receive. They may get more or less. Blended families are usually a cause for concern when our clients learn what Intestacy Laws dictate. With a will, you have the ability to voice your true intentions rather than rely on the state. It’s important to let your wishes be known. All too often, families are fractured indefinitely for poor planning. Sometimes siblings can’t remember why they aren’t speaking but know it all started when mom died. Do your family a favor and allow your wishes to be legally drafted so there aren’t any questions when you go and aren’t here to answer them. Let this Thanksgiving be a joyful experience with lots of good memories as we enjoy the opportunity to gather once again.N Your Schools Your Schools November/December 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 21 Robinson Township Christian School STORY AND PHOTO SUBMITTED Robinson Township Christian School is delighted to announce the new hire of Mary Kenyon as the school’s new principal. Kenyon was born in western Pennsylvania but has spent the past 28 years serving in the education field in Jackson, Mississippi. Kenyon shared that returning to western Pennsylvania for the new role “felt like coming home.” “Pittsburgh is its own unique place with the three rivers, Steelers fans and a hard work ethic that I remember well,” she said. “Also my extended family is here.” Kenyon’s father, Walter Kenyon, was a local Presbyterian Church in America pastor. He and Mary’s mother raised 11 children and Mary is the second youngest of her siblings. Mary attended Belhaven University, where she received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She has completed the coursework for a doctorate in education and, once she completes her dissertation, she will receive her EdD. During her time in Jackson, Mary worked in the field of education in various ways. She has taught at the elementary, middle and high school levels. She has also taught and continues to teach undergraduate and graduate-level education classes for Belhaven University as a college professor. Mary has been responsible for K-12th grades at two separate Christian schools in the Jackson area. For the past nine years, she worked in special education, as a lead teacher in a facility for students on the autism spectrum and with behavioral issues. She has also presented educational workshops on several different topics as a seminar speaker. Mary is especially passionate about supporting teachers and their professional development. She is focusing on curriculum in her own doctorate work. Mary was hired by her church, Redeemer Church, in Jackson to start a Christian school and has been instrumental in helping to start three separate Christian schools in the Jackson area. Mary believes that a Christian education at RTCS equips students with the “learning, logic and rhetoric that lead to critical thinking and enables students to be discerning, so they are prepared for life and for service in their communities.” She says, “I love the atmosphere at RTCS. It provides a safe sense of home, where students can be themselves. The students and teaching staff are the best part of RTCS.” RTCS welcomes new principal Mary Kenyon Community Service Club students recently helped the Providence PCA Community Garden, which operates adjacent to the school grounds, construct a greenhouse. The new greenhouse will make it possible to grow an even greater diversity of vegetables through longer periods of the year. Over the past two years, since the community garden’s inception, it has been producing lettuce, onions, garlic, green beans, cucumbers, radishes, hot and sweet peppers, shallots, herbs and tomatoes. All produce has been donated for local consumption. Community Service Club members help construct greenhouse These Community Service Club students recently helped the Providence PCA Community Garden construct a greenhouse.Your SchoolsYour Schools N 22 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2021 Our Lady of the Rosary On Oct. 7, the entire school stepped outside at 10 a.m. and together prayed the Holy Rosary in front of a glorious sight. Volunteers came together to create a likeness of the Rosary out of helium balloons, which hovered over the school. Parents were invited to pray with the school as seventh-graders led the school in the Luminous Mysteries. A special thank you to Father Joe and Ave Maria Academy for bringing this to Archangel Gabriel Catholic School again this year. Thank you, Father Joe, for your inspirational words about this powerful prayer, its history, and donation of special Rosaries to students. The weather was perfect, and as soon as the prayer began, the sun shone even brighter. AGS will never forget that special moment held to honor the special day. Being a good friend in kindergarten Much of what is taught at AGS is intended to model a Christ-like behavior, including showing kindness and thinking of others. In a lesson in social/emotional skills, kindergartners learned the importance of being a good friend. This is especially important to teach in kindergarten. Students have learned that they are each special, and everyone has to be kind and accepting of each other. The 5- and 6-year olds are currently in class with students whom they will most likely be with until high school and beyond as well. Therefore, it is extremely important to remember these skills. They were asked to create an anchor chart that they can refer to throughout the year, which includes: sharing, saying nice things to one another, taking turns, being patient, listening, and just smiling. They each created their own Forky from the movie “Toy Story,” as he represents a good friend. Creating cells and making “cell-fies” Fifth-grade students have been learning all about plant and animal cells in science class. Students learned about the function of each organelle of a plant cell and compared the organelles to something they’re more familiar with. For example, vacuoles are storage spaces for water, waste, food and other cellular materials, just like water bottles and plastic containers used to store food. Next, students worked in groups to build a plant cell using construction paper. Finally, they took “cell-fies” to showcase their work! AGS volleyball goes to Pitt The JV volleyball coach arranged a trip for players to attend a volleyball game to watch second-ranked Pitt play Duke on Oct. 1 at the Fitzgerald Field House. Students were even able to meet some Panther athletes after the game! The expression on students’ faces after standing next to players who were six feet tall was as priceless as the players hearing that they’re playing in fifth grade. AGS is grateful to Coach Curry for making this opportunity possible. Seventh grade service project Each grade is required to complete a service project throughout the school year at AGS. As such, seventh-graders have been working with the Coraopolis Community Development Corporation in their community garden. This garden is maintained by the community and much of the produce is grown for the Coraopolis Food Pantry. One day, students cleared out the garden using the remains as compost and prepared the ground for new provisions in the next season. Students learned what joy they can experience by blessing others. Thanks goes out to the Coraopolis Community Development Corporation Center for allowing AGS students to be a part of the community! AGS volleyball players pose for a picture with Pitt players after attending a game. Seventh-graders help out at the community garden in Coraopolis. Archangel Gabriel Catholic School STORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED AGS students and faculty pray under a Rosary made of balloons Oct. 7. Kindergartners crafted Forky from the movie “Toy Story” during a lesson on friendship. Fifth-graders created picture-perfect cells and their parts out of construction paper during a science lesson. Read our editions and share content online at awmagazine.comNovember/December 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 23 Kindergartners learn about coding while using Colby the robot mouse. Coding in kindergarten AGS kindergartners are coding! The school’s 5- and 6-year-olds have been busy building mazes using coding cards and watching Colby, the programmable robot mouse, find the cheese! Colby has lights, sounds and color buttons to match coding cards. Kindergarten students are enjoying learning about coding in Mrs. Corona’s computer class. Fourth grade science cells and STEM Fourth-grade science students have been learning a lot about cells, so much that they even made one that was edible! They did so in a red cup filled with Jell-O. The cup represented the cell membrane, the marshmallow represented the nucleus, and the Jell-O represented the cytoplasm. It was both educational and delicious. Additionally, the class welcomed a special guest from the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority. Mr. Mark taught them about the process that “dirty” water goes through in order to make it back safely into the rivers. It was hard to imagine that 250 million gallons of water is cleaned by ALCOSAN daily and that the goal by 2023 is to clean 600 million gallons. Students also learned the importance of engineering and were given a challenge to team up and create the tallest self-standing structure out of pipe cleaners. Fourth-graders welcomed a speaker from ALCOSAN (above) and then completed an engineering challenge (below).The artists who created these drawings for our holiday coloring contest are (from top left): Montour Elementary School: kindergartners Eleanor Buss, Luca Salandra and Riley Vignola; first- graders Easton Emenhiser, Lincoln Davenport, Mackenzie Chambers and Milena Kutzavitch; second-graders Ayla Kramer, Brooke Bujaky, Hargunn Kaur and Jaela Mihelcic; third-graders Katherine Neilson and Sydney Black; and fourth-graders Charlotte DeCola, Laura Wetzel and Shayne Toulouse; Archangel Gabriel Catholic School: kindergartner Alex Werner; first-graders June Ocheltree and Nathan Wertelet; second-graders Claire Ocheltree, Frankie Jackson and Rose Staudenmeier; third-graders Lauren McDevitt, Levi Jarocki, Mia DeChicchis and Natalie Yurchak; and fourth-graders Caiden Price, Heidi Surlow, Lucas Wertelet, Parker Thomas and Joseph Davoli. 26 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2021November/December 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 27 Montour School District Superintendent’s Message Dr. Christopher Stone Superintendent Montour School District Montour School District Rankings Niche ranks nearly 100,000 schools and districts based on statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents. Stay up to date at www.montourschools.com! The first half of the school year is nearly behind us and we have much to celebrate and be thankful for at Montour School District as we approach the holidays. Our mission of providing a world-class education and learning experience for our children remains our #1 priority. Our community has also successfully planned and facilitated “normal” school experiences for students during a pandemic. Students have gone on field trips, participated in athletic events with crowds, taken part in academic competitions, and held a full-scale homecoming celebration! As we head into this holiday season, let us celebrate by renewing our overwhelming commitment to Montour students, together, as one community, regardless of personal beliefs and differences. I want to express my sincere appreciation for all of those in our Montour community who truly make it special. Our students, staff and community have proven that we can overcome any challenge. Speaking of special, Montour was recently recognized as a top school district by Niche! See below for details. Niche ranks Montour 37th among 496 districts and ninth in the region The Most Diverse School District ranking is based on rigorous analysis of demographic and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with millions of reviews from students and parents. Best Places to Teach in Pennsylvania #7 of 496 Districts with the Best Teachers in Pennsylvania #24 of 496 Best School Districts in Pennsylvania #37 of 495 Factors Considered Academics Teachers Culture and Diversity Parent/Student Surveys Health and Safety Resources and Facilities Clubs and Activities Sports 50% 15% 10% 10% 5% 5% 2.5% 2.5% WeightDescription Based on state assessment proficiency, SAT/ACT scores, and survey responses on academics from students and parents. Based on teacher salary, teacher absenteeism, state test results, and survey responses on teachers from students and parents. Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents. Niche survey responses scored on a 1-5 scale regarding the overall experience of students and parents in the district. Based on chronic student absenteeism, suspensions/expulsions, and survey responses on the school environment from students and parents. Based on expenses per student, staffing, and survey responses on facilities from students and parents. Based on expenses per student and survey responses on clubs and activities from students and parents. Based on the number of sports, participation, and survey responses on athletics and athletic facilities from students and parents. 2022 NICHE BEST SCHOOLS28 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2021 Montour School District Wall of Honor 2021 Inductees Montour inducted its second class of alumni into its Wall of Honor on Oct. 21. The Wall of Honor was established to recognize outstanding Montour graduates and a special display outside the high school auditorium commemorates these individuals. While honoring these exemplary Montour alumni, the display also reminds students of the greatness that they are a part of at Montour High School. Here are the members of this year’s induction class: Cassidy Krug - Class of 2003 Olympic Diver, Writer and Brand Strategist During her time at Montour High School, Cassidy Krug was unbeaten in dual meet competition and won the Pennsylvania State Championship three times. After graduating from Montour in 2003, she attended Stanford University, where she dove for the Cardinals and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with an emphasis in creative writing. Over the course of Cassidy’s diving career, she was a 10-time USA Diving national champion, a seven-time NCAA All-American, and a two-time NCAA champion. In 2007, Krug captured the one-meter and three-meter NCAA titles in the same year, setting a one-meter meet record that lasted more than a decade. In 2012, Krug won the women’s three-meter competition at the U.S. Olympic Trials. At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, she was elected co-captain of the U.S. diving team by teammates and coaches and finished seventh in the women’s three-meter event. Krug was named the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame Athlete of the Year in 2007, NCAA Diver of the Year in 2007 and inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame in 2010. She was inducted into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017. After her retirement from diving in 2012, Krug moved to New York City and directed her passion for writing toward the world of brand strategy. As a brand strategist, she has led the development of products, programs, and campaigns for companies like Tide, General Mills, Hilton and Google. Athletics remain a driving force for Krug. She’s a published writer focusing on the intersection of sports and life. In 2013, she taught celebrities how to dive for a reality TV show called “Splash” on ABC. She has also worked as an on-air diving announcer for TV broadcasts. She spends evenings and weekends teaching trampoline and trapeze classes, and is one of the only women in history to have completed a triple somersault catch on the flying trapeze. John Hufnagel was named president of the Calgary Stampeders on Jan. 27, 2016, and has been the club’s general manager since 2008. Hufnagel served eight years as head coach and general manager before ceding coaching duties to Dave Dickenson at the conclusion of the 2015 season. Hufnagel is a member of the 2020 class of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in the builders’ category and he was the 2019 recipient of the CFL’s Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award. Hufnagel is also a two-time winner of the Annis Stukus Trophy as the CFL’s coach of the year and led the Stampeders to Grey Cup victories in 2008 and 2014. He had a 102-41-1 career mark as a head coach and his winning percentage is the best among coaches with at least 100 games on the sidelines. The Stampeders have reached double digits in victories in each of the 12 seasons since Hufnagel’s return in 2008 and have accumulated seven first- place finishes in the West Division while qualifying for the post-season every year. Hufnagel has served as GM for three Grey Cup-winning teams. Hufnagel began his coaching career in 1987 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as a player/coach. In 1990, he joined the Stampeders as offensive coordinator under Wally Buono. In this role, Hufnagel helped guide the team to three Grey Cup games, including a championship in 1992. During Hufnagel’s first seven seasons with the Stampeders, the team finished first in the West Division six times. Following his early success in the CFL, he went to the Arena Football League as head coach/general manager of the New Jersey Red Dogs. During his time in the NFL, he worked with top quarterbacks, including Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Eli Manning. He joined the Cleveland Browns in 1999 and spent two seasons as the team’s quarterbacks’ coach. In 2001, he was the quarterbacks’ coach for the Indianapolis Colts and in 2002 he was quarterbacks’ coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hufnagel spent the 2003 season as quarterbacks’ coach for the Super Bowl-champion New England Patriots. The next season, Hufnagel joined the New York Giants, with whom he spent three seasons as offensive coordinator. Prior to coaching, Hufnagel starred at Penn State University. In his final two seasons as the starting quarterback, Hufnagel’s record was 21-3. As a junior, he led the Nittany Lions to a 30-6 Cotton Bowl win over Texas and, in his final season, took his team to the Sugar Bowl. He finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1972. In 1973, Hufnagel was drafted in the 14th round by the Denver Broncos. He spent three seasons with the team before beginning a 12-year CFL career with the Stampeders (1976-79), Saskatchewan Roughriders (1980-83, 1987) and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1984-86). Hufnagel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Penn State. He and Sherry reside in Cochrane, Ontario. They have two daughters, Neely and Lindsey, and a son, Cole. John Hufnagel - Class of 1969 President, GM and Executive Committee Member CFL: 22nd season | Stampeders: 21st season Want to nominate someone for the Montour School District Distinguished Wall of Honor? Visit www.montourschools.com and look under the “Our District” tab.November/December 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 29 Salvatore Antonio Fratto (Tony) - Class of 1984 Domestic & International Economic Policy Through his work at Hamilton Place Strategies, the U.S. Treasury Department and the White House, Tony Fratto has accumulated decades of experience in domestic and international economic policy. Fratto founded Hamilton Place Strategies in 2009. The communications-consulting firm brings an analytical approach to solving complex public policy issues. At HPS, Tony directs the firm’s business strategy and leads client teams in highly- regulated sectors, especially in finance and international economic policy. Before founding HPS, Tony worked at the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Press Secretary. He worked directly with the President and the administration’s senior economic policy, national security, and legal teams, communicating on international and domestic policy issues to national and foreign media. Prior to his time at the White House, Fratto served at the U.S. Treasury Department, including as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. In this capacity, he led the administration’s communications strategy for addressing major economic policy issues, including financial crises, tax policy and international development programs. Fratto served in senior roles with three U.S. Treasury secretaries, leading on activities including G7 and G20 finance ministers meetings, IMF and World Bank meetings, preparation for congressional testimony, media interviews, and speeches. Combining his work at the Treasury and the White House, Fratto directed and participated in communications efforts in more than 60 countries around the world. Fratto is especially proud of his work to advance major international initiatives, including multiple trade agreements, creation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, debt cancellation for highly indebted poor countries, and global health initiatives to fight HIV/AIDS and malaria. In addition to his role with Hamilton Place Strategies, Fratto is an on-air contributor with CNBC Business News. He serves on the boards of World Food Program USA, the Center for Global Development, and Care Action. He serves on the Board of Visitors of the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, and the International Advisory Board of Fundação Dom Cabral, the premier business school in Brazil. He is also a member of the Bretton Woods Committee and The Economic Club of Washington, D.C. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Fratto received his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Pittsburgh and attended the university’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. He lives in New York City with his wife, Judy, who is herself a proud Montour alumna, and their children, Antonio and Juliette. The Frattos also keep a permanent home near Seven Springs resort, where they frequently return to ski, enjoy the mountains, and see family. Wherever they are, they all maintain their fierce support for Pittsburgh sports teams. John K. Weinstein - Class of 1982 Allegheny County Treasurer The halls of the Montour School District steered John K. Weinstein precisely on the path he was meant to pursue. After being elected to Student Council each year, and later serving as the 1982 Senior Class Student Council Treasurer, Weinstein became aware of the value of competent and principled administration, and the effect it could have on improving the situations of those around him. The significance stayed with him and would soon guide him to a career with the Allegheny County Treasurer’s Office, which he would come to lead in 1999 as the county’s elected treasurer. Since that time, voters have recognized his steady management by reelecting him to the role a historic six times, as of the time of his induction into the Distinguished Wall of Honor. As the country’s treasurer, Weinstein has built a lengthy record as a staunch advocate for the county’s taxpayers. One of his first acts in office was to persuade council - over the objections of the then-executive - to pass the county’s first property tax cut under the Home Rule Charter. He fought to keep senior citizens in their homes, successfully advocating for a 150% increase in savings for those enrolled in the Act 77 Senior Citizen Discount Program and introducing policies to lessen the financial burden on seniors challenging property assessments. No less important to Weinstein than protecting taxpayers is the diligent stewardship of their funds. Under his guidance, Allegheny County routinely positioned itself as a leader in the Commonwealth, becoming the first to introduce online real estate tax billing and payment options, and the first to harness the nascent powers of e-commerce by utilizing online investing. In part thanks to these innovations, Allegheny County was the first in Pennsylvania to be recognized for achieving the highest standards for sound investment strategies, a distinction since received an additional eight times. Weinstein also turned one of the county treasurer’s lesser- known responsibilities into one of its most vital missions and one of his greatest passions. As the Department of Agriculture’s recognized agent for licensing dogs within the county, he immediately implemented an awareness campaign that led to a nearly 175% increase in registrations and, in turn, countless lost dogs being reunited with their families. He furthered that passion by co-founding AAARF, a nonprofit organization that has raised more than $1.7 million to combat animal abuse, provide treatment for its victims, and place its survivors in forever homes. He proudly remains active throughout all facets of the community, most notably as the longtime president and treasurer of the Allegheny County Retirement Board and past president and continuing member of the ALCOSAN Board of Directors. Other memberships, past and present, include the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Phipps Conservatory, Animal Friends, Variety - The Children’s Charity, the Roberto Clemente Foundation, Amen Corner, The Challenge Program, and many others.Next >