Three McDowell students participated in the 2008 Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Schools of Excellence this summer. Our students were among the 788 students selected from across the state of Pennsylvania, chose from among 3,736 applicants this year. The annual Governor’s Schools are five-week-long summer residential programs on various college campuses committed to meeting the educational needs of artistically or academically talented high school students. The programs offered these selected students the opportunity to explore their creativity and intelligence along with other students who share the same abilities and interests. Lisai Zhang and Brett Wittmershaus both attended the Governor’s School for the Sciences held at Carnegie Mellon University which is an intense program in which the students take lecture courses in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science. They gain further enrichment by guest lectures and seminars on leadership skills and the college selection process.

Alexis I. Chilson attended the Governor’s School for Teaching at Millersville University. This five-week-long residential program, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, is designed for gifted and talented high school students who are interested in teaching as a career. The objectives of the program are: (1) to attract gifted/talented students to the profession of teaching, (2) to develop participants’ teaching skills, (3) to examine current school practices, and (4) to encourage positive attitudes towards teaching as a career. This program is designed to inspire students to become educators who can meet the challenges of teaching in an age of knowledge explosion, educators who are caring, and respected professionals who exercise leadership as learner advocates.

Congratulations to these fine students.

Chestnut Hill will receive an award for donations to the Second Harvest Food Bank in June during their Share Bear Project. These awards are given to many schools in Millcreek and Erie.

Chestnut Hill students participating are:
Alex Corapi, 1st Grade
Robert Seibel, 2nd Grade
Ty Burton, 3rd Grade
Paul Scott, 4th Grade
Joseph Scott, 5th Grade

WHEN: Thursday, October 16th from 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM

WHERE: 1507 Grimm Dr., Erie, PA

Contact Information:
Shannon Wells - Second Harvest Food Bank - 459-3663
Janine Petersen - Chestnut School Office - 835-5577

The principal, Mr. Timothy Rankin, of McDowell High School, announced today that Sophia Xu is a semifinalist in the 54th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. This academically talented high school senior has an opportunity along with approximately 16,000 other semifinalists to continue in the competition for some 8,200 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $35 million, that will be offered next spring. About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.

The National Merit Scholarship Program organization has the goal of “honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.”

National Merit Scholarship winners of 2009 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July.

Northwest Pennsylvania Middle School Association celebrates the Month of the Young Adolescent with a Fall Conference “Taking the Sting Out of Cyber Bullying”

WHEN: Thursday, October 16, 2008

WHO: 5th - 8th Grade Parents and Educators and open to the public

WHERE: Walnut Creek Middle School, 5901 Sterrettania Road

Registration: 6:30 p.m.; Presentations: 7:00 p.m.

Mr. Thomas A. Del Fratte, Supervisor of Information Services
Bullying has been around for as long as inflated egos and heartless personalities. However, thanks to the Internet and a myriad of other digital media, bullies can now step outside of the school yard and right into your home and your child’s life. Online harassment, often called Cyber Bullying, has become a serious problem through a boundless and cruel arena. This presentation will focus on awareness, solutions, and resources in identifying and dealing with Cyber Bullying among teenage adolescents.

Pat Kennedy, Assistant District Attorney
Assistant District Attorney Kennedy will discuss the differences between the juvenile and adult justice systems. The presentation will further present the philosophy of juvenile justice and the role it plays in a juvenile’s overall well-being. Further, ADA Kennedy will address what educators and parents can do to assist both victim and offender.

There will be two 45-minute sessions with a question and answer session at the end.

Contact Information: Vicki Lasher @ 835-5712 or vlasher@mtsd.org

Millcreek School Board
Invites Community to Meet Superintendent Candidates

Dear Millcreek Community Member:

The Millcreek Township Board of School Directors invites all residents of the Millcreek Township School District to attend a series of community meetings at the J.S. Wilson Middle School Auditorium, 901 West 54th Street. The purpose of these events is to meet candidates for the next superintendent of the Millcreek Township School District.

Dates: October 1, 9, and 16

Times: 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The board has chosen three finalists for the position, and one candidate will be interviewed each evening. After the candidate makes opening remarks, community members will have the opportunity to ask questions for approximately one hour. Community members will also have the opportunity to fill out comment cards that will be provided at the event. The board will see all the comments shortly after the conclusion of the interviews.

The Millcreek Township School Board of Directors values input from the community and strongly encourages everyone to attend.