On Monday, October 15th, second graders celebrated Career Awareness Week by holding a Career Day. Students heard about some of the careers of their classmates’ family members. Students learned what it is like to be a middle school family and consumer science teacher from Mrs. Hinkley, how motherboards and cables are assembled from Mrs. Cudo, what mechanics do from Mr. Shaw, what it is like to be an autistic support teacher from Mrs. Geyer, and how heavy machinery is operated from Mr. Hausser. Thank you to our volunteers for allowing our students to learn about some of their future career choices.

Susquehanna Beekeepers Association Visits BR 2nd graders

On Tuesday, October 16, second grade was visited by beekeepers from the Susquehanna Beekeepers Association. Second grade has been studying the interactions of living things; habitats, plants, animals, and humans. Mr. Wood, Mr. Barber, and Mr. Chapin shared with students the importance of bees in our world. They also shared what it is like to be a beekeeper. They brought in many of the tools they use and even showed a live bee colony. Students acted out the activities of bees in a colony, were able to ask many questions, and got to taste honey. Thank you to the Susquehanna Beekeepers Association for their 13th visit to Blue Ridge.

FALL FUN AT BLUE RIDGE

New Milford, PA—October 1, 2012

Scarecrow making, ghost bowling and tap dancing were just some of the activities that filled Blue Ridge Elementary School October 19, 2012 as more than 200 children and adults participated in the annual PTO Harvest Party. This year’s event celebrated fall while also focusing on the arts.

Throughout the evening, everyone had the opportunity to sculpt beaded necklaces, use stamps to make book marks and even create tasty scarecrow cookies. Elementary Music Teacher Jay Thornton led an instrument petting zoo using materials such as plastic pipes and cardboard boxes to make trumpets, percussion instruments and even a guitar. Those looking to dance the night away enjoyed free tap lessons with instructors from Windwood Hill Dance academy. Area artisans also provided pieces for a unique display showcasing everything from painting to pottery.

Some came to the event with books in hand to participate in a PTO sponsored ‘book swap,’ while others brought old clothes to make hay filled scarecrows that now decorate the halls of Blue Ridge Elementary.

The free program was made possible through the work of the Blue Ridge PTO, Blue Ridge Teachers and Staff and volunteers from the Blue Ridge National Honor Society. For more information about the work of the Blue Ridge PTO, check us out on facebook.

Contact: Stephanie Thornton

Blue Ridge Elementary School PTO Community Liaison
stcares@nep.net

(570) 465-4035

Blue Ridge students Angel Alvarez and Robert Lindquist make a scarecrow cookie with Sebastian the Scarecrow”

Understanding and Responding to Bullying: What Parents Can Do

In recognition of Bullying Prevention Month, the Highmark Foundation and its partners at the Center for Safe Schools and Windber Research Institute will launch a special web video, Understanding and Responding to Bullying: What Parents Can Do, on October 18, 2012.

Bullying is a national concern due to its prevalence and documented effects on health and learning. Parents whose children are affected by bullying may wonder what they can do to help. Others may wonder what they can do to prepare a child to respond when confronted with peer aggression.

This webinar will provide information about bullying, its effects, and how parents can help their children deal with bullying issues. It also includes information about the role of the school in addressing bullying and tips for how parent groups can initiate a bullying prevention partnership with educators.

The session is part of the Third Thursday Series presented by the Center for Safe Schools, which provides the most current research and relevant topics to the field of bullying prevention. The 2012-2013 series is supported with funding from the Highmark Foundation. Educators, parents and youth-serving professionals are encouraged to attend.

To view the web video beginning October 18th at noon, please go to www.SafeSchools.info.

FYI..........BRSD Half Day Early Dismissal Date Changes

Wednesday January 16, 2013 CHANGED TO Friday, January 18, 2013



Wednesday February 13, 2013 CHANGED TO Friday, February 15, 2013



Wednesday March 6, 2013 CHANGED TO Friday, March 8, 2013



NO EARLY DISMISSAL IN APRIL DUE TO PSSA TESTING



Wednesday May 15, 2013 CHANGED TO Friday, May 17, 2013

Blue Ridge Fifth graders completed their fifth annual Prehistoric Cave Project in Ms. Sarrah Dibble's art class for the Elementary Open House on September 27, 2012. In art class, students viewed pictures of and discussed the Lascaux Cave and the Chauvet Cave in France. Students also learned about the importance of the paintings discovered in the caves, how the painters made paint, and tools they used to create them. Each student worked to complete a few paintings that were hung on the wooden cave structure in the hallway.

Mrs. Wolfe's Fifth Grade Class, Bottom Left to Right: Tyler Hilliard, Dylan Stone, Morgan Leeming, Kayleen Conklin, Tori Auckland, Madison Welstad, Gia Fiore

Second Row, Left to Right: Porter Rockwell, Alexia Martel, Sarah Marble, Bailey Allen, Rowan Ryan, , Morgan Mansfield

Top, Left to Right: Brandon Bartkus, Nathan Yeager, Sean Knight, Lucas DeBella, Ashley Torres, Chris Coburn, Raymond Lindquist, Spencer Renwick, Olivia Colwell, Andria Lewis, Alexia Stone, Alyssa Clark.

Summer Reading Log Program

Blue Ridge Elementary School encourages students to read over the summer by giving all students a Summer Reading Log with a goal of how many books or pages to read according to their grade level. 273 students met their grade level goal and turned in their Summer Reading Logs. Students were awarded with a personalized photo certificate and recognized on stage at a school wide assembly.


Makenzie Cook is a fifth grader in Mrs. Pearson’s class who read the most pages in fifth grade. She went well above the goal of 550 pages by reading 4,413 pages. She said her favorite series is The Baby-Sitters Club with “Claudia and the Bad Joke #19” being her favorite book so far in the series. Makenzie has read 23 of The Baby-Sitters Club books. When asked about what she likes about summer reading, she replied “You get to sit down, relax, and not worry about anything AND get into a good book!” In addition to being an avid reader, Makenzie plays softball and soccer and enjoys spending time with her two puppies, Buddy and Gentry. Way to go Makenzie! Blue Ridge Elementary is proud of you!!

Makenzie Cook -- Top 5th Grade Reader

Congratulations to all the Summer Readers!!
BRES had a recognition assembly on Monday afternoon with entertainment provided by Mr. Andrew Scharff, a clown, juggler, and comedian.

Let’s all do our best and keep reading as we kick off a brand new school year!! (Program coordinated by Mrs. Kathy Roe, Title I Reading Teacher)

Performer, Andrew Scharff

Top 2nd Grade Readers (L-R): Ryan Stallings, Mia Landis, Madison Carpenter

Top 1st Grade Readers (L-R): Jocelyn Frantz and Zachary Darrow




Top Kindergarten Readers (L-R): Emma Button and Brayden Smith



Grade 3



PreK

Grade 4

Grade 5

Kindergarten

PreK

Grade 2



Message from BOE Fundraising Committee

The Blue Ridge Board of Education is excited to announce the creation of a fund to support special initiatives and educational opportunities for our students.

 

Funds will be generated through monthly prize raffles and culminate with a district golf tournament in the Spring of 2013.

 

Uses of the fund will include:

 

• Enhancing technology available for students
• Scholarships
• Assisting students in accessing Extracurricular and Co Curricular Activities
• Unique educational travel

 

You can support this effort by purchasing tickets at the following events:

 

• September 29th Youth Soccer games. Prize $50.00 Price Chopper Gift Card
• October Home athletic events. Prize $100.00 Rob’s Market Gift Card

 

 

Blue Ridge Students Win Awards for Art

On Sunday, September 16, A Recognition Ceremony for the Hexagon Project was held at the Library Express at the Mall at Steamtown in Scranton, PA. Students from all over the globe received awards for their art work. Those included in the ceremony were seven students from Blue Ridge Middle School. Natasha Johnson won the Art Works award for Middle School, Taylor Brant won award for Most Relevant 3-D, Tabitha Cramer won Most Creative 3-D, Micah Mullen, Luis Tobon, and Jerni Schell won Honorable Mention for their work. Mary Kerr was able to attend the event and received her award for Overall Effective in the Three Dimensional Category. For more information on the event or the Hexagon Project visit www.interdependencedaynepa.org.

Mary Kerr

Miss Sarrah Dibble and Mary Kerr

Congressman Tom Marino Visits BRSD!!

Pictured L-R:
Ben Bleck, 5th grader
Brandon Cicon, 12th grader
Congressman Tom Marino, R-10, Lycoming Twp
Zachary Benedict, 12th grader
Anna Bonner, 6th grader

Congressman Marino meets with Blue Ridge over funds Board members, faculty outline challenges facing educators


As Blue Ridge students settled in for their first day of classes Tuesday, the district also hosted Rep. Tom Marino, R- 10, Lycoming Twp., to discuss federal education funding.

The congressman met with school administrators, board members, Title 1 teachers and district students in a classroom in the elementary school.

Board President Laurie Brown- Bonner t old t he freshman congressman that she was concerned about the district’s accountability for so many unfunded mandates passed down to schools from the federal and state government.

Ms. Bonner said the district is losing Title 1 dollars, which go to a school with a high percentage of lowincome students.

“We need the tools to meet t hose mandates,” board member Shane Rumage said. He said Blue Ridge does well with the funds it does receive.

“Our priorities are different than other districts,” he said.

One of those areas is the spending of Title 1 funds.

Although receiving funds to support two positions, the district has kept four Title 1 teachers in place.

With benchmark assessments used to i dentify where students are having difficulty, Blue Ridge uses the Title 1 funds to keep students out of the special education program.

Superintendent Robert McTiernan said, “There are positive results ( at Blue Ridge) from what Title 1 supports.”

“We’re committed to funding this. It works, you can see it in our kids,” said Ms. Bonner.

Mr. Marino asked the educators how they dealt with students who were disruptive in the classroom.

“You folks need to make that determination, and not have it made at the federal or state level,” Mr. Marino said.

Special education coordinator Bobbi McCain said the district has been creatively using staff so that every student’s needs are met but other students are still flourishing.

Mr. McTiernan highlighted the disparity in the Title 1 disbursements. He said money that goes into Title 1 ends up going t o struggling schools and programs. The funds don’t come here, he said, and may be funneled into districts that are badly managed.

The superintendent suggested the government look into how districts are evaluated and funded.

The congressman, who also holds a degree in secondary education, said he was a strong supporter of education but if, at the federal level, the Department of Education can’t run any better, then it should be dismantled. Contact the writer: swilson@independent weekender.com

Article rank 5 Sep 2012 The Times-TribuneBY STACI WILSON STAFF WRITER