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 Back To School - Washington By Sylvia Cavallo Students in Washington, Greene and the mid-Mon Valley will find new programs and people head back to school beginning this week. Following are some of the new programs and people that will greet them as they begin the 1998-99 school year.
Avella Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: The district used its Link-to-Learn money to equip the school's business lab with new computers. This school year, a new course in Advanced Placement English will be available to high school students by satellite.
Bentworth Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: This summer a new computer lab was installed at the high school and the middle school computer lab was revamped. About 350 new computers were purchased to accommodate those changes. Superintendent Thomas Turnbaugh said principal vacancies are expected to be filled before the school year begins.
Brownsville Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: Two previously closed elementary schools will be reopened, bringing the total of elementary school buildings to five. This summer a computer lab was added in each of the buildings and the technology coordinator has been working to replace the labs at the high school with updated equipment. New additions to staff include the hiring of Kenneth Meadows as middle school principal and Kevin Fortuna as assistant principal for the middle and high schools. William Snyder was hired as personnel director and special projects coordinator.
Burgettstown Opens: Aug. 26 What's new: Junior and senior high students will see that their school has been replastered, repainted, carpeted and decorated with new window treatments. Electives were added to junior and senior high schedules and technological improvements continue in grades K-12. The district is currently training teachers to do attendance and grades solely by computer. By December, teachers are expected to eliminate 90 percent of their paperwork. Nine new teachers have been hired and Joseph Covelli was hired as elementary principal. Gwen Maximo was recently hired as director of special education.
Canon-McMillan Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: High school students can choose an Advanced Placement computer class this year, and additional computers have been purchased throughout the district. Some staff changes have been made over the summer, prompting a search for a new vice principal. Former high school principal Eugene Buchleitner is the district's new assistant superintendent and former vice principal Mark Hoover has taken over the reigns as high school principal. The vice principal position is expected to be filled sometime this school year.
Carmichaels Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: The senior high library has been renovated to accommodate the installation of two new PC computer lab/classrooms, which will be Internet accessible. The junior-senior high social studies program was restructured, and an Alegbra I class was added to the seventh-grade course selection. On the high school level, students have the option of choosing an EMT course through which they can obtain state certification, and an SAT preparation course for juniors and seniors. As part of the Greene County pre-engineering cluster through distance learning, the district will offer courses in Chemistry II, public speaking, calculus, engineering analysis and C++. Distance learning from Waynesburg College will be offered in Western civilization, journalism, micro and macro economics and classes in Russian I, II and III will be sent via distance learning from Central Greene. Superintendent James Zalar said this year the old library card catalog is now fully automated.
Central Greene Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: A second full motion video classroom has been added, to offer more distance learning courses and to share resources with other Greene County districts. More than 700 new computers are on the district's network. Three new teachers have been hired.
Chartiers-Houston Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: The district has just completed a K-12 curriculum revision, and also is in the process of providing Internet access to all buildings. The district will begin the D.A.R.E. drug and alcohol prevention program. New computers were added to each school as well as a new security system and upgraded physics lab in the high school. In addition, the high school track and football stadium were reconstructed and a practice field was added.
Fort Cherry Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: A new roof is being installed in the high school music area. A new math series is being introduced at the high school, along with a Calculus I course to be offered in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh. A new communication course has also been added to the high school curriculum. Grades 4, 5 and 6 will have new computers in their classrooms.
Frazier Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: This summer the elementary school was wired with fiber optics in all the classrooms. Sociology, geography and C++ were added to the high school course electives. A new guidance counselor was added at the middle school and positions were created at the high school for a gifted and a computer science teacher. Another elementary librarian position was also created, Superintendent Fred Smeigh said.
Jefferson-Morgan Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: New Superintendent Michael J. Vranesvic began his new job on Aug. 10. A new English literature series was purchased for students K-12. A school spokesperson said new high school courses will be offered in Computer Applications II, Introduction to Politics and German, by distance learning from Waynesburg College. About 30 computers were added in the elementary and secondary buildings this summer, along with two computer labs.
McGuffey Area Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: Eighth-graders will have the option of choosing a foreign language this school year, while high school students who are interested in business and industrial technology fields will have access to 81 new computers. The district welcomed new Superintendent Anthony Burger, formerly of Harbor Creek, to the district on Aug. 5. Burger is joined by new administrative assistant Cheryl Flecl and new elementary principal Linda Tomsic. The Bell Atlantic's Telephone Pioneers of America group volunteered time and equipment to install computer wiring in the district's schools. School officials estimate that the 13 volunteers saved McGuffey about $17,000 in wiring and labor costs. By mid-fall, every student in the district will be able to use the Internet.
Monessen Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: Students will have full Internet access in the middle and high schools. The newest addition to the district is an Alternative Education program for grades 6-10 in conjunction with the school's recently added Family Center.
Peters Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: The district will spend $853,000 on technology this school year. The technology plan includes installation of a wide area network , 48 computers for the middle school computer labs and a high school library station upgrade. High school students will be offered two new math courses, Academic Statistics and Advanced Calculus. Administrative changes include the hiring of the new assistant superintendent, David Parry. Students will also find a stricter school conduct policy. Any Peters Township student who breaks conduct rules while in uniform or in clothes affiliated with the district may be punished. The punishment is up to the discretion of the administrators. The district also will be installing cameras on some school buses. At the middle school students will not be permitted to carry their backpacks throughout the day. The backpacks may be brought to school and put into their lockers till the end of the day. David Parry of Center Township, Beaver County began his position as assistant superintendent, under a four-year contract and an annual salary of $85,000. Before joining Peters, Parry worked at Ambridge and Blackhawk school districts.
Ringgold Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: Students at Ringgold will find faster technology and enhanced curriculum. An upgraded Internet connection will increase connection speed. Twenty-five computers have been added to the Business Technology department, and the curriculum has been upgraded. There are now 25 computers in the lab, and each special education and Title I teacher has received computers. The elementary music department also will be starting the school year with a computer-enhanced curriculum. A computer-enhanced hand's-on science program also has been added. At the high school, 24 security cameras have been installed. At the middle school students will not be permitted to carry their backpacks throughout the day. The backpacks may be brought to school and put into their lockers till the end of the day. Students may carry their gym clothes in a clear plastic bag. Students K-12 will have a computer-enhanced science program, "Science Matters," which focuses on hands-on learning.
Southeastern Greene Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: A restructuring of the elementary buildings was recently completed, and grades K-2 are now housed in one building and grades 3-6 in the other. Previously both schools housed grades K-6. An additional computer lab was added to the high school and to the Bobtown Elementary School. This year high school students will be introduced to a take-home computer instructional program. Philip Savini has been hired as secondary principal.
Trinity Area Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: The position of assistant superintendent John C. Marano, who will retire on Aug. 31, is expected to be filled soon. Wendy Rusmisel, former elementary principal at California Area, will be Trinity West Elementary principal, and Donald Snoke and Frank Moxie were hired as assistant high school principals. The high school cafeteria was renovated and an elevator was added to the building.
Washington Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: High school students can choose a new Computer II course this school year. The course focuses on assembling and building computers. Superintendent Tom Connors said the district is still extending its search for a school librarian and an assistant principal at the middle school. The assistant superintendent position that has been vacant since December is not expected to be filled until next school year.
West Greene Opens: Aug. 31 What's new: A 10,000-square-foot gymnasium, which has been under construction as part of the school's capital building project, will be completed in October. As part of the improvement project, work was also done this summer to replace light fixtures, roofs and windows in the elementary schools. The district will be entering into a pilot project this school year with Cerdec Corp. and California University of Pennsylvania to offer a 10-credit cluster series of engineering courses through distance learning. Upon completion, the courses will count toward college credit. Cerdec will offer students hands-on experience in engineering at its facility. Superintendent Chuck Rembold said the district has also entered into a partnership with the R.J. Lee Corp. of Pittsburgh, offering the district access to a scanning electron microscope. The addition of such partnerships will act as part of the district's transition to an application-based curriculum. Sylvia Cavallo is a free-lance writer. Free-lance writer Beth Hope-Cushey contributed to this report.
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