District Administration Offices Move

By Karen E. Jez, Superintendent

The Administration offices for the District have moved from Scheide House, 221 North Washington Street, to 301 East Spruce Street. The Board of School Directors, together with the Administration, studied the options of remaining in Scheide House and engaging in a major renovation of the home or to move the offices to available space in the high school. In 1959, the Scheide family donated their home to the school district when, at the time, our student population had outgrown the high school complex. The administration offices were relocated from the high school to Scheide House. Scheide House served the district in that capacity until this past November. The school district Board of Directors and Administration, from the time of the Scheide donation, have valued and appreciated their generosity. In 2014, the decision was made to convert the back west corner of the high school into the district administration offices. The benefits of the move include financial prudence in utilizing space the district is already heating, lighting and snow plowing, etc. Additionally the new offices meet ADA regulations and the district’s safe schools guidelines. Coupled with the renovation of the administration offices, the District undertook a window replacement project at the high school. One hundred window units along Drake

Street, Spruce Street and within the courtyard were replaced, helping with the district’s energy saving program, but more importantly ensuring a more comfortable learning environment for our students.

Winter Issue February 2016

Karen E. Jez

Superintendent

School Directors

Timothy G. Harger

(President)

Jack D. Roberts

(Vice President)

Kevin J. O’Neill

(Secretary)

Ronald G. Lytle

(Treasurer)

Members:

Lynn J. Cressman

Richard E. Skinner, Jr.

Jean M. Spence

Carol J. Shaffer

Dwight S. Proper

Inside this issue:

District Offices Move

Robotics Lego Competition

Spelling Bee Results

Titusville High School

Mock Interviews

Honoring Retirees &

School Directors

Troopers Teaching at

Middle School

PSSA & Keystone Exams

Kindergarten Registration

Online Enrollment

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3 - 4

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5

6

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A school's effectiveness must extend beyond the measures of student performance highlighted in government rankings or standings published in national and regional magazines. It must also take into account factors such as: 1. Quality and continuity of the

school's leadership and governance

2. Condition of school facilities 3. Finances and fiscal stability 4. Effectiveness of student

services 5. Health and safety 6. Staffing 7. Long-range planning All of these factors directly contribute to student performance. School reform takes time, often more time than the tenure of the school's leadership. Schools that develop comprehensive plans for improvement through the process of accreditation have a road map for long-term improvement that withstands the test of time, including changes in board guidance and administrative leadership.

You’re Invited to the

Titusville Area School District

Administration Offices OPEN HOUSE

Date: March 23rd (Wednesday)

Time: 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.

Address: 301 East Spruce Street

New, Administration Offices Entrance 301 E. Spruce Street

Corner of Spruce & Drake Streets

Greeting guests, Receptionist,

Diane Harrison

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Lego League Robotics Competition Competition

On Saturday December 12th, students from Hydetown, Main Street, and Titusville Middle School competed in the regional First Lego League Robotics Competition at Penn State Behrend in Erie, PA. There were 39 teams in grades 4 to 8 involved in the event.

This year's competition was themed around the concept “Trash Trek”. Each team was tasked with finding a solution to reduce waste in their community. Additionally, teams competed in a robot game that included challenges related to trash and recycling. A special thank you goes out to all the parents, community volunteers, and school board members who support this program. Students worked hard and spent numerous hours after school to create effective projects. The future is truly bright with our young engineers!

Main Street Elementary

Gabe Carter Jasmine Lovin

Yili Smedley

Chase Mong

Jesse Burk

Ryan Burnside

Cole Enright Lance Enright Zaden Dale

Ben Kregiel Kasen Neely

Sean Ryan

Coaches: Cathy Bodamer JoAnn Pondel-Fry

Stephanie Keebler

TMS Thunder Techs Lauren Wolfkiel Darcy Hanna Jahvon Abrigo Cole Bowser Joey Banner Jarred Feely Logan Ross

TMS Rocket Scientists Emma Cartney Xavian Sider Danny McDowell Destiny White

TMS Thursday Scientists Gavin Griffin James Necessary Machail Fullerton Kahlil Abrigo Andrew Finley Conan Young Duncan Young Chandler Last Kaleb Lewis

Eric Reynolds Eva Nadiaye Arianna DeArment Zandria Whitney Haley Biltz Jarod Kinney Damian Kinney Austin Myerick Madeline Hetrick Easton Mallory Carter Morris Sam Sampson Erhin Donovan Jacob Kuberry Cad Mrs. Nosko earned a Bachelor of

Hydetown Elementary

Caden Blakeslee

Eric Reynolds

Eva Nadiaye

Arianna DeArment Zandria Whitney

Haley Biltz

Jarod Kinney

Damian Kinney

Austin Myerick

Madeline Hetrick

Easton Mallory

Carter Morris

Sam Sampson

Erhin Donovan

Jacob Kuberry

All Titusville School District Robotics Teams

at the 2015 Competition

Robot Game Team Places:

7th TMS Thunder Techs with 338 points

10th TMS Rocket Scientists with 260 points

17th Main Street with 211 points

20th Hydetown Save the Spoons with 207 points

28th TMS Thursday Scientists with 167 points

Robotic Team Rosters

Patrick Vetter Instrumental Music Titusville Middle School

Mr. Vetter grew up in Northern

New Jersey where he became

active in his local sports, music

and scouting programs. He

earned his Eagle Scout rank in

high school and also was involved

umpiring in local baseball

leagues. Patrick attended

Duquesne University in Pittsburgh

where he performed in the

Duquesne University

Tamburtizans and graduated with

a degree in Music Education. He

has taught in both Pennsylvania

and New Jersey as a substitute

and part-time in orchestra and

beginning band settings. Patrick is

excited to be a part of the Titusville

community.

Jeffrey Herwig

Music Instructor

THS

Mr. Herwig grew up in Beaver, Pennsylvania. He earned his Bachelors of Music in Music Education/Saxophone from Slippery Rock University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. While at SRU, Mr. Herwig studied saxophone with Dr. Jason Kush and instrumental conducting with Dr. Stephen Barr. He completed his student teaching in both the Mercer and Butler Area School Districts; having spent two years as the assistant marching band director at Beaver Area High School while completing his undergraduate degree.

Stacy Houck Assistant Principal

THS

Mrs. Houck has accepted the position of Assistant Principal at the high school. Previously she worked at the Middle School in Library Science. Mrs. Houck holds a B.A. degree in accounting and business administration from Thiel College. She received her teaching certification through Notre Dame College of Ohio. She earned a M.Ed. in Library Science from Mansfield University as well as K-12 Administrative Certification from Gannon University. She taught at Riverside High School and Cochranton Junior-Senior High School before being hired by the Titusville Area School District in 2003. Mrs. Houck taught business education at THS for 3 years and served as the library media specialist at Titusville Middle School for 9 years. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Mrs. Houck has coached varsity volleyball and middle school basketball. She has served as a department lead, Act 48 committee member, student assistance program member and TIMS committee member.

Robotics Special Awards Spelling Bees 3

“Presentation Award” to Main Street Team

“Gracious Professionalism Award” to Thunder Techs (TMS)

“Research Award” to Rocket Scientists Team (TMS)

Elementary Spelling Bee 2016

The Titusville Area School District Elementary

Spelling Bee was conducted on Friday

January 29, 2016 at Hydetown Elementary

School.

Thirty-two students from Pleasantville, Main

Street and Hydetown Schools participated

and a grade level spelling bee was conducted

in each of grades 1 to 5 to determine

champion spellers. Four years ago, Mr. Scott

Tenney started this now annual tradition

when he realized that words were provided as

young as first grade. Mrs. Hollie Horstman

(gifted coordinator) now facilitates the spelling

bee. Each elementary school takes turns

hosting the bee every year. Judges are

typically retired TASD staff. This year’s judges

were: Mrs. Sarah Heist and Mrs. Gail Billig

(retired teachers) and Mrs. Beth Mather

(retired supervisor of Special Education).

The words and format used are from the

Scripps National Spelling Bee organization.

The winners and runners up of the 4th and 5th

grade bees then compete against each other

and the overall champion goes on to the

Scripps Regional Spelling Bee held

February 8th in Clarion.

Elementary Grade Winners are as follows:

First Grade - Cash Lavery

Second Grade – Jenna Crocker

Third Grade – Madeline Johnson

Fourth Grade – Numair Dubas

Fifth Grade – Kasen Neely

Spelling is an interesting gift for many.

Students can study words and use their rote

memory skills and also learn word patterns to

understand potential spellings. Students at

higher level spelling bees often ask for word

origin to tackle difficult spellings. Many words

have more than one spelling and are

homonyms, adding more challenge to the

skill.

TASD is excited to offer this enrichment

experience and give our great spellers a

chance to shine. They were invited to the

school board meeting on February 8 and

turned the tables on the board members by

asking them to spell some difficult words. We

are happy to report that no board members

missed their word! Congrats to them as well

as our awesome TASD spellers!

Interviewers used standard

questions as well as ones used

specifically in their area of

expertise. At the end of each

20-minute interview, employers

provided feedback and

suggestions for improvement.

Students are to reflect on the

experience individually and

later as a group in class. This

is a unique endeavor for

students to enrich their job

search skills prior to going to a

“real” interview and enhance

their chances for future

employment.

A complimentary luncheon for

the employers was provided by

THS Family and Consumer

Science students.

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Titusville High School Inaugural

Senior Mock Interview Day

Community members who volunteered their time

for Senior Student Mock Interviews

On Tuesday morning,

December 15, Titusville High

School seniors participated

in mock interviews with local

business men and women,

post-secondary school

representatives, and military

recruiters. We had 43

volunteers from our

community participating in

the event.

In preparation, the senior

English teachers had students

complete an application,

resume, cover letter and

reference list that was shared

with the interviewers.

The mock interviews are a

culminating activity for a

career unit students will

receive as an English grade

based on this experience.

Students are graded on their

forms, appearance,

communication skills, and

behavior during the process.

The Titusville Middle School held its annual Spelling Bee on Monday, February 1st with 24 students participating. It took 17 rounds before the winner was declared. Audrey Herman, 6th grade student, was the first place finisher with the word “chronicle”. She was followed by Joe Banner (2nd place) and Emma Cartney (3rd place).

Audrey will go on to represent the Titusville Area School District at the Regional Spelling Bee, which is sponsored by the Intermediate Unit 6, on February 8, 2016 at the Clarion Mall in Clarion, Pa. She will also represent the School District at the Western PA Spelling Bee in March 2016. The Western Pennsylvania Spelling Bee is the regional spelling bee which is used to determine a winner for the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. later in the spring.

Middle School Spelling Bee 2016

TMS Spelling Bee winners shown with

Principal, Mr. Gifford. (L-R) Joe Banner

2nd

Place, Emma Cartney 3rd

place,

Audrey Herman, 1st Place

Great Community Support

Spelling Bee demonstration at February’s School Directors meeting.

was sworn in at the December 7, 2015 Board

Reorganization meeting and will serve a four-

year term. In addition to attending the full

board Committee and Regular meetings, she

serves on the Policy, Transportation & Food

Services and Instructional Student Services

committees.

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Honoring our Retirees

Best Wishes to our recent retirees: (Shown L-R) Marlene Wescoat, Deb Forbes, Nancy Funk, Deb Beers and Rob Buchan. Not shown: Helen Byler, Nancy Clark, Lane Fortney, Linda Lyons, Sue Peterson and Martha Sparks.

We were pleased to honor and recognize the past year’s retirees at our annual Christmas Tea & Employee’s Reception held December 17, 2015. These dedicated support staff, teachers and administrators have a combined 209-1/2 years of service to students and the district!

Titusville Area School Board of Directors January 2016: Seated L-R: Carol J. Shaffer, Lynn J. Cressman, Jean M. Spence; Standing L-R: Kevin J. O’Neill, Richard E. Skinner, Jr., Ronald G. Lytle, Timothy G. Harger, Jack D. Roberts, Dwight S. Proper.

Recognizing School Board Directors!

January is national School Board of Directors month, and the district recognized our School Directors at the January 11th meeting. Ms. Jez presented a certificate of appreciation and praised members for their devotion to students, our educational system and the community.

She added, “public education is more than just learning the basic math, science, English and history; it’s a platform for students to reach their potential. It inspires hope for a new generation and a successful future. The Titusville Area Schools exist, in part, because individuals volunteer their time to make informed decisions about the issues facing public schools.

School directors, on average, volunteer 20 hours a month to help run the schools in our community. The directors make difficult decisions for the betterment of our students. They vote on multi-million dollar budgets, hire staff, select textbooks, review bus schedules and curriculum.

These dedicated volunteers reside in our community. They are our friends, neighbors, community leaders, parents at your school and engaged senior citizens”.

Thanks to the generosity of time, talent and donations by many people, the Hydetown students and faculty are enjoying a new pavilion.

This past fall, students enrolled in the Construction Technology classes at Titusville High School were involved in the design of the pavilion along with the creation of a materials list. The students began building the pavilion on a concrete slab that was put in place by the district maintenance staff with concrete donated by the Hasbrouck family and Titusville Supply Company of Hydetown.

Students continued construction work until the last shingle was nailed in place. The project was made possible through the Hydetown PTG and community donations. The new pavilion will be used as an outdoor classroom allowing students to enjoy and learn in a unique and comfortable setting.

Thank You

Welcome The Titusville Area

School District welcomes

Carol J. Shaffer to the

Board of School

Directors. Mrs. Shaffer

Troopers in the Classroom at TMS

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Pavilion Built at Hydetown School

Thanks to the generosity of time, talent and donations by many people, Hydetown students and faculty

are enjoying a new pavilion. This past fall, students enrolled in the Construction Technology classes at Titusville High School were involved in the design of the pavilion along with the creation of a materials list. The students began building the pavilion on a concrete slab that was put in place by the district maintenance staff with concrete donated by the Hasbrouck family and Titusville Supply Company of Hydetown. Students continued construction work until the last shingle was nailed in place. The project was made possible through the Hydetown PTG and community donations. The new pavilion will be used as an outdoor classroom allowing students to enjoy and learn in a unique and comfortable setting.

This year Titusville Middle School

incorporated the Troopers Teaching

Students initiative into 7th grade

Social Studies and Science

classes. This program at TMS builds

upon the program that was instituted

at Main Street Elementary

school. Troopers Teaching

Students is designed to instill good

character into the student body. The

objectives of the program include

self-regulation, hope, school safety,

positive role models and positive

relationships. The program focuses

on twelve main characteristics; Grit,

Integrity, Kindness, Zest, Self-

Regulation, Fairness, Hope,

Optimism, Gratitude, Bravery,

Curiosity and Social Intelligence.

The 37 week program is being taught

by active duty Trooper Jason Siegel

from the Pennsylvania State

Police. He comes into TMS once a

week to do a lesson on one of the

twelve character traits that make up a

good student and citizen. The

program has reached 140 students

this year and we look forward to

building upon that in the next school

year.

PLANNING for next Year Titusville Area School District

2016-2017 Tentative School Year Calendar Planning for next school year, below is the Tentative 2016-17 School Year Calendar approved by the School

Directors February 16, 2016. Calendar updates are posted on www.gorockets.org under district information.

Induction August 8, 9, 10

Summer Institute* August 23, 24 (*make-up days April 12 & 28)

Professional Development August 25, 26

First Day for Students August 30

Labor Day September 5

Professional Day October 7

Act 80 Days (full days) November 10. 11

Thanksgiving Break November 24, 25, 28

Christmas Break December 23, 26, 27, 28, 29 & 30

Professional Day (Prom) April 28

Memorial Day May 29

Last Day of School June 7

Memorial Day May 29

Last Day of School June 7

Professional Day June 8

Graduation June 9 Snow Days: February 17, April 18,

April 13, June 8

PSSA and Keystone Exams 2016 This spring the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSAs) will be administered in

April to students in grades 3-8 in the areas of English Language Arts and Math. Students in grades 4

and 8 will take the Science PSSA. The Literature Keystone assessment will be administered in May

to all students in Grade 10 and to students in grades 11 and 12 who have not passed this assessment.

The Biology and Algebra I Keystone assessments will be administered to students who are currently

enrolled in these courses or have already taken the assessment and did not receive a proficient or

advanced score.

In January, the Algebra I, Biology and Literature Keystone assessments were administered to

students at Titusville High School who were not proficient in past assessment opportunities. Those

scores are expected to be released in March. Titusville High School has created remediation time

within the school day to help those students who are having difficulty passing the test.

The PSSA and Keystone assessments are fully-aligned to the more rigorous PA Core

Standards, which the State Board of Education adopted in fall 2013. The PA Core Standards are

intended to better prepare students for college and career readiness when they graduate. The

administration and the faculty of the Titusville Area School District have worked very hard over the

last several years to ensure that all curriculum, materials, instructional practices, and assessments are

aligned to the PA Core Standards. We feel that our students are being afforded every opportunity to

learn and grow towards meeting these more challenging standards.

Tips for the Day of Exams:

For the parents of students who will be tested, it is important that your child is well rested,

eats a healthy breakfast and arrives to school on time each day of the assessments. Whenever

possible, avoid scheduling appointments during the assessment times set by your child’s building

principal. While these assessments are very important, we don’t want any student to feel undo stress

or anxiety. Simply encourage your child to do their very best.

If you have any questions about these spring assessments, please contact the district’s

assessment coordinator Debbie Amsler at damsler@gorockets.org or 827-2715 ext. 3491.

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PSSA Testing dates for 2016:

Dates Subject Grades April 13 to17 English Language Arts 3 to 8

April18 to 22 Mathematics 3 to 8

April 25 to 29 Science 4 and 8

Make-Up Days: May 2-6

Keystone Exam dates for 2016:

May 16 to 27

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Top 10 Reasons to Send Your Child to K4

10. Its FREE-All children who are 4 years old by August 1st are eligible to attend.

9. To develop both fine motor and gross motor skills through the use of a variety of activities in the classroom, on the playground, and in the gym.

8. To use their curiosity in exploring their environment and expand their knowledge of the world around them.

7. To expand their language skills and increase their vocabulary. 6. To take care of themselves and others in preparation for kindergarten. 5. To make choices based on interests. 4. The structured environment helps children learn to make friends and play well with others. 3. Curriculum is based on Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Standards which promote

cognitive, social and emotional growth. 2. Growth by interacting with teachers and groups of students, learning to share

and follow instructions preparing them for kindergarten.

and the number 1 reason you should send your

child to K4: Children who attend K4 have an easier

time in kindergarten because they already know

what to expect.

Kindergarten Registration / Online Enrollment

Pre-registration begins March 1st online

Titusville Area School District has begun utilizing a new online system for enrolling

new students in grades 1-12. The enrollment process is now initiated by parents

accessing the enrollment link on the district’s website, ww.gorockets.org. Parents

are able to enter all necessary enrollment information from the comfort and

convenience of their own home. Once registration information is completed

electronically, the information will be sent to the school’s registrar. The parent then

chooses an appointment time to go to the school and present the required

documents which will be scanned into the enrollment system.

The online enrollment process will be used in conjunction with both K4 and K5 registration this year. The

system will be open for parents on March 1 to pre-register their child for Kindergarten. On the actual

days of Kindergarten registration, Tuesday, April 5th and Wednesday, April 6th, parents will bring their

child and necessary documents to the Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) to complete the

registration process.

It is suggested that you complete the online registration portion prior to coming to the Early Childhood

Learning Center as it takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.

If needed, a computer will be available at the ECLC beginning in March for registration purposes.