< PreviousYour SchoolsYour Schools N Archangel Gabriel School CONTENT SUBMITTED Track and Field Developmental Championships On May 13, the developmental track and field team competed at Robert Morris University against more than 600 athletes from 24 schools for the Pittsburgh Diocesan Championship. After powering through the rain and inclement weather, they came home with many trophies and medals. In the K-2 meet, Anna Debbis placed sixth in the javelin for the girls while Nathan Wertelet placed seventh in the 200m, second in the 400m and third in the javelin for the boys. In the third through fourth grade meet, the boys’ team finished second while the girls’ team was awarded third place among the large-schools division. Many students placed in the meet, including Lily Urick, Ellie Stuckeman, Mila Kolocouris and Michaela Lucas, who placed first in the girls 4x400m relay race and set a new diocesan record. Violet McGovern also placed first in the girls javelin. The girls 4x100m relay team, which included Sadie Tamburino, Natalie Yurchak, Arden Wyke-Shiring and Violet McGovern, placed fifth. Ellie Stuckeman placed eighth in the 800m while Rose Staudenmeier and Natalie Yurchak placed sixth and eighth in the javelin, respectively. For the third through fourth grade boys, Lucas Kacsur won the javelin toss with a new diocesan record of 80’4”. Luke Staudenmeier placed third in the 100m, second in the 200m, second in the 400m and fourth in the 800m race. AGS performs “Aladdin Jr.” for spring musical AGS put on three performances of “Aladdin Jr.” for the school’s spring musical in May. On the final evening that Saturday, students put on a near-flawless show that brought the sold-out crowd to their feet. “Aladdin Jr.” is based on the Disney movie “Aladdin” and tells the story of a poor boy who discovers a lamp containing a magical genie. Excellent acting, singing, dancing, costumes, lights, sound and crew all contributed to the show’s success. Mrs. Beck served as director, Miss Cristy as choreographer, Mrs. Watson as producer and Mr. Tresky as music director. Parents also volunteered in countless ways, with set design, costumes, treats, ticket sales, make-up, an after party and everything in between. Over 70 students took part as the cast and crew. Eighth-graders Milan, Jordan, Isaac, Anntonella, Piper, Maddy, Malley, Maria, Olivia and Jude performed in the lead roles. ABOVE: The girls team shows off some of their medals and trophies from the Diocesan Championship. BELOW: The boys took second place. 20 • Allegheny West Magazine • June/July 2023N Your SchoolsYour Schools In February, Provident Charter School’s Board of Trustees announced that it has been approved by the Ambridge Area School District to establish Provident West. The public charter school is designed to help students in Ambridge and the surrounding communities, including West Allegheny, who are struggling with dyslexia and other language-based differences. The school will help these students achieve success in the classroom. Provident West will be located at the former home of Quigley High School, at 200 Quigley Drive in Baden. The school is currently enrolling students in grades one through four for the 2023-2024 school year. Students and families interested in applying should contact Julie Ewing at: jewing@ providentcharterschool.org. “All of us at Provident are honored and proud to be working together with the Ambridge Area School District,” said Maria Paluselli, CEO, Provident Charter School. “Children with dyslexia often struggle in silence, but our curriculum addresses their needs, enabling many children to thrive in a supportive, specialized environment. Ultimately, after we work with students, our intent is to return them to their home school districts with effective reading skills, so they are prepared for high school and beyond.” According to Paluselli, the new location is the second for Provident. Its first location in the Troy Hill section of Pittsburgh, which opened in 2016, serves approximately 330 students in grades two through eight every year. Until Provident West was approved by the Ambridge Area School District, it was the only public school designed for students living with dyslexia or other language-based learning differences in the Commonwealth. Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder impacting word decoding, spelling tasks and reading fluency. Individuals with dyslexia may also present problems with processing and manipulating sounds, expressing themselves clearly or have difficulties understanding others when they speak. PCS West will enroll students who have a diagnosis of dyslexia, apraxia, specific language impairment or central auditory processing. If students do not have a diagnosis, testing that reveals reading scores in the 10th percentile or lower will be considered for enrollment. The school is publicly funded and provided free of charge to families. It features small group instruction with specialized lessons provided by educators who are specially trained in multi- sensory teaching. Provident School educators utilize the Wilson Reading System, which is based on Orton-Gillingham principles of instruction and accredited by the International Dyslexia Association. Visit www.providentcharterschool.org or call (412) 709-5160 for more information. New charter school opens to serve children with dyslexia CONTENT SUBMITTED Provident Charter School More Archangel Gabriel School News Volleyball: After an amazing year of success and growth, the boys varsity volleyball team, through the leadership of coach Jeff Curry, were awarded Diocesan runner-ups. The team made AGS history with their extremely successful season. All of the eighth-grade boys who played this year are interested in playing in high school next year. Challenge 24 champions: Four AGS students took first place in the Challenge 24 Math competition at St. Louise. Mia, Declan, Levi and Nico finished atop the competition. In addition, the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth-grade teams finished in first after reaching the finals. Butterfly release: Mrs. Crawford and Mrs. Boylan’s preschool class released butterflies after talking about the life cycle of a butterfly. Both classes were able to experience the release and had a great time learning about butterflies. Kindergarten welcome: AGS hosted a Warm Up To Kindergarten event that allowed the incoming students to meet their new teachers, see their classrooms, sing songs and make a craft. The event also gave parents an opportunity to meet each other. Teacher appreciation: The PTG recognized teachers by hosting a “Tiki-Rific” themed week in their honor. Throughout the week, teachers were treated to lunches, breakfasts, massages, treats and gifts to show them just how appreciated they are. Final formal dance: Before letting out for summer, AGS held its final middle school dance of the year, marking a major milestone for graduating eighth-graders. Many have attended AGS since preschool. The final dance allowed them to get dressed up and make some memories. Mother’s Day Tea: First-graders hosted their mothers for a special Mother’s Day Tea event in May. Everyone enjoyed reading descriptions of their mothers, playing games together and sharing sweet treats. There were even a few grandmothers and aunts who joined. These four students finished atop the Challenge 24 Math competition. The volleyball team celebrates finishing as the Diocesan runner-ups. June/July 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 2122 • Allegheny West Magazine • June/July 2023Budget previews no tax increase for 15th consecutive year With the final school board vote set for June, the proposed final 2023-2024 budget calls for no tax increase for the 15th consecutive year. This fiscal stability comes while the District continues to enhance academic programming, provide unprecedented access to early college courses in high school, improve student outcomes, provide one-to-one devices for all students, expand student mental health supports and safety measures, and complete four major capital improvement projects. West Allegheny School District remains the only K-12 district that has not raised taxes in the past 10 years and reports the third lowest millage rate in Allegheny County. As the District strives to ensure a high-quality education for all students, it looks to remove barriers by investing in its ever-growing Early College in High School Academy offerings and its strategic partnerships with five regional institutions of higher learning. Five new in-demand programs have been added for the 2023-2024 school year, bringing the total to 28 early college programs available for students to start on their post-secondary pathway while in high school. Through ECIHSA, students have access to 160 college-level courses with 807 college-eligible credits available prior to graduation. Access to these programs has saved West Allegheny families over $3 million in tuition. Also at the high school level, the District continues to pay for all Advanced Placement exam fees that support 23 AP courses offered at West Allegheny, with approximately 350 students taking over 800 AP courses, annually. The District also continues to expand its curriculum offerings with the adoption of new elementary mathematics and reading programs as well as supplemental academic programs that students may access in and out of the classroom all year round. Professional learning continues to be an ongoing focus for the District to support staff with consultants from the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Carnegie Learning, Arts Education Collaborative and the School Superintendent Association. To further improve student outcomes, the District has expanded its technology focus to provide iPads for all kindergartners and Chromebooks for all students in grades one through 12 with a three-year device refresh cycle. This was implemented to support the latest technology advancements for students and staff. At the middle school level, devices have been secured to support the new and popular esports curriculum. As well, significant cybersecurity enhancements and infrastructure updates have been upgraded to provide digital security and reliability. Student mental health continues to draw into focus the importance of emotional supports at all levels. Given this, West Allegheny has preserved its partnership with Family Links to provide nine behavior therapists throughout the District. The well-being of students and staff also led the District to expand its security measures. The District is now maintaining school resource officers at all five schools with the addition of a sixth evening SRO for the 2023-2024 school year. Significant security and camera server upgrades are also incorporated in the 2023-2024 budget. As well, responsible spending has allowed the District to complete four major renovation projects with no added tax burden passed on to residents. The largest renovation project to date is set to begin this June at the middle school with an estimated cost of $42 million. Renovating the aging building will provide significant and much-needed updates to meet the needs of students and staff. “We are pleased to present a budget that demonstrates the District’s commitment to spending within our means while also building on West Allegheny’s strong traditions of excellence in academics, arts and athletics,” added Dr. Jerri Lynn Lippert, superintendent. “We remain ever-mindful of the financial impact our budget has on our students, staff and community.” “We are pleased to present a budget that demonstrates the District’s commitment to spending within our means while also building on West Allegheny’s strong traditions of excellence in academics, arts and athletics.” ~ Dr. Jerri Lynn Lippert, West Allegheny Superintendent June/July 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 2324 • Allegheny West Magazine • June/July 2023 On April 28, Dr. Rachel Gray, principal of Wilson Elementary School, earned her doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Pittsburgh along with her letter of Superintendent Eligibility. Dr. Gray joined the District in 2016 as Wilson principal. She received her master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and her bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University. Wilson principal earns doctorate Dr. Rachel Gray West Allegheny school resource officers hosted a mock crash May 5 in advance of the prom May 6. North Fayette, Findlay and Oakdale first responders, along with a LifeFlight helicopter crew, were also onsite for the event. Activities demonstrated the dangers of distracted and impaired driving among teens, with student actors providing a realistic take on the impacts of destructive decisions. Prom-goers participate in mock crash Students watch on as first responders ensure the safety of the mock crash actors. Veterans Wall honors those who have served The District is proud to launch the Veterans Wall of Honor, which is now on display at West Allegheny High School. In recognition of the sacrifices made by former West Allegheny students and current/former staff who have served in the military, nominations are now being accepted for inclusion on the wall. For those considering nomination, the following guidelines were established. Nominees should: • have attended West Allegheny High School or be a former/current employee • have served in the military between WWII and present day • be listed as retired, honorably discharged, missing in action, or killed in action Veterans may nominate themselves. Friends or family members may also submit nominations on their behalf. A link to an online submission form may be found on the District website at www.westasd.org under the Quick Links and Veterans Wall of Honor tabs. Once the information has been verified, the names of the Veterans will be added to the wall and photos will be posted on the website. A Veterans Wall has been established at the high school to honor those alumni who have served.June/July 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 25 West Allegheny High School’s 50th annual Art Show honored the long-standing tradition as well as the legacy of several art teachers who had contributed to its creation and longevity. The three-day show kicked off April 26 with a ceremony recognizing former teachers Suzie Caretta, Carol Dewitt, Debbie Turici and Linda Hilbish, who first launched the show in 1973. The four honorees were celebrated and recognized with WA Arts Legacy Awards by current students and art teachers Mike Short, Leah Shuck and Sharon Harn. On display at this year’s juried show were works from both middle and high school students featuring 33 senior installations representing a culmination of their art courses. Fifty years of art show celebrated Senior installations remain a staple of the art show after five decades. Art teachers Leah Shuck (far left), Mike Short (second from right) and Sharon Harn (right) honor former art teachers Linda Hilbish, Suzie Caretta and Debbie Turici. Carol Dewitt was unable to attend. Marching Pride claims grand prize at Kentucky Derby parade For the first time in school history, the West Allegheny Marching Pride took first place at this year’s Basil Caummisar Battle of the Bands competition, which kicked off Kentucky Derby Week in Louisville. Performing in the Pegasus Parade, West Allegheny beat out 13 other marching bands from across the country to bring home the grand prize. The competition capped a four-day band and chorus trip that also included a stop at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Ohio, where the chorus performed patriotic selections for visitors. Despite inclement weather throughout much of the trip, students made the most of their performances under the leadership of TJ Fox and Terisa Sharlow, band and chorus directors, respectively. The Marching Pride prepares to perform their award-winning show at the Pegasus Parade. Band and chorus students gather for a photo during their visit to Churchill Downs. For the sixth consecutive year, the District was recognized as a Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation. The award program recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education. This recognition is a testament to the music department for their commitment to educating District students. District honored for dedication to music education26 • Allegheny West Magazine • June/July 2023 On April 27, the District was pleased to welcome to the high school Carter Spruill, president of the Coraopolis NAACP. He was in attendance to recognize three juniors who participated in the 2nd annual ACT-SO program, two of whom were medal winners. Justin Manns won a silver and bronze award in music, and Esther Newton won a silver and bronze award in art. Both were presented with medals and monetary awards. Brittany Williams received a certificate for her submission in the architecture division. The ACT-SO program aims to recognize creative talent and academic achievement in the next generation of leaders and to provide and assist students with the necessary skills to establish goals and acquire the confidence and training to make a successful contribution to society. NAACP recognizes three juniors District and school administrators joined Carter Spruill from the Coraopolis NAACP as he celebrated the students’ achievements. The District was well represented at several Pennsylvania Music Educators Association festivals this spring. On March 31 and April 1, the Elementary Band Fest was held at Shaler Elementary School. West Allegheny students joined other talented fifth and sixth grade band students from Allegheny, Greene, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties in the festival that concluded with a concert performance. The students were: Drew Adams, Avery Bohn, Elise Courter, Clara Crise, Reya Ebenezer, Kaprice Foley, Lily Hanczar, Adalyn Lash, Maggie Nelis and Violet Young. Seven students from the middle and high school traveled to South Fayette High School to participate in the PMEA District 1 Junior High Chorus Festival April 14-15. The chorus included over 150 students from 58 District 1 schools. Participating singers were: Aidan Boyle-Wilk, Audrey Briceland, Carlee Lash, Ivann Mathew, Yohann Mathew, Jonas Ridgley and Sophia Swoager. On May 12, West Allegheny hosted the PMEA District 1 Sing Fest. The event brought together 150 fifth and sixth grade students from 46 schools across five counties. Students spent the day rehearsing with a guest conductor and attended breakout sessions led by teachers Andrew Peters and Dana McCaskey. The festival is hosted by a different school each year and this year Meagan Bruno and Terisa Sharlow hosted the festival held at the high school. The West Allegheny students selected to participate were: Annmarie Kreg, Maggie Nelis, Riley Elliott, Gavin Mitchell, Jonathan Kramer, Stefan Lazic, Kiera Ansell-Hirsch, Avery Bohn, Reya Ebenezer, Olivia Finale-Doubt, Emma Keeley, Isaac Watson, Adriana Kunik, Asher Martin, Tessa Scuro, Melina Cokus, Delaney Sethman, Evan Guinther and Alyssa David. The event provided an opportunity to not only shine a spotlight on the amazing talents of students but also on the District’s outstanding music department. West Allegheny students shine at PMEA festivals The middle school show choir went on a rewarding musical excursion May 5 when they performed for residents at Apple Blossom Senior Living in Moon Township. Students and residents alike enjoyed the performances and the connections made during the visit. The remainder of the day was spent at Kennywood Education Day. Music teachers Terisa Sharlow and Andrew Peters accompanied the students. Middle school show choir entertains seniors The middle school show choir performs for residents at Apple Blossom Senior Living. District students performed in the PMEA District 1 Sing Fest (above), Elementary Band Fest (right) and PMEA District 1 Junior High Chorus Festival (bottom right). June/July 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 27 The elementary schools hosted their annual Battle of the Books on April 18 at Donaldson Elementary, with 24 teams vying for the title. Teams of fourth and fifth grade students read books from a selected list and came together at the tournament to face off answering questions. The champions of this year’s battle were the Page-Turning Penguins from Donaldson Elementary. The top team from McKee was the Ink Drinkers and from Wilson it was the NERDS. The competition was organized by elementary school librarians Kathy Burns, Dana Bacu and Beth Schultz. Donaldson team claims 2023 Battle of the Books title LEFT: Donaldson’s Page-Turning Penguins display their first-place medals and are joined by librarian Beth Schultz. ABOVE: Wilson’s top team of the NERDS really got into their role. RIGHT: The Ink Drinkers finished the battle as the top team from McKee. West Allegheny Middle School earned Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports Tier 1 Fidelity for the fifth year in a row and Tier 2 Fidelity for the first year. The PBIS program, known as WAMS Pride, was evaluated by members of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit on the implementation and practices used at the middle school. Fidelity is earned from including elements of teaching, reinforcing, and recognizing Safe, Responsible, and Respectful behavior. The goal of the program is to support students and staff while instilling the school motto “Pride in Myself, Pride in My School.” Staff members on the PBIS team are: Patricia Nolan, Dr. Julian Underwood, Valerie Meehan, Jessica Henry, Bobbi Jo Buggey, Beth Anne Swartzwelder, Jeff Kiser, Jon Denk, Krista Dapper and Jackie Schmidt. Middle school PBIS program going strong The PBIS team at the middle school comes together regularly to collaborate on student incentives.forweekly events , schoolclosings , anddelays . V isit W est A llegheny O nline : www . westasd . org B OArdOf s chOOl d irectOrs A dministrAtiOn Mr. Robert Ostrander, President Mrs. Tracy Pustover, Vice-President Mr. George Bartha Mr. Joel Colinear Mr. Kevin Hancock Mr. Todd Kosenina Mrs. Tracy Kosis Mrs. Debbie Mirich Mr. Mark Rosen Dr. Jerri Lynn Lippert, Superintendent Dr. Christopher Shattuck, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Ms. Tammy Adams, Assistant to the Superintendent for Special Education and Student Services Dr. Shana Nelson, Assistant to the Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Learning Mr. George Safin, Business Manager Dr. Cheryl McHone, High School Principal Dr. Katharine Roche, High School Academic Principal Mr. Samuel Taylor, High School Assistant Principal Mr. David McBain, Director of Athletics Mrs. Patricia Nolan, Middle School Principal Mr. Julian Underwood, Middle School Assistant Principal Dr. Erin Dierker, Donaldson Elementary Principal Mrs. Melissa Wagner, McKee Elementary Principal Dr. Rachel Gray, Wilson Elementary Principal Mrs. Toni Baldanzi, Supervisor of Ancillary Programs Mr. Kenneth Fibbi, Director of Facilities and Operations Mrs. Karen Ruhl, Community Relations Coordinator W est A llegheny s chOOl d istrict All material has been prepared, written or edited by Karen Ruhl, School Community Relations Coordinator, West Allegheny School District (724) 695-5274 The spring sports season witnessed both individuals and teams advancing through WPIAL competition. In track and field, Kaitlin Eger brought home the WPIAL girls pole vault title with a winning height of 12 feet. Brennan McClafferty placed second in the 400-meter and Cody Mankowski finished third in high jump. With all three landing a place on the podium, they also earned a trip to the PIAA finals to be held after the submission of this article. In softball, the girls team advanced to the 5A quarter-final round where they fell to Upper St. Clair while the baseball team lost to Peters Township in the first round of the playoffs. Spring athletes excel in WPIAL competition LEFT: Kaitlin Eger (at center) earns the top spot on the WPIAL podium for her winning pole vault. CENTER: Brennan McClafferty (at left) finished second in WPIAL competition in the 400-meter run. RIGHT: Cody Mankowski (at right) finished third in the WPIAL in high jump. 28 • Allegheny West Magazine • June/July 2023World-Class Cancer Care Close to Home Vincent Reyes Jr., MD Vincent Reyes Jr., MD, earned his medical degree at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, completed a residency in internal medicine at Temple University Hospital, and completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Dr. Reyes is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and has been named a Top Doctor by Pittsburgh Magazine annually since 2020. The number of Americans being diagnosed with certain forms of cancer is increasing, with many cases being diagnosed in the advanced or late stages due to pandemic-related delays and general declines in cancer screenings. Research shows an uptick in colorectal cancer diagnoses in people under 50, with more cases being diagnosed at an advanced stage. Additionally, experts have seen fewer early-stage and more late-stage breast and cervical cancer diagnoses in recent years. Despite this rise in advanced cancer diagnoses, the good news is that overall cancer death rates in the U.S. continue to decline thanks to detection and treatment advances. According to Dr. Vincent Reyes, Chief of Hematology and Medical Oncology at St. Clair Health who also serves as Assistant Medical Director of Medical Oncology at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, “Cancer isn’t the end. People with a cancer diagnosis are living longer, healthier lives.” Dr. Reyes and fellow oncology experts at the St. Clair Hospital Cancer Center Affiliated with UPMC Hillman Cancer Center deliver comprehensive and cutting-edge cancer care so patients never have to go far to get the very best of everything. Dr. Reyes emphasizes, “You’re getting the same care only minutes from your home that you would at a top cancer treatment center. Plus, you could be treated by medical experts who may also be your neighbors.” Life after a cancer diagnosis can come with challenges, but organizing your care or life around your cancer treatment is not one of them for patients at the St. Clair Hospital Cancer Center Affiliated with UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. “Our goal is to eliminate your worries, because you already have enough on your plate with cancer. Our facility serves as your home base for care,” says Dr. Reyes. From medical and radiation oncologists to surgeons and other specialists, the entire team works together through every step of a patient’s cancer journey to ensure they are receiving the right treatment, at the right time. Dr. Reyes stresses, “Being fully integrated across multiple specialties on one campus means the best protocols, the most treatment options, and innovative clinical trials, plus access to the best doctors and staff for expert-level care.” No one else in the region bridges the gap between the research and clinical sides of cancer care like this team. They are not only driven to achieve better outcomes for today’s patients. They are also working to discover how to help new patients down the road. Dr. Reyes explains, “Offering clinical trials and newer treatments such as molecular targeting, immunotherapy, and next generation sequencing can provide a better quality of life for current patients. These techniques also give us the opportunity to explore what we can do to advance the science of oncology for future generations.” If you or someone you know are one of the estimated two million Americans who will be diagnosed with cancer annually, you can rest assured knowing that world-class cancer care is available close to home at the St. Clair Hospital Cancer Center Affiliated with UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. To learn more about Dr. Reyes and the St. Clair Hospital Cancer Center Affiliated with UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, please visit stclair.org/hillman. “You’re getting the same care only minutes from your home that you would at a top cancer treatment center. Plus, you could be treated by medical experts who may also be your neighbors.” ~ Dr. Vincent Reyes June/July 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 29 June/July 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 29Next >