NORTH ALLEGHENY SCHOOL DISTRICT T iger N ews February 2016 www.northallegheny.org Upcoming Events: February 24 – Extra-Curricular Board Committee Mtg. @ CAO Bd. Rm., 6 p.m. and School Board Regular Mtg. @ CAO Bd. Rm., 7 p.m. February 29 – Superintendent’s Coffee @ MCK, 9:30 a.m. March 16 – Budget and Finance Board Committee Mtg. @ CAO Bd. Rm., 6 p.m. and School Board Work Session @ CAO Bd. Rm., 7 p.m. March 23 – Diversity Contest Winners’ Reception @ CAO Bd. Rm., 5:00 p.m., Building and Grounds Board Committee Mtg. @ CAO Bd. Rm., 6 p.m., and School Board Regular Mtg. @ CAO Bd. Rm., 7 p.m. March 24 – In-Service Day (No Classes) March 25-28 – Spring Break (No School) North Allegheny elementary students across the District raised awareness and donations for the American Heart Association during the annual Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser. Students had a blast hopping, skipping and jumping around their school gymnasiums – all while raising generous donations for the cause! Because of the District’s participation in Jump Rope for Heart and other fundraising activities for the American Heart Association, NA was recently informed that we are the #2 top fundraiser in Western Pennsylvania. We are very proud of our students, parents, teachers and staff for raising awareness and taking part in such a worthy cause! Students JUMP at Opportunity to Fundraise for American Heart Association OPEN HOUSE APRIL 9 | laroche.edu
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N O R T H A L L E G H E N Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T
Tiger NewsFebruary 2016
www.northallegheny.org
Upcoming Events:
February 24 – Extra-Curricular Board Committee Mtg. @ CAO Bd. Rm., 6 p.m. and School Board Regular Mtg. @ CAO Bd. Rm., 7 p.m.
February 29 – Superintendent’s Coffee @ MCK, 9:30 a.m. March 16 – Budget and Finance Board Committee Mtg. @ CAO Bd. Rm., 6 p.m. and School Board Work Session @ CAO Bd. Rm., 7 p.m.
March 23 – Diversity Contest Winners’ Reception @ CAO Bd. Rm., 5:00 p.m., Building and Grounds Board Committee Mtg. @ CAO Bd. Rm., 6 p.m., and School Board Regular Mtg. @ CAO Bd. Rm., 7 p.m.
March 24 – In-Service Day (No Classes)
March 25-28 – Spring Break (No School)
North Allegheny elementary students across the District raised awareness and donations for the American Heart Association during the annual Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser.
Students had a blast hopping, skipping and jumping around their school gymnasiums – all while raising generous donations for the cause!
Because of the District’s participation in Jump Rope for Heart and other fundraising activities for the American Heart Association, NA was recently informed that we are the #2 top fundraiser in Western Pennsylvania.
We are very proud of our students, parents, teachers and staff for raising awareness and taking part in such a worthy cause!
Students JUMP at Opportunity to Fundraise for American Heart Association
N O R T H A L L E G H E N Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T
www.northallegheny.org
February 2016
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49 NA Students Named Gold Key Award Winners
The annual Scholastic Art & Writing Contest recently awarded 49 NA students with Gold Key awards – the highest honor possible in the Regional competition. Students submitted works of art and writing to their local affiliates, which are evaluated by a panel of jurors comprised of artists, authors, educators and other arts professionals. These Gold Key Award winners will now have their work judged for the national level of the competition.
Nine Gold Key Awards and American Visions Award Nominee
Leonardo Lupidi
Four Gold Key AwardsSamuel Marzula
Two Gold Key Awards and American Visions Award Nominee
N O R T H A L L E G H E N Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T
www.northallegheny.org
February 2016
This month, audience members whoattended NA Intermediate High School’s Spring Play were treated to a delightfully chilling performance of Murder Can Be Habit Forming, written by Billy St. John.
Providing as many laughs as chills, Murder Can Be Habit Forming is a light-hearted mystery comedy that reveals the very human side of nuns as they attempt to stay one step ahead of a killer.
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NAI’s Spring Play Brings Laughs and Chills
Job well done to the cast and crew of this wonderful production!
Beattie Students of the Month
Congratulations to the following students who were recently recognized as A.W.
Beattie Career Center students of the month for
January/February 2016:
Grace Cibula, Ad DesignCarl Foss, Emergency Response
TechnologyOwen Dougherty, HVAC
NTHS Nominees
Congratulations to the following students who have been
nominated for the National Technical Honor Society:
Trent Bard, Carpentry/Building Construction
Justin Blincow, Carpentry/Building Construction
Madison Darrah, CosmetologyOwen Dougherty, HVACLucas Lloyd, Advanced Computer Programming
N O R T H A L L E G H E N Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T
www.northallegheny.org
February 2016
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Congratulations to the nearly 200 students and staff members who were recognized at the Distinguished Achievement Awards (DAA) ceremony on February 17!
These awards are presented by the Board of School Directors to honor North Allegheny students and employees who have achieved state and national level recognition.
CLICK HERE for more information.
Orchestra to Perform at Statewide Convention
The NASH Honors Chamber Orchestra has been selected to perform at the 2016 Pennsylvania Music Educators Association state convention on March 31 in Hershey, PA. They are one of only two high school orchestras from across the state selected by audition to perform for the convention audience of music educators.
Congratulations to the orchestra students on being selected for this honor!
N O R T H A L L E G H E N Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T
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February 2016
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STEMinism Promotes Opportunities for Women
Members of the NASH STEMinism club Amanda Hildenbrand and Grace Jin presented at the AIU Math & Science Collaborative Network Connections Conference on February 4 held at the Carnegie Science Center. Their presentation focused on increasing high schoolers’ awareness of the many opportunities that exist for women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
NASH Ocean Bowl Team Places Second
The NASH Ocean Bowl team competed in the annual Western PA Ocean Sciences Bowl on February 6, held at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.
Congratulations to the team, comprised of Russell Ruffolo, Gunasheil Mundava, Joe Zhao, Anushka Shah, and Jacklyn Caulkins, who made it to the final round, placing second overall in the competition.
Students Participate in International Debate
Congratulations to the North Allegheny Speech and Debate Team, which made it as far as the Top 32 round of the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF).
The IPPF is a debate competition that gives high school students around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.
This year, hundreds of teams from around the world submitted qualifying round essays affirming or negating the IPPF topic, “Resolved: Genetically modified organisms are essential to global food security.”
Those essays were reviewed by a committee to determine the Top 64 teams, who then began a single-elimination, written debate competition. Each team was assigned a position (affirmative or negative) and then volleyed papers back and forth with another team via email.
PayForIt: Have you signed up yet?
PayForIt.net is the online payment system NA families
use for their children’s cafeteria purchases.
Benefits of the system include:
No more misplaced lunch money – parents don’t need to
send in cash with their children
Parents can track their child’s purchases and set spending
N O R T H A L L E G H E N Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T
www.northallegheny.org
February 2016
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Updates from the North Allegheny Foundation
Foundation Approves Purchase of 400 Nearpod Licenses
The NA Foundation recently approved the purchase of 400 Nearpod licenses for a total cost of $30,000. The licenses, which will be active for three years, will allow teachers to access a web-based app in which they can create lesson presentations that contain quizzes, polls, videos, images, drawing boards and web content. Students are able to interact with these elements and submit their responses using a computer or mobile device.
Thanks to the Foundation, teachers will be able to use Nearpod to develop lessons that integrate technology in increasingly creative ways.
Ukulele Cart Project The Foundation recently supported a Ukulele Cart project, which has given Mr. Dennis Morton, a string teacher at McKnight Elementary and director of the school’s Ukulele Club, the opportunity to teach ukulele skills at McKnight and across the district. The ukuleles will also be used near the end of the year in a few general music classes and at the Summer Academy at Hosack Elementary.
CLICK HERE to view a wonderful performance from McKnight Elementary’s Orchestra Concert and see these ukuleles in action!
Golf Outing
Mark your calendars! This year’s Golf Outing benefitting the NA Foundation will be held on June 13. Registration and more details are coming soon.
Dr. ScherrerEstablishes theNA Marathon
Challenge!
North Allegheny buildings are organizing relay teams to
compete in the 2016 Pittsburgh Marathon, set to
take place on May 1.
The NA Marathon Challenge is a friendly competition between NA schools that
promotes health and fitness while raising money for the
NA Foundation.
The winning relay team will receive a trophy that can be
proudly displayed at their building. There will also be a
prize for the school that raises the most money for the NA
Foundation.
CLICK HERE if you’d like to donate, and be sure to credit
N O R T H A L L E G H E N Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T
www.northallegheny.org
February 2016
Valentine’s Day Celebrated at Elementary Schools
Elementary students around the District had a blast at their Valentine’s Day parties held on February 12.
It was a wonderful time to exchange cards, share some treats and celebrate love and friendship!
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National Merit Scholarship Finalists Announced
We’re excited to announce that all 21 students who were previously named Semi-Finalists in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Competition have been promoted to Finalists!
Congratulations to the following students on this significant accomplishment:
Zain MehdiEric Mi
Siddarth NarayanAshwin Reddy
Guanlin RenRussell Ruffolo
Keerthana SamanthapudiKevin StilesAndrew Xu
Joe Zhao
Stephen BaimeThomas Bina
Joie FengAnna Iouchmanov
Grace JinBenjamin Klingensmith
Jeewon LeeSophia Lee
Sarah Siting LuoJasmine Mahajan
James McGaa
NA to Host Robotics Competition
North Allegheny will be hosting its first annual VEX Robotics and VEX IQ tournament at NASH on Friday, February 26.
Teams in grades 6-12 will build robots that solve an engineering challenge set forth by the competition. In addition to building robots, students are encouraged to actively learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
North Allegheny will be represented by four teams from each of the middle and high schools. There are 44 total teams registered to compete, representing 13 schools from the Pittsburgh region, central Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Need to Register for Kindergarten?
Kindergarten registration will be held on various dates
between February 24 and March 10, 2016.
CLICK HERE to view the registration times offered at
each elementary school building.
Registrations are by appointment only. Parents
may schedule an appointment at any elementary building to register children during this
time frame.
After the final day of kindergarten registration
at the building level on March 10, all registrations
are by appointment only at the Central Administration
N O R T H A L L E G H E N Y S C H O O L D I S T R I C T
www.northallegheny.org
February 2016
FOR DISTRICT INFORMATION
www.northallegheny.org
NATV CableArmstrong, Ch. 210
Comcast, Ch. 98Consolidated Cable, Ch. 406
Verizon, Ch. 33
North Allegheny School District,200 Hillvue Lane, Pittsburgh, PA
15237 • 412-366-2100
Paid advertisements in District communications and/or on District property do not represent the District’s en-dorsement or approval of the matters or organizations represented in the advertisements. (School Board Policy #2580 - Approved Commercial Advertising.)
Mini-THON Participants Get Ready to Dance!
Students across the District are getting their dancing shoes ready as they prepare to participate in North Allegheny’s Mini-THON, which will be held on Saturday, February 27 at the NASH Auditorium.
Mini-THON is a dance marathon that raises money for the Four Diamonds, a nonprofit that provides support for children with pediatric cancer and their families.
At the District’s first Mini-THON last year, North Allegheny students raised over $18,000 for the Four Diamonds. This year, they have set a goal to raise $20,000.
Visit NAminiTHON.com for more information on how NA students can participate, as well as instructions on how to donate.
NASH Spring Musical
Don’t miss North Allegheny Senior High
School’s performance of Rodgers +
Hammerstein’s Cinderella!
Performances run March 2-6, with a Senior Citizen Performance on March 1.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.NAMusical.com.
