< Previous20 • Allegheny West Magazine • Fall 2023 I hope this newsletter finds you and your family well, and that you have had the opportunity this summer to spend time with dear friends and family while making great memories. The summer months are ideal for recharging, refocusing and reconnecting. Yet these months always seem to go by in the blink of an eye, and we have been hard at work at Cornell preparing for the return of our dear students, outstanding faculty and staff. Summer was a very busy time at Cornell. This summer, we held six weeks of programming through our PRIDE program. We revamped the program this year a bit to ensure that we were offering fun and engaging activities for our students. We had a very good showing and each day I saw smiles on the faces of our students. On the last day, we celebrated with a fun pool party and PRIDE students had the opportunity to be the first to swim in our newly refurbished pool. Over the summer, the pool was completely drained, painted and had new equipment installed. We hope your child decides to join us next summer, because we believe the program will be just as enjoyable. Our student-athletes and coaches were busy this summer preparing for their upcoming seasons by training and participating in conditioning exercises. At the time of the writing of this publication, we are also just about to start our summer marching band camp. It is always great to hear and see our band students preparing for the fall marching band season. At the same time, we are excited to welcome our newest incoming kindergarten students. This year, the Cornell Class of 2036 begins their academic journey. We end each summer with a two-week program for incoming kindergarten students that we fondly call Kindergarten Boot Camp. This program is a great transitional one for our students, as it allows them to become familiar with their classroom, as well as the teaching faculty and staff at Cornell. Through the boot camp, they become accustomed to their daily routine and are able to experience the school bus, the cafeteria, and other aspects of school that become second nature to all students. With the start of the 2023- 2024 school year upon us, we are excited for the coming year. Our students and staff will be welcomed back with a few new upgrades and minor renovations. In addition to the routine classroom and hallway deep cleanings and waxed floors, our staff will find two new student spaces. Thanks to a grant through the Project SEEKS program (see page 29) we were able to create two student wellness rooms that will be staffed with behavioral health clinicians from Wesley Families Services. In addition, we are excited to expand on our current AP course offerings in the high school and are hopeful that more high school students decide to enroll in an AP course. From my experience at Cornell, I know our students can achieve at a high level, and we encourage our students to make the most of the opportunities that Cornell provides them. Experiencing an AP course will better prepare them for post-secondary success. We’ve made a big investment in teacher training over the years and are hopeful our enrollment numbers in AP courses will continue to increase. We have also made great strides with career planning and awareness. This school year, our students will start hearing about Career Pathways that were created and we hope these pathways put our students on a trajectory to enrolling in dual-enrollment and AP courses. In addition to getting our students college credits, we believe they will have a better understanding of post-secondary education options available to them, both in this area and around the country. This school year, we will also be completing a project called “Portrait of a Graduate” that will help guide our future work. More information will be shared as we progress, but the Portrait of a Graduate work is to conceptualize the knowledge, skills, and dispositions students need to succeed in college, their careers and life. We believe this work will be very beneficial for all parties involved, and I’m excited to share the updates as we progress. I hope you join me in my enthusiasm to start the 2023- 2024 school year! It is going to be another great year. Yes, I’m sure there will be challenges along the way, but there will also be many great accomplishments to celebrate and acknowledge. I can’t wait to see the great work of our students, faculty and staff. We are Cornell! Cornell Families and Community Members: Superintendent’s Message Dr. Aaron Thomas, Superintendent “From my experience at Cornell, I know our students can achieve at a high level, and we encourage our students to make the most of the opportunities that Cornell provides them.” ~ Dr. Aaron Thomas, Cornell Superintendent Fall 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 21 Recent Cornell High School graduate Ciara White-McShane earned a very prestigious honor by being named an AP Scholar with Honor. She is the first Cornell student to earn the honor. AP courses allow a student to experience college-level courses and content while still in high school. Course materials are more rigorous and classes advance at a different pace than non-AP courses. All students in an AP class also take a final exam at the conclusion of the course. Those who score high enough can earn college credit. Ciara enrolled in every AP course that Cornell High School offers and received college-level scores on all exams leading to the AP Scholar with Honor distinction. Cornell High School has invested quite a bit of time and resources into expanding its AP course offerings. Thanks to a partnership with the National Math Science Initiative, which is grant funded, Cornell teachers have been trained on AP course content and resources. Through this partnership, Cornell High School has expanded the number of AP courses available to students. Cornell administration hopes that more students enroll in AP courses, as the experience alone has shown to have great results. Research shows that students simply experiencing an AP-level course are better prepared for post-secondary opportunities. Students who enroll in AP courses go on to earn better grades in college, graduate on time and have higher job satisfaction statistics. Cornell is very proud of Ciara, not only for her high achievements in the classroom, but for also continually taking on challenging courses that have better prepared her for post-secondary success. Ciara White-McShane earns AP Scholar with Honor distinction Ciara White-McShane Recent graduates receive prestigious honors As they were finishing up their course work in order to graduate this past spring semester, two graduating Cornell seniors were in the running for some prestigious honors. Here’s a rundown: Cornell High School Class of 2023 graduate Anderson Bando was notified of some very exciting news shortly after his high school graduation. During the second semester of this past school year, Anderson completed a project for the Games for Change Student Challenge competition, which is the flagship program for Games for Change Learn. The initiative offers programs and resources encompassing the most impactful and effective tools and strategies for merging learning and education with games, game design, and play. The Games for Change student challenge is the leading national game design program, combining students’ passion for games with digital learning and civic engagement. Anderson worked tirelessly on his game design throughout the school year and officially submitted his game in the competition. Soon after graduation, it was announced that Anderson’s game, “Walking Blind,” was selected as the Northeast Region winner in the Positive Play: Designing Inclusive Virtual Worlds category. Anyone can play Anderson’s game, along with the other submitted games, by visiting the Games for Change website. Anderson said he had a lot of fun throughout the entire process of designing, writing, programming and troubleshooting the game. While Anderson said he was very surprised he won, it came as no surprise to the faculty and staff at Cornell. Throughout his high school career, Anderson excelled in the classroom and he will continue to accomplish wonderful things as he enters the next phase of his life. Anderson Bando wins Games for Change competition Anderson Bando In Anderson Bando’s award-winning game “Walking Blind,” players have to “feel” their way through a dark room by shooting a ball that illuminates barriers. Play it for free at gamesforchange. org. 22 • Allegheny West Magazine • Fall 2023Fall 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 23 Cornell to continue with Education Partnership Cornell School District is proud to announce that Cornell Elementary will once again partner with The Education Partnership. Cornell Administration submitted an application for the 2023-2024 school year and received word in late spring that Cornell Elementary was selected as a Junior Partner. Cornell Elementary faculty and staff will have access to the Education Partnership’s Teacher Resource At the conclusion of the 2022-2023 school year, Cornell Elementary kindergarten teachers Mrs. Jackie DelGreco and Mrs. Lindsay McKee had their students participate in a very engaging and adorable project with some of the high school students. During the school year, the kindergarten team and the librarian read different monster books to their students. The students then created and designed their own monsters that they wanted to write a story about on paper. Instructional Technology Coach Rachel McVeagh and the kindergarten team then had students create their own ToonTastic videos that animated their drawings and told stories with their creations. As a surprise, the student-designed monsters were given to Meredith Capp, who teaches family and consumer science courses at the high school. Capp’s high school students used donated materials to create stuffed versions of the kindergarten students’ monsters. Each kindergarten student was given their monster at a special picnic event, and they were delighted to see their creations come to life. It was a memorable experience for all, and the project will expand this upcoming school year. Thanks to a mini grant from the Grable Foundation, the team of teachers will be incorporating this unit into the curriculum. Elementary and high school students will get to experience this collaborative project once again. It was a great collaboration that was enjoyed by all. Grades collaborate on Monster Creation Project Kindergarten students used their imaginations to create drawings based on stories they were read by faculty members and animated their drawings using ToonTastic software. High school consumer science students then created stuffed versions of the monsters and presented them back to the kindergartners who originally imagined them. Visit www.cornellsd.org for the latest district news #WeAre Cornell24 • Allegheny West Magazine • Fall 2023 Screening and Evaluation The Cornell School District employs the following procedures for locating, identifying and evaluating the needs of school age students requiring special education programs and/or services. These procedures, as required by state regulations, are as follows: As prescribed by section 1402 of the school code, the district routinely conducts screening of a child’s hearing and visual acuity. Initial screening for speech and language skills is completed during Kindergarten at the elementary building. This screening is also initiated at other times on a referral basis to the nurse. Gross motor and fine motor skills are assessed by the teachers and support staff on an ongoing basis. Teams at each building meet routinely to conduct various screening activities on an ongoing basis including: review of group-based data such as enrollment and health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores and observable behaviors. Needs identified from these screening sources, as well as from parents and outside agencies are assessed, noted within the student’s records, and discussed with parents. Various plans may be implemented and monitored. If appropriate, a referral process is initiated at each building level. The school, in order to determine the need for further evaluation, then uses any assessment data accrued. If it is determined that a student may be eligible for special education services, the student is referred for a multidisciplinary team evaluation. After the evaluation is completed, an Evaluation Report (ER) is prepared with parent involvement. This report includes specific recommendations for the types of interventions necessary to deal with the student. When the ER report is completed in accordance with state regulations, an IEP team meeting with parent involvement is scheduled to develop an appropriate Individual Education Plan (IEP) for the student. Parents of students who suspect that their child is exceptional and in need of special education may request a multidisciplinary team evaluation of their child through a written request to the building principal. The time and location of an evaluation depends upon each student’s current placement, as well as Federal and State time guidelines. Special Education Policy The Cornell School District is responsible for locating, identifying and educating children who are in need of special education programming. If anyone in the community is aware of a child with a disability such as mental retardation, blindness or deafness or with an orthopedic disability and needs special placement and is not receiving it, contact the school district at (412) 264-5010 ext.113 or 111. Services for Preschool Age Children Act 212, the Early Intervention System Act, entitles all preschool age children with disabilities to appropriate early intervention services. Young children experiencing developmental delays, or orthopedic or mental disabilities are eligible for early intervention services. The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare is responsible for providing services to infants and toddlers, defined as children from birth through two years of age. Information regarding the appropriate developmental milestone descriptors for infants and toddlers may be found at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website at http://www.cdc.gov or The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) website at http://nichcy.org. Contact: St. Peter Child Development Center, Inc., 2510 Baldwick Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15205-4144, (412) 937-1502. The Pennsylvania Department of Education is responsible for providing services to preschool age children from ages three through five. Contact: Project DART, 200 Commerce Court Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1178, (412) 394-5736. Services for Students in Nonpublic Schools Public special education is accessible to resident students attending nonpublic schools by permitting the nonpublic student to enroll on a part-time dual enrollment basis in a special education program operated in a public school Special education programs are accessible to nonpublic school students through dual enrollment following the multidisciplinary team evaluation and development of an individualized education program (IEP). Parents of students in need of special education may request a multidisciplinary team evaluation of their child through a written request to the nonpublic school principal. Services for School Age Exceptional Students The School District provides a free, appropriate public education to students with a disability according to state and federal mandates. To be eligible the child must be of school age, need specially designed instruction, and meet eligibility criteria for mentally gifted and/or one or more of the following orthopedic and mental disabilities as set forth in the Pennsylvania State Standards: autism/pervasive development disorder, blindness/visual impairment, deafness/hearing impairment, mental retardation, multi-handicap, neurological impairment, orthopedic disability, serious emotional disturbance, specific learning disability and speech/language impairment. Services designed to meet the needs of eligible students include the annual development of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), triennial multidisciplinary reevaluation, supportive intervention in the regular class, supplemental intervention in the regular class or in a special education resource program, placement in Cornell School District Annual Notification to Parents School Year 2023-2024 Each year, Pennsylvania school districts are required to publish the following information. Please read carefully.Fall 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 25 a part-time or full-time special education resource program, placement in a part-time or full-time special education class in a regular school or placement in a full-time special education class outside of the regular services and the location for the delivery of such services are determined by the parents and staff at the IEP team meeting and are based on the student’s identified needs and abilities, chronological age, and the level of intensity of specified intervention. The school district also provides related services, such as transportation, physical therapy, and occupational therapy that are required to enable the student to derive educational benefits. Prior to the initiation of services, parents are presented a “Notice of Recommended Educational Placement” (NOREP) with which they may agree or disagree. If parents disagree with the program being recommended, they have the right to request a pre-hearing conference, mediation and/or a due process hearing. Confidentiality of Student Records The Cornell School District upholds the privacy rights of parents and students as mandated by federal legislation known as a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment), state regulations (Chapter 14-Special Education Services and Programs, Chapter 12-Student Rights and Responsibilities), and the district’s policy. The different categories of information maintained by the school district are as follows: educational and health records, personally identifiable information, and directory information. Educational and health records, and personally identifiable information cannot be disclosed or released without parent consent or if a student is eighteen or older, without his/her consent. Information known as directory information can be released without consent. Directory information means information, which would be considered not harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. This information includes the following: student’s name, address, date and place of birth, courses taken, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student. Written parental, or a student age eighteen or older, request is required for the disclosure of educational and health records, and personally identifiable information. The consent must: specify the records that may be disclosed, purpose of the disclosure, and identify the party or class of parties whom the disclosure may be made. A written record of the disclosure must be maintained by the school district. In accordance with 34 CFR §300.624, please be advised of the following retention/destruction schedule for the PASA, PSSA and Keystone Exam related materials: • PSSA, Keystone Exam, and PASA test booklets will be destroyed one year after student reports are delivered for the administration associated with the test booklets. • PSSA and Keystone Exam answer booklets and PASA media recording will be destroyed three years after completion of the assessment. Extra-Curricular Activities All special education students are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities regardless of the location of where they attend school. This includes special education students who are Cornell residents attending approved private schools, center placement and PRII placements. Building principals may be contacted for sports activities and extra-curricular activities and calendars are available in each district office. Chapter 15 Regulations In compliance with State and Federal Law, the Cornell District will provide to each protected disabled student without discrimination or cost to the student or family, those related aids, services or accommodations which are needed to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program and extra-curricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abilities. In order to qualify as a protected handicapped student, the child must be of school age with an orthopedic or mental disability, which substantially limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the school program. For further information on the evaluation procedures and provision of services protected disabled students, contact the Superintendent, Cornell School District, 1099 Maple Street, Coraopolis, PA 15108, (412) 264-5010. The Cornell School District, an equal opportunity employer, will not discriminate in employment, educational programs or activities, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, ancestry, physical disability or union membership. This policy of nondiscrimination extends to all other legally protected classifications. Publication of this policy in this document is in accordance with state and federal laws including Title IX of the Education Amendments 0f 1972 and Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Inquires should be directed to the Superintendent, Cornell School District, 1099 Maple Street, Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, 15108.26 • Allegheny West Magazine • Fall 2023 Varsity Sports Preview The varsity football and girls’ volleyball programs were hard at work this summer conditioning and preparing for the upcoming season. Both are eyeing a return to the post season after securing playoff bids in recent years. Here’s a preview of each team: Football Ever since the Raiders football program returned to Cornell in 2017, the team has been in the hunt for a WPIAL title. To date, that goal has proven elusive, but the team has come close. In 2019, the Raiders made program history when they won a conference title and reached the WPIAL semi-final match. After a down year in 2020 that was hampered by COVID-19, the team made another return to the semi-finals and nearly punched its ticket to the big game. The Raiders ended their season on the one-yard line, however, trying to punch in a game-winning touchdown as the clock expired. Last season, the Raiders bounced back from a rough start after losing several senior starters in just the second game of the season to injuries. Toward the end of the season, the team got some of those players back and found themselves in contention for a post- season bid. During their last game against OLSH, the team came from behind to force overtime, but after scoring a touchdown went for two and came up short. As OLSH had already scored and kicked an extra point, that ended the Raiders’ season. Head coach Ed Dawson puts the blame on himself, but says the team didn’t flinch when it came time to put their season on the line. “I told the kids, I said, ‘Listen, I’ll give you my honest opinion. I don’t live in my fears.’ They all, to the letter, every kid was like, ‘Go for the win, coach.’ I don’t regret it,” Dawson says. This year, CJ Jackson will be starting at quarterback after filling in at the position for much of last season following an injury that sidelined senior starting quarterback EJ Dawson, Ed Dawson’s son. Ed says that last year the team already had plans for CJ to take plenty of snaps in order to give the team flexibility to deploy EJ in a variety of positions. When EJ went down, though, CJ was thrust into the starting role. It was a sink-or-swim moment for the junior quarterback, but ended up providing CJ with plenty of experience that will aid the team this year. “It was just a big learning experience for all of us,” says CJ. The game plan, or goals for the team, didn’t change, however. “It was a pretty similar game plan throughout the whole season,” CJ says. Dawson says plans to prepare CJ for this season went into fast forward following the injury to EJ. “We wanted to wean him into it, but unfortunately following EJ’s injury, he had to cannonball right into the action,” says Dawson, who says he was happy with how his junior quarterback responded. Senior linebacker and tight end Kenyon Tench says the team has been responding well in summer workouts and that as long as they continue to put in the work they’ll be competitive. “We feel pretty confident as long as we have people showing up and consistently giving their best effort,” he says. “Every day we’re coming to put in the hard work and the effort.” “It’s all family up here,” says senior lineman Philip Barker. “We’re making sure everyone’s straight and knows what they’re doing.” Additional seniors on the team this year include defensive backs Julian Cortis, Dre Newton and Larry Lee, along with lineman Geoffrey Collington. Kalil Johnson, Walter Clarit and Parris Green will be filling in at running back after getting playing time last year. They replace Raquan Troutman, who graduated following yet another 1,000- yard rushing season and leading the team in interceptions. On the line, the team gets back junior Jamarcus Pierce, who has been starting since he was a freshman and who Dawson will be leaning on as the signal caller up front. He and Phil Barker will lead at the point of attack, Dawson says. The team also gets back sophomore lineman Nick Bennet, who started his freshman season. The team kicks off its hunt for a WPIAL title Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. against Seton LaSalle at home. For a complete schedule, see the tear-out calendar on page 16. See page 16 for tear-out fall sports schedules Football head coach Ed Dawson addresses the team following a preseason practice in July. This marks his seventh consecutive season of leading the team and his 11th year in total. LEFT: Quarterback CJ Jackson escapes lineman Jamarcus Pierce during a preseason practice. RIGHT: Parris Green carries the ball during the same summer practice. Fall 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 27 When Alexis Hamm took over head coaching duties for the girls volleyball team in 2020, she knew she had her work cut out for her. In the previous two seasons, the Raiders had only won six combined games. So, Hamm started by returning to a focus on fundamentals. That season, the team finished with a 2-8 record but Hamm came away feeling that her players had made strides and were on the right course. She was right. The following season, the team returned almost all of its players and earned a WPIAL playoff spot, the first in some time for the team. Last year, a realignment within the team’s section pitted it against some new, and tougher, competition, including Eden Christian Academy, Chartiers- Houston and Bishop Canevin, which would go on to secure a spot in the semi-final game. Though Cornell failed to reach the post season, Hamm says she was happy with how the team responded to adversity. “There was a switch in teams that were in our section and we had to compete against much harder competition,” says Hamm. “But the girls stepped up and played well.” After graduating five seniors off last year’s team, the squad finds itself with a lot more youth this year. Sophomores and juniors make up the bulk of the roster but the team is returning six players, which bodes well for its chances. The team also has a handful of new players, which speaks to the recruiting efforts of Hamm and the rest of the team. Hamm says recruiting, both at the varsity and junior varsity levels, has been a big part of assembling a winning program. The Raiders head coach says she’s also excited to see some of her younger players’ potential and how much they’re motivated to step up into bigger roles. Among the players she’ll be looking to is Maddie Hoffman, whose sister, Hannah, was the team’s libero in her senior season last year. Hamm, though, calls Maddie a natural born leader and says she expects her to be a captain for the team and a role model for younger players. “We are going to be a young team again but looking for big outcomes!” says Hamm. The team kicks off its hunt for another post-season bid Aug. 28 in a home match against Freedom at 7:30 p.m. For a complete schedule, see the tear-out calendar on page 16. Mrs. Karen Murphy - President Mr. Michael Engel Jr. - Vice President Mrs. Darlene Abbott - Treasurer Mr. Mark Cavicchia Mr. Michael Griffith Mrs. Caryn Code Mr. Scott Spencer Mr. Jeffrey McBain Ms. Mary Merryman *Mr. Patrick Berdine - Secretary *Ms. Trish Andrews - Solicitor - non-board member* Cornell School District 1099 Maple Street • Coraopolis, PA 15108 www.cornellsd.org Dr. Aaron Thomas Superintendent athomas@cornellsd.org (412) 264-5010, ext. 120 Dr. Doug Szokoly High School Principal dszokoly@cornellsd.org (412) 264-5010, ext. 104 Jeffrey Carter Elementary School Principal jcarter@cornellsd.org, (412) 264-5010, ext. 241 Carla Antoniades Director of Pupil Services cantoniades@cornellsd.org Dr. Kris Hupp Director of Technology & Instructional Innovation khupp@cornellsd.org Patrick Berdine Business Manager Cornell School District Board of Directors Volleyball The volleyball team will be looking to make a return to the post season this year. 28 • Allegheny West Magazine • Fall 2023 Cornell Partners with Care Solace For the past 19 years, Cornell students have benefited from the exceptional care provided to them by school nurse Joyce Petrell. From regular screenings, to treating students’ daily ailments, to even saving one student’s life, Petrell has been a reassuring mainstay on the Cornell campus. On the occasion that Petrell has needed to take time away from her duties, Brandy Bosetti has been the one who has stepped temporarily into her role these past 12 years. At the same time, Bosetti, a Cornell alumna, has been working as a full-time nurse at UPMC Passavant Hospital. This year when students head back to school, Bosetti’s face will be the one they see when they need to visit the nurse’s office. She has stepped into the full-time role to replace Petrell, who retired at the end of last school year. Petrell does so after not only caring for students for many years but also guiding Cornell through the COVID-19 pandemic and the return to in-person learning. During that time, she and her assistant, Elisa, were tasked with contact tracing and communicating with parents about quarantine measures. Petrell and transportation director Beth Miles also once saved a student’s life by providing CPR when the student collapsed during gym class. “Joyce did an amazing job handling our day-to-day situations, and some would be surprised at how much foot traffic comes and goes from our nurse’s office,” says Dr. Aaron Thomas, Cornell superintendent. “In addition to the bumps, scrapes and stomach aches, I saw Joyce respond to some major medical situations. She responded in a professional, prompt manner. I felt a sense of ease knowing that Joyce was in the building, and having her respond when we needed her.” At the same time, Thomas says he is glad to have a professional such as Bosetti, who comes to Cornell with a wealth of experience, taking over the position. For the past 24 years, Bosetti has been a nurse caring for patients recovering from surgical procedures at UPMC Passavant. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was on the front lines, wearing a pressurized protective suit while caring for patients in COVID-19 wards. Many in the Cornell community would know Bosetti best not only from her time filling in as the school’s substitute nurse and attending Cornell herself with the Class of 1994, but also putting three children through Cornell schools and being an active member of the band boosters. “I’ve been a band booster mom and involved in all the activities,” she says. She jokes that she’ll be selling hoagies out of the nursing station. She says that her familiarity with members of the Cornell community has helped when she has needed to reach out to a parent about a sick student. Bosetti says she sees her new role as a catch-all for many conditions students cope with on a daily basis, from illnesses to anxiety and other problems. “It’s a big difference,” she says about her former role versus the one she’s taking on as a school nurse. “You’re not just house mom for the day. Kids come to you with illnesses, injuries and mental health issues like anxiety. You’re a resource for them.” Bosetti says she’s also considering some proactive initiatives that would teach everything from dental care to second-graders, to stress management to teens. A CCAC graduate, Bosetti received her BSN through Slippery Rock University and finished her school nurse certification this year. Bosetti’s oldest daughter, Hannah, recently graduated. Her son, Ryan, will be an 11th-grader this year and her other daughter, Vanessa, is entering the eighth grade. She is married to Ryan Bosetti, who is a Cornell alumnus himself. Brandy Bosetti is Cornell’s new school nurse Brandy Bosetti Cornell School District is committed to the well-being of its students, staff and families in order to create a safe and healthy learning environment. In support of the district’s ongoing commitment, Cornell has partnered with Care Solace to provide an additional layer of care to the Cornell community. Care Solace helps individuals find mental health care providers and substance use treatment centers. The Care Solace Care Companion team is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week and 365 days per year to quickly connect individuals to carefully verified providers in the community. Students, staff and families may access Care Solace services in two ways: • Call (888) 515-0595 at any time. Support is available in over 200 languages. A dedicated Care Companion member will help in every step of the way to research options, secure appointments, and follow up to make sure it is a good fit. • For an anonymous search, answer a few questions to get matched with an extensive list of care providers at www. caresolace.com/cornell. Care Solace is available at no cost. The service connects individuals with providers accepting all medical insurances, including Medicaid, Medicare and sliding scale options for those without insurance. All information entered on the Care Solace tool is completely confidential and securely stored. If you are interested in counseling- related services for your child, yourself, or other family members, please contact Care Solace by the methods listed. This is a complimentary resourced provided by the Cornell School District, and the assistance it can provide is invaluable. #WeAre CornellFall 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 29 Project SEEKS grant update In the last edition of Cornell Today, it was announced that Cornell School District was a recipient of a Project SEEKS SES grant in the amount of $585,000. Cornell was one of 10 school districts in the region to be selected for this grant. The others were Duquesne, East Allegheny, Highlands, McKeesport, Penn Hills, Steel Valley, Sto-Rox, West Mifflin and Woodland Hills. Funding is made available through a grant provided by the Allegheny County Health Department and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The project seeks to support the school districts by addressing trauma, providing additional behavior and mental health supports, and confronting other issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher education institutions Duquesne University, Chatham University and the University of Pittsburgh are also participating in the program. Cornell is excited to announce that some of the grant funds will be used to partner with Wesley Family Services to help staff two Behavioral Health Clinicians, one working in Cornell Elementary and the other working in the high school. This summer, two unused classroom spaces were also transformed with new furniture, paint and workspaces to create Student Wellness Rooms. Staff from Wesley Family Services will be working out of these spaces and students will be able to utilize them when appropriate. Lastly, Cornell is excited to partner with Duquesne University by hosting four interns who are in the master’s and doctoral programs at Duquesne. These interns will be incorporating a social-emotional learning curriculum with Cornell students. The curriculum is designed to help students further develop skills on self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. These are all skills that need reinforcing thanks to the complications brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and changes that have evolved in today’s culture and society. Cornell administration is very excited for the work that lies ahead and superintendent, Dr. Aaron Thomas, stated, “We have been working very hard over the past few months educating ourselves on the possibilities of this project and building relationships with the Allegheny County Health Department, the other school districts involved, and our higher education partners. We have a solid game plan on how to best utilize this money to benefit our students and staff. Ultimately, we want to ensure we are providing our students with all the necessary programming and resources they need to succeed in and outside of the classroom. Our students deserve that, and we’re happy to be able to provide these resources to our students.” New grant will provide supports to students Last school year, Cornell participated in a pilot program through Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. It was called the Anywhere Care program, and allowed for the Cornell school nurse to contact Children’s Hospital and schedule a sick visit for a student remotely. Telehealth appointments have become very popular over the past number of years and let a doctor connect remotely with a patient. A medical professional can ask questions about symptoms, prescribe medication or recommend a face-to-face visit. There are families in the Cornell School District who have difficulties visiting a pediatrician due to transportation or work- related issues. This program allows for students to be seen when deemed necessary by the school nurse. Parents and guardians were also able to connect to the appointment as well. This school year, the program will be entering year two and Cornell is excited to offer this resource to families who need it. Minor bumps, scrapes and stomach aches wouldn’t be something that new school nurse Brandi Bosetti will be contacting Anywhere Care regarding. However, if a child has a rash, possible pink eye or ear infection, and there are issues getting that child to their normal primary care provider, this service can be very beneficial for the child. Cornell is excited to offer this service again, and parents/guardians should be on the lookout for enrollment forms that will be sent home and emailed home at the start of school. If any parent/guardian has any questions about enrolling in this program, they can contact Nurse Bosetti at extension 1140. Cornell to continue telehealth program with Children’s HospitalNext >