January 27, 2006 was a very special day at Paynter
Elementary. It was the 100th day of school! Much
fun and learning was had especially in the Kindergarten
rooms. Some students dressed in special shirts with
100 items on them, or wore necklaces they made with
100 beads. Mrs. Vu’s class had a snack where
they had to count ten groups of ten items they wanted
to eat. Mrs. McWilliams class strung 100 pieces of
cereal onto yarn to make necklaces. Mrs. Mervos and
Mrs. McDonough’s class looked great in the
100th Day glasses they made.
Posted
2/19/06
WES
- Learning Centers
At Whitehall Elementary, Mrs. Pepka's third grade
students have been enjoying their center activitites.
With the centers, the students spend about fifteen
minutes at each station. Most recently, the center
included two Language Arts activities stations and
a math activity station. At Station One, the students
played one of two math games that reviewed addition,
subtraction, and multiplication. Station Two was
a poetry station, where the students wrote short
poems using alliteration and then illustrated their
poems. Finally, at Station Three, the students read
short passages and answered questions reviewing main
idea, making inferences, and drawing conclusions.
Posted
2/19/06
PES
- Shapes
Mrs. Knerr’s third grade class at Paynter
Elementary enjoyed a hands-on activity involving
congruent shapes (same size and shape). They manipulated
the blocks to show "slide, flip, and turn" -
PA Standard 2.9. These skills will be reinforced
further in the computer lab when the students use
the program Mighty Math Number Heroes.
Posted
2/19/06
BHS
- Steeler Pride
The Baldwin High School staff were asked to decorate
their doors to show their Steeler pride. There was
so much pride, it could not be contained to only
the doors - Steeler pride also spilled into the hallway!
Posted
2/19/06
MES
- 100th Day
Could we have been in school 100 days already?
Yes, the time flew and the days added up! Children
at McAnnulty Elementary celebrate 100th Day each
year. This is a great opportunity to discover the
relevance of the number 100. Children made displays,
wore displays, and took part in activities that demonstrate
the number 100. It is a fun and meaningful day of
learning.
Posted
2/19/06
PES
- Explanatory Writing
What fifth grader doesn’t like ice cream?
Certainly none in Miss. Collet’s fifth grade
class at Paynter Elementary. Students enjoyed a sweet
treat following their Explanatory Writing (PA Standard
1.4 Informational Writing and 1.5 Writing Domains)
assignment. They each completed a writing prompt
on how to make their favorite sundae. They then followed
their own directions and actually created and ate
what they had written about.
Posted
2/19/06
PES
- Souper Bowl
In honor of January being National Soup month
and to celebrate the Steelers’ trip to the
Super Bowl, Mrs. Singleton’s and Mrs. Noel’s
second grades at Paynter Elementary teamed up to
have a “Souper” Bowl. Both classes brought
in items to make a healthy vegetable soup. This activity
was a fun culmination to the nutrition unit recently
completed in health class.
Posted
2/19/06
BHS
- French Food Lesson
At
Baldwin High School, Mrs. Gedid's French III
students completed their food unit with a culminating
activity. For this activity, the students researched
recipes on the Internet along with suggestions
from their teacher. All foods were to be "authentic" French
foods. Some of them included - Vichysoise,
Gateau de Bretagne, Salade Nicoise, Eclairs,
Croque Monsieur, along with various French
cheeses and mineral waters.
Posted
2/19/06
PES
- General Music
Students in General Music classes at Paynter Elementary
are singing, dancing, playing classroom instruments,
listening to music, and a whole lot more! Their activities
reflect cultures from around the world. Many folk
songs are taught in combination with singing games,
including "Oh Susannah," which was composed
by Stephen Foster and then sung by American pioneers
during the 1800’s. Students are learning to
play several styles of drums, mallet instruments,
and other classroom percussion instruments. In the
spring, several classes will have opportunities to
perform by singing, dancing, and playing instruments
for their peers. Third graders have been learning
to play soprano recorders. Not only do students benefit
by learning to read music and perform on an instrument;
they also teaches patience, diligence, taking responsibility
for an instrument, and performing with a group. They
will have a chance to demonstrate their accomplishments
with a public performance later this year.
Posted
2/19/06
PES
- Paynter Choirs
Great things are happening in the music wing this
year at Paynter Elementary! The 120 member fifth
grade choir has successfully completed their “winter
tour season.” Their performance schedule included
Station Square shops, Paynter’s lobby spreading
holiday cheer, Wallace Building singing for the Easter
Seals and Head Start programs, and finishing with
a holiday concert at Baldwin High School in conjunction
with the elementary string instrumental students.
This particular holiday benefit concert raised $1,250
for the Griener family. We are also happy to announce
the start of a new fourth grade choir program which
begins February 6, 2006. This group will meet Monday
mornings before school and will join the fifth grade
group at their annual spring choir concert to be
held on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 in the Paynter Elementary
School Auditorium at 7:00 pm.
Posted
2/19/06
MES
- Kindergarten Steeler Helmets
At
McAnnulty Elementary, Mrs. Thorne's morning
kindergarten students made Steeler helmets
and wore them in support of their favorite
team going to the Super Bowl.
Posted
2/19/06
PES
- Student-Run Bookstore
Paynter Elementary now has a student operated
bookstore! It is located on the stage in the school's
auditorium. The bookstore came to fruition because
Title I teacher Ms. Graff applied - and won!--a contest
sponsored by Schoolwide, Inc. Schoolwide provided
all the materials to set up the store: bundles of
books, bins to keep them organized, aprons for the
workers, tablecloths, a cash register, a stamper
for the books that are sold, and bags for all purchases.
The bookstore is open two days a week before classes
begin. All books are sold at a reasonable price,
so that many books will find their way into the hands
of many children. Since the bookstore must be run
by students, the children in Ms. Reinhart's fifth
grade class volunteered to apply for the library
jobs. After filling out job applications and fulfilling
training, the following students run the bookstore:
Rogelia Rodriguez, Abigail Melvin, Sydney Harsh,
Steven Andrulonis, Julia Mittelmeier, and Michael
Bondi. The act as cashiers, stock clerks, security
guards, and advertising executives. The fifth graders
are having a great experience running the store and
they have accepted a lot of responsibility.
Posted
2/19/06
WES
- Steeler Fight Song
Under the direction of vocal music teacher, Miss
Driscoll and instrumental music teacher, Mr. Clancy,
the classrooms of Whitehall Elementary were filled
with the uplifting music of the Steeler Fight Song
and other motivating Steeler music favorites. Mrs.
Ridge's fifth grade students were very animated in
singing the songs, while a group of band students
accompanied them. School librarian, Mr. Holder videoed
the renditions for a live-feed broadcast to all of
the students at Whitehall.
Posted
2/19/06
PES
- Geode Jeff
Mr. Jeff Smith, geologist for the state of Pennsylvania,
recently visited Paynter Elementary’s third
grades. Mr. Smith, also known as Geode Jeff, showed
the students a film of how he travels to Mexico to
mine the very geodes he brought to Paynter. Mr. Smith
explained to the groups how geodes are formed from
a bubble in volcanic lava which hardens over a very
long period of time. Children were able to purchase
a small or large geode and then watch Mr. Smith break
it open right in front of them to reveal the crystals
hidden inside. Paynter PTA provided the funding for
this program which correlates so well with the third
grade ASSET science unit on Rocks and Minerals.
Posted
2/19/06
HMS
- New Vice Principal
Mr.
Daniel Castangna has joined the Harrison Middle
School administration as Vice Principal. Mr.
Castangna previously taught at Hopewell Junior
High School. He received a Bachelor of Science
degree in Elementary Education, his Master's
Degree, and Principal's Certification from
Youngstown State University. He is currently
pursuing his Doctorate Degree from Youngstown
State University as well. At Harrison, Mr.
Castangna will be responsible for supervising
students whose last names begin with the letter
A - L.
Posted
2/19/06
PES
- Geometry Shapes
At Paynter Elementary, Ms. Collet’s fifth
grade students enjoyed a kinesthetic learning activity
displaying their knowledge of the vocabulary from
their Geometry unit (PA Math Standard 2.9). Students
arranged their bodies into angles, polygons, rays,
lines, and many more. The next step will be for each
student to insert these pictures into their own Powerpoint
presentation complete with music, animations, and
backgrounds.
Posted
2/19/06
BHS
- My One and Only Preparations
The Baldwin High School stage is filled with the
sounds of hammering, sawing, tap dancing, and music,
as the cast, pit, and crew prepare for their spring
musical, My One and Only.
Paynter Elementary first grade teacher Mrs. Erin
Cantwell, technology teacher Ms. Jennifer Petrilla,
and second grade teachers Mrs. Jodie Noel and Mrs.
Becky Myers applied for and received a $10,000 Hands
on Learning grant from the state Department of Education.
Paynter Elementary was one of 100 schools in the
state to receive the grant. At Paynter, the grant
money was used to purchase thirty Tungsten T-3 Palm
Pilots, accessories, and programs. Training has been
provided by the Allegheny County Intermediate Unit
for both the teachers and students. The first and
second grade students use the hand-held computers
to write memos, essays, practice spelling words,
and compute math problems. They can "beam" their
work to each other to share, while learning to use
up-to-date technology.
Posted
2/19/06
WES
- DARE Graduation
Whitehall Elementary fifth grade students completed
the five weeks of the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance
Education) program presented to them by Whitehall
Police Officer David Artman. The lessons included
skills for resisting social and peer pressure to
experiment with tobacco, drugs, and alcohol, encouraging
self-esteem and developing positive alternatives
to substance abuse, utilizing teachers, parents,
and community leaders when assessing risky decision-making
at school and home, and assisting the students with
a working solution when confronted with violence,
anger, and bullying by other students. The students
were all recognized and commended at their DARE graduation
by Whitehall Police Chief Dolfi, Whitehall Police
Officer Bruce Marchetti, and Whitehall Mayor Jim
Nowalk. The students recited the DARE pledge and,
under the direction of music teachers, Miss Driscoll
and Mrs. Kraus, sang Gonna Be Strong and Forever
Free. Essays, written by students from each fifth
grade class, were selected as winning essays and
read by their authors.
Posted
2/19/06
BHS
- Produce to People Program
Each month, Mrs. Paulette Barry’s Transition
class at Baldwin High School volunteers their time
to work at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Foodbank.
On a recent visit, the students were part of the
program, "Produce to People." This program
is designed to provide fresh produce and other items
directly to the recipients in their own neighborhood.
The students spent a busy morning unpacking and rebagging
3,300 oranges for distribution.
Posted
2/19/06
Foodbank
Program
Ivy Ero, Director of Educational Programs with
the Greater Pittsburgh Community Foodbank, along
with Paulette Barry, Transition Coordinator at Baldwin
High School, recently visited Mrs. Sally Larson and
Mrs. Melissa Walsh’s fourth grade classes at
Whitehall Elementary and Mrs. Rita Hustava and Mrs.
Nancy Foote’s first grade classes at McAnnulty
Elementary. Ms. Ero presented information on hunger,
nutrition, poverty, and the role that the Foodbank
plays in our community. She also stressed how each
of us can do a small part to eliminate the pain that
hunger causes. The students became full-fledged volunteers
as they decorated snack bags for the Meals on Wheels
senior program. They also donated non perishable
food items.
Posted
2/19/06
HMS
- Into the Woods Rehearsal
Rehearsals are underway for Harrison Middle School's
junior Broadway production of Into the Woods. This
musical gives a cockeyed view of everyone's favorite
fairytale characters in this take on the Brother's
Grimm. When a Baker and his wife learn that they
have been cursed with childlessness by the witch
next door, they embark on a quest for the special
objects required to break the spell, by swindling,
deceiving, and stealing from Cinderella, Little Red
Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Jack In the Beanstalk.
This hysterical production opens on the stage of
Harrison Middle School auditorium at 2:00 p.m., March
5. Additional performances will be held at 7:30 p.m.
on March 8, 9, and 10.
Posted
2/19/06
BHS
- Partners Gym Class Bowling
For two weeks the Baldwin High School Partners
Physical Education class worked together to develop
their bowling skills. Students worked on proper release
techniques, how to score, how to use lane markers,
developing an approach, bowling procedures, and adjusting
to student adaptations. Initially, at Princess Lanes,
some of the students had difficulty because they
were accustomed to the gymnasium floor, rubber balls,
and no gutters! Some of the students had to work
very hard and be creative and help each other figure
out different ways to get the ball down the lane
to score points.
Posted
2/19/06
Administration Building, 4900 Curry Road,
Pittsburgh, PA 15236
