Harrison Middle School students put on their dancing shoes for the physical education department dance unit. The students learned the Texas Two Step, Virginia Reel, Boot Scoot and Boogie, Cha-cha Slide, Electric Slide, Saturday Night Fever, a German and an Italian dance. The students' culminating activity was to perform one of the dances or to make up their own.

Posted 2/4/04

During the month of January, we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday. At Whitehall Elementary, we worked on our character value of ACCEPTANCE for the month of January and Dr. King came to the forefront. Acceptance means to recognize and respect the rights and beliefs of others. In his “I Have a Dream” speech, he states that his dream is to accept everyone even if they look, talk, or act differently. That message is the same message we try to live by at Whitehall. Each and every one of us should accept and respect each others differences. Dr. King’s actions should be modeled. Solve problems peacefully, if you feel you cannot, then find an adult. Never take matters into your own hands if you feel like you are losing control. Whitehall students are asked to practice acceptance each and everyday at Whitehall School. Third, fourth, and fifth grade students displaying the character value of ACCEPTANCE during the month of January were recognized with a Happygram.

Posted 2/4/04

The Whitehall Elementary PTA sponsored Science Fair was held on January 30. The projects included 30 individual entries and 4 classroom entries. After viewing the students work, everyone had a chance to try 17 hands-on experiments ranging from eggs to handprints.

Posted 2/9/04

Students at Whitehall Elementary recently made glass mosaics thanks to the efforts of art teacher, Mrs. Snee seeking contributions of colored glass. She explained her idea of the project to Community Glass in Broughton and asked if they could donate their small sheets of small size glass scraps. Not only did Community Glass donate the glass, they insisted to donate only safety glass and polished the edges. The students were allowed to develop their own ideas. Mrs. Snee then grouted the mosaics and the students covered the edges with copper foil used in stained glass work.

Posted 2/9/04

The ceramic tiles are the third and final component of a project that resulted from monies donated by the PTA for an artist-in-residence idea. Mr. Moog, the father of a Whitehall fifth grade student, offered his services as tile setter. He has graciously donated his time and talents for the past three years. With this project, the students were presented with the challenge of developing a radially symmetric design, transferring it to a ceramic tile, adapting colors to fit the design and then apply the ceramic glaze with a brush. Squeeze bottles were used to do the outline. The tiles are then fired in our kiln and ready for Mr. Moog to install in the hallway of the art wing.

Posted 2/9/04

Did you know that the mineral, gypsum, is in the cream filling of Twinkies? Our third grade students do now!! In conjunction with our ASSET unit, Rocks and Minerals, the third grade students at Whitehall Elementary had a special visitor from the Joy Mine Company. Mrs. Donna Gumbel visited our school and met with each third grade classroom to discuss the mining of rocks and minerals. The students were given an opportunity to explore several minerals and try to figure out what different products are made from them. The students also discussed why mining is important and one student per class was able to dress up like a real miner!

Posted 2/9/04

Posted 2/9/04

Once a week, during the month of February, Mr. Tom Lewertowicz from U. S. Steel comes to Paynter Elementary to present lessons on the city and the surrounding areas to the 3rd graders. With these lessons, the children are learning about city planning, running a restaurant and being a banker. The materials that go with Mr. Lewertowicz's program are very colorful and enrich the Social Studies lessons that coordinate with the third grade textbook units.

Posted 2/10/04

Punxsutawney Phil predicticted that there will be six more weeks of winter! At Paynter Elementary, Mrs. Noel's second grade students plan to make these weeks as exciting as possible. This month, the students are continuing to learn about nutrition and staying healthy. Their student teacher, Miss DeSensi, is helping the children learn about the Food Guide Pyramid. The class enjoyed making vegetable soup as they learned to plan a healthy meal.

Posted 2/10/04

Baldwin High School presented the concert, Jazz...For All Ages on February 9 featuring the Whitehall Elementary "Wildcat" Jazz Ensemble, the Harrison Middle School Jazz Ensemble, and the Baldwin High School Stage Band. The "Wildcat" Jazz Ensemble is under the direction of Mr. Michael Clancy, the Harrison Jazz Ensemble is under the direction of Ms. Joanie Olszewski, and the Baldwin Stage Band is under the direction of Mr. Gary McKeever. The special guest soloist performer was saxophonist Mr. Michael Clancy. Mr. Clancy received his B.A. in Recording, Arts, and Science from Duquesne University and a B.S. in Music Education from Slippery Rock University. As a professional musician, he has been the leader of the Mike Clancy Quartet for 10 years, with which he recorded his CD, "Illusions". He stays active as a freelance musician, working with various jazz, salsa, swing, and r&b groups. He has played in H.M.S. Pinafore at the O'Reilly Theater, 42nd Street at the Benedum, and most recently, Chicago at Heinz Hall. He has also performed with the Coasters, Al Martino, and Johnny Mathis. As an educator, Mike has worked as an adjunct professor of jazz studies at Slippery Rock University. Currently, he is in his third year as an elementary instrumental music teacher at Whitehall Elementary School.

Posted 2/11/04

At Whitehall Elementary, Mr. Fisher's fourth grade students worked in groups of two or three to design a parachute that would drop an egg safely out of a second floor classroom window. The students applied their knowledge of air resistance that they discussed in this science unit. The students were supplied with only a 4 inch piece of tape, 1 piece of construction paper, 1 piece of tissue paper, 4 cotton balls, 4 foot piece of string, and 1 egg. The results of the egg drop were 7 eggs surviving and 3 cracked. The students then wrote a paragraph describing why their parachute was a success. If their parachute failed, they wrote of modifications that they could have made to make their parachute safely drop the egg to the ground.

Posted 2/12/04

Near and far is the concept of atmosheric perspective, meaning that objects become smaller and less detailed the farther away they are. The students at McAnnulty Elementary studied the works of Grant Wood and Edward Hicks and how they used this concept. The first step of the lesson, under the direction of art teacher Mrs. Val Thompson, was to draw the barn, silo, and trees. Next the students drew the fence and road and talked a little about linear perspective. They then colored the picture with crayons and used wet on wet watercolor technique to paint the landscape. As a bonus, the young artists threw "magic crystals" on the wet skys to make clouds. Lastly, they constructed a fabric scarecrow so close, he seems to pop right off the picture.

Posted 2/27/04