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An E-Newsletter for the DASD Community
  
February 22, 2013 - Vol 4, Issue12
In This Issue
Article Headline
School Board News
Redistricting Steering Committee Recommendation
Chester County School Summit
School Board Honors
WB Student Wins Good Neighbor Award
Around the District
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Superintendent's Update

 Superintendent 

Greetings:

 

Take some time today and join me in congratulating the 68 DASD teachers listed below who have been nominated for the 2013 Citadel Heart of Learning Award. To be considered for this honor, a parent, student, colleague or community member submits a nomination letter on their behalf to the Citadel program. The Citadel Heart of Learning Program recognizes and rewards teachers in Chester County for making a big impact on students in their community.

 

As I noted to the nominees in my congratulatory note, it is difficult for a parent or colleague to find time to sit down and express their thoughts about the great job a teacher is doing. We all come to work each day, intent on making a difference in the life of a child and we are rewarded when that child does well under our wing. Having that work recognized through the Citadel Bank program or the Downingtown Education Foundation's Compliment a Teacher program is an added bonus for those of us in this career.  If you recall, last year's County-wide Citadel Teacher of the Year Award winner for the Elementary Division was Lionville Elementary Schools 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Kelly Colquitt.

 

No matter how the competition shakes out from this point forward, the district is extremely pleased to recognize the achievement of these 65 teachers. Thank you to all who took the time to nominate them for this prestigious honor.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Larry Mussoline
Superintendent
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Citadel Heart of Learning Nominees
 

Teacher

School

Margaret Barnes

Lionville Elementary

Carol Blair

Shamona Creek

Nancy Blair

West Bradford

Audrey Blust

Pickering Valley

Scott Burns

Downingtown Middle

Bonnie Cahill

Downingtown Middle

Frank Chindemi

Springton Manor

Stephanie Cole

Lionville Elementary

Gina Conlen

Lionville Middle School

Kathleen Czap

Shamona Creek

Fran Daulario

DHS West

Julie Dimino

Shamona Creek

Nancy Drake

Beaver Creek

Lauren Dunn

Springton Manor

Matt Dziunycz

Lionville Middle

Linda Farren

Uwchlan Hills

Jennifer Gandert

Bradford Heights

Catherine Gardy

Uwchlan Hills

Linda Grigsby

Beaver Creek

Mary Kate Herbert

Bradford Heights

Janine Herd

Lionville Elementary

Brenna Hildebrand

Lionville Middle

Matthew Hopson

STEM Academy

Andrew Hosey

STEM Academy

Judy Houdeshel

Downingtown Middle

Emily Howard

Bradford Heights

Kirk Johnson

DHS East

Rachel Freed Kass

Beaver Creek

Jackie Laird

Pickering Valley

Nancy Legath

Pickering Valley

Tony Leon

Lionville Middle

Jan Lowney

Springton Manor

Elena Margolin

West Bradford

Marissa Marx

Pickering Valley

Chris McGeehan

STEM Academy

Frieda McKay

Lionville Elementary

Jennifer Merroth

East Ward

Noelle Messina

Beaver Creek

Pat Miller

Shamona Creek

Kristin Mills

Lionville Elementary

Renee Mindek

STEM Academy

Susan Mousley

Lionville Middle School

Anessa Musick

STEM Academy

Sue Nann

West Bradford

Barbara Norris

Shamona Creek

Theresa O'Malley

West Bradford

Kathleen Orendorff

Brandywine Wallace

Tara Pellegrino

STEM Academy

Kerri Petterson

DHS East

Lucy Poole

Beaver Creek

Doug Prescott

East Ward

Stephan Pron

Bradford Heights

Floyd Rawleigh

Downingtown Middle

George Reigle

West Bradford

Deb Rooney

Bradford Heights

Leeann Rumpf

Lionville Middle

Diane Scanze

DHS West

Kristen Schlegel

Lionville Middle

Nicole Stabilito

West Bradford

Justin Staub

STEM Academy

Melissa Steffy

DHS West

Melanie Susi

Lionville Elementary

Greg Toates

DHS East

Barbara Wakefield

West Bradford

Lynore Walsleben

DHS West

Ashley Walton

Lionville Elementary

Stephen Williams

Lionville Elementary

Susan Zuraski

Beaver Creek

  
 
 
DHS East and DHS West have been recognized by the  College Board with placement on the third Annual AP District Honor Roll.  This award is given to schools for simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement course work while increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP Exams.   The College Board notes that the Honor Roll designation indicates that a school district is successfully identifying morivated, academically prepared students who are likely to benefit most from rigourous AP Course work.   More than 90 percent of colleges and universities across the US offer college credit, advanced placement or both for a score of 3 or higher on an AP exam, potentially saving students and families thousands of dollars in college tuition.  
Redistricting Steering Committee Webinar and Meetings Scheduled

Community members are invited to view the Redistricting Steering Committee's recommended redistricting plan via a webinar beginning on Thursday, March 7, 2013.   During the webinar, viewers will be able to see the recommended changes to the current elementary and secondary boundary lines. 

 

Three public meetings have been scheduled. The first for elementary parents will be held at the DHS East auditorium on March 12, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.  The second meeting is also for elementary parents and will take place in the DHS West auditorium on March 14, 2013.  Middle and high school parents are invited to a secondary school meeting in the DHS West auditorium on March 21, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.  The meetings have been scheduled to give our community time to review and comment on the recommended changes. Additional comments are also welcomed through our website. All comments will be given to the school board directors for their review.  It is anticipated that the recommendation will go to the School Board for a vote at their April meeting.

Kindergarten Registration March 4 - March 8

Elementary schools throughout the district are gearing up for kindergarten registration. Registration for students who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2013 will take place during the week of March 4th.

 

By law, all students must be up to date on required immunizations and parents must submit copies of birth certificates, proof of residency in the district (rental agreement, deed, final agreement of sale or a current DASD school tax bill), a parent driver's licence or passport and a written report of a physical exam completed by your health care provider.   You must also provide immunization records showing the following:

 

4 properly spaced doses of Diphtheria/Tetanus vaccines (4th on or after 4th birthday).
3 properly spaced doses of Polio vaccines.
3 properly spaced doses of Hepatitis B vaccine.
2 properly spaced doses of Measles and Mumps vaccines and 1 dose of Rubella (usually given as MMR).
2 doses of Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine administered at 12 months of age or older or proof of chickenpox immunity provided by laboratory testing or a written statement of a history of chickenpox disease from a parent, guardian or physician

School Board Honors

At the February School Board meeting, the following students were honored for their accomplishments!  
 STEM Academy students Shashank Bhargava, Graham Lovell, and John George Armstrong competed in the University of the Sciences Social Media Marketing competition on January 20, 2013 and won the grand prize of $2,000 and a $5,000 scholarship to their Healthcare Business Program. This project was the result of their work in the Business Marketing Pathway course.
  
  
  

David Knapp, VSO North East Regional Manager, presented  Kristen Draper with a plaque for putting together a fundraiser for "Homeless Veterans". Even though it took 3 tries to hold her event she never gave up. The weather made things very difficult for Kristen but she was determined to finish her event. Kristen offered pony rides for a donation and was able to obtain 2 business matching donations. Kristen raised $150 for the pony rides at $5 each ride and the two businesses matched that amount for a total donation of $450.00. These funds were used to help buy gifts for female veterans at the Coatesville VA Medical Facility. Kristen and her father also distributed gifts and Christmas cards over the Christmas Holiday to our veterans. "As a Vietnam Veteran and also a previously "Homeless" Veteran it was an awesome experience to have a teenager show that she cares about what happens to our Veterans. This was a great learning experience for Kristen and we thank her very much," said Mr. Knapp.

 

Middle School Future Cities Teams Victorious in Regional Competition

Lionville Middle School - 2nd Place                  Downingtown Middle School - 3rd Place

 

 Good Neighbor Award
 

When West Bradford student Thomas Venzie (grey sweatshirt) suffered a siezure one morning, his friend Ayden Mack (second from left) immediately ran to get help.   Because of Ayden's quick response, Thomas was able to receive immediate medical assistance and suffered no ill effects.    

 

Downingtown Mayor Josh Maxwell heard of Ayden's quick thinking on behalf of his friend and presented Ayden with only the third "Good Neighbor" award ever presented.   As you can see from the photo above, Ayden was quite surprised to receive the award during an assembly on February 15, 2013.  

 

 

 

Around the District

Brandywine Wallace:

Language Arts and Science Connections in 2nd grade: Students gathered around the "campfire" to hear Owl Moon. They discovered the eating patterns of the barn owl as they dissected owl pellets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uwchlan Hills 

Congressman James Gerlach accepted an invitation to read to the Uwchlan Hills first grade classes on February 19, 2013. The Congressman enjoys the outdoors so students selected Stranger in the Woods by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick for him to read.  He also answered questions about his job and life in Washington D.C.