May/June Happenings
at Northern Potter Jr./Sr. High School (NPHS)
By Mr. Eglesia (06/08/2015)
Northern Potter Students “On Fire” at Vo-tech Awards Assembly
On May 21, 2015, the Seneca Highlands Career and Technical Center (CTC) held its annual awards assembly outside under a tent in the AM. Even though it was a chilly morning, Northern Potter students were “on fire” when it came to receiving awards.
Of the ten programs at the CTC, Northern Potter students won five of the Top Student in Program recognition awards for the PM session. These students included Shadi Tawil (automotive mechanics), Kasina White (cosmetology), Mandy Slawson (health assistant), Krischen Hunt (heavy equipment maintenance), and Philip Brown (networking technology).
Slawson was also recognized for winning the Good Citizen Award and the Rotary Outstanding Vocational Award (ROVA) as well as for serving as vice president of the student committee during the PM session.
Trevor Schweigart won the Director’s Award and was recognized for participation in dual enrollment for networking.
Tim Adams was recognized for being a member of the National Technical Honor Society, winning the Clarion County ROVA Award, and participating in dual enrollment for networking.
Other students who were recognized included each of the following:
Roessner Selected to Serve on Alfred State Committee
In March, Mr. Kevin Roessner, who is the school counselor at NPHS, was selected to serve on the Alfred State College Guidance Advisory Committee.
Counselors are selected for this prestigious group because of their professional expertise, interest in the admissions process, active involvement in the guidance profession, and willingness to express their opinions.
The committee serves a vital role in formulating policy and determining admissions activities as well as making recommendations to improve services for the guidance community and prospective students/parents.
Congratulations to Mr. Roessner as he continues to build partnerships that offer opportunities to our students at Northern Potter!
May 2015
14 Inducted Into NPHS National Honor Society
The following students were inducted into the Northern Potter Chapter of the National Honor Society on April 30:
Alexis Adams
Sarah Morgan
Blayde Conley
Joy Olney
Dylan Foust
Sam RItter
Sidney Goldsborough
Sarah Snyder
Shayna Graham
Allison Thompson
Josiah Howe
Amanda Wagner
Jacob McConnell
Demi Youse
Adams Inducted Into the NTHS
On Thursday, April 23, senior Tim Adams was inducted into the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) at the Seneca High lands Career and Technical Center (CTC) in Port Allegany.
A total of 16 new inductees became members during the ceremony, which brings the total number of members at the CTC to 22. Guest speaker Charles Cox, owner of Cox Machining, spoke to the members and the audience.
Tim takes part in the networking program at the CTC, and he is also a member of the Northern Potter Chapter of the National Honor Society.
April Students of the Month Selected and Honored
Submitted by Mrs. Atherholt (04/27/2015)
On Thursday, April 30, 2015, the April Students of the Month and the staff members who selected them were honored with a luncheon from 11AM to 12PM. Students and staff members indulged in pizza and wings from Pizza N Stuff in Westfield, PA.
The April Students of the Month were as follows: Chris Bartoo (grade 11), Tyler Cowburn (grade 12), Shayna Graham (grade 11), Corrie Mace (grade 12), and Sarah Morgan (grade 11).
Christopher Bartoo is an 11 th grader at Northern Potter. He is the son of Christopher Bartoo and Crystal Matteson, and he lives in Ulysses.
At Northern Potter, Chris participates in the Vo-tech program,taking welding.
Outside of school, Chris likes to fish, hunt, and enjoys his welding.
What Chris likes most about Northern Potter is the Vo-techprogram.
Chris was nominated by Mrs. Woolgar for his performance in math, biology, and history. Mrs. Woolgar writes, "Chris has
been putting his all into each course. He maintains focus, asks questions, volunteers answers, completes additional assignments
to improve his grades, helps others, and has pushed himself to excel in each subject. His attitude is positive, and he shows pride in his work."
Corrie Mace is in 12 th grade at Northern Potter. She is the daughter of Edward and Ruthann Mace, and she resides in Genesee.
Corrie is active in show choir and chorus, and she is the president of band. She does morning announcements and takes stats for the track team. Corrie is a member of National Honor Society and the vice-president of student council.
Hobbies and interests for Corrie include reading, baking, and traveling. Corrie traveled back to Alaska for her senior project as she was born there.
What Corrie likes the most about Northern Potter is the kind and supportive teachers and staff."
Corrie was nominated by Mrs. Wheeler for CHS: Literature and Interpretation and Honors English 12. Mrs. Wheeler writes, "Corrie is very conscientious about her studies and especially willing to share her ideas and help others. She is capable of examining issues from a number of views, and her writing skills are exceptional. She is a joy to have in class."
Shayna Graham is in 11th grade. She resides in Ulysses and is the daughter of Scott and Alicia Graham. At Northern Potter, Shayna is very active. She participates in band, chorus, show choir, jazz band, marching band, pep band, District chorus and was in the musical. Shayna is a cheerleader and a member of Enrichment and STEM group. She does morning announcements, is the secretary of Entrepreneurship Club, and president of Student Council.
Outside school, Shayna is also active in her youth group and church community activities. As far as her hobbies, Shayna loves to dance, dance, dance!
The thing Shayna likes most about Northern Potter is "all the amazing people!"
Shayna was nominated for chorus by Mrs Boka. Mrs. Boka wrote, "Shayna is a stong singer and a great role model. She has a lot of natural talent and has been working very hard to improve and grow her musicality. Shayna is a true leader in the group, helpful to those around her, and a positive influence!"
Tyler Cowburn is in 12th grade at Northern Potter. He is the son of Jared and Cindy Cowburn, and he resides in Ulysses.
At Northern Potter, Tyler is active in soccer, basketball, and baseball. He also is a member of National Honor Society and the president of Varsity Club.
Outside of school, Tyler enjoys playing guitar, and juggling .
What Tyler likes the most about Northern Potter is all my friends."
Tyler was nominated by Mrs. Atherholt. Mrs. Atherholt writes, "I've know Tyler since he was in the elementary school, and he's grown into an outstanding young adult. Tyler is quiet by nature, but he is a strong leader and well respected by his peers as well as teachers, coaches, and staff members. He's a great student, participates in many extracurricular activities, and always maintains excellent grades. Tyler is a great team player, plays a mean guitar, and no matter when I see him, he always has a smile on his face."
Sarah Morgan is an 11th grader at Northern Potter. She is the daughter of Mike and Debbie Morgan, and she resides in Ulysses.
Sarah is another very busy junior at Northern Potter. She is active in cross country, soccer, basketball, Softball, and track.
Musically, Sarah is involved in chorus, band, and show choir, and she was in the musical. Clubs she belongs to are student council, enrichment, and STEM group.
While not in school, Sarah is active in youth group and the Gold Church Choir. Her hobbies include running, reading, playing indoor soccer, and singing.
What Sarah likes most about Northern Potter is wthe caring attitude teachers and students portray."
Sarah was nominated by Mrs. Wolfinger for Honors American Literature and Freshman College Composition. Mrs. Wolfinger
wrote,Sarah is a conscientious and hard-working student. She interacts well with her peers and is a natural leader, challenging
herself and others to do their very best! Sarah is smart, has a great sense of humor, and is a pleasure to have in class."
April 2015
Honor Roll for Marking Period 3 Announced
HIGH HONORS
Grade 12: Timothy Adams, Lindi Baker, Rebecca Baker, Katlyn Bennett, Payden Bice, Phillip Brown, Tyler Cowburn, Cassandra Inzana, Kali Langan, Corrie Mace, Miranda Slawson, Sabrina Williams, Caleb Zdrojewski
Grade 11: Alexis Adams, Dylan Foust, Sidney Goldsborough, Josiah Howe, Travis Lambert, Sarah Morgan, Joy Olney, Allison Thompson
Grade 10: Austyn Bowman, Jenna Buck, Emma Ford, Nicole Graham, Gracie Hamilton, Tory McCutcheon, Ellis Sprow
Grade 9: Justin Adams, Megan Empson, Randall Empson, Mikayla Lewis, Rebecca Morgan, Willis Morgan, Brienna Shimkanin
Grade 8: Abigail Anderson, Devin Burdick, Amanda Ford, Tessa Schweigart
Grade 7: Courtney Fox, Savannah Herring, Foster Kosa, Melissa Lehman, Ezra Sprow
HONORS
Grade 12: Andrew Boden, Austin Burdick, Jeremiah Butler, Makayla Button, Amanda Gibble, Krischen Hunt, Ashley Mathwig, Jason Perry, Shadi Tawil, Gabrielle Thompson-Brower, Kasina White, Dylan Whitesell, Dustin Wyne
Grade 11: Briana Black, Christopher Bartoo, Blayde Conley, Connor Freeman, April Goerner, Shayna Graham, Preston Kibbe, Samuel Ritter, Sarah Snyder, Amanda Wagner
Grade 10: Julie Fillhart, Alissa Hilfiger, Tucker Kosa, Bobby Jo Tubbs,
Grade 9: Brandon Buck, Diamond Button, Dawson Coates, Kali Cowburn, Kassidi Freeborn, Nicholas Harmon, Jenna Hyde, Alex Knauer, Mackenzie Potter, Christa Robinson
Grade 8: Lynn Bartas, Dakota Burdick, Holden Cowburn, Kasey Freeman, Alexis Houghtaling, Ashely Kunselman, Tiffany Whitesell
Grade 7: Alyssa Burchell, Clayton Cady, Angela DeBockler, Mackenzie Gertzen, Hunter Lampman, Aaron Lehman, Caitlyn Magarigal, Jordan McClellan, Hannah Mull, Morgan Palmatier, Danielle Perry, Hope Porcuri, Gavin Soule, Jamie Vandegriff, Samantha Vannatter, Andrew Willaredt
March Students of the Month Selected and Honored
Submitted by Mrs. Atherholt (04/08/2015)
On Thursday, March 26, 2015, the March Students of the Month and the staff members who selected them were honored with a luncheon from 11AM to 12PM. Students and staff members had pizza and wings from Pizza N Stuff in Westfield, PA.
The March Students of the Month were as follows: Dylan Foust (grade 11), Jahsiah Andrews (grade 9), Johnathan Petsch (grade 9), Keisha Button (grade 8), and Sarah Snyder (grade 11).
Dylan Foust is the son of Gary Foust and Sharon Jones, and he resides in Andrews Settlement.
At Northern Potter, Dylan is active in basketball and chorus. Dylan is also the junior class president and varsity club vice- president. Outside of school, Dylan is active in boy scouts, sports, and playing guitar, and he loves his Mustang.
What Dylan likes the most about Northern Potter is “the great faculty and staff.”
Dylan was nominated by Mr. Roessner. Mr. Roessner writes, “Dylan has consistently demonstrated a strong desire to succeed, both in the classroom and in the community. His pro-active approach to career development will yield many benefits.”
Jahsiah Andrews resides in Genesee and is the son of Matthew Andrews and Maide Andrews.
At Northern Potter, Jahsiah enjoys art survey, drawing, painting, Ceramics I, and Ceramics II. His hobbies include video games, reading, and art.
The things Jahsiah likes most about Northern Potter are “art class and library.”
Jahsiah was nominated by Ms. Rutkowski for his performance in her art classes . Ms. Rutkowski chose Jahsiah for “his love of subject [and] cooperation with both peers and instructor, [and] he strives for artistic improvement, he has fabulous project production, and he is eager to learn new techniques.”
Johnathan Petsch is the son of Erich and Sandy Petsch, and he resides in Ulysses.
At Northern Potter, Johnathan is an active member of the entrepreneurship club. His hobbies and interests include walking, reading, and sleeping.
The thing Johnathan likes most about Northern Potter is “he can hang out with his friends.”
Johnathan was nominated by Mrs. Solis. Mrs. Solis wrote, “Johnathan is pleasant and ready to participate in class. He is helpful to other students and efficient in completing his work on time.”
Keisha Button is the daughter of Charles and Angel Button, and she resides in Westfield.
Keisha is active in basketball, band, and chorus. Hobbies and interests for Keisha include painting, reading, FFA activities, and talking on her phone.
What Keisha likes the most about Northern Potter is “the nice staff and students.”
Keisha was nominated by Mrs. Walck. Mrs. Walck writes, “Keisha is hardworking, always polite, helpful to her peers, and kind. Also, her grade has come up significantly.”
Sarah Snyder is the daughter of James and Barbara Snyder, and she resides in Gold.
Her Northern Potter activities include volleyball, softball, marching band, band, jazz band, pep band, and book club. She also likes to volunteer and help the girl scouts.
What Sarah likes most at Northern Potter are the teachers.
Sarah was nominated by Mrs. Smeenk. Mrs. Smeenk writes, “Sarah participated in District Band this year, placing high enough to advance to Regional Band in February. Sarah worked very hard to prepare for these festivals, and her hard work paid off. She is very devoted to music, and she participates in all things band - jazz band, pep band, marching band, and concert band.
March 2015
Winter Keystone Results Suggest that iPeriod Has Positive Effect
Submitted by Mr. Eglesia (03/09/2015)
On Monday, March 2, 2015, student scores for the winter round of Keystone Exams (from December and January) were available for view by school districts across the Commonwealth.
Of the three subject areas tested, students who took the Literature Keystone saw the highest rates of proficiency with 24 percent scoring proficient or advanced. Students who took the Algebra Keystone scored with 19 percent proficiency, and students who took the Biology Keystone scored 15 percent proficiency.
Another aspect of this data that is important to note involves the modules associated with the exams. Each exam is broken into two modules or parts. Students may pass individual modules and only have to retake the modules that are not passed. Of the students who did not pass the Algebra Keystones during this round of testing, 39 total modules were taken. On 59% of these modules (or 23 of them), students were able to obtain their best scores ever. Out of 34 modules taken by students who did not pass in Biology, 47 percent of them (or 16 modules) saw students with their best performances ever. In Literature, 31 modules were taken by students who did not pass; 39 percent of them (or 12 modules) saw their best performances.
With this many students passing the Keystone Exams and/or notching their best performances ever on specific modules, it is easy to see that the tutoring occurring during the daily iPeriod is helping to have a positive overall effect on student performance on the state testing.
The students who took the tests during this round were re-taking them and trying to achieve a passing score. At Northern Potter, this group of students consisted primarily of juniors and freshmen though there were representatives from other classes.
February Students of the Month Selected and Honored
Submitted by Mrs. Atherholt (03/09/2015)
On Friday, February 27, 2015, the February Students of the Month and the staff members who selected them were honored with a luncheon from 11AM to 12PM. Students and staff members indulged in pizza and wings from Pizza N Stuff in Westfield, PA.
The February Students of the Month were as follows: Travis Morgan (grade 11), Josh Reynolds (grade 12), Travis Lambert (grade 11), Caitlyn Magarigal (grade 7), and Allison Thompson (grade 11).
Travis Morgan is the son of Bill Morgan and Lisa Morgan, and he resides in Ulysses. At Northern Potter, Travis is active in basketball, baseball, and track. Travis also participated in football at Cowanesque Valley High School. Travis likes sports and hanging out with friends. What Travis likes the most about Northern Potter is “when you walk through the halls, there are no bullies.”
Travis was nominated by Mrs. Pennell. Mrs. Pennell writes, “Travis Morgan is straight and tall . . . you might think this refers to his stature, but I am referring to his character! Travis not only carries himself with a sense of purpose, but he is gracious, polite, and friendly in his interactions with others. He displays a sense of humor, his smile is infectious, and he is an asset to our school.”
Josh Reynolds resides in Westfield and is the son of Eric and Misty Reynolds. At Northern Potter, Josh enjoys music with Mr. Roessner for his activity period. Josh is in a rock band with his brother, and besides music, he enjoys gaming, exercise, and weight lifting. The thing Josh likes most about Northern Potter is “coming to school and seeing his friends. He also likes his teachers and learning.” Josh was nominated by Ms. Miles for Ag. Mech. Ms. Miles writes, “Josh is a hard worker, strives to always improve, has a positive attitude, enjoys working in the shop, has creative ideas, and is reliable and willing to learn.”
Travis Lambert is the son of Jennifer McGinty, and he resides in Ulysses. At Northern Potter, Travis is an active member of FFA. In 9th grade, he received his Green Hand degree, and this year he is working towards his Chapter degree. For Travis, hobbies and interests include shooting guns, mechanics, and self-sufficiency. The thing Travis likes most about Northern Potter is “the small classes.”
Travis was nominated by Mrs. Reigh. Mrs. Reigh wrote, “Travis is always on time for class. He always uses his manners (please and thank you) which I appreciate. I see a good work ethic in Travis. He is a pleasure to have in class.”
Caitlyn Magarigal is the daughter of Roy and Amber Magarigal, and she resides in Ulysses. Caitlyn is active in Show Choir and Photography Club. Hobbies and interests for Caitlyn include art, soccer, and photography. What Caitlyn likes the most about Northern Potter is “the teachers.”
Caitlyn was nominated by Mrs. Pomeroy. Mrs. Pomeroy writes, “Caitlyn is a ray of sunshine! She never seems to have a bad day and though quiet, she can bring laughter to the dullest of tasks. Caitlyn always completes her work and strives to excel. She works very hard to be the best she can be. On top of that, she is perhaps the most spirited student I have ever taught!”
Allison Thompson is the daughter of Rob and Alicia White, and she resides in Mills. Her Northern Potter activities include volleyball, softball, track, and Marching Band. Allie likes hunting, fishing, four wheeler riding, and reading. What Allison likes most at Northern Potter is “everyone is willing to help you achieve your goals.”
Allison was nominated by Mrs. Potter. Mrs. Potter writes, “Allison maintains an honor roll status, has good attendance, and participates in extra-curricular activities. Allie always gives her best at what she is doing and maintains a good attitude.”
February 2015
January Students of the Month Selected and Honored
On Thursday, January 29, 2015, the January Students of the Month and the staff members who selected them were honored with a luncheon from 11AM to 12PM. Students and staff members indulged in pizza and wings from Pizza N Stuff in Westfield, PA.
The January Students of the Month were as follows: Gracie Hamilton (grade 10), Mikayla Lewis (grade 9), Mandy Slawson (grade 12), Gage Soule (grade 9), and Caleb Zdrojewski (grade 12).
Gracie Hamilton is the daughter of Todd and Wendy Hamilton, and she resides in Ulysses. Gracie is active in volleyball, basketball, track & field, show choir, ski club, varsity club, yellow ribbon club, and student council, and she is the vice president of the sophomore class. Hobbies and interests for Gracie include hunting and ice skating. What Gracie likes the most about Northern Potter is “the ladies in the office of course.”
Gracie was nominated by Mr. Haskins. Mr. Haskins writes, “Gracie excels in the classroom while also being able to balance all the extra-curricular activities she is involved in. She displays a great ability to be able to manage her time and prioritize her responsibilities.”
Mikayla Lewis is the daughter of Chastity Lewis, and she resides in Ulysses. Her Northern Potter activities include soccer, basketball, ski club, softball, and varsity club. Mikayla likes hunting and ice skating. What Mikayla likes most at Northern Potter is also “the ladies in the office.”
Mikayla was nominated by Mrs. LaBarron for Algebra 1. Mrs. LaBarron writes, “Mikayla is working very hard in class. She is always helping other students, has great manners, and is self-motivated to succeed. She is an absolute pleasure to have in class.”
Mandy Slawson is the daughter of Jeremy Slawson and JoAnn Phillips, and she resides in Genesee. Clubs and activities Mandy is in at Northern Potter include basketball, cross country, track, National Honor Society, chorus, and varsity club. For Mandy, hobbies and interests include working at Pizza King and fishing. Mandy is also a junior fire fighter.
Mandy was nominated by Dr. McCorkle for business math. Dr. McCorkle wrote, “Mandy does excellent work in class. She scores well on tests and completes assignments. Mandy does an excellent job in class while balancing a time-consuming sports schedule, which is a testament to her work ethic and dedication to being a well-rounded person.”
Gage Soule is the son of Brad and Lisa Soule, and he resides in Ulysses. At Northern Potter, Gage is active in FFA. Gage likes hunting, trapping, fishing, and riding dirt bikes and four wheelers. What Gage likes the most about Northern Potter is gym class.
Gage was nominated by Mr. Hoven for performance in English class. Mr. Hoven wrote, “Gage comes to class prepared, helps others with class work, participates in class discussion, and has shown great improvement in studies and completing assignments.”
Caleb Zdrojewski is a home-schooled student who takes courses here at Northern Potter High School. He resides in Ulysses and is the son of Marty and Crystal Zdrojewski. At Northern Potter, Caleb takes Mechanical Drawing 1, chemistry, and calculus. He also takes an independent study course from Mrs. Hamilton, Contemporary American History & Politics 12. All courses are dual-enrollment courses, meaning he will earn high school and college credit for completing them. Caleb enjoys music, singing, and playing guitar. The thing Caleb likes most about Northern Potter is calculus.
Caleb was nominated by Mrs. McCutcheon for chemistry. Mrs. McCutcheon said, “Caleb is always pleasant and patient with his classmates. Caleb is a kind person who works hard, and when he does not understand a concept, he will work at it until he does. He is not afraid to ask for help or to help others. Caleb is a joy to have in class.”
January 2015
Results Obtained from Title I Survey
In December, NPHS created and distributed a Title I survey to obtain general feedback from parents and guardians regarding their satisfaction in relation to various aspects of the school and their children’s educational experience.
A total of 53 responses were obtained electronically, and the school received the highest ratings in positive student relationships with teachers and school safety. According to the results, 85 percent of parents strongly agree or somewhat agree that their children have positive relationships with the teachers and staff while 73 percent strongly agree or somewhat agree that their children feel safe at school.
Areas of improvement include adequately using technology for 21st century students and school spirit. Survey results showed only 48 percent of parents strongly agreeing or somewhat agreeing that NPHS adequately uses technology for 21st century students and 38 percent of parents strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that NPHS is alive with school spirit.
The complete survey results are included as an attachment to this Board report.
November Parent-Teacher Conferences Held
On Friday, November 7, 2014, NPHS held its first annual parent – teacher conferences.
While teachers requested a total of 223 individual conferences in writing, there were a total of 94 responses to these written requests. Additionally, teachers saw a total of approximately 31 parents who came to conferences without a request.
During parent – teacher conferences, instructors of the enrichment iPeriods (and their students) created displays around the school that depicted the activities that are conducted during their daily iPeriods. Some of these displays can be seen in the Photo Gallery.
December 2014
NPHS Implements New Early Dismissal Schedule
On Wednesday, November 26, the high school ran what is called an “Early Dismissal #2 Schedule.”
While this schedule runs in the AM and early PM like a normal early dismissal, key features of this new schedule include 1.) students having their PM classes in the AM, 2.) vo-tech students traveling to the Career and Technical Center (CTC) in the AM rather than the PM, and 3.) an activity period being embedded over the lunch periods.
Typically, when the high school has run an early dismissal schedule, students see their periods one, two, three, and four classes followed by their period five classes over the lunch periods. In the new schedule, students go to their periods five, six, seven, and eight classes instead. Then, over the lunch periods, students get to participate in fun activities rather than their normal period five classes. Running this Early Dismissal #2 Schedule on some early dismissal days allows students to see their PM classes on some of these early dismissal days rather than just their AM classes. This results in the amount of time spent in courses during a given school year to be more even than it has been in the past.
Another benefit of this schedule is that vo-tech students are able to visit the CTC in the AM. In the past, most vo-tech students did not attend the CTC on early dismissal days. This also resulted in lost time for the students in their programs at the CTC. By using the Early Dismissal #2 Schedule, vo-tech students will be able to obtain more time at the CTC. It is also important to note that vo-tech students return to the high school at approximately 12:15PM in the Early Dismissal #2 Schedule, allowing them to eat lunch at the high school and ride home on the buses at the end of the school day.
Because of the addition of an activity period over the lunch periods in this new schedule, all NPHS students were allowed to sign up for activities to attend during this newly created time. Activities include each of the following:
Minecraft: Escape from Everest
Board Games and Card Games
Math 24 Challenge
Minecraft Structures
Word Game Activity
Homemade Holidays in the Kitchen
Future Farmers of America
Needle Crafts Club
Classic Rock Music
Radio Controlled Vehicles
Crafty Corner
Forensic Activities
Zumba Dance
Marbleized Paper
School of Rock
Mind Benders
Book Talks
Basic Robotics
Scrabble and Card Games
Aviation
Faculty members created the activities that are offered during activity period. During a lunch period in November, students got to read descriptions of each activity and sign up for their first, second, and third choices.
In the spring semester, activity periods will also be run during iPeriod on at least one day per month, allowing all students to participate in these fun activities.
Students of the Month Selected
The following students were selected as NPHS Students of the Month: Alexis Adams (grade 11), Tim Adams (grade 12), RJ Empson (grade 9), Delena Howell (grade 9), and Austin Whitesell (grade 11).
Alexis Adams is the daughter of Howard and Barbie Adams, and she resides in North Bingham.
Clubs and sports that Alexis is active in are Cross Country, Indoor Track, Track & Field, and Entrepreneurship Club.
Her hobbies and interests include running, hanging out with friends, reading, and babysitting.
The thing Alexis likes most about Northern Potter is the friendly staff and peers.
Alexis was nominated by Miss Harold for Spanish. Miss Harold writes, “Alexis is hard working, kind, polite, [and] involved in outside activities . . . [she is also] always willing to help others and volunteer.”
Tim Adams is the son of Duane and Carmelia Adams, and he resides in Genesee.
His Northern Potter activities include cross country, track & field, and National Honor Society.
Tim likes playing guitar and video games.
What Tim likes most at Northern Potter is that the people are generally nice.
Tim was nominated by Mr. Drabert. Mr. Drabert writes, “Tim has done an outstanding job this year balancing academics with athletics. It takes a special student–athlete to be able to manage his time to be successful in both areas. Tim’s ability to motivate himself to practice alone, as he arrives late from the CTC every day, is a big reason why he was able to become the first cross country state medalist in school history.”
R. J. Empson is the son of Randy and Leslie Empson, and he resides in Genesee.
R. J. is active in the Entreprenuership Club at school, and he also likes to draw and read.
He loves ice hockey and has played for the Olean Arrows for the past six years.
What R. J. likes the most about Northern Potter is all his friends.
R. J. was nominated by Miss Gorrell. Miss Gorrell writes, “R. J. is always a ray of sunshine in my classroom. He works exceptionally hard during class time and always completes assignments above my expectations. He is eager to help out in anyway – passing out papers, straightening up my classroom, etc. R. J. always asks how my day is going and purposely tries to make me smile.”
Delena Howell is the daughter of Arina Smith, and she resides in Ulysses.
At Northern Potter, Delena is active in FFA, and she represented Northern Potter on a field trip to the Rockwell Museum of Art and also a field trip to the Verizon Communications Hub in Syracuse, NY.
Delena likes drawing, writing, hunting, fishing, music, and painting murals.
What Delena likes the most about Northern Potter is the teachers and staff, the location, and the history of the school.
Delena was nominated by Mr. Eglesia. He writes, “Delena is intelligent, talented, and an all-around nice person. She recently took part in decorating windows of several local businesses in Ulysses. The Ulysses Area Improvement Committee sponsors lunch for the students who do this on one of the days. Before Delena left the Corner Café after lunch, she walked up to the members of the committee and personally thanked them for their generosity in providing lunch. This is an example of why Delena is a model Northern Potter student.”
Austin Whitesell is the son of Deb Bruce, and he resides in Genesee.
Austin is a newcomer to Northern Potter, so he is not involved in too much so far. When asked what he would like to try, Austin mentioned the reading club and yearbook.
Hobbies Austin enjoys are video games and reading. Austin attends church with his grandmother and hopes to become active again in a youth group, maybe even Boy Scouts.
Austin was nominated by Mrs. Hamilton for World History. Mrs. Hamilton wrote, “Austin has worked hard in World History. He never complains and works well both independently and in groups. He is always so pleasant, saying ‘Hello,’ as he walks through the halls.”
November 2014
School Performance Profile for 2013-2014 Released
Last week, our School Performance Profile information was made public on the PA School Performance Profile website at the following URL:
http://paschoolperformance.org/
According to this website, NPHS scored a 71.4 for the 2013-2014 school year. This score is 2.4 points higher than the previous year, and it brings our school into the green category. This green color represents that there is “evidence that the school met the standard for PA Academic Growth.” During the 2012-2013 school year, the school scored a 69.0 and was in the yellow category, which means that there is “moderate evidence that the school did not meet the standard for PA Academic Growth.”
While there is only a slight difference in score between the two years, the school is showing growth and the categorical difference from moderate evidence of not meeting the standard to evidence that the school did meet the standard is huge.
When a user visits the School Performance Profile website, he or she can not only find the score for an individual school, but he or she can also compare schools in a region. For example, Austin Area Jr./Sr. High School scored 77.8, Coudersport Area Jr./Sr. High School scored 71.4, and Cowanesque Valley Jr./Sr. High School scored 73.6 for the 2013-2014 school year.
November Students of the Month Selected
The Students of the Month for November were as follows: Abigail Anderson (grade 8), Courtney Fox (grade 7), Rebecca Morgan (grade 9), Mackenzie Potter (grade 9), and Lewis Robinson (grade 11).
Abigail Anderson is the daughter of Jon and Keri Anderson, and she resides in Coudersport. At Northern Potter, Abigail plays junior high basketball, and in the community, she participates in youth group and the Silver Bits 4-H Club. She likes skiing, playing soccer, and riding horseback. Her favorite aspect of Northern Potter is the nice teachers.
Abigail was nominated by Mr. Doud for her performance in Algebra I. “Abigail is an excellent Algebra I student. She is thoughtful and does her very best in every aspect of the class,” stated Mr. Doud.
Courtney Fox is the daughter of Shawn Fox, and she resides in Genesee. Her clubs and activities at Northern Potter include book club, enrichment book challenge, and being the secretary at the Children’s School for the government club. Courtney likes drawing, reading, and writing, and her favorite aspect of Northern Potter is all of the amazing learning opportunities that she has.
Courtney was nominated by Mr. Bryant for her performance in all of her subjects. “Courtney goes above and beyond to participate in activities to enhance her school experience. Courtney also does a great job representing NPSD during off-campus events,” said Mr. Bryant.
Rebecca Morgan is the daughter of Mike and Debbie Morgan, and she resides in Ulysses. At Northern Potter, Rebecca participates in a plethora of activities including soccer, cross country, basketball, track and field, softball, varsity club, Student Council, chorus, and band. Rebecca also likes sports in general, reading, and hanging out with her friends. She likes Mrs. Butler’s class the most at Northern Potter.
Mrs. Butler nominated Rebecca for her performance in Young Adult Literature 9/10. According to Mrs. Butler, “Rebecca’s work ethic is second to none. Her quality of work is outstanding, and she is a joy to be around.”
Mackenzie Potter is the son of Phillip and Kristie Potter, and he resides in the Harrison Valley area. Mack participates in soccer, basketball, and track at Northern Potter, and his other hobbies and interests include riding his dirt bike, attending God’s New Beginnings Youth Group, playing PlayStation 4, and being outside.
Mackenzie was nominated by Mr. Davis for his performance in wood shop. Mr. Davis stated, “Mack has done very well in wood-working this marking period. He is always on time and works productively on his projects.”
Lewis Robinson is the son of Thomas and Wendy Robinson, and he resides in Ulysses. For hobbies and interests, Lewis enjoys working on his “85” Chevy truck and playing with his remote control car. What Lewis likes the most about Northern Potter is his ability to go to the Career and Technical Center and work all afternoon in his auto mechanics class.
Mr. Burdick nominated Lewis as a Student of the Month. Mr. Burdick said, “Lewis is always prepared and gives his very best in class. It is my pleasure to recommend him for November Student of the Month.”
October 2014
October Students of the Month Selected
The Students of the Month for October were as follows: Megan Empson (grade 9), Savannah Herring (grade 7), Willis Morgan (grade 9), Danielle Perry (grade 7), and Ethan Russell (grade 8). Each student had a picture taken and a biography written for a bulletin board that is displayed in the high school (see below). Also, they were treated to a Student of the Month luncheon on Friday, October 10, that consisted of pizza and wings from Pizza N Stuff in Westfield.
Megan Empson is the daughter of Janet and Bryant Empson, and they all reside in Bingham Center. Megan participates in chorus, show choir, and the FFA at NPHS. While she likes showing beef cattle and studying the American Civil War, her favorite aspect of NPHS is her teachers. Megan was nominated by Mr. Baker for her performance in Science 9. According to Mr. Baker, “Megan has a very positive attitude about school. She is pleasant, attentive, attends regularly, participates during class, is cooperative and well-behaved, and completes her work to the best of her ability.”
Savannah Herring is the daughter of Tamra and Anthony Herring, and they live in Gold. Savannah is actively involved in volleyball, basketball, track, band, and jazz band at Northern Potter while she participates in the Showstopper 4H Club and softball outside of school. Savannah likes sports, animals, school, cooking, the outdoors, video games, reading, and Spanish, and she likes her classes and friends the most at the high school. Savannah was nominated by Mrs. Acker, her life science teacher. Mrs. Acker stated, “Savannah is exceptional in life science. She always is on task and excels at everything she does. She goes above and beyond what is asked of her.”
Willis Morgan is the son of Lisa and Bill Morgan, and he resides in Ulysses. At Northern Potter, Willis plays basketball and baseball, and he sings in the chorus. While he enjoys basketball, cooking, riding his four-wheeler, and playing with his dog, Leo outside of school, Willis likes gym class, spending time with his friends, and PAES the most at the high school. Mrs. Ace nominated Willis for being the most improved in leadership. She said, “Willis has gone out of his way and without being asked to help his peers with their work . . . also, he is the most improved with grades and homework assignments in all classes.”
Danielle Perry is the daughter of Deb and Chris Perry, and she lives in Genesee. At NPHS, she participates in soccer, band, and chorus, but she likes getting to see her friends and playing sports the most. Her hobbies and interests include soccer, softball, running, swimming, and baking. Mrs. Bieser nominated Danielle for Student of the Month. According to Mrs. Bieser, “Dani is a very tough, hard-working student. She is a team player and always gives 110 percent effort. [She has a] great attitude!”
Ethan Russell is the son of Sandy and Gregg Russell, and they reside in Harrison Valley. Ethan’s hobbies and interests include collecting knives, riding his four-wheeler, and hunting. At Northern Potter, Ethan likes the teachers and the staff the most. He was nominated by Mrs. Bailey for his performance in Language Arts 8. Mrs. Bailey said, “Ethan is a very responsible student. He volunteers to help others. He actively participates in class. He utilizes excellent organizational strategies in each class. Ethan maintains very good grades in all of his classes. It is my pleasure to recommend him for October Student of the Month.”
Spirit Week Winners Announced
Our annual Spirit Week was held the week of September 15. Numerous students across the school participated in dressing toward the theme for each day during the week. During lunch on each day, the students who participated gathered for a group photo, and then the winners were selected. These winners each received a 15 dollar iTunes gift card. Our winners for this year were as follows:
Monday, September 15: Twin Day
Alyssa Burchell and Emma Kosa (junior high)
Gracie Hamilton and Tory McCutcheon (senior high)
Tuesday, September 16: Neon Day
Savannah Herring (junior high)
Megan Bruce (senior high)
Wednesday, September 17: America Day
Caitlyn Magarigal (junior high)
Nick Harmon (senior high)
Thursday, September 18: Best Dressed Day
Autumn Button (junior high)
Josiah Home (senior high)
Friday, September 19: Blue and Gold Day
Tiffany Whitesell (junior high)
Shayna Graham (senior high)
A big thank you goes out to all students who participated in Spirit Week. We all showed great school spirit!
September 2014
On Thursday, August 21 from 6:30 to about 8:15PM, NPHS held its annual 7th grade and new student orientation. Grade 7 teachers and support staff members introduced themselves to the students and parents, and then Mr. Eglesia discussed several aspects of the school such as daily routines, the schedule, lockers, and lunch time. Later in the evening, Mr. Bryant led the students on a scavenger hunt that helped them to find several important locations in the building. The night ended with conversation, cookies, and refreshments in the cafeteria. Overall, the event was a success and assisted the new students in feeling comfortable and welcome in the new environment of the high school.
Teacher in-service days took place on Wednesday (8/20), Thursday (8/21), and Friday (8/22) during the second to the last week of August. For high school staff, the major points of emphasis included development of student learning objectives and knowing one’s role in fulfilling the district’s vision, mission, and values. Student learning objectives are a component within the new teacher effectiveness model, and this is where teachers need to select a specific group of students, develop a specific goal for the group that involves growth or achievement, and measure to see whether or not the goal has been met. Staff members seemed to enjoy the activities associated with the district vision, mission, and values. They came up with some very specific ways that they can fulfill these things in the everyday aspects of their jobs, and they generated an idea involving branding and better publicity so that our parents and community members are more familiar with what we are all trying to accomplish at Northern Potter. The school improvement team will be working on executing this idea as the school year progresses.
The first week of school was very smooth, and students engaged in one of three grade level expectation meetings that took place all during this time. The first meeting involved juniors and seniors while the second meeting focused on freshmen and sophomores. The final meeting involved students in grades 7 and 8. Mr. Eglesia, Mrs. Butler, and Mrs. Walck discussed several topics of importance with the students including school rules and other important procedures. It was emphasized that the purpose of the meeting was to clarify and prevent problems from occurring. This year, students seemed very receptive to the concept of the meeting, and by the end, the meetings served to make sure that everyone in the school community is on the same page.
iPeriod began for the tutoring groups of students on Tuesday of the first week of school while it began for students taking enrichment activities on Tuesday of the second week. For the enrichment groups, the first week consisted of students identifying the types of activities that they wanted to engage in during the half hour of time every day, and then they had to select from the offered activities. The teachers associated with the enrichment iPeriod (including Mr. Burdick, Ms. Harold, Ms. Gorrell, Mrs. Hamilton, Ms. Rutkowski, Mr. Davis, Ms. Miles, Mr. Baker, Mrs. McCutcheon, Mr. Haskins, Mrs. Butler, Mrs. Bieser, and Mr. Drabert) did an outstanding job organizing the students’ ideas and coming up with activities that met their needs.
Classroom Diagnostic Tools (CDT) tests began on Friday, September 5, and they are continuing throughout this week. These tests will give teachers a solid baseline on where students are in the learning of the tested subject area skills. Over the next couple of weeks, teachers will be using this data to continue grouping students during iPeriod, determine the strengths and weaknesses of individual students, and develop instruction to meet each student’s needs. A powerful tool that was recently purchased and will be paired with CDT data is Study Island. Study Island is a web-based program that allows students to access learning materials and practice items that will better prepare them for the state testing. It is our goal to continue increasing our students’ achievement and growth, and the CDT test/Study Island combination is a strategy that we will use to accomplish this goal.
May 2014
Spring Keystone Exam Schedule Announced
The spring round of Keystone Exams will occur in the next two weeks of school.
Students who are currently finishing biology, Algebra I, and English 10 will be taking the biology, algebra, and literature Keystones respectively.
The spring round of testing will open with the literature Keystone on Wednesday (May 14) and Thursday (May 15). Then on Friday (May 16) and Monday (May 19), students will be taking the algebra Keystone. Finally, on Tuesday (May 20) and Wednesday (May 21), students will be taking the biology Keystone.
Both students and teachers are hopeful for positive results on these exams. Aligned curriculum combined with several weeks of iPeriod should serve to tighten up students’ knowledge of required skills for these exams.
As with the winter round of testing, students taking these test will have the opportunity to earn rewards by simply trying their hardest on the exams and demonstrating skills associated with good test-taking.
Students Inducted into National Honor Society
On Thursday, April 24, at 7PM in Sitler Auditorium, the Northern Potter Chapter of the National Honor Society inducted 14 new members.
New inductees included Elizabeth Adams, Tim Adams, Lindi Baker, Rebecca Baker, Katlyn Bennett, Jeremiah Butler, Tyler Cowburn, Amanda Gibble, Cassie Inzana, Andie Lehman, Corrie Mace, Jason Perry, Miranda Slawson, and Sabrina Williams.
The keynote speaker was Ms. Wanda Shirk and closing remarks were made by Mr. Eglesia.
Light refreshments were served afterwards in the lobby of the auditorium.
Congratulations to all of the new members of National Honor Society!
Senior Prom Held in the High School Gymnasium
On Saturday, April 26, at 6PM in the high school gymnasium, NPHS held its annual senior prom. The theme was “A Masquerade Ball.”
Students who attended got their pictures taken, ate a catered dinner, and danced to music that was played by a local DJ.
Seniors Greg Hamilton and Katie Kio were named the King and Queen while juniors Jeremiah Butler and Miranda Slawson were named the Prince and Princess.
March Students of the Month Selected
The March Students of the Month were Myriah Coates (grade 8), Josiah Howe (grade 10), Ellen Kibbe (grade 12), Destiny Perkins (grade 8), and Hannah Tilton (grade 8). The luncheon was held on Wednesday, April 30.
Please refer to the chart below for details about each nomination. The second column of information, “NPHS Staff Member/Environment,” represents the staff member who nominated the student as well as the environment where the staff member interacts with the student:
Myriah Coates
Mrs. Reigh, Academic Development Period (Study Hall)
“Myriah always comes to Study Hall prepared. I have never had to ask her to get something to work on because she always brings something with her. She works quietly and is a pleasure to have in class.”
Josiah Howe
Mrs. Smeenk, Senior High Band
“Josiah has shown great improvement this year as a musician. He was chosen to participate in District Band, and while there, he auditioned to qualify for Region Band and made it. Josiah is a leader in every group and is a very talented individual. He is an incredible asset to the music department here at Northern Potter High School.”
Ellen Kibbe
Ms. Rutkowski, Art Studio
Ms. Rutkowski nominated Ellen Kibbe for each of the following reasons: “1) Love of subject, 2) Cooperation with both instructor and peers, 3) Always willing to go above and beyond, [and] 4) Quality product production”.
Destiny Perkins
Mrs. Walck, Nonfiction 8
“Destiny is diligent, polite, and a pleasure to have in class. In addition, she has the patience to help others, even when doing so can prove to be very frustrating or challenging. She does so without being asked, and sometimes, without thanks. She charges ahead and thinks of herself last. She is a great person, inside and out.”
Hannah Tilton
Mr. Roessner, Junior High Chorus
“Hannah is a source of continuous energy and excitement for the ensemble. She has worked very hard this year to develop her voice. She is well respected by her peers and provides guidance to other members of the ensemble. In addition to her vocal ability, she has emerged as a proven leader within the organization and strives to conduct herself in a manner that conveys respect and discipline.”
NPHS Students Receive Honors
Freshman Evan Rodriguez achieved the Tri-Town Volunteer Fire Company “Rookie of the Year” Award, and junior Krischen Hunt earned the “Junior Firefighter of the Year Award.”
Junior Austin Kosa competed at Steel City in Pittsburgh, PA on May 3 and 4 for the Loretta Lynn Motocross Qualifier. He placed 7th in the two-stroke class on his KIM 250. This earned him a position at the Regional Qualifier at High Point in Mt. Morris, PA. This race will be held at the end of June.
At the Coudersport Maple Festival, junior Makenna Ransom, representing NPHS, was selected as Potter County’s Maple Sweetheart. The role of a Maple Sweetheart is to serve as an ambassador of the maple industry at various functions throughout the year.
Important Dates to Remember
THURS, 5/15: Sports banquet (6PM)
TUES, 5/27: Senior finals
WED, 5/28: Senior finals
THURS, 5/29: Senior final make-ups
FRI, 5/30: Senior breakfast for juniors
FRI, 5/30: Senior picnic
TUES, 6/3: Underclassmen finals; baccalaureate practice in the AM; baccalaureate @ 7:30PM
WED, 6/4: Underclassmen finals
THURS, 6/5: Underclassmen final make-ups; awards assembly; yearbook signing; last day of school
FRI, 6/6: Graduation practice in the AM; graduation in the evening
____________________________________________________
April News
Senior Parent’s Appreciation Banquet Held
On Thursday, April 3, the annual Senior Parent’s Appreciation Banquet was held in
the multi-purpose room at the Northern Potter Children’s School. Parents
and guardians, senior students, board members, and school district
administrators and employees were all in attendance at the two-hour
event.
The evening began at 7PM with a welcome and invocation by Ethan Kibbe, and then a
dinner was served by several sophomore and junior student volunteer servers as
well as community volunteers. Guests ate tossed salad, warm homemade
rolls, stuffed pork chops, baked potatoes with sour cream, and corn for the main
meal and had gourmet cheesecake for dessert.
Several seniors participated in various presentations after the dinner. Bev
Abbott, Brooklynne Cowburn, Hannah Howe, Andie Lehman, Mariah Morgan, Ashley
Mitchell, Sarah Neiswender, and Aaron Olney performed a musical selection.
Ellen Kibbe read a poem she had written titled “Mother”, and Mariah Morgan
read a poem that had been written by Andie Lehman called “Daddy’s Little Girl”.
There was also a 15-minute slideshow that depicted a current photo of each
senior and a picture from each student’s past. Beverly Abbott, Brooklynne
Cowburn, Marlianna Gardner, Katelynn Kio, Andie Lehman, Ashley Mitchell, Mariah
Morgan, Sarah Neiswender, and Lydia Thompson created the slideshow in Mrs.
Pomeroy’s media communications course. Mr. Eglesia ended the evening with
a speech titled “Acknowledge Hard Work, Celebrate Together, and Cherish
Forever.” Matt Morgan and John Polen introduced speakers throughout the
evening, and Ashley Mitchell and Sarah Neiswender designed the cover of the
program distributed to all of the guests.
A special thanks needs to be given to Mrs. Pomeroy for all of her hard work on
this banquet. She was instrumental in organizing the seniors’
presentations and the development of the overall program. She also
directed the creation of the slideshow.
Cumulative Winter Keystone Exam Scores Released
This past December 2013 and January 2014, several NPHS senior high students (who have
not passed their Keystone exams in the past) took the Algebra I, biology, and
literature Keystone exams. Each Keystone Exam has two modules or sections.
If a student passes a module, he or she does not have to retake the passed
module in the future; only failed modules need to be
retaken.
The cumulative results for the winter retakes are as follows:
Algebra I – Module 1
64 students retook the module; 13 passed and 51 failed.
Algebra I – Module 2
62 students retook the module; 7 passed and 55
failed.
Biology – Module 1
31 students retook the module; 1 passed and 30 failed.
Biology – Module 2
28 students retook the module; 3 passed and 25
failed
Literature – Module 1
20 students retook the module; 7 passed and 13 failed.
Literature – Module 2
20 students retook the module; 6 passed and 14
failed
While we did have several students who have failed these modules in the past
experience success with this round of retakes, we had a sizable number of
students who did not experience success. Thus, it is important to
recognize that two NPHS initiatives this year should help our students be more
successful on these exams in the future: curriculum alignment and
iPeriod.
Curriculum alignment will verify that our math, science, and English teachers are actually
teaching the skills measured on these exams. If we can ensure that
students are exposed to the skills measured on these exams, we will increase the
likelihood that they will be able to respond to the items on the assessments
correctly. This will also better align a student’s classroom performance
in algebra, biology, and English 10 classes with performance on the
corresponding Keystone.
iPeriod will help students in two ways. First, when students demonstrate that they
are struggling with skills measured on these Keystone Exams, iPeriod will
provide students with additional instructional opportunities that focus on areas
of weakness. Teachers achieve this targeted instruction by carefully
analyzing student performance on the Classroom Diagnostic Tests (CDTs), which
will now be given throughout a student’s study of Algebra I, biology, and
English 10. Second, iPeriod will provide students who fail to pass
Keystone Exams the first time with additional opportunities for instruction even
though they may no longer have to take the corresponding course that was
designed to prepare them for the Keystone Exam. For example, let’s say
that a student who passes biology at the high school fails the biology Keystone
Exam that is taken at the end of his or her year in grade 10. This student
would have to retake the Keystone Exam in biology during his or her junior year
even though he or she no longer has the biology course. iPeriod will allow
a biology teacher to continue working with this student even though the student
no longer has biology as a class.
Curriculum alignment and iPeriod instructional opportunities will continue to grow in
importance as passing the Keystone Exams becomes a requirement for high school
graduation, which begins with the students in the class of
2017.
If you have any questions about curriculum alignment, iPeriod, or Keystone Exam
scores, please contact Mr. Eglesia at the high school.
Third Marking Period Honor Roll Announced
HIGH HONORS
Grade 12:
Tyler Harris, Hannah Howe, Ellen Kibbe, Ethan Kibbe, Andie Lehman, Ashley
Mitchell, Mariah Morgan, Aaron Olney, John Polen, Katelyn Siska, Megan
Siska
Grade 11:
Timothy Adams, Rebecca Baker, Katlyn Bennett, Phillip Brown, Tyler Cowburn,
Amanda Gibble, Kali Langan, Corrie Mace, Sabrina Williams, Dustin
Wyne
Grade 10:
Alexis Adams, Blayde Conley, Dylan Foust, Sidney Goldborough, Shayna Graham,
Travis Lambert, Sarah Morgan, Joy Olney, Samuel Ritter, Sarah Snyder, Derek
Thorne
Grade 9:
Emma Ford, Nicole Graham, Gracie Hamilton, Tory McCutcheon , Ellis
Sprow
Grade 8:
Kalie Cowburn, Megan Empson, Randall Empson, Sabrina Harris, Rebecca
Morgan
Grade 7:
Abigail Anderson, Amanda Ford
HONORS
Grade 12:
Beverly Abbott, Matthew Morgan, Sarah Neiswender, Morgan
Soule
Grade 11:
Elizabeth Adams, Lindi Baker, Payden Bice, Andrew Boden, Cheyenne Hall, Brandon
Hancock, Steven Hogg, Devon Houghtaling, Cassandra Inzana, Austin Kosa, Trevor
Schweigart, Miranda Slawson, Gabrielle Thompson-Brower, Kasina White
Grade 10:
Molly Easton, Josiah Howe, Nathan Kellar, Jacob McConnell, Austin Tilton, Amanda
Wagner, Demi Youse
Grade 9:
Jenna Buck, Alissa Hilfiger, Alyssa Kelleher, Tucker Kosa, Bobby Jo Tubbs
Grade 8:
Justin Adams, Brandon Buck, Dawson Coates, Myriah Coates, Kassidi Freeborn,
Jenna Hyde, Mikayla Lewis, Johnathan Petsch, Mackenzie Potter,
Christa Robinson
Grade 7:
Trinity Andrews, Lynn Bartas, Devin Burdick, Tristan Byron, Sky DeBockler,
Cullen Empson, Kasey Freeman, Alexis Houghtaling, Ashley Kunselman, Brent
Nelson, Colby Robbins
February Students of the Month Selected
The February Students of the Month were Abigail Anderson (grade 7), Clifton Erway
(grade 8), Matt Morgan (grade 12), Alex Vetter (grade 11), and Demi Youse (grade
10). The luncheon was held on Friday, March 28.
Please refer to the chart below for details about each nomination. The second
column of information, “NPHS Staff Member/Environment,” represents the staff
member who nominated the student as well as the environment where the staff
member interacts with the student:
Student Nominated, NPHS Staff Member/Environment, and Reason(s)or the Nomination
Abigail Anderson
Mrs. Pomeroy,
English 7
“Abbi Anderson is an excellent student. She completes all of her assignments to the
best of her ability and goes above and beyond the requirements. Abbi is always
prepared for tests and quizzes and has a great work ethic. In addition,
she is a leader amongst her peers and is clearly respected by them. Abbi is an
absolute joy to have in class!”
Clifton Erway
Ms. Miles, grade 8 vocational agriculture rotational course & FFA
“Clifton has been stepping up as an 8th grader in the FFA. He has been taking part in
field trips, leadership conferences, and participating in FFA meetings. He shows
excellent leadership skills and a real passion for agriculture. His attitude and
personality make him a young FFA member who stands out above many of his older
peers.”
Matt Morgan
Mrs. McCutcheon, physics
“I have had the opportunity to instruct Matt Morgan in class for the last two
years. What a joy that has been. I have seen him mature into a fine young man.
He is polite, kind, helpful, and intelligent, and he has a great sense of humor.
In class, he always does his best even when he is not too fond of the lesson. He
has developed confidence to express his ideas and thoughts to others. He will
listen to others as well. In the past when Matt was in a large group, sometimes
he could be overlooked because he was quiet and kept his thoughts to himself.
Now, Matt has become more outspoken and confident so he contributes to the group
as a whole by sharing his thought process, and he makes the class even more
enjoyable.”
Alex Vetter
Ms. Lewis, English 11
“Alex volunteers to read during class, is involved in class discussions, and has
improved his grade immensely! He is a pleasure to have in class.”
Demi Youse
Mrs. Potter, office
“When Demi enters the office area, she always presents herself with a smile and good
manners by using “please” and “thank you”. Demi maintains good attendance, is
well-organized, maintains good grades, and participates in extra-circular
activities.”
Goerner Attends 4-H Capital Days in Harrisburg, PA
April Goerner, sophomore at NPHS, traveled to the 4-H Capital Days forum in
Harrisburg, PA, which was held on March 29, 30, and 31.
Goerner was selected to represent Potter County at this event out of more than two
hundred members in the 4-H program.
4-H Capital Days is designed to educate youth about the state political process and
enhance their citizenship and leadership skills.
While in Harrisburg, Goerner participated in various workshops, a legislative session
where a bill was modified and passed, and a guided tour of the State Capitol.
On Monday, March 31, Goerner attended a Legislative Breakfast that
included Representative Martin Causer and Senator Joseph
Scarnati.
Congratulations, April!
Students Place in Poster Contest
By Ms. Rutkowski
The PA Federation of Sportsman’s Clubs, Inc. sponsored the 2014 Youth Conservation
Poster Contest with this year’s theme, “Pennsylvania Wildlife’s Natural
Camouflage”. Congratulations to the following students who placed at the
county level:
Senior Division (grades 10 – 12)
1st Place – Ellen Kibbe
2nd Place – Sabrina Williams
3rd Place – Tyler Harris
4th Place – Paige Patinka
5th Place – Sarah Neiswender
Junior Division (grades 7 – 9)
1st Place – Alexis Houghtaling
2nd Place – Nicole Graham
3rd Place – Delena Howell
4th Place – Kassidi Freeborn
Winning posters were advanced to the state level of competition. Congratulations
to the following for placing at the state level:
Senior Division (grades 10 – 12)
2nd Place – Sabrina Williams
3rd Place – Tyler Harris
Junior Division (grades 7 – 9)
1st Place – Delena Howell
3rd Place – Nicole Graham
Important Dates to Remember
THURS, 4/24:NHS induction (7:30PM w/ dessert after)
FRI, 4/25: Senior breakfast
SAT, 4/26: NPHS Prom (pictures – 6 to 7PM, dinner – 7PM, crowning
– 10:15PM)
THURS, 5/15: Sports banquet (6PM)
FRI, 5/30:Senior breakfast for juniors
FRI, 5/30: Senior picnic
FRI, 6/6: Graduation
March News
NPHS Math and Reading PSSA Testing Dates Announced
All students in grades 7 and 8 will be taking the math and reading Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests this year. Later in the year, the students in grade 8 will also be taking the writing and science PSSAs.
Students in grades 7 and 8 will be taking the math and reading PSSAs on March 18, 19, and 20 and then again on March 25, 26, and 27. They will take one test each day, beginning with math on March 18 and then continuing with reading on March 19. They will rotate through the tests in this fashion, finishing with a reading test on March 27. Make ups for this testing will be held during the following week and the week after (if needed).
The skills measured in this testing are focused on the eligible content in the PA math and reading assessment anchors. While this year’s assessments will contain field test items from the PA Core, students will not be held accountable for missing these items until next school year. NPHS teachers who instruct classes with math and reading PSSAs as the end of course assessments have been trying to carefully balance the PA math and reading assessment anchor eligible content with the PA Core eligible content in their curriculum maps, recognizing that next year will require a focus on the PA Core.
Students taking these assessments this year will have an assembly on Monday, March 17 during homeroom and the beginning of first period. At this assembly, Mr. Eglesia will communicate to the students why it is important to try their hardest on these tests. He will also talk to the students about measures (like proper sleep and a good breakfast) that they can take to be prepared on the actual days of the testing. All students who test during the spring round of testing (PSSA and Keystone) will also have access to rewards based on their efforts while taking the tests. The rewards system and the actual rewards will be similar to the ones used during the winter round of Keystone testing.
January Students of the Month Selected
The January Students of the Month were Katlyn Bennett (grade 11), Tory McCutcheon (grade 9), Austin Outman (grade 9), Mackenzie Potter (grade 8), and Shane White (grade 12). The luncheon was held on Thursday, February 27.
Please refer to the chart below for details about each nomination. The second column of information, “NPHS Staff Member/Environment,” represents the staff member who nominated the student as well as the environment where the staff member interacts with the student:
Student Nominated
NPHS Staff Member/Environment
Reason(s) for the Nomination
Katlyn Bennett
Mr. Lander, honors world cultures
“Katlyn is a model student. She is the first to volunteer an answer and always has here work done. She is pleasant in class and always wears a smile. Her essay and short answer responses are so good (and long) that they are superior to those in the answer key. Bravo!”
Tory McCutcheon
Dr. McCorkle, geometry
“Tory is an exceptional student who excels in the classroom. Tory is a conscientious student who always has her work done and provides valuable insight into the class discussion. She helps her classmates and is pleasant to have in class. Tory is also active outside of the classroom as she participates in multiple sports. She recently finished a long, grueling basketball season, but maintained her high academic standards. Tory is the embodiment of the term, student-athlete.”
Austin Outman
Mrs. Pennell, health room
“Austin is always quiet, polite, and well-mannered when he presents to the nurse's office. If the room is busy, he is patient and is willing to wait for his turn to be seen. He always thanks me for my service to him before leaving. His behavior in the health room is a model for other students, and he is becoming an exceptional young man.”
Mackenzie Potter
Mr. Hoven, PA history & Earth science
“Mac has shown an incredible work ethic and drive in and out of the classroom. Mac is very conscientious about completing his homework, studying for tests, asking for help, or seeking extra help (when he does not understand the material). He shows signs of leadership during sporting seasons. He has had the highest grade the past three marking periods for history and one of the higher grades in science.”
Shane White
Mrs. LaBarron, Algebra IA
“Shane is going above and beyond to ensure success in Algebra 1A. He actively participates during class, completes assignments on time, and puts his best effort into each assignment. His thought process and ability to relate math to the real world his been outstanding in recent projects. Shane is doing an excellent job in Algebra 1A. He is a pleasure to have in class!”
Winter Pep Assembly Held, Students Receive Academic Jackets
The NPHS winter pep assembly was held on Thursday, February 13 in the high school gymnasium during period 4.
Sports teams were recognized, including the boys and girls varsity and junior varsity basketball teams as well as the cheerleaders. Students who participated in these activities were called onto the floor by Mr. Hoven, the event MC, and the student body and staff applauded these students for their hard work and accomplishments.
The cheerleaders participated in a cheer of their own to kick-off the assembly, and they also helped to fire up the crowd during the assembly.
After the athletes were recognized, Mr. Eglesia awarded academic jackets to each of the following students:
Rebecca Baker Cassie Inzana Sam Ritter
Tyler Cowburn Sarah Morgan Sabrina Williams
Shayna Graham Joy Olney Dustin Wynne
Mr. Eglesia began the awards presentation by describing to the student body and staff members exactly how academic jackets were earned. Then, he called down each student receiving a jacket to the floor. Selected staff members walked out to the students, and when given the appropriate signal, the staff members placed the jackets on the students. The student body and staff members then applauded these students as congratulations for their academic hard work and dedication.
The assembly ended with a game of “schpupel,” which originated from the television show called “Family Guy”. Volunteer students competed in a tournament. Two students faced off against each other at a time. They began on opposite ends of an arena. They then ran toward a centered container of dodge balls and balloons. Once at the container, each student had to try and hit the other with a dodge ball. Once a student accomplished this feat, he or she had to grab a balloon from the centered container, take it to the edge of the arena, and break the balloon. When the balloon was broken, the contestant yelled “schpupel” and won the game.
Junior Dylan Whitesell won the schpupel event.
Parent/Teacher Conferences Held on February 13
The second session of parent/teacher conferences were held at NPHS on Thursday, February 13 from 1:00 to 5:30PM.
The total number of conferences that NPHS teachers requested in writing was 190. Approximately 48 parents responded to the written requests during conferences, and 17 parents came out to the conferences without a written request.
During conferences at 4:30PM in the auditorium, Mr. Eglesia held a meeting for parents of juniors who were beginning the official process of completing senior projects. At this meeting, Mr. Eglesia discussed the concept of senior projects, the process of completing them, and significant due dates that were important to remember. To invite parents to this meeting, letters were sent home in junior homerooms on Wednesday, February 12. One set of parents did attend the meeting.
Blood Drive Held on February 26
On Wednesday, February 26, the American Red Cross held its second blood drive for the 2013-2014 school year in the NPHS auditorium.
Sixteen blood donors attended, and 12 units of blood were collected, which according to the Red Cross, could save the lives of up to 36 people.
Also, there were five first-time blood donors who attended the event.
Important Dates to Remember
FRI, 2/28: Senior breakfast
FRI, 3/21: RSVP for FFA banquet due to Ms. Miles ([email protected])
TUES, 3/25: Faculty/Board members attending prom must have their dinner choices (chicken fettuccine or roast beef) to Mrs. Pomeroy ([email protected]) or Mrs. Bailey ([email protected])
WED, 3/26: Dessert Theater (7PM in the HS gym)
THURS, 3/27: FFA banquet (doors open - 6:30PM, dinner – 7PM)
FRI, 3/28: Senior breakfast
THURS, 4/3: Senior banquet (dinner served @ 7PM)
THURS, 4/24: NHS induction (7:30PM w/ dessert after)
FRI, 4/25: Senior breakfast
SAT, 4/26: NPHS Prom (pictures – 6 to 7PM, dinner – 7PM, crowning – 10:15PM)
THURS, 5/15: Sports banquet (6PM)
FRI, 5/30: Senior breakfast for juniors
FRI, 5/30: Senior picnic
FRI, 6/6: Graduation
February News
NPHS Plans to Implement iPeriod on Tuesday, 2/11
I am excited to announce that on Tuesday, February 11, we will operate on our first iPeriod schedule at NPHS. The “i” in iPeriod stands for “intervention,” and this will be a class period during the day in which teachers will plan interventions for students based on how the students have performed on standardized tests, diagnostic assessments, and coursework. For the remainder of this school year, the iPeriod schedule will operate on Tuesdays only.
We will offer three types of classes during the iPeriod:
In order to create time for this iPeriod, we will be eliminating homeroom on Tuesdays and shaving minutes from each class period in the morning. As a staff, we were determined to offer iPeriod at a time that would benefit ALL of our students, including those who attend the Career and Technical Center (CTC) on a daily basis. Thus, our Tuesday schedule will be as follows:
No homeroom
8:07 – 8:47 Period 1
8:50 – 9:25 Period 2
9:28 – 10:03 Period 3
10:06 – 10:41 Period 4
10:44 – 11:19 iPeriod
Periods 5A, 5B, 6, 7, & 8 will operate on the normal daily schedule.
Morning announcements will now occur during period 1 on Tuesdays, and daily attendance will be taken here rather than homeroom. Students who eat breakfast in the morning will be allowed to pick up breakfast items in the cafeteria upon arriving and take them to period 1 classes no later than 8:07AM. Period 1 teachers will allow students to eat these items purchased in the cafeteria. Students will have the same amount of time in between class periods, so they will still be able to exchange materials in lockers, use the restrooms, and get to their next classes on time. Finally, students attending the CTC will still be eating and leaving at the same times as always.
Students will find out their meeting locations for iPeriod by looking at rosters that are posted on the walls outside of the main office and in the cafeteria on Monday, 2/10 and Tuesday, 2/11.
Our goal as we move forward is for students to be able to move between iPeriod classes based on how they perform, so we will use the most recent PSSA, Keystone, Classroom Diagnostic Test (CDT), and coursework data to determine this movement. Students will be able to move in the middle and at the ends of quarters based on this performance data and the decision of all stakeholders.
All in all, we believe that the iPeriod time will help our students to perform better on standardized tests, and ultimately become more competent in basic skills. We also believe that it can be used to help students enhance their knowledge of basic skills and perform better in their coursework. Furthermore, the iPeriod can easily be used in future years to allow students to complete Keystone projects once passing the Keystones becomes a requirement for the graduation of high school.
Students Awarded for Efforts on Winter Keystone Exams
This past December and January, when students were taking the literature, algebra, and biology Keystone Exams, they were presented with tickets every time they demonstrated behaviors associated with good test-taking skills. There were eight total targeted behaviors, and some of them included listening to and following testing directions carefully, using the entire testing time, and checking work. When a student earned a ticket, the testing monitor placed the student’s name on the ticket, and then the ticket was placed into a large plastic bowl.
On Thursday, January 30, all 80 students who took exams during the winter round of testing reported to a rewards assembly during homeroom. Mr. Eglesia randomly drew tickets from the bowl, and each student who had a ticket drawn won a prize. The following students won the corresponding prizes:
10 dollar iTunes cardsTyler Mattison
Kenneth Hancock
Katelyn Siska
Lewis Robinson
Steven Baker
Alyssa Kelleher
Alex Vetter
Cassie Whitesell
Briana Black
25 dollar Visa gift cards
MarliAnna Gardner X 2
Lydia Thompson
50 dollar Visa gift card
Andie Lehman
Katlyn Seeley
5th generation Apple iPod
Cheyenne Hall
December Students of the Month Selected
The December Students of the Month were Alexis Adams (grade 10), Gerald Hanes (grade 7), Keara Mathwig (grade 9), Sarah Morgan (grade 10), and Aaron Olney (grade 12). The luncheon was held on January 28.
Please refer to the chart below for details about each nomination. The second column of information, “NPHS Staff Member/Environment,” represents the staff member who nominated the student as well as the environment where the staff member interacts with the student:
Student Nominated
NPHS Staff Member/Environment
Reason(s) for the Nomination
Alexis Adams
Mr. Haskins, US history and economics
“Alexis is probably the most responsible and conscientious student I have in class. She is not just driven by the grade but seems to also possess a desire to learn just for learning's sake. ”
Gerald Hanes
Mr. Drabert, cafeteria and study hall
“Gerald has worked very hard to become more organized and has shown improvements in his classes because of this. He always seems to be in a great mood, and is always very talkative and respectful. It is a pleasure to work with him.”
Keara Mathwig
Mr. Filer, life skills classroom
According to Mr. Filer, Keara displayed great improvements in her behavior when he had her as a student in his classroom.
Sarah Morgan
Mr. Gamble, guidance office
According to Mr. Gamble, Sarah is extensively involved in school activities, she models school citizenship, and she always maintains top grades. An example of one of her latest endeavors was her portrayal of Cinderella in our musical “Cinderella’s Glass Slipper”. She went to musical practice after soccer practice and still maintained high academic honors.
Aaron Olney
Mrs. Dunn, Spanish IV
“Aaron was the first student who came to mind because of his influences not only in his own class with his peers, but on my teaching as well. Aaron has the unique ability to make his peers laugh and learn at the same time! Combine his sense of humor with his logical, problem solving behavior, and you have a great combination!”
Honor Roll for the Second Marking Period Announced
High Honors
Grade 12: Hannah Howe, Ellen Kibbe, Ethan Kibbe, Andie Lehman, Ashley Mitchell, Mariah Morgan, Matthew
Morgan, Aaron Olney, John Polen, Katelyn Siska, Megan Siska, and Morgan Soule
Grade 11: Elizabeth Adams, Lindi Baker, Rebecca Baker, Katlyn Bennett, Phillip Brown, Tyler Cowburn, Amanda
Gibble, Kali Langan, and Corrie Mace
Grade 10: Alexis Adams, Blayde Conley, Dylan Foust, Travis Lambert, Sarah Morgan, and Joy Olney
Grade 9: Emma Ford, Nicole Graham, Gracie Hamilton, Alyssa Kelleher, Tory McCutcheon, and Ellis Sprow
Grade 8: Kalie Cowburn, Megan Empson, Randall Empson, Sabrina Harris, Rebecca Morgan, and Mackenzie Potter
Grade 7: Abigail Anderson and Amanda Ford
Honors
Grade 12: Beverly Abbott, Kurtis Coates, and Sarah Neiswender
Grade 11: Timothy Adams, Payden Bice, Cheyenne Hall, Brandon Hancock, Krischen Hunt, Cassandra Inzana, Austin Kosa, Trevor Schweigart, Katelyn Seeley, Miranda Slawson, Gabrielle Thompson-Brower, Kasina White, and Dustin Wyne
Grade 10: Briana Black, Connor Freeman, Sidney Goldsborough, Shayna Graham, Josiah Howe, Jacob McConnell, Samuel Ritter, Sarah Snyder, Allison Thompson, Derek Thorne, Amanda Wagner, Erica Wilson, and Demi Youse
Grade 9: Alissa Hilfiger, Tucker Kosa, Ciara Lowe, Austin Outman, and Bobby Jo Tubbs
Grade 8: Justin Adams, Brandon Buck, Dawson Coates, Myriah Coates, Kassidi Freeborn, Jenna Hyde, Alex Knauer, Destiny Perkins, Johnathan Petsch, and Hannah Tilton
Grade 7: Trinity Andrews, Lynn Bartas, Jordan Bartoo, Devin Burdick, Savannah Coates, Sky DeBockler, Cullen Empson, Kasey Freeman, Dennis Green III, Alexis Houghtaling, Ashley Kunselman, Brent Nelson, Andrew Perovich, Ethan Russell, Tessa Schweigart, Joseth Shafer, and Tiffany Whitesell
NPHS Students Strong at District 2 Band Festival
Josiah Howe and Elizabeth Adams, who participated in the PMEA District 2 Band Festival at Youngstown High School
with Mrs. Smeenk, had very strong performances at the event. Howe, a sophomore, placed second chair in his section and will be moving to Region Band. Adams, a junior, was just two chairs away from moving on in her section. Region Band will take place at Leechburg High School in March.
Juniors Begin Senior Projects
On Monday, January 27 during homeroom, juniors met with Mr. Eglesia in the auditorium to obtain some information regarding the completion of their senior projects.
Students received updated senior project packets that reflected the most recent policy of a November 1 completion date. Because November 1, 2014 falls on a Saturday, all juniors are being given until Monday, November 3 to complete all aspects of their senior projects (product, product presentation, and written presentation).
Mr. Eglesia spent time with the juniors explaining all of the requirements and answering all of their questions regarding the completion of their projects. A letter was also sent home to parents to keep them informed about the process.
Several due dates were immediately established to get students going on their projects. Personal data sheets (which require students to identify a topic and an adviser) and verbal proposals are due no later than dismissal on Monday, February 10, 2014. Written proposals and timelines are also due to advisers no later than March 28 by dismissal.
Important Dates to Remember
FRI, 2/28: Senior breakfast
TUES, 3/11: Dessert Theater (7PM in the HS gym)
THURS, 3/20: FFA banquet (6:30PM)
FRI, 3/28: Senior breakfast
THURS, 4/3: Senior banquet (dinner served @ 7PM)
THURS, 4/24: NHS induction (7:30PM w/ dessert after)
FRI, 4/25: Senior breakfast
THURS, 5/15: Sports banquet (6PM)
FRI, 5/30: Senior breakfast for juniors
FRI, 5/30: Senior picnic
FRI, 6/6: Graduation
January News
With the holiday break occurring from December 20 through January 1, the month of December was a very brief month at Northern Potter Jr./Sr. High School (NPHS) with only 14.5 instructional school days. Despite it being short on time, the month was still busy and packed with several events including a couple rounds of Keystone testing, a financial aid informational meeting, a Pennsylvania Department of Education Standards Aligned System (PDE SAS) conference, the annual holiday concert, the second Students of the Month luncheon, a National Honor Society election, and a Variety Show.
The Literature and Algebra I Keystone testing seemed to go very smoothly. Test administrators and proctors reported that the students seemed motivated to perform well on the tests, and students earned many tickets for demonstrating appropriate testing behaviors (see picture). Likewise, staff members supervising students who were learning specific skills in math, reading, and science as well as students who were completing enrichment activities reported that students worked hard during the instructional times, and they seemed to believe it was time well spent. The same format for testing will be used during the Biology Keystones in mid-January. Also, the school improvement team is looking at implementing an intervention period during the spring semester. Students would be grouped during this period of time in much the same way they were grouped during our winter rounds of Keystone testing.
On December 10, Mr. Gamble held a financial aid informational meeting in the auditorium, beginning at 6:30PM. The meeting was intended for any students in grades 9 through 12 planning on attending college after high school. Approximately 20 people attended. Retired financial aid officer Chris Vaughn and admissions counselor David Empett (both from Mansfield University) were the presenters. Topics covered included federal student aid, the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Stafford loans, direct plus loans, parent plus loans, evaluation of college offers, the calculation of financial aid, and scholarships.
On December 9 and 10, Mr. Graham, Mr. Morgan, and myself attended the annual PDE SAS conference in Hershey, PA. I attended sessions on the Keystone projects, the attribution of student PVAAS scores to teachers (as part of the new teacher effectiveness system), and student learning objectives (SLOs), which are also part of the new teacher effectiveness system. I found the sessions on the Keystone projects and SLOs most beneficial. In 2017, the Keystone projects will be used with students who do not score proficient or advanced after taking the Keystone exams a certain number of times. There will be a project associated with each Keystone exam. Students who are assigned these projects will also be appointed a tutor who will guide them through the completion of each project. Projects will be completed through an online system, and after the tutor checks the work of a student, the project will be submitted electronically so that state evaluators can assess the project. SLOs will be required for all teachers beginning in the 2014-2015 school year. These will help teachers to set detailed instructional goals for groups of students over specific periods of time, and SLOs will help to underscore the current emphasis in education for teachers to use data to improve learning in the classroom. SLOs and other elective data will make up 20 percent of a teacher’s evaluation in the 2014-2015 academic year. The session covered the design and quality assurance of SLOs. Overall, I found these sessions quite informative, and they helped to motivate my thinking toward the implementation of Keystone projects and SLOs in the district.
The annual holiday concert was held on December 12. Students, parents, relatives, staff, and other community members packed the auditorium and experienced a quality and varied performance by our music department at NPHS. I was impressed by the number of students who performed in both our singing and instrumental groups. At one time, there were approximately 65 students singing in a large group on stage. Not too many high schools can boast that 25 percent of the student body participates in the music programming offered.
The November Students of the Month were Dylan Foust (grade 10), Amanda Gibble (grade 11), Michael Reynolds (grade 10), Ethan Russell (grade 7), and Harley Thompson-Brower (grade 9). The luncheon was held on December 13.
Please refer to the chart below for details about each nomination. The second column of information, “NPHS Staff Member/Environment,” represents the staff member who nominated the student as well as the environment where the staff member interacts with the student:
Student Nominated
NPHS Staff Member/Environment
Reason(s) for the Nomination
Dylan Foust
Mr. Eglesia, office
“Dylan meticulously planned a fundraiser for his senior project. He began working on it by brainstorming ideas back in August and September. He took his time finding an idea that was both engaging for students and inclusive of staff members here at the high school. Before Thanksgiving, he launched the homeroom ‘Penny Wars,’ and immediately following break, he had a faculty dress down day. In all, he raised over 700.00 for the local food bank. I believe that Dylan's work on this fundraiser exemplifies a model senior project. It was engaging, included many people, and community service-based. He also has a nice start on completing his entire senior project during his sophomore year and is ahead of the game. Nice job, Dylan!”
Amanda Gibble
Mr. Doud, precalculus
Amanda has grown academically in the last year. She has started to work to her potential. She currently maintains a [very high] average. Good job Amanda!!!
Michael Reynolds
Mr. Burdick, physical education
“Michael is a very hard worker with a great attitude. He always gives 100 percent effort in all the activities that we do. Mike serves as an example for the other students in the class.”
Ethan Russell
Mr. Bryant, History 7
“Ethan is punctual, polite, and helpful to his classmates and teachers. He also demonstrates diligence in his out of class work.”
Harley Thompson-Brower
Mr. Davis, woodworking
“Harley has done very well in woodworking completing all projects in a very timely manner to very high standards. As his instructor, I appreciate Harley's effort and work ethic as well as his willingness to help others, and I look forward to seeing Harley's future projects.”
The National Honor Society elected its officers on December 18. The results are as follows:
President: Ethan Kibbe
Vice President: Matt Morgan
Secretary: Ellen Kibbe
Treasurer: John Polen
On December 20 during the early dismissal schedule, NPHS held its annual Variety Show. This show is an opportunity for any student to show off his or her talent in front of the entire student body and faculty. Mrs. Bieser organized the show; she held sign-ups, which began after Thanksgiving break, and she held auditions to determine the content of each act. This year’s show lasted from about 8:30 to 10:15AM, and it contained about 20 different performances. The following students performed in the show:
Tim Adams
Briana Black
Bethany Dailey
Dylan Foust
Devon Houghtaling
Camilla Houghtelling
Hannah Howe
Josiah Howe
Isabella Kurtz
Jacob McConnell
Mariah Morgan
Aaron Olney
Joy Olney
Taylor Pollock
Josh Reynolds
Michael Reynolds
Alyssa Smith
Tiffany Whitesell
December News
November was a very quick and busy month at Northern Potter Jr./Sr. High School (NPHS).
Parent-teacher conferences were held on Friday, November 8. Students were dismissed from school at 12:40PM that day, and teachers were able to meet with parents regarding the academic progress of their children throughout the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter for the 2013-2014 school year. According to high school records, teachers requested (in writing) a total of 203 conferences for students who were struggling academically in courses. There were 87 responses to these requests, and 40 conferences occurred without a request.
On November 15, NPHS received a “thank you” letter from the American Red Cross for the blood drive held on November 6. A total of 20 donors attended the drive in the auditorium. Fifteen units of blood were collected, meaning that the Red Cross achieved 100 percent of its goal on this day. According to the letter, 15 units of blood could ultimately save the lives of up to 45 people.
On November 20, NPHS held its first “Students of the Month” luncheon for the 2013-2014 school year. Students and staff members were served pizza and wings. The October Students of the Month were seventh grader Lynn Bartas, eighth graders Megan Empson and Delena Howell, junior Rebecca Baker, and senior Derek Gehman. Each student was nominated by a staff member at NPHS for academic reasons, good and/or improved behavior, leadership, good citizenship, contributions to school and/or the community, or any other deserving reason. Mr. Graham and Mr. Eglesia as well as Mrs. Acker, Mrs. Atherholt, Mr. Baker, Mrs. Bailey, and Mrs. Bieser all attended the luncheon with the students who were nominated. Students were also recognized on the electronic sign and a bulletin board outside of the high school main office.
Finally, a winter round of Keystone Exams will be given in the first couple weeks of December as well as the middle of January. In preparation for this event, Mr. Eglesia and Mr. Gamble spent several weeks in November designing a schedule that will accommodate three groups of students at NPHS: students who are testing, students who need more instruction on basic skills assessed by the standardized tests, and students who have demonstrated proficiency on the standardized tests in the past. The entire student body was broken into these three distinct categories and then teachers were matched to appropriate groups of students.
During the testing sessions, the high school will run on a modified schedule in the morning. Students who are testing will report to testing classrooms. These groups of students were kept small, and two staff members were assigned to each group. During the testing, students can earn tickets for demonstrating the eight appropriate testing behaviors identified as follows:
1. The student is present and on time on the day of the test.
2. The student listens to and follows testing directions carefully.
3. The student takes his or her time when answering test questions.
4. The student uses the entire testing time.
5. The student checks his or her work.
6. The student plans his or her responses on scrap paper.
7. The student performs his or her best on the test.
8. The student maintains a quiet and comfortable testing environment for himself/herself and others.
The student’s name will be written on each ticket earned, and then the tickets will be placed in a bin in the office. In the middle of January, when all testing is completed, students who participated in the testing sessions will be called to the auditorium for a rewards assembly. At this assembly, Mr. Eglesia will draw tickets (with names) out of this bin, and the students who win will be rewarded with various prizes. The students testing during the winter session and the students who serve on the Head of the Panthers student advisory committee were surveyed to determine what they would consider to be motivating rewards.
Students in the other groups during the testing sessions will be focused on learning specific skills in math, reading, and science, or they will be focused on completing enrichment activities associated with their different classes at the high school. The entire system is designed to maximize performance on the standardized tests as well as effectively use this time to help the other students who are not testing continue to develop academically. After this winter Keystone Exam session, this newly designed system will be evaluated, and appropriate revisions will be made for the spring testing sessions.
October/November News
October and the beginning of November contained numerous events at Northern Potter Jr./Sr. High School (NPHS), including the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT), a Government Outreach field trip, an educational excellence fair field trip, graduation project presentations, an October 25 in-service afternoon, a professional learning community conference in Indianapolis, Teen Conference, and a blood drive.
On October 16, all students in grade 11 took the PSAT. According to the College Board website, this test is beneficial to juniors because it gives them feedback regarding skill areas of strength and weakness, it compares them to all other students who are applying to college, it enters them into the National Merit Scholarship Corporation competition for scholarships, and it helps them to effectively prepare for the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT). While many high schools require students to pay for this test themselves and thus make it optional, Northern Potter pays the fee for all juniors to take the test and provides the opportunities afforded by the PSAT to all students.
Also on October 16, Mr. Lander took the following senior students to the 2013 Government Outreach at Pitt-Bradford: Matt Morgan, Brooklynne Cowburn, Ethan Kibbe, Mariah Morgan, Kurtis Coates, Stacy Plumstead, Rhys Lewis, Shania Koch, and Marlianna Gardner.
On October 17, eighth graders Mack Potter and Jesse Bliss represented NPHS and the Northern Potter School District at the PSBA Educational Excellence Fair in Hershey, PA.
Graduation project presentations occurred on October 1, 21, and 23. According to Board policy, all students need to deliver their presentations no later than November 1 of their senior year. This goal was achieved by all students in the class of 2014 enrolled in the traditional high school setting. In order to present, all students were required to have their papers submitted to their advisers and/or a reader. While the early deadline pressed students and faculty members into a tight schedule, most would agree that it is beneficial to have the graduation project out of the way for the seniors.
On October 25, students were released from school at approximately 12:45PM. The teachers then spent their Act 80 afternoon in two sessions: Classroom Diagnostic Tools (CDT) training or curriculum writing. All tested area subject teachers in the mathematics, language arts, and science departments as well as learning support teachers attended the CDT training. CDTs are diagnostic assessments that allow a teacher to obtain real-time data on students. This data tells teachers about skills that students are strong and weak in, allowing teachers to plan instruction that will address the areas of need. Teachers attending this session learned how to set up CDT testing sessions and use the data provided, and the session was a success because several teachers have already begun using the CDTs with their students in the month of November. Any teacher at NPHS who had not yet had the curriculum writing instruction attended this session during the Act 80 afternoon. This pretty much included teachers of special subjects such as gym, music, business, agriculture, and technology as well as teachers in the core academic subjects who do not yet have state-mandated tests. Teachers learned how to use standards and eligible contents to create units of instruction which were then further developed by writing student learning objectives, identifying instructional resources and assessments, and estimating an amount of time for each unit.
On October 28, 29, and 30, Mr. Eglesia, Mr. Pierce, Mrs. McCutcheon, Ms. Miles, and Mr. Hoven attended a professional learning community (PLC) conference in Indianapolis, IN. PLCs are basically teams of teachers that collaborate and learn together with the goal of improving student learning. Several leaders in the educational field (such as Richard and Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, Mike Mattos, and Anthony Muhammed) were in attendance at the conference and offered workshops that covered PLCs, school culture, the Common Core, etc. The five staff members from Northern Potter used what they learned at the conference to help grow and establish the PLC movement at NPHS. This began at a school improvement team meeting on November 4, where the decision was made to focus PLCs during the 2013-2014 school year on department teams and curriculum mapping. A decision was also made at this meeting to establish building-wide norms and meeting structures to assist PLCs with efficient operation and effective work. At the November 6 faculty meeting, norms were created, department teams were established, and real collaborative work on curriculum maps occurred. This work will continue throughout the rest of the school year and beyond.
The 14th annual Teen Conference occurred on Friday, November 1. The theme for this year was “Get a life, a good one – discover Potter County”. Seventh and eighth graders from across Potter County arrived at NPHS where they listened to Josh Rivedal, the keynote speaker, and a classic rock band called Marshmellow Overcoat. The junior high students also had the opportunity to attend several workshops, including geocaching, robotics, auto mechanics, digital photography, and wildlife conservation. The conference lasted from about 9AM to 2PM.
On November 6, the American Red Cross held a blood drive in the auditorium at NPHS from 9AM to 2PM. The drive was open to students (16 or older) and staff members. All 16-year-olds were required to have parent permission to give blood. Approximately 15 students signed up to donate.
September News
Seventh grade and new student orientation was on August 22 from 6:30 to about 8:00PM. The two primary goals of the night were to make new students and parents feel welcome and provide helpful information about the high school. The night opened in the auditorium with introductions of staff members, and there were about 20 in attendance. Mr. Eglesia gave an overview of the high school, focusing on key differences between the elementary and high school environments. Mr. Gamble discussed guidance services and the Student Assistance Program while Mrs. Pennell gave parents and students information about health services and medication distribution. Mr. Pierce spoke about extra-curricular activities, and Mr. Bryant talked about technology in the secondary school environment. Later in the evening, students participated in a scavenger hunt activity, using mobile learning devices to find their way around the building. The activity was designed to help seventh graders and new students become familiar with the new environment in a fun, activity-based way. During the scavenger hunt, Mr. Gamble and Mr. Eglesia provided parents with some helpful advice regarding how to smooth the transition of their children coming to the high school. When both the scavenger hunt and parent session had ended, everyone met in the cafeteria for cookies and drinks. At this time, students also received “Back to School Packs” that included some school supplies, a student handbook, and updated schedules. The cafeteria quickly developed into a place where parents, students, and teachers could speak to one another in a more personalized manner about classes, high school routines, etc. After being offered an opportunity to ask general questions, parents and students were allowed 15 to 20 minutes to freely walk around the building and look for lockers and classrooms. Feedback regarding the evening was very positive, and the format seemed to establish a good foundation to build upon.
Teacher in-service days were held on August 22, 23, and 26. The focus of the in-service days was on classroom instruction, the new teacher evaluation tool, and understanding expectations and procedures for the new school year. Pam Kastner, from the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network, conducted in-service sessions for the teachers on formative assessment strategies and professional evaluations. After introducing some new expectations and procedures, Mr. Eglesia led the teachers in a data analysis activity that focused on 2012-2013 PSSA and Keystone data. The teaching staff drew several conclusions from the data and used it to propose some changes to the instructional process at the high school. The first change that the staff will focus on in the immediate future is the alignment of course curriculum to proper standards and eligible content. This will all be accomplished in a universal format that was used by the Children’s School in the 2012-2013 school year.
The first day of school was on August 27. Students, parents, bus drivers, and others entered an environment that is very much focused on safety and supervision to enhance education. Teachers took their duty posts at 7:50AM and welcomed and monitored students as they entered the building. Homeroom was extended to help students and teachers process the traditional beginning-of-the-year forms, and students were introduced to a new universal pass system that promotes accountability, health, and increased learning time. Throughout the day, teachers introduced their classes to students. At dismissal, teachers again took to their duty posts to send the students home in as safe of a manner possible.
Throughout the first week of school, Mr. Eglesia and Mr. Pierce conducted grade level expectation meetings during the first period of each school day. These meetings were designed to accomplish each of the following:
Extra-curricular activities have also begun. The sports teams are off to a great start as the cross-country and soccer teams have picked up a couple of wins. The junior high soccer and volleyball teams have opened their seasons with wins, and though the varsity volleyball team opened its season with a loss, the girls were very competitive with a very good Oswayo Valley team. Also, we have had a couple of days of auditions for the upcoming musical called “Cinderella’s Glass Slipper.”
Several clubs and activities have had their initial meetings and officers have been selected in each of the following groups: senior high band and chorus, junior high band and chorus, and the varsity club. Please see the list below for student names:
Senior High Band Officers
President: Corrie Mace
Vice President: Amanda Gibble
Secretary/Treasurer: Katlyn Bennett
Librarians: Alicia Hartman, Sam Ritter, Ellie Sprow, and Ally Thompson
Junior High Band Officers
President: Hannah Tilton
Vice President: Jenna Hyde
Secretary/Treasurer: Becca Morgan
Librarians: Dawson Coates, Wyatt Kosa, Delleny Molisani, and Nevin Stiles
Senior High Choral Officers
President: Hannah Howe
Vice President: Brooklynne Cowburn
Secretary/Treasurer: Corrie Mace
Librarians: Demi Youse, Sarah Morgan, and Tory McCutcheon
Junior High Choral Officers
President: Hannah Tilton
Vice President: Kalie Cowburn
Secretary/Treasurer: Jenna Hyde
Librarians: Claire Perovich, Tessa Schweigart, and Sky DeBockler
Varsity Club
President: Matt Morgan
Vice President: Ethan Kibbe
Secretary: Kurtis Coates
Treasurer: Aaron Olney
at Northern Potter Jr./Sr. High School (NPHS)
By Mr. Eglesia (06/08/2015)
Northern Potter Students “On Fire” at Vo-tech Awards Assembly
On May 21, 2015, the Seneca Highlands Career and Technical Center (CTC) held its annual awards assembly outside under a tent in the AM. Even though it was a chilly morning, Northern Potter students were “on fire” when it came to receiving awards.
Of the ten programs at the CTC, Northern Potter students won five of the Top Student in Program recognition awards for the PM session. These students included Shadi Tawil (automotive mechanics), Kasina White (cosmetology), Mandy Slawson (health assistant), Krischen Hunt (heavy equipment maintenance), and Philip Brown (networking technology).
Slawson was also recognized for winning the Good Citizen Award and the Rotary Outstanding Vocational Award (ROVA) as well as for serving as vice president of the student committee during the PM session.
Trevor Schweigart won the Director’s Award and was recognized for participation in dual enrollment for networking.
Tim Adams was recognized for being a member of the National Technical Honor Society, winning the Clarion County ROVA Award, and participating in dual enrollment for networking.
Other students who were recognized included each of the following:
- April Goerner and Eva Robbins for ROVA in health assistantship
- Cody Hartman for the NET Rider Competition, winning round 1 at the local level and participating in round 2 at the national level
- Philip Brown, Steven Hogg, and Krischen Hunt for participation in dual enrollment
- Katie Riesinger, Krischen Hunt, and Chris Bartoo for serving on the student committee during the PM session
- Philip Brown, Levi Kio, and Harley Thompson-Brower who all had earned Student of the Month recognition
- Austin Kosa for completing his Capstone Education Program
Roessner Selected to Serve on Alfred State Committee
In March, Mr. Kevin Roessner, who is the school counselor at NPHS, was selected to serve on the Alfred State College Guidance Advisory Committee.
Counselors are selected for this prestigious group because of their professional expertise, interest in the admissions process, active involvement in the guidance profession, and willingness to express their opinions.
The committee serves a vital role in formulating policy and determining admissions activities as well as making recommendations to improve services for the guidance community and prospective students/parents.
Congratulations to Mr. Roessner as he continues to build partnerships that offer opportunities to our students at Northern Potter!
May 2015
14 Inducted Into NPHS National Honor Society
The following students were inducted into the Northern Potter Chapter of the National Honor Society on April 30:
Alexis Adams
Sarah Morgan
Blayde Conley
Joy Olney
Dylan Foust
Sam RItter
Sidney Goldsborough
Sarah Snyder
Shayna Graham
Allison Thompson
Josiah Howe
Amanda Wagner
Jacob McConnell
Demi Youse
Adams Inducted Into the NTHS
On Thursday, April 23, senior Tim Adams was inducted into the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) at the Seneca High lands Career and Technical Center (CTC) in Port Allegany.
A total of 16 new inductees became members during the ceremony, which brings the total number of members at the CTC to 22. Guest speaker Charles Cox, owner of Cox Machining, spoke to the members and the audience.
Tim takes part in the networking program at the CTC, and he is also a member of the Northern Potter Chapter of the National Honor Society.
April Students of the Month Selected and Honored
Submitted by Mrs. Atherholt (04/27/2015)
On Thursday, April 30, 2015, the April Students of the Month and the staff members who selected them were honored with a luncheon from 11AM to 12PM. Students and staff members indulged in pizza and wings from Pizza N Stuff in Westfield, PA.
The April Students of the Month were as follows: Chris Bartoo (grade 11), Tyler Cowburn (grade 12), Shayna Graham (grade 11), Corrie Mace (grade 12), and Sarah Morgan (grade 11).
Christopher Bartoo is an 11 th grader at Northern Potter. He is the son of Christopher Bartoo and Crystal Matteson, and he lives in Ulysses.
At Northern Potter, Chris participates in the Vo-tech program,taking welding.
Outside of school, Chris likes to fish, hunt, and enjoys his welding.
What Chris likes most about Northern Potter is the Vo-techprogram.
Chris was nominated by Mrs. Woolgar for his performance in math, biology, and history. Mrs. Woolgar writes, "Chris has
been putting his all into each course. He maintains focus, asks questions, volunteers answers, completes additional assignments
to improve his grades, helps others, and has pushed himself to excel in each subject. His attitude is positive, and he shows pride in his work."
Corrie Mace is in 12 th grade at Northern Potter. She is the daughter of Edward and Ruthann Mace, and she resides in Genesee.
Corrie is active in show choir and chorus, and she is the president of band. She does morning announcements and takes stats for the track team. Corrie is a member of National Honor Society and the vice-president of student council.
Hobbies and interests for Corrie include reading, baking, and traveling. Corrie traveled back to Alaska for her senior project as she was born there.
What Corrie likes the most about Northern Potter is the kind and supportive teachers and staff."
Corrie was nominated by Mrs. Wheeler for CHS: Literature and Interpretation and Honors English 12. Mrs. Wheeler writes, "Corrie is very conscientious about her studies and especially willing to share her ideas and help others. She is capable of examining issues from a number of views, and her writing skills are exceptional. She is a joy to have in class."
Shayna Graham is in 11th grade. She resides in Ulysses and is the daughter of Scott and Alicia Graham. At Northern Potter, Shayna is very active. She participates in band, chorus, show choir, jazz band, marching band, pep band, District chorus and was in the musical. Shayna is a cheerleader and a member of Enrichment and STEM group. She does morning announcements, is the secretary of Entrepreneurship Club, and president of Student Council.
Outside school, Shayna is also active in her youth group and church community activities. As far as her hobbies, Shayna loves to dance, dance, dance!
The thing Shayna likes most about Northern Potter is "all the amazing people!"
Shayna was nominated for chorus by Mrs Boka. Mrs. Boka wrote, "Shayna is a stong singer and a great role model. She has a lot of natural talent and has been working very hard to improve and grow her musicality. Shayna is a true leader in the group, helpful to those around her, and a positive influence!"
Tyler Cowburn is in 12th grade at Northern Potter. He is the son of Jared and Cindy Cowburn, and he resides in Ulysses.
At Northern Potter, Tyler is active in soccer, basketball, and baseball. He also is a member of National Honor Society and the president of Varsity Club.
Outside of school, Tyler enjoys playing guitar, and juggling .
What Tyler likes the most about Northern Potter is all my friends."
Tyler was nominated by Mrs. Atherholt. Mrs. Atherholt writes, "I've know Tyler since he was in the elementary school, and he's grown into an outstanding young adult. Tyler is quiet by nature, but he is a strong leader and well respected by his peers as well as teachers, coaches, and staff members. He's a great student, participates in many extracurricular activities, and always maintains excellent grades. Tyler is a great team player, plays a mean guitar, and no matter when I see him, he always has a smile on his face."
Sarah Morgan is an 11th grader at Northern Potter. She is the daughter of Mike and Debbie Morgan, and she resides in Ulysses.
Sarah is another very busy junior at Northern Potter. She is active in cross country, soccer, basketball, Softball, and track.
Musically, Sarah is involved in chorus, band, and show choir, and she was in the musical. Clubs she belongs to are student council, enrichment, and STEM group.
While not in school, Sarah is active in youth group and the Gold Church Choir. Her hobbies include running, reading, playing indoor soccer, and singing.
What Sarah likes most about Northern Potter is wthe caring attitude teachers and students portray."
Sarah was nominated by Mrs. Wolfinger for Honors American Literature and Freshman College Composition. Mrs. Wolfinger
wrote,Sarah is a conscientious and hard-working student. She interacts well with her peers and is a natural leader, challenging
herself and others to do their very best! Sarah is smart, has a great sense of humor, and is a pleasure to have in class."
April 2015
Honor Roll for Marking Period 3 Announced
HIGH HONORS
Grade 12: Timothy Adams, Lindi Baker, Rebecca Baker, Katlyn Bennett, Payden Bice, Phillip Brown, Tyler Cowburn, Cassandra Inzana, Kali Langan, Corrie Mace, Miranda Slawson, Sabrina Williams, Caleb Zdrojewski
Grade 11: Alexis Adams, Dylan Foust, Sidney Goldsborough, Josiah Howe, Travis Lambert, Sarah Morgan, Joy Olney, Allison Thompson
Grade 10: Austyn Bowman, Jenna Buck, Emma Ford, Nicole Graham, Gracie Hamilton, Tory McCutcheon, Ellis Sprow
Grade 9: Justin Adams, Megan Empson, Randall Empson, Mikayla Lewis, Rebecca Morgan, Willis Morgan, Brienna Shimkanin
Grade 8: Abigail Anderson, Devin Burdick, Amanda Ford, Tessa Schweigart
Grade 7: Courtney Fox, Savannah Herring, Foster Kosa, Melissa Lehman, Ezra Sprow
HONORS
Grade 12: Andrew Boden, Austin Burdick, Jeremiah Butler, Makayla Button, Amanda Gibble, Krischen Hunt, Ashley Mathwig, Jason Perry, Shadi Tawil, Gabrielle Thompson-Brower, Kasina White, Dylan Whitesell, Dustin Wyne
Grade 11: Briana Black, Christopher Bartoo, Blayde Conley, Connor Freeman, April Goerner, Shayna Graham, Preston Kibbe, Samuel Ritter, Sarah Snyder, Amanda Wagner
Grade 10: Julie Fillhart, Alissa Hilfiger, Tucker Kosa, Bobby Jo Tubbs,
Grade 9: Brandon Buck, Diamond Button, Dawson Coates, Kali Cowburn, Kassidi Freeborn, Nicholas Harmon, Jenna Hyde, Alex Knauer, Mackenzie Potter, Christa Robinson
Grade 8: Lynn Bartas, Dakota Burdick, Holden Cowburn, Kasey Freeman, Alexis Houghtaling, Ashely Kunselman, Tiffany Whitesell
Grade 7: Alyssa Burchell, Clayton Cady, Angela DeBockler, Mackenzie Gertzen, Hunter Lampman, Aaron Lehman, Caitlyn Magarigal, Jordan McClellan, Hannah Mull, Morgan Palmatier, Danielle Perry, Hope Porcuri, Gavin Soule, Jamie Vandegriff, Samantha Vannatter, Andrew Willaredt
March Students of the Month Selected and Honored
Submitted by Mrs. Atherholt (04/08/2015)
On Thursday, March 26, 2015, the March Students of the Month and the staff members who selected them were honored with a luncheon from 11AM to 12PM. Students and staff members had pizza and wings from Pizza N Stuff in Westfield, PA.
The March Students of the Month were as follows: Dylan Foust (grade 11), Jahsiah Andrews (grade 9), Johnathan Petsch (grade 9), Keisha Button (grade 8), and Sarah Snyder (grade 11).
Dylan Foust is the son of Gary Foust and Sharon Jones, and he resides in Andrews Settlement.
At Northern Potter, Dylan is active in basketball and chorus. Dylan is also the junior class president and varsity club vice- president. Outside of school, Dylan is active in boy scouts, sports, and playing guitar, and he loves his Mustang.
What Dylan likes the most about Northern Potter is “the great faculty and staff.”
Dylan was nominated by Mr. Roessner. Mr. Roessner writes, “Dylan has consistently demonstrated a strong desire to succeed, both in the classroom and in the community. His pro-active approach to career development will yield many benefits.”
Jahsiah Andrews resides in Genesee and is the son of Matthew Andrews and Maide Andrews.
At Northern Potter, Jahsiah enjoys art survey, drawing, painting, Ceramics I, and Ceramics II. His hobbies include video games, reading, and art.
The things Jahsiah likes most about Northern Potter are “art class and library.”
Jahsiah was nominated by Ms. Rutkowski for his performance in her art classes . Ms. Rutkowski chose Jahsiah for “his love of subject [and] cooperation with both peers and instructor, [and] he strives for artistic improvement, he has fabulous project production, and he is eager to learn new techniques.”
Johnathan Petsch is the son of Erich and Sandy Petsch, and he resides in Ulysses.
At Northern Potter, Johnathan is an active member of the entrepreneurship club. His hobbies and interests include walking, reading, and sleeping.
The thing Johnathan likes most about Northern Potter is “he can hang out with his friends.”
Johnathan was nominated by Mrs. Solis. Mrs. Solis wrote, “Johnathan is pleasant and ready to participate in class. He is helpful to other students and efficient in completing his work on time.”
Keisha Button is the daughter of Charles and Angel Button, and she resides in Westfield.
Keisha is active in basketball, band, and chorus. Hobbies and interests for Keisha include painting, reading, FFA activities, and talking on her phone.
What Keisha likes the most about Northern Potter is “the nice staff and students.”
Keisha was nominated by Mrs. Walck. Mrs. Walck writes, “Keisha is hardworking, always polite, helpful to her peers, and kind. Also, her grade has come up significantly.”
Sarah Snyder is the daughter of James and Barbara Snyder, and she resides in Gold.
Her Northern Potter activities include volleyball, softball, marching band, band, jazz band, pep band, and book club. She also likes to volunteer and help the girl scouts.
What Sarah likes most at Northern Potter are the teachers.
Sarah was nominated by Mrs. Smeenk. Mrs. Smeenk writes, “Sarah participated in District Band this year, placing high enough to advance to Regional Band in February. Sarah worked very hard to prepare for these festivals, and her hard work paid off. She is very devoted to music, and she participates in all things band - jazz band, pep band, marching band, and concert band.
March 2015
Winter Keystone Results Suggest that iPeriod Has Positive Effect
Submitted by Mr. Eglesia (03/09/2015)
On Monday, March 2, 2015, student scores for the winter round of Keystone Exams (from December and January) were available for view by school districts across the Commonwealth.
Of the three subject areas tested, students who took the Literature Keystone saw the highest rates of proficiency with 24 percent scoring proficient or advanced. Students who took the Algebra Keystone scored with 19 percent proficiency, and students who took the Biology Keystone scored 15 percent proficiency.
Another aspect of this data that is important to note involves the modules associated with the exams. Each exam is broken into two modules or parts. Students may pass individual modules and only have to retake the modules that are not passed. Of the students who did not pass the Algebra Keystones during this round of testing, 39 total modules were taken. On 59% of these modules (or 23 of them), students were able to obtain their best scores ever. Out of 34 modules taken by students who did not pass in Biology, 47 percent of them (or 16 modules) saw students with their best performances ever. In Literature, 31 modules were taken by students who did not pass; 39 percent of them (or 12 modules) saw their best performances.
With this many students passing the Keystone Exams and/or notching their best performances ever on specific modules, it is easy to see that the tutoring occurring during the daily iPeriod is helping to have a positive overall effect on student performance on the state testing.
The students who took the tests during this round were re-taking them and trying to achieve a passing score. At Northern Potter, this group of students consisted primarily of juniors and freshmen though there were representatives from other classes.
February Students of the Month Selected and Honored
Submitted by Mrs. Atherholt (03/09/2015)
On Friday, February 27, 2015, the February Students of the Month and the staff members who selected them were honored with a luncheon from 11AM to 12PM. Students and staff members indulged in pizza and wings from Pizza N Stuff in Westfield, PA.
The February Students of the Month were as follows: Travis Morgan (grade 11), Josh Reynolds (grade 12), Travis Lambert (grade 11), Caitlyn Magarigal (grade 7), and Allison Thompson (grade 11).
Travis Morgan is the son of Bill Morgan and Lisa Morgan, and he resides in Ulysses. At Northern Potter, Travis is active in basketball, baseball, and track. Travis also participated in football at Cowanesque Valley High School. Travis likes sports and hanging out with friends. What Travis likes the most about Northern Potter is “when you walk through the halls, there are no bullies.”
Travis was nominated by Mrs. Pennell. Mrs. Pennell writes, “Travis Morgan is straight and tall . . . you might think this refers to his stature, but I am referring to his character! Travis not only carries himself with a sense of purpose, but he is gracious, polite, and friendly in his interactions with others. He displays a sense of humor, his smile is infectious, and he is an asset to our school.”
Josh Reynolds resides in Westfield and is the son of Eric and Misty Reynolds. At Northern Potter, Josh enjoys music with Mr. Roessner for his activity period. Josh is in a rock band with his brother, and besides music, he enjoys gaming, exercise, and weight lifting. The thing Josh likes most about Northern Potter is “coming to school and seeing his friends. He also likes his teachers and learning.” Josh was nominated by Ms. Miles for Ag. Mech. Ms. Miles writes, “Josh is a hard worker, strives to always improve, has a positive attitude, enjoys working in the shop, has creative ideas, and is reliable and willing to learn.”
Travis Lambert is the son of Jennifer McGinty, and he resides in Ulysses. At Northern Potter, Travis is an active member of FFA. In 9th grade, he received his Green Hand degree, and this year he is working towards his Chapter degree. For Travis, hobbies and interests include shooting guns, mechanics, and self-sufficiency. The thing Travis likes most about Northern Potter is “the small classes.”
Travis was nominated by Mrs. Reigh. Mrs. Reigh wrote, “Travis is always on time for class. He always uses his manners (please and thank you) which I appreciate. I see a good work ethic in Travis. He is a pleasure to have in class.”
Caitlyn Magarigal is the daughter of Roy and Amber Magarigal, and she resides in Ulysses. Caitlyn is active in Show Choir and Photography Club. Hobbies and interests for Caitlyn include art, soccer, and photography. What Caitlyn likes the most about Northern Potter is “the teachers.”
Caitlyn was nominated by Mrs. Pomeroy. Mrs. Pomeroy writes, “Caitlyn is a ray of sunshine! She never seems to have a bad day and though quiet, she can bring laughter to the dullest of tasks. Caitlyn always completes her work and strives to excel. She works very hard to be the best she can be. On top of that, she is perhaps the most spirited student I have ever taught!”
Allison Thompson is the daughter of Rob and Alicia White, and she resides in Mills. Her Northern Potter activities include volleyball, softball, track, and Marching Band. Allie likes hunting, fishing, four wheeler riding, and reading. What Allison likes most at Northern Potter is “everyone is willing to help you achieve your goals.”
Allison was nominated by Mrs. Potter. Mrs. Potter writes, “Allison maintains an honor roll status, has good attendance, and participates in extra-curricular activities. Allie always gives her best at what she is doing and maintains a good attitude.”
February 2015
January Students of the Month Selected and Honored
On Thursday, January 29, 2015, the January Students of the Month and the staff members who selected them were honored with a luncheon from 11AM to 12PM. Students and staff members indulged in pizza and wings from Pizza N Stuff in Westfield, PA.
The January Students of the Month were as follows: Gracie Hamilton (grade 10), Mikayla Lewis (grade 9), Mandy Slawson (grade 12), Gage Soule (grade 9), and Caleb Zdrojewski (grade 12).
Gracie Hamilton is the daughter of Todd and Wendy Hamilton, and she resides in Ulysses. Gracie is active in volleyball, basketball, track & field, show choir, ski club, varsity club, yellow ribbon club, and student council, and she is the vice president of the sophomore class. Hobbies and interests for Gracie include hunting and ice skating. What Gracie likes the most about Northern Potter is “the ladies in the office of course.”
Gracie was nominated by Mr. Haskins. Mr. Haskins writes, “Gracie excels in the classroom while also being able to balance all the extra-curricular activities she is involved in. She displays a great ability to be able to manage her time and prioritize her responsibilities.”
Mikayla Lewis is the daughter of Chastity Lewis, and she resides in Ulysses. Her Northern Potter activities include soccer, basketball, ski club, softball, and varsity club. Mikayla likes hunting and ice skating. What Mikayla likes most at Northern Potter is also “the ladies in the office.”
Mikayla was nominated by Mrs. LaBarron for Algebra 1. Mrs. LaBarron writes, “Mikayla is working very hard in class. She is always helping other students, has great manners, and is self-motivated to succeed. She is an absolute pleasure to have in class.”
Mandy Slawson is the daughter of Jeremy Slawson and JoAnn Phillips, and she resides in Genesee. Clubs and activities Mandy is in at Northern Potter include basketball, cross country, track, National Honor Society, chorus, and varsity club. For Mandy, hobbies and interests include working at Pizza King and fishing. Mandy is also a junior fire fighter.
Mandy was nominated by Dr. McCorkle for business math. Dr. McCorkle wrote, “Mandy does excellent work in class. She scores well on tests and completes assignments. Mandy does an excellent job in class while balancing a time-consuming sports schedule, which is a testament to her work ethic and dedication to being a well-rounded person.”
Gage Soule is the son of Brad and Lisa Soule, and he resides in Ulysses. At Northern Potter, Gage is active in FFA. Gage likes hunting, trapping, fishing, and riding dirt bikes and four wheelers. What Gage likes the most about Northern Potter is gym class.
Gage was nominated by Mr. Hoven for performance in English class. Mr. Hoven wrote, “Gage comes to class prepared, helps others with class work, participates in class discussion, and has shown great improvement in studies and completing assignments.”
Caleb Zdrojewski is a home-schooled student who takes courses here at Northern Potter High School. He resides in Ulysses and is the son of Marty and Crystal Zdrojewski. At Northern Potter, Caleb takes Mechanical Drawing 1, chemistry, and calculus. He also takes an independent study course from Mrs. Hamilton, Contemporary American History & Politics 12. All courses are dual-enrollment courses, meaning he will earn high school and college credit for completing them. Caleb enjoys music, singing, and playing guitar. The thing Caleb likes most about Northern Potter is calculus.
Caleb was nominated by Mrs. McCutcheon for chemistry. Mrs. McCutcheon said, “Caleb is always pleasant and patient with his classmates. Caleb is a kind person who works hard, and when he does not understand a concept, he will work at it until he does. He is not afraid to ask for help or to help others. Caleb is a joy to have in class.”
January 2015
Results Obtained from Title I Survey
In December, NPHS created and distributed a Title I survey to obtain general feedback from parents and guardians regarding their satisfaction in relation to various aspects of the school and their children’s educational experience.
A total of 53 responses were obtained electronically, and the school received the highest ratings in positive student relationships with teachers and school safety. According to the results, 85 percent of parents strongly agree or somewhat agree that their children have positive relationships with the teachers and staff while 73 percent strongly agree or somewhat agree that their children feel safe at school.
Areas of improvement include adequately using technology for 21st century students and school spirit. Survey results showed only 48 percent of parents strongly agreeing or somewhat agreeing that NPHS adequately uses technology for 21st century students and 38 percent of parents strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that NPHS is alive with school spirit.
The complete survey results are included as an attachment to this Board report.
November Parent-Teacher Conferences Held
On Friday, November 7, 2014, NPHS held its first annual parent – teacher conferences.
While teachers requested a total of 223 individual conferences in writing, there were a total of 94 responses to these written requests. Additionally, teachers saw a total of approximately 31 parents who came to conferences without a request.
During parent – teacher conferences, instructors of the enrichment iPeriods (and their students) created displays around the school that depicted the activities that are conducted during their daily iPeriods. Some of these displays can be seen in the Photo Gallery.
December 2014
NPHS Implements New Early Dismissal Schedule
On Wednesday, November 26, the high school ran what is called an “Early Dismissal #2 Schedule.”
While this schedule runs in the AM and early PM like a normal early dismissal, key features of this new schedule include 1.) students having their PM classes in the AM, 2.) vo-tech students traveling to the Career and Technical Center (CTC) in the AM rather than the PM, and 3.) an activity period being embedded over the lunch periods.
Typically, when the high school has run an early dismissal schedule, students see their periods one, two, three, and four classes followed by their period five classes over the lunch periods. In the new schedule, students go to their periods five, six, seven, and eight classes instead. Then, over the lunch periods, students get to participate in fun activities rather than their normal period five classes. Running this Early Dismissal #2 Schedule on some early dismissal days allows students to see their PM classes on some of these early dismissal days rather than just their AM classes. This results in the amount of time spent in courses during a given school year to be more even than it has been in the past.
Another benefit of this schedule is that vo-tech students are able to visit the CTC in the AM. In the past, most vo-tech students did not attend the CTC on early dismissal days. This also resulted in lost time for the students in their programs at the CTC. By using the Early Dismissal #2 Schedule, vo-tech students will be able to obtain more time at the CTC. It is also important to note that vo-tech students return to the high school at approximately 12:15PM in the Early Dismissal #2 Schedule, allowing them to eat lunch at the high school and ride home on the buses at the end of the school day.
Because of the addition of an activity period over the lunch periods in this new schedule, all NPHS students were allowed to sign up for activities to attend during this newly created time. Activities include each of the following:
Minecraft: Escape from Everest
Board Games and Card Games
Math 24 Challenge
Minecraft Structures
Word Game Activity
Homemade Holidays in the Kitchen
Future Farmers of America
Needle Crafts Club
Classic Rock Music
Radio Controlled Vehicles
Crafty Corner
Forensic Activities
Zumba Dance
Marbleized Paper
School of Rock
Mind Benders
Book Talks
Basic Robotics
Scrabble and Card Games
Aviation
Faculty members created the activities that are offered during activity period. During a lunch period in November, students got to read descriptions of each activity and sign up for their first, second, and third choices.
In the spring semester, activity periods will also be run during iPeriod on at least one day per month, allowing all students to participate in these fun activities.
Students of the Month Selected
The following students were selected as NPHS Students of the Month: Alexis Adams (grade 11), Tim Adams (grade 12), RJ Empson (grade 9), Delena Howell (grade 9), and Austin Whitesell (grade 11).
Alexis Adams is the daughter of Howard and Barbie Adams, and she resides in North Bingham.
Clubs and sports that Alexis is active in are Cross Country, Indoor Track, Track & Field, and Entrepreneurship Club.
Her hobbies and interests include running, hanging out with friends, reading, and babysitting.
The thing Alexis likes most about Northern Potter is the friendly staff and peers.
Alexis was nominated by Miss Harold for Spanish. Miss Harold writes, “Alexis is hard working, kind, polite, [and] involved in outside activities . . . [she is also] always willing to help others and volunteer.”
Tim Adams is the son of Duane and Carmelia Adams, and he resides in Genesee.
His Northern Potter activities include cross country, track & field, and National Honor Society.
Tim likes playing guitar and video games.
What Tim likes most at Northern Potter is that the people are generally nice.
Tim was nominated by Mr. Drabert. Mr. Drabert writes, “Tim has done an outstanding job this year balancing academics with athletics. It takes a special student–athlete to be able to manage his time to be successful in both areas. Tim’s ability to motivate himself to practice alone, as he arrives late from the CTC every day, is a big reason why he was able to become the first cross country state medalist in school history.”
R. J. Empson is the son of Randy and Leslie Empson, and he resides in Genesee.
R. J. is active in the Entreprenuership Club at school, and he also likes to draw and read.
He loves ice hockey and has played for the Olean Arrows for the past six years.
What R. J. likes the most about Northern Potter is all his friends.
R. J. was nominated by Miss Gorrell. Miss Gorrell writes, “R. J. is always a ray of sunshine in my classroom. He works exceptionally hard during class time and always completes assignments above my expectations. He is eager to help out in anyway – passing out papers, straightening up my classroom, etc. R. J. always asks how my day is going and purposely tries to make me smile.”
Delena Howell is the daughter of Arina Smith, and she resides in Ulysses.
At Northern Potter, Delena is active in FFA, and she represented Northern Potter on a field trip to the Rockwell Museum of Art and also a field trip to the Verizon Communications Hub in Syracuse, NY.
Delena likes drawing, writing, hunting, fishing, music, and painting murals.
What Delena likes the most about Northern Potter is the teachers and staff, the location, and the history of the school.
Delena was nominated by Mr. Eglesia. He writes, “Delena is intelligent, talented, and an all-around nice person. She recently took part in decorating windows of several local businesses in Ulysses. The Ulysses Area Improvement Committee sponsors lunch for the students who do this on one of the days. Before Delena left the Corner Café after lunch, she walked up to the members of the committee and personally thanked them for their generosity in providing lunch. This is an example of why Delena is a model Northern Potter student.”
Austin Whitesell is the son of Deb Bruce, and he resides in Genesee.
Austin is a newcomer to Northern Potter, so he is not involved in too much so far. When asked what he would like to try, Austin mentioned the reading club and yearbook.
Hobbies Austin enjoys are video games and reading. Austin attends church with his grandmother and hopes to become active again in a youth group, maybe even Boy Scouts.
Austin was nominated by Mrs. Hamilton for World History. Mrs. Hamilton wrote, “Austin has worked hard in World History. He never complains and works well both independently and in groups. He is always so pleasant, saying ‘Hello,’ as he walks through the halls.”
November 2014
School Performance Profile for 2013-2014 Released
Last week, our School Performance Profile information was made public on the PA School Performance Profile website at the following URL:
http://paschoolperformance.org/
According to this website, NPHS scored a 71.4 for the 2013-2014 school year. This score is 2.4 points higher than the previous year, and it brings our school into the green category. This green color represents that there is “evidence that the school met the standard for PA Academic Growth.” During the 2012-2013 school year, the school scored a 69.0 and was in the yellow category, which means that there is “moderate evidence that the school did not meet the standard for PA Academic Growth.”
While there is only a slight difference in score between the two years, the school is showing growth and the categorical difference from moderate evidence of not meeting the standard to evidence that the school did meet the standard is huge.
When a user visits the School Performance Profile website, he or she can not only find the score for an individual school, but he or she can also compare schools in a region. For example, Austin Area Jr./Sr. High School scored 77.8, Coudersport Area Jr./Sr. High School scored 71.4, and Cowanesque Valley Jr./Sr. High School scored 73.6 for the 2013-2014 school year.
November Students of the Month Selected
The Students of the Month for November were as follows: Abigail Anderson (grade 8), Courtney Fox (grade 7), Rebecca Morgan (grade 9), Mackenzie Potter (grade 9), and Lewis Robinson (grade 11).
Abigail Anderson is the daughter of Jon and Keri Anderson, and she resides in Coudersport. At Northern Potter, Abigail plays junior high basketball, and in the community, she participates in youth group and the Silver Bits 4-H Club. She likes skiing, playing soccer, and riding horseback. Her favorite aspect of Northern Potter is the nice teachers.
Abigail was nominated by Mr. Doud for her performance in Algebra I. “Abigail is an excellent Algebra I student. She is thoughtful and does her very best in every aspect of the class,” stated Mr. Doud.
Courtney Fox is the daughter of Shawn Fox, and she resides in Genesee. Her clubs and activities at Northern Potter include book club, enrichment book challenge, and being the secretary at the Children’s School for the government club. Courtney likes drawing, reading, and writing, and her favorite aspect of Northern Potter is all of the amazing learning opportunities that she has.
Courtney was nominated by Mr. Bryant for her performance in all of her subjects. “Courtney goes above and beyond to participate in activities to enhance her school experience. Courtney also does a great job representing NPSD during off-campus events,” said Mr. Bryant.
Rebecca Morgan is the daughter of Mike and Debbie Morgan, and she resides in Ulysses. At Northern Potter, Rebecca participates in a plethora of activities including soccer, cross country, basketball, track and field, softball, varsity club, Student Council, chorus, and band. Rebecca also likes sports in general, reading, and hanging out with her friends. She likes Mrs. Butler’s class the most at Northern Potter.
Mrs. Butler nominated Rebecca for her performance in Young Adult Literature 9/10. According to Mrs. Butler, “Rebecca’s work ethic is second to none. Her quality of work is outstanding, and she is a joy to be around.”
Mackenzie Potter is the son of Phillip and Kristie Potter, and he resides in the Harrison Valley area. Mack participates in soccer, basketball, and track at Northern Potter, and his other hobbies and interests include riding his dirt bike, attending God’s New Beginnings Youth Group, playing PlayStation 4, and being outside.
Mackenzie was nominated by Mr. Davis for his performance in wood shop. Mr. Davis stated, “Mack has done very well in wood-working this marking period. He is always on time and works productively on his projects.”
Lewis Robinson is the son of Thomas and Wendy Robinson, and he resides in Ulysses. For hobbies and interests, Lewis enjoys working on his “85” Chevy truck and playing with his remote control car. What Lewis likes the most about Northern Potter is his ability to go to the Career and Technical Center and work all afternoon in his auto mechanics class.
Mr. Burdick nominated Lewis as a Student of the Month. Mr. Burdick said, “Lewis is always prepared and gives his very best in class. It is my pleasure to recommend him for November Student of the Month.”
October 2014
October Students of the Month Selected
The Students of the Month for October were as follows: Megan Empson (grade 9), Savannah Herring (grade 7), Willis Morgan (grade 9), Danielle Perry (grade 7), and Ethan Russell (grade 8). Each student had a picture taken and a biography written for a bulletin board that is displayed in the high school (see below). Also, they were treated to a Student of the Month luncheon on Friday, October 10, that consisted of pizza and wings from Pizza N Stuff in Westfield.
Megan Empson is the daughter of Janet and Bryant Empson, and they all reside in Bingham Center. Megan participates in chorus, show choir, and the FFA at NPHS. While she likes showing beef cattle and studying the American Civil War, her favorite aspect of NPHS is her teachers. Megan was nominated by Mr. Baker for her performance in Science 9. According to Mr. Baker, “Megan has a very positive attitude about school. She is pleasant, attentive, attends regularly, participates during class, is cooperative and well-behaved, and completes her work to the best of her ability.”
Savannah Herring is the daughter of Tamra and Anthony Herring, and they live in Gold. Savannah is actively involved in volleyball, basketball, track, band, and jazz band at Northern Potter while she participates in the Showstopper 4H Club and softball outside of school. Savannah likes sports, animals, school, cooking, the outdoors, video games, reading, and Spanish, and she likes her classes and friends the most at the high school. Savannah was nominated by Mrs. Acker, her life science teacher. Mrs. Acker stated, “Savannah is exceptional in life science. She always is on task and excels at everything she does. She goes above and beyond what is asked of her.”
Willis Morgan is the son of Lisa and Bill Morgan, and he resides in Ulysses. At Northern Potter, Willis plays basketball and baseball, and he sings in the chorus. While he enjoys basketball, cooking, riding his four-wheeler, and playing with his dog, Leo outside of school, Willis likes gym class, spending time with his friends, and PAES the most at the high school. Mrs. Ace nominated Willis for being the most improved in leadership. She said, “Willis has gone out of his way and without being asked to help his peers with their work . . . also, he is the most improved with grades and homework assignments in all classes.”
Danielle Perry is the daughter of Deb and Chris Perry, and she lives in Genesee. At NPHS, she participates in soccer, band, and chorus, but she likes getting to see her friends and playing sports the most. Her hobbies and interests include soccer, softball, running, swimming, and baking. Mrs. Bieser nominated Danielle for Student of the Month. According to Mrs. Bieser, “Dani is a very tough, hard-working student. She is a team player and always gives 110 percent effort. [She has a] great attitude!”
Ethan Russell is the son of Sandy and Gregg Russell, and they reside in Harrison Valley. Ethan’s hobbies and interests include collecting knives, riding his four-wheeler, and hunting. At Northern Potter, Ethan likes the teachers and the staff the most. He was nominated by Mrs. Bailey for his performance in Language Arts 8. Mrs. Bailey said, “Ethan is a very responsible student. He volunteers to help others. He actively participates in class. He utilizes excellent organizational strategies in each class. Ethan maintains very good grades in all of his classes. It is my pleasure to recommend him for October Student of the Month.”
Spirit Week Winners Announced
Our annual Spirit Week was held the week of September 15. Numerous students across the school participated in dressing toward the theme for each day during the week. During lunch on each day, the students who participated gathered for a group photo, and then the winners were selected. These winners each received a 15 dollar iTunes gift card. Our winners for this year were as follows:
Monday, September 15: Twin Day
Alyssa Burchell and Emma Kosa (junior high)
Gracie Hamilton and Tory McCutcheon (senior high)
Tuesday, September 16: Neon Day
Savannah Herring (junior high)
Megan Bruce (senior high)
Wednesday, September 17: America Day
Caitlyn Magarigal (junior high)
Nick Harmon (senior high)
Thursday, September 18: Best Dressed Day
Autumn Button (junior high)
Josiah Home (senior high)
Friday, September 19: Blue and Gold Day
Tiffany Whitesell (junior high)
Shayna Graham (senior high)
A big thank you goes out to all students who participated in Spirit Week. We all showed great school spirit!
September 2014
On Thursday, August 21 from 6:30 to about 8:15PM, NPHS held its annual 7th grade and new student orientation. Grade 7 teachers and support staff members introduced themselves to the students and parents, and then Mr. Eglesia discussed several aspects of the school such as daily routines, the schedule, lockers, and lunch time. Later in the evening, Mr. Bryant led the students on a scavenger hunt that helped them to find several important locations in the building. The night ended with conversation, cookies, and refreshments in the cafeteria. Overall, the event was a success and assisted the new students in feeling comfortable and welcome in the new environment of the high school.
Teacher in-service days took place on Wednesday (8/20), Thursday (8/21), and Friday (8/22) during the second to the last week of August. For high school staff, the major points of emphasis included development of student learning objectives and knowing one’s role in fulfilling the district’s vision, mission, and values. Student learning objectives are a component within the new teacher effectiveness model, and this is where teachers need to select a specific group of students, develop a specific goal for the group that involves growth or achievement, and measure to see whether or not the goal has been met. Staff members seemed to enjoy the activities associated with the district vision, mission, and values. They came up with some very specific ways that they can fulfill these things in the everyday aspects of their jobs, and they generated an idea involving branding and better publicity so that our parents and community members are more familiar with what we are all trying to accomplish at Northern Potter. The school improvement team will be working on executing this idea as the school year progresses.
The first week of school was very smooth, and students engaged in one of three grade level expectation meetings that took place all during this time. The first meeting involved juniors and seniors while the second meeting focused on freshmen and sophomores. The final meeting involved students in grades 7 and 8. Mr. Eglesia, Mrs. Butler, and Mrs. Walck discussed several topics of importance with the students including school rules and other important procedures. It was emphasized that the purpose of the meeting was to clarify and prevent problems from occurring. This year, students seemed very receptive to the concept of the meeting, and by the end, the meetings served to make sure that everyone in the school community is on the same page.
iPeriod began for the tutoring groups of students on Tuesday of the first week of school while it began for students taking enrichment activities on Tuesday of the second week. For the enrichment groups, the first week consisted of students identifying the types of activities that they wanted to engage in during the half hour of time every day, and then they had to select from the offered activities. The teachers associated with the enrichment iPeriod (including Mr. Burdick, Ms. Harold, Ms. Gorrell, Mrs. Hamilton, Ms. Rutkowski, Mr. Davis, Ms. Miles, Mr. Baker, Mrs. McCutcheon, Mr. Haskins, Mrs. Butler, Mrs. Bieser, and Mr. Drabert) did an outstanding job organizing the students’ ideas and coming up with activities that met their needs.
Classroom Diagnostic Tools (CDT) tests began on Friday, September 5, and they are continuing throughout this week. These tests will give teachers a solid baseline on where students are in the learning of the tested subject area skills. Over the next couple of weeks, teachers will be using this data to continue grouping students during iPeriod, determine the strengths and weaknesses of individual students, and develop instruction to meet each student’s needs. A powerful tool that was recently purchased and will be paired with CDT data is Study Island. Study Island is a web-based program that allows students to access learning materials and practice items that will better prepare them for the state testing. It is our goal to continue increasing our students’ achievement and growth, and the CDT test/Study Island combination is a strategy that we will use to accomplish this goal.
May 2014
Spring Keystone Exam Schedule Announced
The spring round of Keystone Exams will occur in the next two weeks of school.
Students who are currently finishing biology, Algebra I, and English 10 will be taking the biology, algebra, and literature Keystones respectively.
The spring round of testing will open with the literature Keystone on Wednesday (May 14) and Thursday (May 15). Then on Friday (May 16) and Monday (May 19), students will be taking the algebra Keystone. Finally, on Tuesday (May 20) and Wednesday (May 21), students will be taking the biology Keystone.
Both students and teachers are hopeful for positive results on these exams. Aligned curriculum combined with several weeks of iPeriod should serve to tighten up students’ knowledge of required skills for these exams.
As with the winter round of testing, students taking these test will have the opportunity to earn rewards by simply trying their hardest on the exams and demonstrating skills associated with good test-taking.
Students Inducted into National Honor Society
On Thursday, April 24, at 7PM in Sitler Auditorium, the Northern Potter Chapter of the National Honor Society inducted 14 new members.
New inductees included Elizabeth Adams, Tim Adams, Lindi Baker, Rebecca Baker, Katlyn Bennett, Jeremiah Butler, Tyler Cowburn, Amanda Gibble, Cassie Inzana, Andie Lehman, Corrie Mace, Jason Perry, Miranda Slawson, and Sabrina Williams.
The keynote speaker was Ms. Wanda Shirk and closing remarks were made by Mr. Eglesia.
Light refreshments were served afterwards in the lobby of the auditorium.
Congratulations to all of the new members of National Honor Society!
Senior Prom Held in the High School Gymnasium
On Saturday, April 26, at 6PM in the high school gymnasium, NPHS held its annual senior prom. The theme was “A Masquerade Ball.”
Students who attended got their pictures taken, ate a catered dinner, and danced to music that was played by a local DJ.
Seniors Greg Hamilton and Katie Kio were named the King and Queen while juniors Jeremiah Butler and Miranda Slawson were named the Prince and Princess.
March Students of the Month Selected
The March Students of the Month were Myriah Coates (grade 8), Josiah Howe (grade 10), Ellen Kibbe (grade 12), Destiny Perkins (grade 8), and Hannah Tilton (grade 8). The luncheon was held on Wednesday, April 30.
Please refer to the chart below for details about each nomination. The second column of information, “NPHS Staff Member/Environment,” represents the staff member who nominated the student as well as the environment where the staff member interacts with the student:
Myriah Coates
Mrs. Reigh, Academic Development Period (Study Hall)
“Myriah always comes to Study Hall prepared. I have never had to ask her to get something to work on because she always brings something with her. She works quietly and is a pleasure to have in class.”
Josiah Howe
Mrs. Smeenk, Senior High Band
“Josiah has shown great improvement this year as a musician. He was chosen to participate in District Band, and while there, he auditioned to qualify for Region Band and made it. Josiah is a leader in every group and is a very talented individual. He is an incredible asset to the music department here at Northern Potter High School.”
Ellen Kibbe
Ms. Rutkowski, Art Studio
Ms. Rutkowski nominated Ellen Kibbe for each of the following reasons: “1) Love of subject, 2) Cooperation with both instructor and peers, 3) Always willing to go above and beyond, [and] 4) Quality product production”.
Destiny Perkins
Mrs. Walck, Nonfiction 8
“Destiny is diligent, polite, and a pleasure to have in class. In addition, she has the patience to help others, even when doing so can prove to be very frustrating or challenging. She does so without being asked, and sometimes, without thanks. She charges ahead and thinks of herself last. She is a great person, inside and out.”
Hannah Tilton
Mr. Roessner, Junior High Chorus
“Hannah is a source of continuous energy and excitement for the ensemble. She has worked very hard this year to develop her voice. She is well respected by her peers and provides guidance to other members of the ensemble. In addition to her vocal ability, she has emerged as a proven leader within the organization and strives to conduct herself in a manner that conveys respect and discipline.”
NPHS Students Receive Honors
Freshman Evan Rodriguez achieved the Tri-Town Volunteer Fire Company “Rookie of the Year” Award, and junior Krischen Hunt earned the “Junior Firefighter of the Year Award.”
Junior Austin Kosa competed at Steel City in Pittsburgh, PA on May 3 and 4 for the Loretta Lynn Motocross Qualifier. He placed 7th in the two-stroke class on his KIM 250. This earned him a position at the Regional Qualifier at High Point in Mt. Morris, PA. This race will be held at the end of June.
At the Coudersport Maple Festival, junior Makenna Ransom, representing NPHS, was selected as Potter County’s Maple Sweetheart. The role of a Maple Sweetheart is to serve as an ambassador of the maple industry at various functions throughout the year.
Important Dates to Remember
THURS, 5/15: Sports banquet (6PM)
TUES, 5/27: Senior finals
WED, 5/28: Senior finals
THURS, 5/29: Senior final make-ups
FRI, 5/30: Senior breakfast for juniors
FRI, 5/30: Senior picnic
TUES, 6/3: Underclassmen finals; baccalaureate practice in the AM; baccalaureate @ 7:30PM
WED, 6/4: Underclassmen finals
THURS, 6/5: Underclassmen final make-ups; awards assembly; yearbook signing; last day of school
FRI, 6/6: Graduation practice in the AM; graduation in the evening
____________________________________________________
April News
Senior Parent’s Appreciation Banquet Held
On Thursday, April 3, the annual Senior Parent’s Appreciation Banquet was held in
the multi-purpose room at the Northern Potter Children’s School. Parents
and guardians, senior students, board members, and school district
administrators and employees were all in attendance at the two-hour
event.
The evening began at 7PM with a welcome and invocation by Ethan Kibbe, and then a
dinner was served by several sophomore and junior student volunteer servers as
well as community volunteers. Guests ate tossed salad, warm homemade
rolls, stuffed pork chops, baked potatoes with sour cream, and corn for the main
meal and had gourmet cheesecake for dessert.
Several seniors participated in various presentations after the dinner. Bev
Abbott, Brooklynne Cowburn, Hannah Howe, Andie Lehman, Mariah Morgan, Ashley
Mitchell, Sarah Neiswender, and Aaron Olney performed a musical selection.
Ellen Kibbe read a poem she had written titled “Mother”, and Mariah Morgan
read a poem that had been written by Andie Lehman called “Daddy’s Little Girl”.
There was also a 15-minute slideshow that depicted a current photo of each
senior and a picture from each student’s past. Beverly Abbott, Brooklynne
Cowburn, Marlianna Gardner, Katelynn Kio, Andie Lehman, Ashley Mitchell, Mariah
Morgan, Sarah Neiswender, and Lydia Thompson created the slideshow in Mrs.
Pomeroy’s media communications course. Mr. Eglesia ended the evening with
a speech titled “Acknowledge Hard Work, Celebrate Together, and Cherish
Forever.” Matt Morgan and John Polen introduced speakers throughout the
evening, and Ashley Mitchell and Sarah Neiswender designed the cover of the
program distributed to all of the guests.
A special thanks needs to be given to Mrs. Pomeroy for all of her hard work on
this banquet. She was instrumental in organizing the seniors’
presentations and the development of the overall program. She also
directed the creation of the slideshow.
Cumulative Winter Keystone Exam Scores Released
This past December 2013 and January 2014, several NPHS senior high students (who have
not passed their Keystone exams in the past) took the Algebra I, biology, and
literature Keystone exams. Each Keystone Exam has two modules or sections.
If a student passes a module, he or she does not have to retake the passed
module in the future; only failed modules need to be
retaken.
The cumulative results for the winter retakes are as follows:
Algebra I – Module 1
64 students retook the module; 13 passed and 51 failed.
Algebra I – Module 2
62 students retook the module; 7 passed and 55
failed.
Biology – Module 1
31 students retook the module; 1 passed and 30 failed.
Biology – Module 2
28 students retook the module; 3 passed and 25
failed
Literature – Module 1
20 students retook the module; 7 passed and 13 failed.
Literature – Module 2
20 students retook the module; 6 passed and 14
failed
While we did have several students who have failed these modules in the past
experience success with this round of retakes, we had a sizable number of
students who did not experience success. Thus, it is important to
recognize that two NPHS initiatives this year should help our students be more
successful on these exams in the future: curriculum alignment and
iPeriod.
Curriculum alignment will verify that our math, science, and English teachers are actually
teaching the skills measured on these exams. If we can ensure that
students are exposed to the skills measured on these exams, we will increase the
likelihood that they will be able to respond to the items on the assessments
correctly. This will also better align a student’s classroom performance
in algebra, biology, and English 10 classes with performance on the
corresponding Keystone.
iPeriod will help students in two ways. First, when students demonstrate that they
are struggling with skills measured on these Keystone Exams, iPeriod will
provide students with additional instructional opportunities that focus on areas
of weakness. Teachers achieve this targeted instruction by carefully
analyzing student performance on the Classroom Diagnostic Tests (CDTs), which
will now be given throughout a student’s study of Algebra I, biology, and
English 10. Second, iPeriod will provide students who fail to pass
Keystone Exams the first time with additional opportunities for instruction even
though they may no longer have to take the corresponding course that was
designed to prepare them for the Keystone Exam. For example, let’s say
that a student who passes biology at the high school fails the biology Keystone
Exam that is taken at the end of his or her year in grade 10. This student
would have to retake the Keystone Exam in biology during his or her junior year
even though he or she no longer has the biology course. iPeriod will allow
a biology teacher to continue working with this student even though the student
no longer has biology as a class.
Curriculum alignment and iPeriod instructional opportunities will continue to grow in
importance as passing the Keystone Exams becomes a requirement for high school
graduation, which begins with the students in the class of
2017.
If you have any questions about curriculum alignment, iPeriod, or Keystone Exam
scores, please contact Mr. Eglesia at the high school.
Third Marking Period Honor Roll Announced
HIGH HONORS
Grade 12:
Tyler Harris, Hannah Howe, Ellen Kibbe, Ethan Kibbe, Andie Lehman, Ashley
Mitchell, Mariah Morgan, Aaron Olney, John Polen, Katelyn Siska, Megan
Siska
Grade 11:
Timothy Adams, Rebecca Baker, Katlyn Bennett, Phillip Brown, Tyler Cowburn,
Amanda Gibble, Kali Langan, Corrie Mace, Sabrina Williams, Dustin
Wyne
Grade 10:
Alexis Adams, Blayde Conley, Dylan Foust, Sidney Goldborough, Shayna Graham,
Travis Lambert, Sarah Morgan, Joy Olney, Samuel Ritter, Sarah Snyder, Derek
Thorne
Grade 9:
Emma Ford, Nicole Graham, Gracie Hamilton, Tory McCutcheon , Ellis
Sprow
Grade 8:
Kalie Cowburn, Megan Empson, Randall Empson, Sabrina Harris, Rebecca
Morgan
Grade 7:
Abigail Anderson, Amanda Ford
HONORS
Grade 12:
Beverly Abbott, Matthew Morgan, Sarah Neiswender, Morgan
Soule
Grade 11:
Elizabeth Adams, Lindi Baker, Payden Bice, Andrew Boden, Cheyenne Hall, Brandon
Hancock, Steven Hogg, Devon Houghtaling, Cassandra Inzana, Austin Kosa, Trevor
Schweigart, Miranda Slawson, Gabrielle Thompson-Brower, Kasina White
Grade 10:
Molly Easton, Josiah Howe, Nathan Kellar, Jacob McConnell, Austin Tilton, Amanda
Wagner, Demi Youse
Grade 9:
Jenna Buck, Alissa Hilfiger, Alyssa Kelleher, Tucker Kosa, Bobby Jo Tubbs
Grade 8:
Justin Adams, Brandon Buck, Dawson Coates, Myriah Coates, Kassidi Freeborn,
Jenna Hyde, Mikayla Lewis, Johnathan Petsch, Mackenzie Potter,
Christa Robinson
Grade 7:
Trinity Andrews, Lynn Bartas, Devin Burdick, Tristan Byron, Sky DeBockler,
Cullen Empson, Kasey Freeman, Alexis Houghtaling, Ashley Kunselman, Brent
Nelson, Colby Robbins
February Students of the Month Selected
The February Students of the Month were Abigail Anderson (grade 7), Clifton Erway
(grade 8), Matt Morgan (grade 12), Alex Vetter (grade 11), and Demi Youse (grade
10). The luncheon was held on Friday, March 28.
Please refer to the chart below for details about each nomination. The second
column of information, “NPHS Staff Member/Environment,” represents the staff
member who nominated the student as well as the environment where the staff
member interacts with the student:
Student Nominated, NPHS Staff Member/Environment, and Reason(s)or the Nomination
Abigail Anderson
Mrs. Pomeroy,
English 7
“Abbi Anderson is an excellent student. She completes all of her assignments to the
best of her ability and goes above and beyond the requirements. Abbi is always
prepared for tests and quizzes and has a great work ethic. In addition,
she is a leader amongst her peers and is clearly respected by them. Abbi is an
absolute joy to have in class!”
Clifton Erway
Ms. Miles, grade 8 vocational agriculture rotational course & FFA
“Clifton has been stepping up as an 8th grader in the FFA. He has been taking part in
field trips, leadership conferences, and participating in FFA meetings. He shows
excellent leadership skills and a real passion for agriculture. His attitude and
personality make him a young FFA member who stands out above many of his older
peers.”
Matt Morgan
Mrs. McCutcheon, physics
“I have had the opportunity to instruct Matt Morgan in class for the last two
years. What a joy that has been. I have seen him mature into a fine young man.
He is polite, kind, helpful, and intelligent, and he has a great sense of humor.
In class, he always does his best even when he is not too fond of the lesson. He
has developed confidence to express his ideas and thoughts to others. He will
listen to others as well. In the past when Matt was in a large group, sometimes
he could be overlooked because he was quiet and kept his thoughts to himself.
Now, Matt has become more outspoken and confident so he contributes to the group
as a whole by sharing his thought process, and he makes the class even more
enjoyable.”
Alex Vetter
Ms. Lewis, English 11
“Alex volunteers to read during class, is involved in class discussions, and has
improved his grade immensely! He is a pleasure to have in class.”
Demi Youse
Mrs. Potter, office
“When Demi enters the office area, she always presents herself with a smile and good
manners by using “please” and “thank you”. Demi maintains good attendance, is
well-organized, maintains good grades, and participates in extra-circular
activities.”
Goerner Attends 4-H Capital Days in Harrisburg, PA
April Goerner, sophomore at NPHS, traveled to the 4-H Capital Days forum in
Harrisburg, PA, which was held on March 29, 30, and 31.
Goerner was selected to represent Potter County at this event out of more than two
hundred members in the 4-H program.
4-H Capital Days is designed to educate youth about the state political process and
enhance their citizenship and leadership skills.
While in Harrisburg, Goerner participated in various workshops, a legislative session
where a bill was modified and passed, and a guided tour of the State Capitol.
On Monday, March 31, Goerner attended a Legislative Breakfast that
included Representative Martin Causer and Senator Joseph
Scarnati.
Congratulations, April!
Students Place in Poster Contest
By Ms. Rutkowski
The PA Federation of Sportsman’s Clubs, Inc. sponsored the 2014 Youth Conservation
Poster Contest with this year’s theme, “Pennsylvania Wildlife’s Natural
Camouflage”. Congratulations to the following students who placed at the
county level:
Senior Division (grades 10 – 12)
1st Place – Ellen Kibbe
2nd Place – Sabrina Williams
3rd Place – Tyler Harris
4th Place – Paige Patinka
5th Place – Sarah Neiswender
Junior Division (grades 7 – 9)
1st Place – Alexis Houghtaling
2nd Place – Nicole Graham
3rd Place – Delena Howell
4th Place – Kassidi Freeborn
Winning posters were advanced to the state level of competition. Congratulations
to the following for placing at the state level:
Senior Division (grades 10 – 12)
2nd Place – Sabrina Williams
3rd Place – Tyler Harris
Junior Division (grades 7 – 9)
1st Place – Delena Howell
3rd Place – Nicole Graham
Important Dates to Remember
THURS, 4/24:NHS induction (7:30PM w/ dessert after)
FRI, 4/25: Senior breakfast
SAT, 4/26: NPHS Prom (pictures – 6 to 7PM, dinner – 7PM, crowning
– 10:15PM)
THURS, 5/15: Sports banquet (6PM)
FRI, 5/30:Senior breakfast for juniors
FRI, 5/30: Senior picnic
FRI, 6/6: Graduation
March News
NPHS Math and Reading PSSA Testing Dates Announced
All students in grades 7 and 8 will be taking the math and reading Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests this year. Later in the year, the students in grade 8 will also be taking the writing and science PSSAs.
Students in grades 7 and 8 will be taking the math and reading PSSAs on March 18, 19, and 20 and then again on March 25, 26, and 27. They will take one test each day, beginning with math on March 18 and then continuing with reading on March 19. They will rotate through the tests in this fashion, finishing with a reading test on March 27. Make ups for this testing will be held during the following week and the week after (if needed).
The skills measured in this testing are focused on the eligible content in the PA math and reading assessment anchors. While this year’s assessments will contain field test items from the PA Core, students will not be held accountable for missing these items until next school year. NPHS teachers who instruct classes with math and reading PSSAs as the end of course assessments have been trying to carefully balance the PA math and reading assessment anchor eligible content with the PA Core eligible content in their curriculum maps, recognizing that next year will require a focus on the PA Core.
Students taking these assessments this year will have an assembly on Monday, March 17 during homeroom and the beginning of first period. At this assembly, Mr. Eglesia will communicate to the students why it is important to try their hardest on these tests. He will also talk to the students about measures (like proper sleep and a good breakfast) that they can take to be prepared on the actual days of the testing. All students who test during the spring round of testing (PSSA and Keystone) will also have access to rewards based on their efforts while taking the tests. The rewards system and the actual rewards will be similar to the ones used during the winter round of Keystone testing.
January Students of the Month Selected
The January Students of the Month were Katlyn Bennett (grade 11), Tory McCutcheon (grade 9), Austin Outman (grade 9), Mackenzie Potter (grade 8), and Shane White (grade 12). The luncheon was held on Thursday, February 27.
Please refer to the chart below for details about each nomination. The second column of information, “NPHS Staff Member/Environment,” represents the staff member who nominated the student as well as the environment where the staff member interacts with the student:
Student Nominated
NPHS Staff Member/Environment
Reason(s) for the Nomination
Katlyn Bennett
Mr. Lander, honors world cultures
“Katlyn is a model student. She is the first to volunteer an answer and always has here work done. She is pleasant in class and always wears a smile. Her essay and short answer responses are so good (and long) that they are superior to those in the answer key. Bravo!”
Tory McCutcheon
Dr. McCorkle, geometry
“Tory is an exceptional student who excels in the classroom. Tory is a conscientious student who always has her work done and provides valuable insight into the class discussion. She helps her classmates and is pleasant to have in class. Tory is also active outside of the classroom as she participates in multiple sports. She recently finished a long, grueling basketball season, but maintained her high academic standards. Tory is the embodiment of the term, student-athlete.”
Austin Outman
Mrs. Pennell, health room
“Austin is always quiet, polite, and well-mannered when he presents to the nurse's office. If the room is busy, he is patient and is willing to wait for his turn to be seen. He always thanks me for my service to him before leaving. His behavior in the health room is a model for other students, and he is becoming an exceptional young man.”
Mackenzie Potter
Mr. Hoven, PA history & Earth science
“Mac has shown an incredible work ethic and drive in and out of the classroom. Mac is very conscientious about completing his homework, studying for tests, asking for help, or seeking extra help (when he does not understand the material). He shows signs of leadership during sporting seasons. He has had the highest grade the past three marking periods for history and one of the higher grades in science.”
Shane White
Mrs. LaBarron, Algebra IA
“Shane is going above and beyond to ensure success in Algebra 1A. He actively participates during class, completes assignments on time, and puts his best effort into each assignment. His thought process and ability to relate math to the real world his been outstanding in recent projects. Shane is doing an excellent job in Algebra 1A. He is a pleasure to have in class!”
Winter Pep Assembly Held, Students Receive Academic Jackets
The NPHS winter pep assembly was held on Thursday, February 13 in the high school gymnasium during period 4.
Sports teams were recognized, including the boys and girls varsity and junior varsity basketball teams as well as the cheerleaders. Students who participated in these activities were called onto the floor by Mr. Hoven, the event MC, and the student body and staff applauded these students for their hard work and accomplishments.
The cheerleaders participated in a cheer of their own to kick-off the assembly, and they also helped to fire up the crowd during the assembly.
After the athletes were recognized, Mr. Eglesia awarded academic jackets to each of the following students:
Rebecca Baker Cassie Inzana Sam Ritter
Tyler Cowburn Sarah Morgan Sabrina Williams
Shayna Graham Joy Olney Dustin Wynne
Mr. Eglesia began the awards presentation by describing to the student body and staff members exactly how academic jackets were earned. Then, he called down each student receiving a jacket to the floor. Selected staff members walked out to the students, and when given the appropriate signal, the staff members placed the jackets on the students. The student body and staff members then applauded these students as congratulations for their academic hard work and dedication.
The assembly ended with a game of “schpupel,” which originated from the television show called “Family Guy”. Volunteer students competed in a tournament. Two students faced off against each other at a time. They began on opposite ends of an arena. They then ran toward a centered container of dodge balls and balloons. Once at the container, each student had to try and hit the other with a dodge ball. Once a student accomplished this feat, he or she had to grab a balloon from the centered container, take it to the edge of the arena, and break the balloon. When the balloon was broken, the contestant yelled “schpupel” and won the game.
Junior Dylan Whitesell won the schpupel event.
Parent/Teacher Conferences Held on February 13
The second session of parent/teacher conferences were held at NPHS on Thursday, February 13 from 1:00 to 5:30PM.
The total number of conferences that NPHS teachers requested in writing was 190. Approximately 48 parents responded to the written requests during conferences, and 17 parents came out to the conferences without a written request.
During conferences at 4:30PM in the auditorium, Mr. Eglesia held a meeting for parents of juniors who were beginning the official process of completing senior projects. At this meeting, Mr. Eglesia discussed the concept of senior projects, the process of completing them, and significant due dates that were important to remember. To invite parents to this meeting, letters were sent home in junior homerooms on Wednesday, February 12. One set of parents did attend the meeting.
Blood Drive Held on February 26
On Wednesday, February 26, the American Red Cross held its second blood drive for the 2013-2014 school year in the NPHS auditorium.
Sixteen blood donors attended, and 12 units of blood were collected, which according to the Red Cross, could save the lives of up to 36 people.
Also, there were five first-time blood donors who attended the event.
Important Dates to Remember
FRI, 2/28: Senior breakfast
FRI, 3/21: RSVP for FFA banquet due to Ms. Miles ([email protected])
TUES, 3/25: Faculty/Board members attending prom must have their dinner choices (chicken fettuccine or roast beef) to Mrs. Pomeroy ([email protected]) or Mrs. Bailey ([email protected])
WED, 3/26: Dessert Theater (7PM in the HS gym)
THURS, 3/27: FFA banquet (doors open - 6:30PM, dinner – 7PM)
FRI, 3/28: Senior breakfast
THURS, 4/3: Senior banquet (dinner served @ 7PM)
THURS, 4/24: NHS induction (7:30PM w/ dessert after)
FRI, 4/25: Senior breakfast
SAT, 4/26: NPHS Prom (pictures – 6 to 7PM, dinner – 7PM, crowning – 10:15PM)
THURS, 5/15: Sports banquet (6PM)
FRI, 5/30: Senior breakfast for juniors
FRI, 5/30: Senior picnic
FRI, 6/6: Graduation
February News
NPHS Plans to Implement iPeriod on Tuesday, 2/11
I am excited to announce that on Tuesday, February 11, we will operate on our first iPeriod schedule at NPHS. The “i” in iPeriod stands for “intervention,” and this will be a class period during the day in which teachers will plan interventions for students based on how the students have performed on standardized tests, diagnostic assessments, and coursework. For the remainder of this school year, the iPeriod schedule will operate on Tuesdays only.
We will offer three types of classes during the iPeriod:
- For students who have scored basic or below basic on standardized tests and/or diagnostic assessments, we will provide them with a class that offers more targeted instruction in the tested subject area of need. Teachers will use data provided by the testing to address the skills that students are struggling with. In this way, students will get the help they need to perform better with these basic skills in math, reading, science, and composition.
- For students who have scored proficient or advanced on standardized tests and/or diagnostic assessments, we will provide them with enrichment opportunities as long as they are maintaining an 80 percent or above in all of their coursework at the high school. These students will engage in chosen learning projects or activities that enhance their basic knowledge of skills.
- For proficient or advanced students who have below an 80 percent in at least one of their courses, we will provide them with a class that is designed to help them read and thus learn better in the course of need. They will also have the opportunity to earn points that will help them to perform better in the course.
In order to create time for this iPeriod, we will be eliminating homeroom on Tuesdays and shaving minutes from each class period in the morning. As a staff, we were determined to offer iPeriod at a time that would benefit ALL of our students, including those who attend the Career and Technical Center (CTC) on a daily basis. Thus, our Tuesday schedule will be as follows:
No homeroom
8:07 – 8:47 Period 1
8:50 – 9:25 Period 2
9:28 – 10:03 Period 3
10:06 – 10:41 Period 4
10:44 – 11:19 iPeriod
Periods 5A, 5B, 6, 7, & 8 will operate on the normal daily schedule.
Morning announcements will now occur during period 1 on Tuesdays, and daily attendance will be taken here rather than homeroom. Students who eat breakfast in the morning will be allowed to pick up breakfast items in the cafeteria upon arriving and take them to period 1 classes no later than 8:07AM. Period 1 teachers will allow students to eat these items purchased in the cafeteria. Students will have the same amount of time in between class periods, so they will still be able to exchange materials in lockers, use the restrooms, and get to their next classes on time. Finally, students attending the CTC will still be eating and leaving at the same times as always.
Students will find out their meeting locations for iPeriod by looking at rosters that are posted on the walls outside of the main office and in the cafeteria on Monday, 2/10 and Tuesday, 2/11.
Our goal as we move forward is for students to be able to move between iPeriod classes based on how they perform, so we will use the most recent PSSA, Keystone, Classroom Diagnostic Test (CDT), and coursework data to determine this movement. Students will be able to move in the middle and at the ends of quarters based on this performance data and the decision of all stakeholders.
All in all, we believe that the iPeriod time will help our students to perform better on standardized tests, and ultimately become more competent in basic skills. We also believe that it can be used to help students enhance their knowledge of basic skills and perform better in their coursework. Furthermore, the iPeriod can easily be used in future years to allow students to complete Keystone projects once passing the Keystones becomes a requirement for the graduation of high school.
Students Awarded for Efforts on Winter Keystone Exams
This past December and January, when students were taking the literature, algebra, and biology Keystone Exams, they were presented with tickets every time they demonstrated behaviors associated with good test-taking skills. There were eight total targeted behaviors, and some of them included listening to and following testing directions carefully, using the entire testing time, and checking work. When a student earned a ticket, the testing monitor placed the student’s name on the ticket, and then the ticket was placed into a large plastic bowl.
On Thursday, January 30, all 80 students who took exams during the winter round of testing reported to a rewards assembly during homeroom. Mr. Eglesia randomly drew tickets from the bowl, and each student who had a ticket drawn won a prize. The following students won the corresponding prizes:
10 dollar iTunes cardsTyler Mattison
Kenneth Hancock
Katelyn Siska
Lewis Robinson
Steven Baker
Alyssa Kelleher
Alex Vetter
Cassie Whitesell
Briana Black
25 dollar Visa gift cards
MarliAnna Gardner X 2
Lydia Thompson
50 dollar Visa gift card
Andie Lehman
Katlyn Seeley
5th generation Apple iPod
Cheyenne Hall
December Students of the Month Selected
The December Students of the Month were Alexis Adams (grade 10), Gerald Hanes (grade 7), Keara Mathwig (grade 9), Sarah Morgan (grade 10), and Aaron Olney (grade 12). The luncheon was held on January 28.
Please refer to the chart below for details about each nomination. The second column of information, “NPHS Staff Member/Environment,” represents the staff member who nominated the student as well as the environment where the staff member interacts with the student:
Student Nominated
NPHS Staff Member/Environment
Reason(s) for the Nomination
Alexis Adams
Mr. Haskins, US history and economics
“Alexis is probably the most responsible and conscientious student I have in class. She is not just driven by the grade but seems to also possess a desire to learn just for learning's sake. ”
Gerald Hanes
Mr. Drabert, cafeteria and study hall
“Gerald has worked very hard to become more organized and has shown improvements in his classes because of this. He always seems to be in a great mood, and is always very talkative and respectful. It is a pleasure to work with him.”
Keara Mathwig
Mr. Filer, life skills classroom
According to Mr. Filer, Keara displayed great improvements in her behavior when he had her as a student in his classroom.
Sarah Morgan
Mr. Gamble, guidance office
According to Mr. Gamble, Sarah is extensively involved in school activities, she models school citizenship, and she always maintains top grades. An example of one of her latest endeavors was her portrayal of Cinderella in our musical “Cinderella’s Glass Slipper”. She went to musical practice after soccer practice and still maintained high academic honors.
Aaron Olney
Mrs. Dunn, Spanish IV
“Aaron was the first student who came to mind because of his influences not only in his own class with his peers, but on my teaching as well. Aaron has the unique ability to make his peers laugh and learn at the same time! Combine his sense of humor with his logical, problem solving behavior, and you have a great combination!”
Honor Roll for the Second Marking Period Announced
High Honors
Grade 12: Hannah Howe, Ellen Kibbe, Ethan Kibbe, Andie Lehman, Ashley Mitchell, Mariah Morgan, Matthew
Morgan, Aaron Olney, John Polen, Katelyn Siska, Megan Siska, and Morgan Soule
Grade 11: Elizabeth Adams, Lindi Baker, Rebecca Baker, Katlyn Bennett, Phillip Brown, Tyler Cowburn, Amanda
Gibble, Kali Langan, and Corrie Mace
Grade 10: Alexis Adams, Blayde Conley, Dylan Foust, Travis Lambert, Sarah Morgan, and Joy Olney
Grade 9: Emma Ford, Nicole Graham, Gracie Hamilton, Alyssa Kelleher, Tory McCutcheon, and Ellis Sprow
Grade 8: Kalie Cowburn, Megan Empson, Randall Empson, Sabrina Harris, Rebecca Morgan, and Mackenzie Potter
Grade 7: Abigail Anderson and Amanda Ford
Honors
Grade 12: Beverly Abbott, Kurtis Coates, and Sarah Neiswender
Grade 11: Timothy Adams, Payden Bice, Cheyenne Hall, Brandon Hancock, Krischen Hunt, Cassandra Inzana, Austin Kosa, Trevor Schweigart, Katelyn Seeley, Miranda Slawson, Gabrielle Thompson-Brower, Kasina White, and Dustin Wyne
Grade 10: Briana Black, Connor Freeman, Sidney Goldsborough, Shayna Graham, Josiah Howe, Jacob McConnell, Samuel Ritter, Sarah Snyder, Allison Thompson, Derek Thorne, Amanda Wagner, Erica Wilson, and Demi Youse
Grade 9: Alissa Hilfiger, Tucker Kosa, Ciara Lowe, Austin Outman, and Bobby Jo Tubbs
Grade 8: Justin Adams, Brandon Buck, Dawson Coates, Myriah Coates, Kassidi Freeborn, Jenna Hyde, Alex Knauer, Destiny Perkins, Johnathan Petsch, and Hannah Tilton
Grade 7: Trinity Andrews, Lynn Bartas, Jordan Bartoo, Devin Burdick, Savannah Coates, Sky DeBockler, Cullen Empson, Kasey Freeman, Dennis Green III, Alexis Houghtaling, Ashley Kunselman, Brent Nelson, Andrew Perovich, Ethan Russell, Tessa Schweigart, Joseth Shafer, and Tiffany Whitesell
NPHS Students Strong at District 2 Band Festival
Josiah Howe and Elizabeth Adams, who participated in the PMEA District 2 Band Festival at Youngstown High School
with Mrs. Smeenk, had very strong performances at the event. Howe, a sophomore, placed second chair in his section and will be moving to Region Band. Adams, a junior, was just two chairs away from moving on in her section. Region Band will take place at Leechburg High School in March.
Juniors Begin Senior Projects
On Monday, January 27 during homeroom, juniors met with Mr. Eglesia in the auditorium to obtain some information regarding the completion of their senior projects.
Students received updated senior project packets that reflected the most recent policy of a November 1 completion date. Because November 1, 2014 falls on a Saturday, all juniors are being given until Monday, November 3 to complete all aspects of their senior projects (product, product presentation, and written presentation).
Mr. Eglesia spent time with the juniors explaining all of the requirements and answering all of their questions regarding the completion of their projects. A letter was also sent home to parents to keep them informed about the process.
Several due dates were immediately established to get students going on their projects. Personal data sheets (which require students to identify a topic and an adviser) and verbal proposals are due no later than dismissal on Monday, February 10, 2014. Written proposals and timelines are also due to advisers no later than March 28 by dismissal.
Important Dates to Remember
FRI, 2/28: Senior breakfast
TUES, 3/11: Dessert Theater (7PM in the HS gym)
THURS, 3/20: FFA banquet (6:30PM)
FRI, 3/28: Senior breakfast
THURS, 4/3: Senior banquet (dinner served @ 7PM)
THURS, 4/24: NHS induction (7:30PM w/ dessert after)
FRI, 4/25: Senior breakfast
THURS, 5/15: Sports banquet (6PM)
FRI, 5/30: Senior breakfast for juniors
FRI, 5/30: Senior picnic
FRI, 6/6: Graduation
January News
With the holiday break occurring from December 20 through January 1, the month of December was a very brief month at Northern Potter Jr./Sr. High School (NPHS) with only 14.5 instructional school days. Despite it being short on time, the month was still busy and packed with several events including a couple rounds of Keystone testing, a financial aid informational meeting, a Pennsylvania Department of Education Standards Aligned System (PDE SAS) conference, the annual holiday concert, the second Students of the Month luncheon, a National Honor Society election, and a Variety Show.
The Literature and Algebra I Keystone testing seemed to go very smoothly. Test administrators and proctors reported that the students seemed motivated to perform well on the tests, and students earned many tickets for demonstrating appropriate testing behaviors (see picture). Likewise, staff members supervising students who were learning specific skills in math, reading, and science as well as students who were completing enrichment activities reported that students worked hard during the instructional times, and they seemed to believe it was time well spent. The same format for testing will be used during the Biology Keystones in mid-January. Also, the school improvement team is looking at implementing an intervention period during the spring semester. Students would be grouped during this period of time in much the same way they were grouped during our winter rounds of Keystone testing.
On December 10, Mr. Gamble held a financial aid informational meeting in the auditorium, beginning at 6:30PM. The meeting was intended for any students in grades 9 through 12 planning on attending college after high school. Approximately 20 people attended. Retired financial aid officer Chris Vaughn and admissions counselor David Empett (both from Mansfield University) were the presenters. Topics covered included federal student aid, the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Stafford loans, direct plus loans, parent plus loans, evaluation of college offers, the calculation of financial aid, and scholarships.
On December 9 and 10, Mr. Graham, Mr. Morgan, and myself attended the annual PDE SAS conference in Hershey, PA. I attended sessions on the Keystone projects, the attribution of student PVAAS scores to teachers (as part of the new teacher effectiveness system), and student learning objectives (SLOs), which are also part of the new teacher effectiveness system. I found the sessions on the Keystone projects and SLOs most beneficial. In 2017, the Keystone projects will be used with students who do not score proficient or advanced after taking the Keystone exams a certain number of times. There will be a project associated with each Keystone exam. Students who are assigned these projects will also be appointed a tutor who will guide them through the completion of each project. Projects will be completed through an online system, and after the tutor checks the work of a student, the project will be submitted electronically so that state evaluators can assess the project. SLOs will be required for all teachers beginning in the 2014-2015 school year. These will help teachers to set detailed instructional goals for groups of students over specific periods of time, and SLOs will help to underscore the current emphasis in education for teachers to use data to improve learning in the classroom. SLOs and other elective data will make up 20 percent of a teacher’s evaluation in the 2014-2015 academic year. The session covered the design and quality assurance of SLOs. Overall, I found these sessions quite informative, and they helped to motivate my thinking toward the implementation of Keystone projects and SLOs in the district.
The annual holiday concert was held on December 12. Students, parents, relatives, staff, and other community members packed the auditorium and experienced a quality and varied performance by our music department at NPHS. I was impressed by the number of students who performed in both our singing and instrumental groups. At one time, there were approximately 65 students singing in a large group on stage. Not too many high schools can boast that 25 percent of the student body participates in the music programming offered.
The November Students of the Month were Dylan Foust (grade 10), Amanda Gibble (grade 11), Michael Reynolds (grade 10), Ethan Russell (grade 7), and Harley Thompson-Brower (grade 9). The luncheon was held on December 13.
Please refer to the chart below for details about each nomination. The second column of information, “NPHS Staff Member/Environment,” represents the staff member who nominated the student as well as the environment where the staff member interacts with the student:
Student Nominated
NPHS Staff Member/Environment
Reason(s) for the Nomination
Dylan Foust
Mr. Eglesia, office
“Dylan meticulously planned a fundraiser for his senior project. He began working on it by brainstorming ideas back in August and September. He took his time finding an idea that was both engaging for students and inclusive of staff members here at the high school. Before Thanksgiving, he launched the homeroom ‘Penny Wars,’ and immediately following break, he had a faculty dress down day. In all, he raised over 700.00 for the local food bank. I believe that Dylan's work on this fundraiser exemplifies a model senior project. It was engaging, included many people, and community service-based. He also has a nice start on completing his entire senior project during his sophomore year and is ahead of the game. Nice job, Dylan!”
Amanda Gibble
Mr. Doud, precalculus
Amanda has grown academically in the last year. She has started to work to her potential. She currently maintains a [very high] average. Good job Amanda!!!
Michael Reynolds
Mr. Burdick, physical education
“Michael is a very hard worker with a great attitude. He always gives 100 percent effort in all the activities that we do. Mike serves as an example for the other students in the class.”
Ethan Russell
Mr. Bryant, History 7
“Ethan is punctual, polite, and helpful to his classmates and teachers. He also demonstrates diligence in his out of class work.”
Harley Thompson-Brower
Mr. Davis, woodworking
“Harley has done very well in woodworking completing all projects in a very timely manner to very high standards. As his instructor, I appreciate Harley's effort and work ethic as well as his willingness to help others, and I look forward to seeing Harley's future projects.”
The National Honor Society elected its officers on December 18. The results are as follows:
President: Ethan Kibbe
Vice President: Matt Morgan
Secretary: Ellen Kibbe
Treasurer: John Polen
On December 20 during the early dismissal schedule, NPHS held its annual Variety Show. This show is an opportunity for any student to show off his or her talent in front of the entire student body and faculty. Mrs. Bieser organized the show; she held sign-ups, which began after Thanksgiving break, and she held auditions to determine the content of each act. This year’s show lasted from about 8:30 to 10:15AM, and it contained about 20 different performances. The following students performed in the show:
Tim Adams
Briana Black
Bethany Dailey
Dylan Foust
Devon Houghtaling
Camilla Houghtelling
Hannah Howe
Josiah Howe
Isabella Kurtz
Jacob McConnell
Mariah Morgan
Aaron Olney
Joy Olney
Taylor Pollock
Josh Reynolds
Michael Reynolds
Alyssa Smith
Tiffany Whitesell
December News
November was a very quick and busy month at Northern Potter Jr./Sr. High School (NPHS).
Parent-teacher conferences were held on Friday, November 8. Students were dismissed from school at 12:40PM that day, and teachers were able to meet with parents regarding the academic progress of their children throughout the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter for the 2013-2014 school year. According to high school records, teachers requested (in writing) a total of 203 conferences for students who were struggling academically in courses. There were 87 responses to these requests, and 40 conferences occurred without a request.
On November 15, NPHS received a “thank you” letter from the American Red Cross for the blood drive held on November 6. A total of 20 donors attended the drive in the auditorium. Fifteen units of blood were collected, meaning that the Red Cross achieved 100 percent of its goal on this day. According to the letter, 15 units of blood could ultimately save the lives of up to 45 people.
On November 20, NPHS held its first “Students of the Month” luncheon for the 2013-2014 school year. Students and staff members were served pizza and wings. The October Students of the Month were seventh grader Lynn Bartas, eighth graders Megan Empson and Delena Howell, junior Rebecca Baker, and senior Derek Gehman. Each student was nominated by a staff member at NPHS for academic reasons, good and/or improved behavior, leadership, good citizenship, contributions to school and/or the community, or any other deserving reason. Mr. Graham and Mr. Eglesia as well as Mrs. Acker, Mrs. Atherholt, Mr. Baker, Mrs. Bailey, and Mrs. Bieser all attended the luncheon with the students who were nominated. Students were also recognized on the electronic sign and a bulletin board outside of the high school main office.
Finally, a winter round of Keystone Exams will be given in the first couple weeks of December as well as the middle of January. In preparation for this event, Mr. Eglesia and Mr. Gamble spent several weeks in November designing a schedule that will accommodate three groups of students at NPHS: students who are testing, students who need more instruction on basic skills assessed by the standardized tests, and students who have demonstrated proficiency on the standardized tests in the past. The entire student body was broken into these three distinct categories and then teachers were matched to appropriate groups of students.
During the testing sessions, the high school will run on a modified schedule in the morning. Students who are testing will report to testing classrooms. These groups of students were kept small, and two staff members were assigned to each group. During the testing, students can earn tickets for demonstrating the eight appropriate testing behaviors identified as follows:
1. The student is present and on time on the day of the test.
2. The student listens to and follows testing directions carefully.
3. The student takes his or her time when answering test questions.
4. The student uses the entire testing time.
5. The student checks his or her work.
6. The student plans his or her responses on scrap paper.
7. The student performs his or her best on the test.
8. The student maintains a quiet and comfortable testing environment for himself/herself and others.
The student’s name will be written on each ticket earned, and then the tickets will be placed in a bin in the office. In the middle of January, when all testing is completed, students who participated in the testing sessions will be called to the auditorium for a rewards assembly. At this assembly, Mr. Eglesia will draw tickets (with names) out of this bin, and the students who win will be rewarded with various prizes. The students testing during the winter session and the students who serve on the Head of the Panthers student advisory committee were surveyed to determine what they would consider to be motivating rewards.
Students in the other groups during the testing sessions will be focused on learning specific skills in math, reading, and science, or they will be focused on completing enrichment activities associated with their different classes at the high school. The entire system is designed to maximize performance on the standardized tests as well as effectively use this time to help the other students who are not testing continue to develop academically. After this winter Keystone Exam session, this newly designed system will be evaluated, and appropriate revisions will be made for the spring testing sessions.
October/November News
October and the beginning of November contained numerous events at Northern Potter Jr./Sr. High School (NPHS), including the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT), a Government Outreach field trip, an educational excellence fair field trip, graduation project presentations, an October 25 in-service afternoon, a professional learning community conference in Indianapolis, Teen Conference, and a blood drive.
On October 16, all students in grade 11 took the PSAT. According to the College Board website, this test is beneficial to juniors because it gives them feedback regarding skill areas of strength and weakness, it compares them to all other students who are applying to college, it enters them into the National Merit Scholarship Corporation competition for scholarships, and it helps them to effectively prepare for the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT). While many high schools require students to pay for this test themselves and thus make it optional, Northern Potter pays the fee for all juniors to take the test and provides the opportunities afforded by the PSAT to all students.
Also on October 16, Mr. Lander took the following senior students to the 2013 Government Outreach at Pitt-Bradford: Matt Morgan, Brooklynne Cowburn, Ethan Kibbe, Mariah Morgan, Kurtis Coates, Stacy Plumstead, Rhys Lewis, Shania Koch, and Marlianna Gardner.
On October 17, eighth graders Mack Potter and Jesse Bliss represented NPHS and the Northern Potter School District at the PSBA Educational Excellence Fair in Hershey, PA.
Graduation project presentations occurred on October 1, 21, and 23. According to Board policy, all students need to deliver their presentations no later than November 1 of their senior year. This goal was achieved by all students in the class of 2014 enrolled in the traditional high school setting. In order to present, all students were required to have their papers submitted to their advisers and/or a reader. While the early deadline pressed students and faculty members into a tight schedule, most would agree that it is beneficial to have the graduation project out of the way for the seniors.
On October 25, students were released from school at approximately 12:45PM. The teachers then spent their Act 80 afternoon in two sessions: Classroom Diagnostic Tools (CDT) training or curriculum writing. All tested area subject teachers in the mathematics, language arts, and science departments as well as learning support teachers attended the CDT training. CDTs are diagnostic assessments that allow a teacher to obtain real-time data on students. This data tells teachers about skills that students are strong and weak in, allowing teachers to plan instruction that will address the areas of need. Teachers attending this session learned how to set up CDT testing sessions and use the data provided, and the session was a success because several teachers have already begun using the CDTs with their students in the month of November. Any teacher at NPHS who had not yet had the curriculum writing instruction attended this session during the Act 80 afternoon. This pretty much included teachers of special subjects such as gym, music, business, agriculture, and technology as well as teachers in the core academic subjects who do not yet have state-mandated tests. Teachers learned how to use standards and eligible contents to create units of instruction which were then further developed by writing student learning objectives, identifying instructional resources and assessments, and estimating an amount of time for each unit.
On October 28, 29, and 30, Mr. Eglesia, Mr. Pierce, Mrs. McCutcheon, Ms. Miles, and Mr. Hoven attended a professional learning community (PLC) conference in Indianapolis, IN. PLCs are basically teams of teachers that collaborate and learn together with the goal of improving student learning. Several leaders in the educational field (such as Richard and Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, Mike Mattos, and Anthony Muhammed) were in attendance at the conference and offered workshops that covered PLCs, school culture, the Common Core, etc. The five staff members from Northern Potter used what they learned at the conference to help grow and establish the PLC movement at NPHS. This began at a school improvement team meeting on November 4, where the decision was made to focus PLCs during the 2013-2014 school year on department teams and curriculum mapping. A decision was also made at this meeting to establish building-wide norms and meeting structures to assist PLCs with efficient operation and effective work. At the November 6 faculty meeting, norms were created, department teams were established, and real collaborative work on curriculum maps occurred. This work will continue throughout the rest of the school year and beyond.
The 14th annual Teen Conference occurred on Friday, November 1. The theme for this year was “Get a life, a good one – discover Potter County”. Seventh and eighth graders from across Potter County arrived at NPHS where they listened to Josh Rivedal, the keynote speaker, and a classic rock band called Marshmellow Overcoat. The junior high students also had the opportunity to attend several workshops, including geocaching, robotics, auto mechanics, digital photography, and wildlife conservation. The conference lasted from about 9AM to 2PM.
On November 6, the American Red Cross held a blood drive in the auditorium at NPHS from 9AM to 2PM. The drive was open to students (16 or older) and staff members. All 16-year-olds were required to have parent permission to give blood. Approximately 15 students signed up to donate.
September News
Seventh grade and new student orientation was on August 22 from 6:30 to about 8:00PM. The two primary goals of the night were to make new students and parents feel welcome and provide helpful information about the high school. The night opened in the auditorium with introductions of staff members, and there were about 20 in attendance. Mr. Eglesia gave an overview of the high school, focusing on key differences between the elementary and high school environments. Mr. Gamble discussed guidance services and the Student Assistance Program while Mrs. Pennell gave parents and students information about health services and medication distribution. Mr. Pierce spoke about extra-curricular activities, and Mr. Bryant talked about technology in the secondary school environment. Later in the evening, students participated in a scavenger hunt activity, using mobile learning devices to find their way around the building. The activity was designed to help seventh graders and new students become familiar with the new environment in a fun, activity-based way. During the scavenger hunt, Mr. Gamble and Mr. Eglesia provided parents with some helpful advice regarding how to smooth the transition of their children coming to the high school. When both the scavenger hunt and parent session had ended, everyone met in the cafeteria for cookies and drinks. At this time, students also received “Back to School Packs” that included some school supplies, a student handbook, and updated schedules. The cafeteria quickly developed into a place where parents, students, and teachers could speak to one another in a more personalized manner about classes, high school routines, etc. After being offered an opportunity to ask general questions, parents and students were allowed 15 to 20 minutes to freely walk around the building and look for lockers and classrooms. Feedback regarding the evening was very positive, and the format seemed to establish a good foundation to build upon.
Teacher in-service days were held on August 22, 23, and 26. The focus of the in-service days was on classroom instruction, the new teacher evaluation tool, and understanding expectations and procedures for the new school year. Pam Kastner, from the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network, conducted in-service sessions for the teachers on formative assessment strategies and professional evaluations. After introducing some new expectations and procedures, Mr. Eglesia led the teachers in a data analysis activity that focused on 2012-2013 PSSA and Keystone data. The teaching staff drew several conclusions from the data and used it to propose some changes to the instructional process at the high school. The first change that the staff will focus on in the immediate future is the alignment of course curriculum to proper standards and eligible content. This will all be accomplished in a universal format that was used by the Children’s School in the 2012-2013 school year.
The first day of school was on August 27. Students, parents, bus drivers, and others entered an environment that is very much focused on safety and supervision to enhance education. Teachers took their duty posts at 7:50AM and welcomed and monitored students as they entered the building. Homeroom was extended to help students and teachers process the traditional beginning-of-the-year forms, and students were introduced to a new universal pass system that promotes accountability, health, and increased learning time. Throughout the day, teachers introduced their classes to students. At dismissal, teachers again took to their duty posts to send the students home in as safe of a manner possible.
Throughout the first week of school, Mr. Eglesia and Mr. Pierce conducted grade level expectation meetings during the first period of each school day. These meetings were designed to accomplish each of the following:
- distribute the student handbook
- explain the information presented in the student handbook
- allow the students to ask question to clarify any expectations that they did not understand
Extra-curricular activities have also begun. The sports teams are off to a great start as the cross-country and soccer teams have picked up a couple of wins. The junior high soccer and volleyball teams have opened their seasons with wins, and though the varsity volleyball team opened its season with a loss, the girls were very competitive with a very good Oswayo Valley team. Also, we have had a couple of days of auditions for the upcoming musical called “Cinderella’s Glass Slipper.”
Several clubs and activities have had their initial meetings and officers have been selected in each of the following groups: senior high band and chorus, junior high band and chorus, and the varsity club. Please see the list below for student names:
Senior High Band Officers
President: Corrie Mace
Vice President: Amanda Gibble
Secretary/Treasurer: Katlyn Bennett
Librarians: Alicia Hartman, Sam Ritter, Ellie Sprow, and Ally Thompson
Junior High Band Officers
President: Hannah Tilton
Vice President: Jenna Hyde
Secretary/Treasurer: Becca Morgan
Librarians: Dawson Coates, Wyatt Kosa, Delleny Molisani, and Nevin Stiles
Senior High Choral Officers
President: Hannah Howe
Vice President: Brooklynne Cowburn
Secretary/Treasurer: Corrie Mace
Librarians: Demi Youse, Sarah Morgan, and Tory McCutcheon
Junior High Choral Officers
President: Hannah Tilton
Vice President: Kalie Cowburn
Secretary/Treasurer: Jenna Hyde
Librarians: Claire Perovich, Tessa Schweigart, and Sky DeBockler
Varsity Club
President: Matt Morgan
Vice President: Ethan Kibbe
Secretary: Kurtis Coates
Treasurer: Aaron Olney