Spring 2013

Brentwood Borough School District

News

S uperintendent ’ s

M essage

On February 5, 2013, Governor Corbett delivered his budget message to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the 2013-2014 budget invests an additional $338.1 million into education from the previous budget year. With this increase, a total of $9.83 billion is allocated in the budget for state support of public schools. This includes: • $5.5 billion for Basic Education Funding for the 500 public school districts in the state • $1.03 billion for Special Education • $100 million for Accountability Block Grants • $62 million for Career and Technical Education • $1.08 billion for the Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) • $634.5 million for student transportation • $544.5 million for school employees’ Social Security Governor Corbett also stated in his budget address that additional revenues could be available for K-12 education through the privatization of the state’s wine and spirit stores and reforms to PSERS. It is estimated that $1 billion could be available from the privatization of liquor sales and $138 million from pension reform. So what does this mean for the Brentwood Borough School District? Under Governor

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Corbett’s budget proposal for 2013-2014, the district would receive increases in the following areas: • $85,499 in Basic Education Funding • $12,205 in School Employees’ Social Security • $24,617 in Pupil Transportation • $786 in Charter School Pupil Transportation • $175,075 in School Employees’ Retirement The district would receive $3,861 less in Special Education Funding. The net result is a total increase of $294,321 when compared to state funding for 2012-2013. Even though any increases in state subsidies are welcome, the proposed increases do little to return the district to post 20082009 funding levels and reverse the funding cuts experienced over the past two years. For example, the proposed increase in Basic Education Funding is approximately $68 per student. In the current year, no state funding was provided for charter school pupil transportation. The $786 increase will hardly offset the $18,875 allocated to transport charter school students. Next year’s special education costs are estimated to be $2,419,293. The proposed reduction in special education funding will require a greater reliance on local tax revenues to pay those costs. Our school district like others around the

state that have stagnant tax bases will continue to be faced with a gap between revenues and expenditures that cannot be closed by cuts in programs and personnel or by the limited tax increases permitted under Act 1, the Taxpayer Relief Act of 2006. Undoubtedly, this will result in a substantial portion of the fund balance again being used for the 2013-2014 budget. I encourage you to contact your state legislators and urge them to make every effort to return state education funding to levels that will reduce the financial burden placed on the local taxpayers. Ronald W. Dufalla, Ph. D. Superintendent of Schools

Changes Initiated to Enhance School Security can help by reporting any persons or activities that seem suspicious or out of place. The health, safety, and welfare of the children are paramount and must be protected.

Change is difficult. Human beings are creatures of habit because repetitive behavior puts them at ease and makes them comfortable. Following the tragic incident that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, many of the schools in Western Pennsylvania and across the country have reevaluated their safety procedures. The Brentwood Borough School District is no different and several changes have been implemented to enhance security at the schools. The important thing to remember is that changes were not made for the sake of change, but for the protection of students and staff. At Elroy and Moore Elementary Schools, times for student arrival have changed. In addition, new procedures were implemented for student dismissal. Changes were also made to the visitor and student entrance points at both buildings. Both schools have put into operation new visitor procedures. As additional safety measures, physical improvements on the grounds and to the facilities are underway.

At the middle/high school, a change to where students enter the building upon their morning arrival was made. Previously students entered at the main entrance and the park side entrance. Students are now only permitted to enter the building at the main entrance. All visitors to the building must enter and exit the building through the main doors. New procedures for visitors needing access to the middle/high school during the school day have been implemented. As at the elementary schools, physical improvements on the grounds and to the facilities are underway. It is hoped that these changes create only a minor inconvenience to parents, students, and visitors. The most important reason for these changes is to make certain that all schools operate at the highest levels of safety and security needed to protect our students and staff. Community assistance is also needed to enhance safety and security at the schools. You

Get a Great Low Price on Electric Generation

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and Help Brentwood Borough School District

Current Electric Company Penn Power Duquesne Light West Penn Power Penelec

Your Utililty’s rate* (per kWh) is 5.50¢ 9.89¢ 5.37¢ 5.94¢

Brentwood Borough School District has partnered with FirstEnergy Solutions to offer its Friends and Family program to residents of the Brentwood Borough School District as well as their friends and family members. Through this special offer you and your friends and family can enroll with FirstEnergy Solutions to receive a special discounted price on your electric generation and save money on your monthly electric bills. Plus, for every person who enrolls in the program, FirstEnergy Solutions will contribute $10 to the BRENTWOOD BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT! Signing up is easy to do by visiting www. fes.com/AIU3. You may also call 1-888-2546526 for more information. Make sure you have your recent electric bill handy. It takes

Your Price with FirstEnergy (per kWh) at 500, 1,000 or 2,000 kWh is: 5.22¢ 6.35¢ 4.99¢ 6.64¢

only a few minutes to enroll. We are glad that Allegheny Intermediate Unit and Brentwood Borough School District have the opportunity to offer the FirstEnergy Solutions Friends and Family Program to you and hope you take advantage of this exclusive savings opportunity. As with any great offer, please remember to pass this along to your friends and family. *The chart above shows the standard residential Price to Compare as published on www.PApowerswitch.com as of September 1, 2012. FirstEnergy Solutions is an unregulated affiliate of Penn Power, West Penn Power and Penelec, and is not the same company as your local electric utility. FirstEnergy Solutions’ prices are not regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, and a customer is not required to buy electricity or other products or services from FirstEnergy Solutions in order to receive the same quality service from the local electric utility.

Brentwood Baldwin-Whitehall | Spring 2013 | incommunitymagazines.com 5

Brentwood Borough What is a School ResourceSchool Officer?

District

News

What is a School Resource Officer? With the unfortunate events that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, there have been multiple newspaper articles and news reports calling for School Resource Officers (SROs) to be placed in schools and the importance of arming those officers. This is supported by the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO). However, the School Resource Officer is more than just an armed protector. The mission of the SRO is to be a law enforcement agent, as well as a counselor and mentor/educator. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a certified police officer must go through many hours of training. Many individuals attend the police academy and are trained in Constitutional Law, the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code, weapons, and much more. When prospective police officers finish this training, they are certified under Act 120. Once certified, these individuals can serve as municipal police officers. However in order to be an SRO, the officer must earn certification through NASRO. Working in schools is vastly different than working in the community. Techniques and approaches that are proven to work with adults and private citizens are not the same for working with teachers and students. The training that officers receive from NASRO helps police officers with this transition. SROs are trained to educate children and to work in a positive manner in the school setting. This training is different from Act 120 training. The Brentwood Borough School District has been proactive in its approach to school safety through the use of SROs in the schools over the past seven years. Both SROs received 6 |

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NASRO training in 2005. In 2012, the Board of School Directors approved for the SROs to carry firearms. School Resource Officer Joseph Kozarian, president of NASRO Region 3, is also certified as a NASRO practitioner/trainer and has provided training to many local school and municipal police officers in the area. The Brentwood Borough School District SROs are employed by the district and provide a variety of services to the students, teachers, and community. The SRO’s first priority is school safety. Officer Kozarian is responsible for writing, implementing, instructing, and practicing various portions of the school district crisis response plan. Officer Kozarian, and Officer Timothy Butler are present in the schools daily. They greet students in the morning, provide a security presence in the buildings during the school day, and monitor dismissal. They also work school related events such as sporting events and school dances. The SRO is also an educator. Brentwood SROs work in classrooms with students. Officer Kozarian has presented NASRO approved programs at the elementary schools pertaining to stranger danger, gun safety, drug awareness and team building. At the middle/high school, both officers have made presentations on texting and driving, underage drinking, Internet safety, and other age appropriate topics. Working with students in this manner not only educates them, but, hopefully prevents crimes from being committed, and builds a positive relationship between students and law enforcement. In 2006, Officer Kozarian instituted the SRO Cadet Program. This is an extracurricular activity geared to middle and high school students who are interested in law enforcement. The students meet several times a month

and are exposed to a variety of activities. Representatives from the local police, FBI, CIA, U.S. Marshals, SWAT, Pittsburgh City Bomb Squad, Pennsylvania State Police, and other agencies have presented to the students. The cadets also assist Officers Kozarian and Butler at dances and athletic events. Since both Brentwood SROs are Act 120 certified police officers, they understand police work. This understanding has served to develop a positive relationship with the Brentwood Borough Police Department, Chief Robert Butelli, and many of the Brentwood officers. Chief Butelli assigned Officer Matthew DeLallo as the police contact person for the school district. Officer DeLallo works with Officers Kozarian and Butler on various school and community issues. In addition, Officer DeLallo makes walkthroughs during school time at all the schools and has participated in the Brentwood Middle School Career Day. Officer Milton Mulholland III, the borough’s K-9 officer, supports the school by scheduling K-9 searches of the buildings and supporting Officers Kozarian and Butler at evening events. SROs are more than just armed protection in the Brentwood Borough School District. They are trained officers with a wide variety of skills that assist the students, teachers, and the community. SROs provide vital services to schools. We live in a time where there are no limits to the crimes people will commit. Since children are the community’s most valuable asset, all steps should be taken to reasonably ensure their safety. SROs need to be armed, but they must have proper training in working with students, teachers and parents to be successful in implementing school safety.

Kindergarten Registration 2013 Kindergarten registration for the 20132014 school year will be held April 2-4, 2013. Registration packets may be completed from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM during the registration period. The Brentwood Borough School District has revised the Kindergarten enrollment policy to bring the district in line with the vast majority of schools in southwestern Pennsylvania and across the Commonwealth. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, a child must be five years of age on or before September 1, 2013. According to school district policy, placement of Kindergarten students will be

made using the attendance zones established by the school district as a guideline. Parents must register Kindergarten students at the school they will attend. The school administrators will make final assignments. Parents must bring the child’s birth certificate, immunization records and any other pertinent health information to registration. Parents must also provide proofs of residency, which may include a valid lease or mortgage agreement and a current utility bill with the parent’s name and address imprinted upon it. The child need not be present. Parents should be prepared to complete all forms at the time of registration.

School District Receives Federal Grants Each year the Brentwood Borough School District receives federal funds to operate programs in the schools. The grants are awarded through funding formulas established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education using federal guidelines under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The largest federal allocation the district receives is for Title I services. Title I provides funding to local school districts to operate programs for educationally disadvantaged students. Though the amount of funds set aside for a local educational agency is derived from the number of economically disadvantaged families living in a district, any student who meets eligibility requirements may participate in Title I funded programs. In Brentwood, Title I funds are used to operate an early intervention reading program for eligible Kindergarten, first, second, and third grade students. The district also operates a Title I Before School Reading and Math Program for students in third, fourth, and fifth grades and a Title I Summer School Reading and Math Program for students in Kindergarten through fifth grades. In addition, the school district contracts with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit to provide an equitable share of Title I services to eligible nonpublic school students. In 2012-2013, the Brentwood Borough School District received a Title I, Part A allocation of $292,085 to operate these programs. Title II, Part A provides allocated funds to allow schools to reduce class size in the elementary schools. This year the Brentwood Borough School District received an entitlement of $39,176 to reduce class sizes at Elroy School. Questions regarding federal programs may be directed to Mr. Robert P. Monaghan, Federal Programs Coordinator at monaghanr@ brentwoodpgh.k12.pa.us.

Parents may download Kindergarten registration forms from the school district’s website to complete in advance. Registration materials may be accessed at www. brentwoodpgh.k12.pa.us. You may download and complete the forms at any time but we will not accept them until April 2, 2013. Parents must still bring the required forms, along with the original birth certificate, immunization records, and proofs of residency to the school office in person during the registration period. Information regarding readiness screenings and Kindergarten orientation will be available during the registration period.

gram ro P d a o R e th n o r e th a We y entar Comes to Elroy Elem

WTAE’s Chief Meteorologist, Mike Harvey, and the Carnegie Science Center visited Elroy Elementary School as part of the Weather on the Road Program. Elroy PTA’s treasurer, Chantel Fry, arranged for the assembly. Students in grades K-5 participated in the weather discussion with energy and enthusiasm. Students created and wore various weather hats for the occasion. The Carnegie Science Center taught the students about severe weather and weather safety by encouraging numerous students to participate in hands-on experiments. Finally on behalf of the students, the Elroy PTA made a generous donation in the amount of $350 to Project Bundle-Up. Brentwood Baldwin-Whitehall | Spring 2013 | incommunitymagazines.com 7

Brentwood Borough School What is a School Resource Officer?

District

News

Big Box of Books Comes to Brentwood On November 15, 2012, the Brentwood Borough School District hosted its first Big Box of Books program at the Brentwood Middle/High School. Partnering with the ReadAloud organization, the district offered an evening of food and fun activities for families in the community. According to ReadAloud, their goal in funding the program is to get parents excited about reading with their children, give families tools to enhance their reading experience, demonstrate how to make reading aloud fun and engaging, and to praise them for their commitment to reading aloud as a family. Event invitations were distributed in early November to parents of preschool, kindergarten, and Title I students in the Brentwood community. Approximately 50 families with nearly 100 children from infant to age 12 attended the event. The evening began with light refreshments, followed by an introduction from Mrs. Lindsay Vinay, the

program coordinator, about the importance of reading aloud at home from the time that children are born. Then, families were divided into six different groups, where they rotated through three reading stations. At each station, children listened to a story based upon the event theme, “I’m Here to Help,” and then completed a craft to complement that story. Story presenters modeled read aloud techniques and strategies for parents to use when reading with children at home. Before leaving, each child was given a box of age-appropriate books, provided through ReadAloud, to take home and enjoy. The success of this event was largely attributed to the many volunteers who donated their time. A group of 35 men and women comprised of teachers, school administrators, community leaders, high school students, and parents worked diligently to ensure that the evening ran

smoothly and that families enjoyed their time together. Brentwood hopes to partner with ReadAloud and sponsor another Big Box of Books program in the spring.

Brentwood Middle School Ninth Annual Toy Drive Each school year, the students, teachers and staff of Brentwood Middle School participate in several community service projects through their advisory program. To demonstrate thankfulness and generosity, the monthly advisory themes for November and December, BMS sponsored their annual holiday toy drive. Once again, everyone worked together to make this a huge success! For three weeks, spare change was collected in classrooms and during lunches and $321.09 was raised! Through their generosity, the students were able to brighten the holidays for eight area children by purchasing Christmas gifts for them. On Thursday, December 6, 2012, seventeen students, along with middle school staff members Diana Kleinhampl, Grace Fonzi and Lynne Golvash, spent the day shopping and wrapping gifts such as clothing, jewelry, toys and games. Way to go Brentwood Middle School! 8 |

Brentwood Baldwin-Whitehall

ART

Connections at Elroy Elementary Since September 2010, Elroy Elementary School has been lucky to have two high school students do their Senior Projects with Barbara Girone, the visual arts teacher. LeeAnn Hlavac approached Mrs. Girone in the spring of 2010 and proposed an idea for an after school art group. The idea would be that the students would use art media to learn about art, but also to make social and emotional connections. Students that were chosen could be artistically inclined, but who also could benefit from the social and emotional connections they would make by becoming a group and creating art. The first Art Connections group began in September 2010. Students were selected by Mrs. Girone and Kelly Donaldson, the Brentwood elementary schools’ social worker. The very first project was a mural to kick off the positive rewards program that Elroy Elementary was starting. The students ranged in age from kindergarten to fifth grade and they had their first bonding experience painting the Elroy mural near the gym. The group progressed

throughout the year, working on group art projects, individual projects, and always sharing their work with each other in guided discussions. The year ended with a party to celebrate the friendships that were made in Art Connections. In September 2011, LeeAnn Hlavac approached Mrs. Girone with a new idea for Art Connections. LeeAnn, now a junior at the high school, talked about Art Connections to sophomore student Dillon Kortz. She shared with him how much the experience meant to her and that this would be her last year working with the Art Connections students since she would be finished with her requirements for the Senior Project.

LeeAnn was hoping that Art Connections would continue after she was graduated. Dillon, who has an interest in art and music, and did not know what he wanted to do for his Senior Project thought that this sounded like a great idea. They decided they could do a team approach to lead Art Connections with Dillon learning from LeeAnn and then continuing the group the following year. They worked together to create lesson plans and facilitate group discussions which they would co-lead for the 2011-2012 Art Connections group. The same group of students was asked to attend with some new additions. At this point, teachers at Elroy were recommending students that they felt would benefit for Art Connections because of interests in the arts or to make social and emotional connections. The students again used a variety of art materials in collaborative projects and individual projects forming friendships and learning about art. Art Connections ended that year with creating a mural for Art in the Park, an event in June created by high school art teacher Ben Miller. Art Connections is now in its third year with Dillon Kortz as its sole leader. Eighteen students currently attend Art Connections. Some of the former students who are now sixth, seventh, and eighth graders stop by and join the groups to offer their assistance to the younger students. Art Connections meets every Wednesday for one hour after school. Dillon is incorporating music this year into the Art Connections sessions and continuing to incorporate the collaborative arts and the group discussions. The students have greatly benefited from this wonderful project which has grown from the enthusiasm and dedication of LeeAnn Hlavac and Dillon Kortz. Mrs. Girone is grateful for being able to work with these students of all age levels in such a fun setting.

Brentwood Baldwin-Whitehall | Spring 2013 | incommunitymagazines.com 9

Brentwood Borough School District

News

Mock Presidential

Election HELD

The Brentwood Middle/High School Social Studies Department planned a schoolwide “Mock 2012 Presidential Election” and successfully coordinated the activity on Monday, November 5, 2012. The event included the following highlights: • Prior to November 5th, each social studies teacher instructed a lesson on the election process as well as political parties and/or this year’s issues and campaigns. Some lessons included projects that helped coordinate the activity. For example, some of Jennifer O’Shea’s Civics students made flyers which summarized the viewpoints of the candidates on various issues.

• Technology coordinator Melissa Fulmer created an “election link” on the school’s website that easily allowed every student to log on and vote as well as answer survey questions and questions regarding political party affiliation. High school and

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middle school students voted in the computer labs located in each school. On Wednesday, November 7th, the winning candidate was announced by each of the following categories: the entire student body at the middle/high school; middle school students; high school students; individual grades; and, gender. Also, the issues which according to the student surveys were the most important were also announced. • An “exit poll” was conducted by students which surveyed approximately 25% of the student voters and the results were announced at the end of 8th period on November 5th. The results of the sample showed an advantage for President Barack Obama. This activity obviously reinforced learning regarding random sample surveys and voter “exit polls.” • Some high school students volunteered to “stump” for the candidates. They made signs and flyers and spent the day outside the “polls” trying to convince students to vote for their candidate. The students who did this took this task very seriously, and it seemed to be a tremendous learning experience for them as well as some of the students they approached. • Groups involved in fundraising activities sold candy and baked goods throughout the day outside the polling rooms. The high school Student Council, the girls softball

team, and Beau Sedlar’s students involved in the “Toys for Tots” program all helped to raise a fair amount of money. • Members of the high school band played patriotic songs throughout the day which helped create an exciting and festive atmosphere. Also, some students volunteered to decorate the doorways to the polling rooms and the hallways nearby and their efforts greatly added to the event. • Student reporters from the high school newspaper, The Minaret covered the event throughout the day, interviewing and photographing several students and teachers. After the election, students were able to view the data retrieved from the election including the winner, the loser, and the answers to exit poll questions. Overwhelmingly, the students in both the middle and high schools voted to re-elect incumbent Barack H. Obama.

Educators Present at Improving Schools Conference

A

team of educators from Elroy Elementary School that included Principal Amy Burch, Kindergarten teachers Suzanne Ailes, Christina Dietz, and Jacelyn Pulleo, and Learning Support teacher Meghan Weinman recently presented at the Improving Schools Conference held at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel in January. The focus of the presentation was the recipe of success the teachers followed in the classroom to improve student behavior and achievement. Over the past five years, the economically disadvantaged population at Elroy Elementary has grown from 31% in 2007 to 59% in 2012. In addition, the number of students identified with a specific learning disability who are entering kindergarten has grown at alarming rates. According to the DIBELS benchmark test administered in Fall 2011, 30 out of 60 students required strategic or intensive interventions. By mid-year ( January 2012), the number was reduced to 15 students. At the end of the year (May 2012), eight students required strategic or intensive interventions. The story not told through the data was the undesirable behavioral challenges demonstrated by the incoming kindergarten students. Ten percent of the incoming kindergarten population presented with significant undesirable behaviors. These students lacked self-awareness, responsible decision making, relationship skills, social awareness, and self-management. Individual student progress was monitored through charts, teacher observation, therapy session reports, and progress reports. Even with all of these challenges the kindergarten teachers, special education teachers, social worker, reading specialist, behavior therapist, and principal worked together to improve student achievement. Elroy Elementary has attained Adequate Yearly Progress(AYP) since the inception of the PSSA. Success has been a five-year journey of self-reflection and adaptation. A thirty minute

daily intervention period was added in the 2009-2010 school year. This was in addition to the ninety minute Language Arts block. Students were placed into one of three tiers based on the DIBELS Fall benchmark and classroom based assessments. The tiers were based on the Pennsylvania Response to Intervention and Instruction (RtII) model. Each team member was responsible for specific tasks during each nine week period. The special education teacher and reading specialist provided both academic and behavioral targeted intensive interventions daily. The classroom teachers progress monitored through DIBELS and teachercreated behavior charts. The teachers rotated among the tiers each nine weeks. The social worker and behavioral therapist created social stories and worked with small groups of students. During these small group sessions, students worked on recognizing one’s emotions as well as one’s strengths and

weaknesses, making responsible decisions and making constructive choices, forming positive relationships, showing empathy, understanding for others, and managing behaviors to achieve one’s goals. The principal provided support through the purchasing of materials, arranging for outside supports, or as serving as another resource inside the classroom. Parents were updated daily or weekly of student progress. Team meetings were held monthly to review strategies, chart student progress, and reflect and adjust academic and behavioral goals. After each meeting, the notes were emailed to the team for future reference. Students moved between tiers based on three to four data points. Through this recipe for success, student behavior and achievement have improved. The administration and staff at Elroy Elementary School look forward to continuing this approach in the future.

Brentwood Baldwin-Whitehall | Spring 2013 | incommunitymagazines.com 11

Brentwood Borough School District

News

High School Student Athletes Attend

Sportsmanship Summit The annual WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit was held at the Heinz History and Sports Museum on November 14, 2012. This was the fourth summit that the WPIAL has hosted. Attending the event were 550 student-athletes representing one hundred WPIAL member schools and the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Brentwood High School was represented by Alexis Gaughan, Sydney Luther, Billy Madeja and Jack Murano. The theme of the event was “Respect the Game.” The students listened to guest speakers that included: Elliot Hopkins from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), Tom Bradley, former Defensive Coordinator at Penn State University and ESPN radio personality, and finally, Swin Cash, WNBA All-Star and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist who was the keynote speaker. The students also took part in integrated activities where they worked with students from other schools. The students also discussed the “Five Good Deeds on Game

Day” and shared their thoughts on the five good deeds and gave examples of what can be done by students in their home schools. During Elliot Hopkins’ speech on sportsmanship, he recognized the students of Brentwood and Monessen High Schools who worked cooperatively together to display sportsmanship and leadership. All four of the Brentwood students participated in the WPIAL conferences between Brentwood and Monessen to repair the negative perceptions that the communities had with each other. These students dedicated their personal time and great

effort to work together to pull off a wonderful display of sportsmanship and positive spirit at the Brentwood/Monessen football game in September. These students were honored for not only understanding good sportsmanship, but putting what they knew into action. This was a wonderful day and a great tribute to the Brentwood High School students to be acknowledged for all of their hard work. All four students have been asked to assist other schools whenever there is a need to resolve community differences, and to improve sportsmanship in other communities.

Students Observe Open Heart Surgery On Thursday, February 7, 2012, fourteen Brentwood High School students had the opportunity to visit Allegheny General Hospital and observe open heart surgery. Students were chosen based on their interest in pursuing a career in the health professions. The field trip was arranged by Nancy Kaminski, middle/ high school nurse, and Jackie Johnson, Biology teacher. During the experience, the students saw how the entire operating room team works together to perform the surgery. This included surgeons, the anesthesiologist and nurse anesthetist, physician’s assistants, nurses, surgical technicians and perfusionists. After the surgery, Dr. Stephen Bailey met with the students and answered questions about the procedure and about his career path to cardiac surgery.

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Brentwood Junior and Senior Classes

Explore Washington, D.C. The Brentwood High School junior and senior classes had the opportunity to participate in an educational tour of Washington, D.C., on November 19, 20, and 21, 2012. This tour was provided by Metro Tours Inc. under the direction of high school social studies teacher Jennifer Ditoro, and chaperoned by David Radcliffe , Helen Hughes-Smith, Nancy Kaminski, Joe Kozarian, and Steve Leopold, all administrators and faculty in the Brentwood Borough School District. All students who attend Brentwood High School have the opportunity to participate in this biennial field trip during either their 11th or 12th grade year. This fall, 60 students attended the trip to our nation’s capital. This tour gives students the unique opportunity to get an in-depth look at all

aspects of our nation’s history. Students were provided with a guided informational tour of each of the destinations and also were given the opportunity to privately investigate the Federal District’s offerings and its vast historical past. This year, the students were treated to a once in a lifetime experience while visiting Arlington National Cemetery. Brentwood graduate and current U.S. Army Corps Soldier 1SG Clint D. Wunderlich (BHS Class of ’87) took time out of his schedule to meet with the students. 1SG Wunderlich, who has been in the U.S. Army since 1992, is the Platoon Sergeant/Operations Sergeant in the 289 Military Police Company, 4th Battalion, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (Old Guard) at Ft. Myer, Virginia. He provided the students with a question and answer session with a Sentinel Guard Soldier while the students were in attendance at a Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns. 1SG Wunderlich and his wife Tracey also met with the students and spent a great deal of time and care in escorting and speaking with the student body while touring through Arlington National Cemetery. Current Brentwood students Alexis Gaughan, Drew Gross, Jason Pilarski, and Shannon Tichenor participated in laying a wreath in memoriam to the fallen identified

The students visited the following buildings, memorials, monuments, and museums: Washington Monument The National Marine Corps Memorial Lincoln Memorial Korean War Memorial World War II Memorial Vietnam War Memorial Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Jefferson Memorial White House National Archives Smithsonian Institute Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institute Museum of American History Smithsonian Institute Museum of Air and Space United States Memorial Holocaust Museum U.S. Capitol Union Station Ronald Reagan International Trade Center Ford Theatre The Peterson House Mt. Vernon (Plantation of George Washington) John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts/Performance of Shear Madness Arlington National Cemetery The Fashion Center Mall at Pentagon City

soldiers that lie entombed at Arlington. The November experience was educational and entertaining for all in attendance. The next trip will be offered in November of 2014. Information will be distributed to students in the junior and senior classes in April of 2014.

Brentwood Baldwin-Whitehall | Spring 2013 | incommunitymagazines.com 13

Brentwood Borough School District

News

Brentwood Middle School Groups

visit local nursing home

On Friday, December 14, 2012, students from Brentwood Middle School visited the Brentwood Care Center. Fourteen students, who are members of the Teens That Care and National Junior Honor Society clubs, visited with nursing home residents, made holiday crafts with them and sang holiday songs. This holiday service event has become a tradition for BMS and the nursing home. Both students and residents look forward to it each year! This field trip was coordinated and chaperoned by staff members Diana Kleinhampl, Grace Fonzi and Lynne Golvash.

Students Apply Language Skills On January 7, 2013, forty students from Brentwood Middle/High School , accompanied by French teacher Stephanie Faust and guidance counselor Linda Capozzoli, attended a field trip to Paris 66 Bistro. Students tasted authentic French cuisine prepared by a chef who comes directly from France. Each student had the option to choose one of three main entrees that included Crôque Monsieur (ham and cheese sandwich with béchamel cheese), Crôque Madame (the same as a Crôque Monsieur but with a sunnyside up egg on top) and a Galette (a buckwheat crêpe filled with ham and cheese). Students also enjoyed a dessert of either crème brulée or a crêpe with either butter/sugar or nutella/chocolate. Students had a wonderful time experiencing true French cuisine. Owner Lori Rongier also visited each table to converse with students in French to help them practice the French language in a real setting and to answer any other questions they had about French culture and cuisine. 14 |

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Brentwood Middle School Students Help Restore the Shore Hurricane Sandy was only a Category 1 storm, but became the largest Atlantic hurricane with winds spanning 1,100 miles. The estimated damages from the storm are expected to total $65.5 billion making it the second costliest Atlantic hurricane only behind Hurricane Katrina. During the months of November and December, the Brentwood Middle School advisory classes focused on the themes of thankfulness and generosity. In keeping with this theme, the students in Jennifer Loshelder’s and Kim Hite’s advisory classes decided to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Students collected money through various means such as coordinating bake sales, a staff jean day, a halfcourt shootout at a faculty versus students basketball game, and collections during the advisory classes. Over the course of two weeks, the student body was able to generate $327.00 to donate to the American Red Cross. It is through projects like these that students are able to truly understand the impact they can have on events outside of their own community.

Brentwood Students Excel

S

at Steel Center AVTS

everal Brentwood High School students were recognized for their performance at Steel Center Area Vocational-Technical School with the Extra Effort Award. Instructors at Steel Center select Extra Effort Award recipients each grading quarter based on their demonstration of outstanding attitude, work ethic, attendance, and dependability. These are qualities the instructors believe are the most highly valued by employers in their workers. Awardees for the first quarter included Zachary Donnelly in Electrical Construction, Johnathan Grant in Medium/Heavy Truck, and Drew Mattie in Medium/Heavy Truck. Awardees for the second quarter included Sandra Andric in Health Assistant, James Eagle in Carpentry, Gwendolyn Schmidt in Advertising and Design, and Casey Schmitt in Health Assistant.

Steel Center also announced the winners of its “Top of the Shop” award for the first semester of 2012-2013. The “Top of the Shop” awards are given once each semester at an all-school ceremony. Instructors from each of the 15 technologies may select one morning student and one afternoon student to receive the award. Selection is based on Conduct, Attendance, Proficiency in course work, and Professionalism (quality and quantity of work; dependability and cooperation; initiative and self improvement; and professional personality). The award ceremony and reception were held on January 29, 2013 where three Brentwood High School students were honored as “Top of the Shop” winners. Those students included Marissa Cook in Cosmetology, Zachary McGuire in Protective Services, and Chelsea Sacco in Cosmetology. At the SkillsUSA District Competition

held at McKeesport Technology Center on January 17, 2013, Chelsea Sacco placed first in Nail Care that was one of the contests in the Cosmetology technology. Chelsea will have the opportunity to compete at the state level competition to be held in Hershey, Pennsylvania on April 3-5, 2013. Steel Center provides quality career and technical education to meet the changing workforce needs of our region. The school services 11 different school districts in southern Allegheny County. A half day of instruction is available in 15 different technologies for students in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. Since 1964, Steel Center’s goal has been to assist students in developing the knowledge, skills, and work ethics necessary for success in their chosen career. More information is available at www.scavts.net or by calling 412-469-3200.

Brentwood Baldwin-Whitehall | Spring 2013 | incommunitymagazines.com 15

Brentwood Borough School District

News

How to Talk to Children about

Tragic Events

By Frank Krawiec, MSW, LCSW, Wesley Spectrum School Based Services Mental Health Therapist and Intervention Specialist

When a tragedy arises that shakes our faith in human nature and our own sense of safety in the world, it is often difficult for parents to have discussion with their children. Traumatic events, such as the school shooting tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, the theater shooting in Aurora , Colorado, or just the tragedies on the evening news can be a challenging topic for parents to discuss with their children, especially when parents are struggling to make sense of the situation themselves. This article will offer some ideas to keep in mind when talking with children about tragic events: • Complete a self-assessment. Before talking to a child about an act of violence like a school shooting, a local tragedy, or a traumatic family event parents must make sure that they are okay themselves. Think about the effect it will have on children before expressing your own emotions. It is difficult for parents to reassure children that they will be safe when parents aren’t so sure themselves. Children are very sensitive

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to how their parents feel. They are aware of the expressions on their parents’ faces and the tone of their voices. Children can sense when their parents are really worried. Use common sense when discussing tough issues with children. If you are upset by what you’ve just read or heard, calm yourself before interacting with your child. Find a way to process your own emotions first. You can do this by talking privately with another

adult, breathing deeply, shaking the tension out of your hands, or taking some quiet time to process. • Turn off the television. Images shown on the news are often horrific and may scare children. Knowing there’s been a shooting is one thing but hearing the (often gory) details over and over is quite another and can be traumatic for young children. Images on

television news are often much too graphic and disturbing for young children. The intent is not to keep a tragedy a secret, but to protect vulnerable children from seeing or hearing more than they are developmentally capable of processing. • Be age-appropriate. Younger children may not need to know about a disaster at all. Unless a younger child has been directly exposed to the situation or will be directly affected by it, there is no need to expose them to it. However, many younger children may hear about a situation from somebody else and may need your help processing it. Be careful not to over-share details. • Ask your child what he/she already knows. If a child brings up a tragic situation, ask him/her what they have heard about it. Listen to the answer before jumping to explain. Repeat to make sure you’ve understood. Even if children do not mention what they have seen or heard, it can help to ask what they think had happened. If parents do not bring up the subject, children can be left with their misinterpretations. You may be really surprised at how much your child has heard from others. • Explain in a way that your child can understand. Keep your explanation very simple. Try not to add unnecessary details that may cause your child to become more anxious or upset. In times of crisis, the best thing to convey to a child is that you are doing everything you can to keep them safe. • Answer questions. Answer the question that they ask—and keep it simple. Sometimes children are satisfied with the short answer and details can confuse them. Your child may have questions regarding their safety or the safety of people they care about. You might use this time to explain that sometimes we do not know why people do things. This might be a time to bring up that some people have mental health issues. Sometimes people’s brains do not work properly and they may become violent. Explain that this is not the norm in society— stress that most people who are mentally ill would not do something like this—it is very rare. Tailor your explanation to your child’s developmental understanding. It depends on their age how much information they really need or want. With all ages, let your child talk as much as he or she will. Answer questions truthfully, but with as limited

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’’

information as possible. There is no reason to give your child details he/she isn’t asking you for. Keep your own feelings controlled as much as possible to avoid misrepresenting the facts. • Listen and allow feelings. It is impossible to give our children all the reasons for such things as war, terrorism, abuse, murder, major fires, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Any child who hears about a tragedy such as a school shooting may experience feelings such as fear and confusion. If your child senses that he or she is not permitted to display vulnerability, they can internalize those feelings which may result in nightmares or anxiety. When parents provide an understanding of their child’s feelings, the feelings can be expressed in a healthy manner. When children are scared and anxious, they may produce some unwanted overly dependent behaviors such as becoming more clingy and afraid to go to bed at night. You do not need to have all the answers. Just letting them talk it out is helpful. If you do not know an answer, it is definitely alright to say that you do not know. • Stress that this is a rare occurrence. Stress to children that traumatic and tragic incidents are very rare. Add that it is the job of grownups to keep kids safe and that you and other adults in your child’s life will always work hard to keep your child safe. Give your child extra comfort and physical affection, like hugs, or snuggling up together with a favorite book. Physical comfort goes a long way toward providing inner security. That closeness can nourish you as well.

• When possible, guide the discussion to heroism. There is often no way to make sense of public tragedies. Mr. (Fred) Rogers had given the best advice on this. He said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. To this day, especially in times of “disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers—so many caring people in this world.” We are able to take solace in the fact that dire circumstances can call for the best in human beings. There are always ordinary people who act with great courage to help others. Focus attention on the helpers, like the police, firefighters, doctors, nurses, paramedics, and volunteers. It is reassuring to know there are many caring people who are doing all they can to help others in this world. • When tragedy affects someone your kids know, be truthful. If you are dealing with the death of a friend or family member, be truthful about it, but try to offer some separation between what happened and what your child(ren) fear might happen. This is a good time to reassure children that they can talk to you about feelings and explain to them that you are going to do everything in your power to make sure they are safe. There are many resources available online, at your local library, bookstore, in public mental health agencies, or doctor offices. Parents are encouraged to take advantage of resources and talk with other parents and school personnel for advice.

Brentwood Baldwin-Whitehall | Spring 2013 | incommunitymagazines.com 17

FEATURE

Conceptually Thinking

CHALLENGE 1 Architecture Earthquake Tower Challenge: During the 2012 school year Mr. Beau Sedlar’s Technology Education classes started a new and innovative project that fits into Brentwood Borough School District’s architecture curriculum. The project involves using balsa wood to design towers that must weigh less than a half pound and be at least five feet in height. The overall goal for the students is to design towers that incorporate engineering principles. The students then compete against each other using an earthquake machine that has measurable tremors. In order for this project to take place, Mr. Sedlar and his architecture class designed an earthquake machine that is fully functional and can test student made towers. The pictures included shows Justin Kemmler, Derek Houge, 24 724.942.0940 to advertise |

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Architecture Earthquake Tower Challenge and Ryan Vickless testing their towers on the earthquake machine. The students make educated decisions on truss designs as well as incorporating dynamic dampers to help counteract the tremors produced by the earthquake machine.

CHALLENGE 2 Engineering Bridge Design Challenge: Mr. Sedlar’s Engineering courses are designed to invoke critical thinking and problem solving skills in high school aged students. The bridge design challenge encourages students to build a 1-pound bridge made of merely ¼-inch stock material to hold the maximum amount of weight possible. Zack Downie and Matt Benedik, juniors at Brentwood Borough School District, show off their Continued on next page ›

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winning bridge design that held a staggering 370 pounds. The students are taught about bridge design principles through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) philosophies within the classroom and then they are allowed to use their skills and knowledge gained in constructing their bridge ideas.

CHALLENGE 3 F1 in Schools Challenge; Brentwood Borough Middle School: For the first time, the Brentwood Middle School has been crowned the Pennsylvania State Champions in a worldwide competition called F1 in Schools. The F1 in Schools challenge hosts over 12 million participants from 34 countries in which students compete for scholarships and the chance to represent their country on a global stage. This event required that the students work diligently to design, build, and test a model Formula One race car that runs on pressurized CO2 gas. The cars are propelled at about 60 miles per hour down an 80-foot track. But, this competition is not all about speed! The teams are also judged on several other categories including Team Unity, Marketing, Presentation, Engineering, and Design. Before teams can be named as international finalists, they must first win the regional challenge at the state level followed by the national championships. Each level is highly competitive and it is a great honor to win at the

Engineering Bridge Design Challenge state, national or international levels. This past year, Chris Hines, Luke O’Shea, Luke Benedik, Teddi Sedlar, Mike Lane, Brenden Topping, and Abby Shaffer proudly represented Brentwood Middle School at the state level where they won the Judge’s Choice Award as well as being named overall competition champions. The Brentwood team rallied behind their car named Sabertooth. Team Sabertooth worked together brainstorming marketing and application ideas for display boards, display props, a Power Point presentation, and various aspects of the team and car as defined by the competition rules. Countless hours were logged by members of the team as they perfected every element of their presentation, display, and car. Students could be seen surreptitiously hand sanding wheels and spoilers while continuing to take notes in language arts, algebra, and math. The hours of hard work paid off when the team heard the state judges call Sabertooth to claim their place in the winner’s circle and a spot at the national competition. 26 724.942.0940 to advertise |

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Brentwood Baldwin-Whitehall | Spring 2013 | incommunitymagazines.com 27

FEATURE

Dino-Mite Designs Brent Industries is a senior-level manufacturing and entrepreneurship assignment. Senior IML (Industrial Materials Lab) students are challenged to identify a needed or wanted product and then research, design, prototype, manufacture, market and ultimately sell. Each student is assigned a job with specific responsibilities (e.g. President, Design Engineer, Marketing Manager, Manufacturing Engineer, Quality Control Manager, Production Manager, Finance Manager etc.). The assignment is designed to expose students to aspects of manufacturing and business. This year, Brent Industries is offering for sale a child’s chair in the shape of a T-rex dinosaur. The chairs will be made available in limited quantities for $75 with a color option of Purple, Green or Orange. Orders can be placed by emailing: [email protected].

See more designs on next page ›

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T-rex dinosaur child’s chair

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FEATURE Sophomores in IML start the year with an opportunity to choose from one of two projects. They can make an Adirondack chair (current variations include traditional and a bear shaped chair) or a Craftsman style end-table with mortise and tenon joinery. Each project allows a certain amount of customization and individualism.

Bear Shaped Adirondack Chair

Table

Traditional Adirondack Chair

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Brentwood Office “The Pink Building” 3730 Brownsville Road · Pittsburgh, PA 15227 (412) 884-4829

Two IML II students (Zac Downie and Matt Culp) are currently working to make solid-bodied electric guitars. Auto-CAD software (Computer-Aided Design) is used to create drawings of the guitar parts. MasterCAM software (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) is used to write coordinate system codes that are input into the CNC router (computer numerical control) which cuts the parts out.

Brentwood Baldwin-Whitehall | Spring 2013 | incommunitymagazines.com 31

n e t a m r e y l E y o Elr

Hears a WHO!

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The Brentwood Borough School District believes that reading is the key to academic success and sustaining a vital community. Elroy Elementary School embraces the truth that we all need to work together to raise awareness and motivation for reading. The staff at Elroy Elementary work hard to provide a complete reading program to ensure every student has the necessary reading skills to be a successful learner. On this year’s “Read Across America Day” the Brentwood Borough School District’s Superintendent, Dr. Ron Dufalla, along with school board members Mr. David Schaap, Mrs. Donna Werner, and Mrs. Julia McCarthy made the commitment to mentor reading in primary classrooms through the playful rhymes of their favorite Dr. Seuss book. Librarians Kristen, Tracy, and Connie from the Brentwood Community Library and a retired reading specialist, Mary Ann McSwigan, were all eager to be a part of this great community endeavor. The culminating event took place in the gym where 300 locked pairs of eyes and ears were tuned in to the reading acrobats of principal Ms. Amy Burch presenting the Dr. Seuss book The Cat in the Hat.