Whitehall Elementary is recognizing Anti-Bullying Kickoff Week from September 22nd –26th. The school will be hosting activities to convey a clear and consistent message of opposition to bullying.

The first Harrison Middle School Teen Center of the 2003-2004 school year was the place to be on the night of Friday, September 19. Over 100 parents, teachers, and community members chaperoned seven hundred 6th - 8th grade students as they took part in BINGO, basketball, ping pong, Velcro wall, dancing, air tattoos, snacks, and more. The next Teen Center is October 24.

The Baldwin Homecoming 2003-2004 King and Queen were crowned during half-time of the Baldwin-Hempfield game. Highlander football player Ryan Buzzelli was selected as King, but was with the team in the locker room and unable to accept his crown during the ceremony. Standing in for Ryan was Dan Jacobs. Karen Giovanatti was selected as Queen. The senior court was made up of Greg Fratangelo, Negra Huskikic, Ryan Larkin, Fred Bacco, Monte McCluskey, Amanda Oglenski, Maria Johnson, and Lauren Mezyk. Selected from the freshman court as prince and princess was Brandon Parker and Brittany Ogden. Justin Schmotzer and Carley Brickett were prince and princess of the sophomore class and Russ Kuznicki and Kayla Smith as prince and princess for the junior class.

The fifth grade students in Ms. Collet’s class at Paynter Elementary have had a lot of fun so far this year. There is a black and gold carpet in the back of the room, where we silent read. We can sit in the Steeler chairs or on the Steeler beanbag. They are cool! Our desks are in groups and we have team names and team captians. During class, we are allowed to catch a soft football when we answer questions. The football is autographed by Hines Ward (wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers!)

W.R. Paynter Elementary School in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District gathered an assembly of students, community members, parents and teachers for the inauguration of the annual anti-bullying program. The assembly included an educational component about what constitutes bullying, which was led by school social worker, Mark Lepore and Dr. Mary Margaret Kerr, who is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Education with the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and a parent of students in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District. A police officer from the Baldwin Police Department, Tony Cortazzo, spoke to the students about how to get help in the community.

The past several years, the United States Steel Environmental Affairs Department has held a United Way Day of Caring event at the USS South Taylor Environmental Park (STEP) . The STEP Day of Caring event has traditionally involved a visit to the site by third grade students and between thirty to fifty USS employee volunteers that perform maintenance activities or the construction of facilities. This year due to Hurricane Isabelle, the site visit was postponed. The third grade students of Mrs. Joy Smith from Paynter Elementary were able to reschedule and visit the site on a chilly, but dry day.

McAnnulty and Whitehall collaborated on the Anti-Bullying Kickoff Week. The S.O.A.R (5th grade leadership group) students of Whitehall wrote and performed 3 different vignettes to demonstrate strategies taught to the students of McAnnulty. The S.O.A.R students demonstrated how to effectively ignore and walk away from a bully, how to work as a group to deal with a bully, and how to use words to stand up to a bully.

Mrs. Shatlock's second grade class at McAnnulty Elementary use their inquiring minds in ASSET science unit, "Rocks, Pebbles and Sand." In the ASSET unit, the students are exploring the principles of separation of earth materials by using screens of different sizes to separate materials of various sizes. They are separating large rocks, small pebbles and sand.

Fall is the season for Mrs. Foote's "Apple Butter Cafe". Johnny Appleseed makes a yearly visit to McAnnulty Elementary first grade classrooms of Mrs. Foote and Mrs. Byers. The students learn about fruit, trees, seeds, and the seasons. The cafe offers the students the opportunity to practice good manners and to enjoy delicious apple butter.

Fire Safety Week was recognized by the kindergarten students at Paynter Elementary with a visit from members of Baldwin #1 Fire Company. Chief Paul Bronder, Assistant Chief Michael Loshelder, and firefighter/paramedic Jason Cook reviewed fire safety rules and demonstrated some of the equipment and protection the firemen use. The students also had the opportunity to see the equipment on the fire truck and to ask questions about firefighting and safety.

What do you call students who are crazy about balloons? Balloonatics! Miss Schaffer's second grade students at McAnnulty Elementary had a "no-hands" - "hands-on" science activity in which they rolled pop cans across the floor without ever touching them. First the students rubbed a balloon with a piece of wool to negatively charge it. By doing that, the balloon acts as a magnet and then, "Look Mom no hands!"

There was plenty to cheer about at the Baldwin vs. Hempfield game. The October 3 game included homecoming and cheerleader recognition and the stadium was filled with over 200 district cheerleaders, including Harrison's 7th and 8th grade squads. The enthusiastic cheers helped to contribute to another Highlander football win. The final score was Baldwin 36 and Hempfield 7.

Apple math and songs were part of the Apple Celebration for Mrs. Singleton's and Mrs. Noel's second grade students at Paynter Elementary. The students also constucted apple tree projects and labeled parts of a tree. The activities were followed by a feast of apple foods consisting of homemade applesauce, apple butter, apple butter and apple juice.

The third grade students at Paynter Elementary have been studying a Science unit called "Structures of Life". As part of this unit, the students have been observing crayfish. These little critters arrived in Mrs. Knerr's and Mrs. Pollack's classrooms at the beginning of October. The students (Not Mrs. Knerr or Mrs. Pollack) have been feeding, cleaning, and tenderly caring for their new "friends".

Activities include crayfish races! Two crayfish (Knerr's VS. Pollack's) are placed in a hula hoop. The first critter to scurry to a side and touch the hula hoop, wins the race! The students have named their class' crayfish so they can cheer for their favorite to win!

The Baldwin-Whitehall Safety Bus stopped at McAnnulty Elementary school during the month of October in recognition of National School Bus Safety Week. The Safety Bus is a major part of the district's Bus Ridership Program. One classroom at a time, the students enter the bus to learn about bus safety, the rules while riding the bus and the correct way to get on and off the bus, even in an emergency. After the program, McAnnulty students presented bus driver, Ray Burg, with a plaque thanking him for teaching them how to be safe on the bus.

A positive referral program called “Happy Grams” was designed as a school-wide initiative to reinforce character education. On October 24th, teachers referred students from their classrooms that were caught randomly displaying the September and October value of respect. The students were rewarded by the principals with a Smiley cookie and a “caught being good” pencil. Congratulations to all fifty students!