October 2011
Living Legends
PCMS project brings history to life INSIDE Music Matters Grant Mayor visits Westside PCMS construction project LEGO in the classroom
PCMS students Morgan Plank (left) and Kyle Smith portrayed Mother Teresa and NBA star Kobe Bryant during the school’s Living Legends Wax Museum.
PICTURE THIS: Tyler Egbert, a student in the Pittsburg State University Honors College, reads to Westside Elementary School 1st-graders on Friday, Oct. 14.
PICTURE THIS: Caleb Fuchs, a 5th-grade student at Meadowlark Elementary School, watches the PHS volleyball team warm up during Dragons For a Cure Night on Thursday, Oct. 6.
PICTURE THIS: On March 14, the Pittsburg Community Middle PICTURE THIS: Members of the Pittsburg Fire Department visit School Amateur Theatrical Society presented “Alice In Wonderland” at George Nettels Elementary School on Tuesday, Oct. 11 Memorial Auditorium.
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A Look Inside FROM THE COVER
PCMS 8th-graders research, portray celebrities the likes of Beyonce, Bill Gates and Michael Jordan during the school’s first “Living Legends” event
• PCMS students build dog houses in LCS class
• Meadowlark receives Music Matters Grant
• Mayor Beezley visits Westside Elementary
• Nettels utilizes Pitsco LEGO program Also Inside
• Schools achieve Standard of Excellence • PHS auto tech student thriving • Dr. Travis Scott named 2011 Distinguished Alum • Lakeside students visit PPL • Fred Andrew honored by Masonic Lodge and more...
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Nettels 4th grade utilizes LEGO Education program
Jacob Kunkel likes to build things. If it has multiple pieces and moving parts, he’s all for it. So when Mandy Arck’s 4th grade class at George Nettels Elementary School was chosen recently by LEGO Education to implement the LEGO Education Simple Machines set, Kunkel was among the happiest of the students. “This is awesome,” he said. “I love getting to put things together and make them work.”
The LEGO Simple Machines set provides an innovative, hands-on learning experience for students using gears, wheels and axels, levers and pulleys. The program promotes teamwork and the discovery of physical science concepts. “This is such a great way to get students to participate in the lesson, rather than just being at their desks listening to the teacher,” Arck said. “They’re engaged, they’re interested and
they are having a great time, all while learning several different concepts. “I am most grateful that we were selected to utilize this great program,” she said. The sets can be used to demonstrate science and engineering skills, as well as math concepts such as calculating, measuring and predicting outcomes. Designed for students aged 7 and above, the LEGO Education Simple Machines is a
classroom solution for introducing elementary students to key simple machines concepts while building teamwork and communication skills. The Set aligns with both National Science Teacher’s Association and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standards and accommodate a wide variety of learning styles. “It’s a lot of fun,” student Adam Lee said. “It’s pretty cool getting to build things in class.”
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Scott, 1991 PHS grad, named Distinguished Alum For Travis Scott, a typical, four-year college education seemed to be about as far as his academic aspirations reached. “I always knew I would go to college,” Scott said, “but I never really thought I’d pursue much more than that.” In fact, it wasn’t until
Scott, a 1991 Pittsburg High School graduate, began his second year at Pittsburg State University that the vision for his future began to take shape. “I knew I wanted to go into the
sciences,” he said. “However, I really didn’t consider medicine until my second year of college, when I realized that I may actually be able to become a doctor if I continued to apply myself and work
hard.” Now, 20 years after leaving the halls of PHS, Dr. Travis Scott is a successful radiologist in Hutchinson and was recently named the 2011 recipient of the Pittsburg Community Schools Distinguished Alumnus Award. Scott was nominated for the award by
SCOTT - Page 7 PHS theater earns “Legally Blonde” rights When Pittsburg High School Theatre Director Greg Shaw began planning out the school’s 2011-2012 season, there was one show in particular he hoped to put on the schedule. “In May, when we were confirming our season, I had inquired about the musical ‘Legally Blonde,’” Shaw said. “I wanted to know if it would be available to produce. I was told at the time that it was doubtful. “But it was always in the back of my mind.” In March, the show will move from the back
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Lakeside students visit Pittsburg Public Library Lakeside Elementary School secondgrade students visited the Pittsburg Public Library during the week of Oct. 10 to learn about the PPL’s services and about how to check out books. The field trip to the library is conducted each year. “We love taking our second-grade students to the library,” teacher Janice Stahl said. “It’s important that they become familiar with how the library works and that their love of reading continues to grow.” While at the library, the students viewed puppet shows, colored “Book Monster” masks and had the chance to check out one book from the library. “Books are a vital tool in the education of our students, and we are so grateful that the PPL welcomes us with open arms,” teacher Kim Peterson said.
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Meadowlark receives Music Matters Grant
Like many people who write grant applications, Lacy Mikrut was just giving it a shot. The grant for which she applied was the Music Matters grant through the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation, a non-profit charity organization founded in 1998 by Muzak LLC, one of the world’s largest music providers. The Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation’s mission is to support music education. “The Muzak Foundation is so huge and the amount of grants they distribute each year total more than $1 million,” Mikrut
said. “I figured I would just keep trying for a couple of years until I got something.” She didn’t need a couple of years. Meadowlark Elementary School was selected this year as one of 15 schools nationwide to receive a Music Matters Grant. The school received a grant for $2,540 for the purchase of a 43-piece REMO World Music Drumming package and the “Peanut Butter Jam” drumming classroom kit. Meadowlark is the only school in Kansas to receive a Music
Matters grant this year. Mikrut said the equipment purchased with the grant funds will make available to her students unique opportunities. “The kids here at Meadowlark deserve this,” she said. “They deserve every opportunity we can give them musically because that spills into every other subject we have. This school means a lot to me and the kids should get a chance to experience really cool and unusual stuff. “I can do that now,” she said.
THEATER: Show to be performed in March
of Shaw’s mind to the front of the school’s auditorium, as Pittsburg High School has been chosen as the first high school in the nation to receive performing rights to “Legally Blonde: The Musical.” “We received an early notification that, while the show is restricted in some areas, they were beginning to give out performing rights,” Shaw said. “Shortly after, we received confirmation that
we could do it.” The PHS Theatre department will perform “Legally Blonde” March 7-10. Shaw said he has wanted to produce the show ever since seeing it on Broadway four years ago. “It is just a really fun musical, and it’s much better than even I thought it would be,” he said. “So, of course, we’re ecstatic to
have the opportunity to produce it at Pittsburg High School, and to be the first high school in the country to receive its rights makes it even more exciting for us. “To have the opportunity to be one of the first schools to produce a show is something I would like us to get used to,” he said.
SCOTT: ‘I owe a lot to PHS’
PHS teacher and assistant football coach Benny Bernhardt. “I was very surprised when I received a call from Coach Bernhardt telling me that he was nominating me for the award,” Scott said. “I
feel extremely honored to have been selected. I owe a lot to PHS and feel very fortunate to have attended such a great school.” Scott’s portrait and a plaque in his honor will soon hang on the
Distinguished Alum Wall inside PHS. He will also be recognized later this fall at a PHS athletic event.
“I feel extremely honored to have been selected.” -- Dr. Travis Scott
History Lesson PCMS presents Living Legends It’s one thing to learn about a famous person. It’s quite another to become one for a day. During a research project for their Language Arts classes, Pittsburg Community Middle School eighth-grade students accomplished both. On Friday, Oct. 14, eighth-grade students in the Language Arts classes of Angela Lewis and Kristy Uttley participated in the school’s first “Living Legends” event, during which the students portrayed and discussed famous people -- past or present -- and the ways they used their influence to better the world around them. The “wax museum” activity was the culmination of the students’ research project, which was implemented this year to better prepare the students for high school. “We thought this would be not only a unique way of showing off what the kids have learned, but also a fun way of doing a research project,” Lewis said. “I think everyone had a great time with it.” Ashlee Beitzinger, who portrayed New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, said she enjoyed working on the project. “It was a lot of fun,” she said. “The research part was interesting, and then getting to dress up and talk about our characters was a blast.” Uttley said she was proud of the students’ efforts. “You could tell that they took it seriously,” she said. “It was neat to see them really buy in to what we were trying to accomplish. Learning can be a lot of fun, and I think everyone saw that during this project.” more pics on Page 9 (PAGE 10: A look behind the scenes)
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Morning at the Wax Museum
More photos at www.usd250.org and www.facebook.com/usd250
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Lifelong Chevy fan finds home in PHS auto tech program
When she was 5 years old, Miranda Darnaby helped her father rebuild an old pickup. When she was 6, she got a battery-powered car for her birthday. “I tried to put it up on cinder blocks and work on it,” Darnaby said. “That didn’t work out too well.” She loves cars. Always has. Now in her second year in the program, the Pittsburg High School junior is finding her niche in the school’s automotive technology program. “I love it,” she said. “I love getting dirty. I
love the challenge. You never really know what the problem is when you first go into working on a car.” In a program traditionally populated by male students, Darnaby is quickly proving that a mechanic’s shop isn’t just a place for men. “I think it’s cool that
I can do a lot of stuff that they can’t,” she said of her male classmates. “I love seeing the look on their faces when I finish before them. “Plus, I’ve worked with my dad’s roofing crew before, so I’m used to working around a
bunch of guys,” she said. Her passion for and knowledge of auto mechanics has caught the eye of Adam Nunn, PHS auto tech teacher. “She is very dedicated to class and is developing into a talented entry-level technician,” Nunn said. “I can see great potential in her for having a successful career in the field.” Darnaby, who plays bass in the PHS band, said she hopes to serve as a mechanic in the military after high school.
Westside program teaches math, finances On certain afternoons in Paul Hanney’s thirdgrade class at Westside Elementary School, students can be seen punching a calculator and filling out a transaction register similar to that of an adult’s checkbook. It’s never too early to learn proper financial management. The students earn Dragon Dollars for good behavior, and they are tasked with keeping track of their account
balance through the transaction register. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while,” Hanney said. “When I was a kid, I was never taught how to properly manage a checkbook. This helps them keep track of their Dragon Dollars in a real-world way.” Dragon Dollars can be used to “purchase” lunch with the teacher or principal or other privliges such as extra computer time.
“I love that we get to buy things at the Dragon Store,” student Ella Bolinger said. “Plus, this really helps with our math, because we have to add up our Dragon Dollars and then subtract when we buy something.” Hanney said the program also
teaches the students about personal responsibility. “They get the experience of keeping track of the money they earn,” he said. “The same way adults do.”
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Elementary students learn bicycle safety
Elementary school students learned the importance of being safe while riding their bicycles during the Bike Safety Fair conducted at each USD 250 elementary school. The bike safety sessions, conducted by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office and Tailwind Cyclists, were held the week of Oct. 3. The event included an education portion, during which students in grades 3rd through 5th
learned about how to be safe while on a bike and learn the “rules of the road.” Afterward, the students took turns riding bicycles around a course drawn on school grounds. “It is very important that you are safe while riding your bikes,” Tailwind Cyclists owner Roger Lomshek told Westside Elementary School students. “We want you to have fun, but we also want you to be safe.”
PCMS LCS students build dog houses Eighth-grade students in Debbie Striplin’s Life and Career Skills class at Pittsburg Community Middle School are “getting their feet wet” in construction this semester by constructing dog houses. The houses, once complete, will either be taken home by the students or donated to a local organization. The annual project is aimed at giving students a entry-level introduction to the construction trade. “We want the kids to be able to dabble a bit in construction,” Striplin said. “They learn a lot of important skills through projects like these.” The wood for the houses was donated by Joe
Bournonville. While the teachers are there for support, the students are tasked with completing the measuring, cutting and construction of the houses. The students had to complete a safety course before working with power tools. Student Matthew Bell said he plans to take his house home to his dog. “I like to build, and my dog needs a new dog house,” Bell said. “He’s getting way too big.” Construction is just one of several “real world” life skills taught in the LCS course. Others include cooking, sewing, checkbook management and car ownership.
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Page 12 PSU Honors College reads to elementary students Students in the Pittsburg State University Honors College visited first- and second-grade students at Meadowlark and Westside Elementary schools earlier this month to read to the students. Craig Fuchs, director of the PSU Honors College, said the visit is part of the organization’s renewed dedication to engagement in the community. “We are really stressing community service this year,” Fuchs said. “We know that teachers can sometimes have difficulty getting to all of the students during reading time in school, so we thought we’d offer to come out and help and read to the kids.” Megan Dixon, first-
Schools ‘Mix it Up’ at lunch USD 250 schools participated in National Mix It Up Lunch Day on Tuesday, Oct. 18. The national campaign is aimed at promoting and developing “inclusive school communities.” The students ate with schoolmates from different classes and different grade levels.
“The idea is that they sit by someone they don’t necessarily know, and it helps the kids learn more about each other and to start to form new friendships,” Phil Jay, counselor at Lakeside Elementary School said. Gary Woodrum, counselor at Westside
Elementary, said the project helps teach students about tolerance and acceptance. “It’s a great way to get the students to open up a little, ask questions and learn a little bit about the other kids in the school,” he said. “I think a project like this is a great idea.”
grade teacher at Westside, said she and her students were excited for the PSU students’ visit. “When I told my kids that the PSU students were coming, their eyes got wide,” Dixon said. “They were very excited for the opportunity, and we appreciate that the PSU students came out to read to our students.” Pitt State student Jason Williamson said he and his classmates greatly enjoyed the time with the elementary students. “I love kids, so this was a perfect experience for me,” he said. “I loved that we got to be here to visit and help them with their reading.”
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Multigenerational Women’s Chorus presents ‘Shout!’
The Pittsburg Multigenerational Women’s Chorus presented the musical “Shout!” on Oct. 17 at Pittsburg High School. The concert was free to the public. Comprised of 40 members of the PHS Girls Glee club and 30 adult members of the community, the PMWC combines the talents of some of Pittsburg’s most talented female performers. “This is a great opportunity for
our high school singers to join with women from throughout the community to sing, entertain and have a great time,” Susan Laushman, chorus director and PHS vocal music teacher, said. “The students and the adults are all very talented, and combining their voices makes for a wonderful concert experience.” The mod musical “Shout!” brings back the “beautiful birds and smashing sounds that made
England swing in the 1960s.” Travelling back in time to the 60s and 70s, the musical chronicles the liberation of women and reflects the changing times through the music of that era. Included were selections made popular by singers Petula Clark and Cilla Black, along with songs by writers such as Tony Hatch, Carol King and Burt Bacharach.
Speaker touts good decisions at PHS Motivational speaker Sarah Panzau, a former two-time National Junior College Athletic Association All-American volleyball player who lost her left arm and nearly lost her life in a drunkendriving accident, talked to Pittsburg High School students this month about the importance of making
healthy life choices, including the decision to abstain from underage drinking. “It’s simply not worth it,” she said. Panzau spoke to all PHS juniors and seniors inside the school’s auditorium. “Work hard and never give up,” she said, “and you can have all of your dreams in
the palm of your hand.” PHS senior Zach Baden said he enjoyed Panzau’s presentation. “A message like that resonates when it comes from someone who has been through what she has,” he said. “You couldn’t help but listen and take in what she had to say.”
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USD 250 schools achieve Standard of Excellence
Pittsburg Community Middle School and each of USD 250’s four elementary schools earned at least one Standard of Excellence award during the 2010-2011 school year, according to information released Tuesday by the Kansas State Department of Education. Standard of Excellence is awarded each year at the grade and building levels in the subjects of reading, math, writing, science and history/government. To receive an SOE award at the grade or building level, the building must make AYP in the “All Students” group. The USD 250 schools making Standard of Excellence in 2010-2011 were: -- Pittsburg Community Middle School (6th, 7th, 8th and buildingwide reading) -- George Nettels Elementary School (5th grade reading and math) -- Lakeside Elementary School (5th grade math) -- Meadowlark Elementary School (3rd grade math) -- Westside Elementary School (5th grade math)
“We are very proud of our staff and our students for achieving Standard of Excellence,” USD 250 Superintendent Destry Brown said. “These awards are recognition of the hard work put in by everyone in our district and in our schools.” To receive a Standard of Excellence in reading for grades 3-6, at least 25 percent of students must be in the Exemplary category on the state assessment, with not more than 5 percent of students in Academic Warning. For grades 7-8, 20 percent of students must score in the Exemplary category, with not more than 10 percent of students in Academic Warning. To receive a Standard of Excellence at the grade or building level in reading, the building must make AYP in the “All Students” group. Additionally, the following are expected percentage values for a school of excellence in reading. Grades 3-6, 60 percent of students classified as Exceeds Standard or above; 80 percent as Meets Standard and above; and 95 percent as
Approaches Standard and above. Grades 7-8, 55 percent of students classified as Exceeds Standard and above; 75 percent as Meets Standard and above; and 90 percent classified as Approaches Standard and above. High school, 50 percent of students classified as Exceeds Standard and above; 70 percent as Meets Standard and above; and 90 percent classified as Approaches Standard and above. To receive a Standard of Excellence in mathematics for grades 3-6, at least 25 percent of students must be in the Exemplary category on the state assessment, with not more than 5 percent of students in Academic Warning. For grades 7-8, 25 percent of students must score in the Exemplary category, with not more than 10 percent of students in Academic Warning. To receive a Standard of Excellence at the grade or building level in mathematics, the building must make AYP in the “All Students” group. Additionally, the following are expected percentage
values for a school of excellence in mathematics. Grades 3-6, 60 percent of students classified as Exceeds Standard or above; 80 percent as Meets Standard and above; and 95 percent as Approaches Standard and above. Grades 7-8, 60 percent of students classified as Exceeds Standard and above; 80 percent as Meets Standard and above; and 90 percent classified as Approaches Standard and above. High school, 40 percent of students classified as Exceeds Standard and above; 70 percent as Meets Standard and above; and 85% classified as Approaches Standard and above. According to the KSDE, there were 3,220 Standard of Excellence awards presented in reading and 2,765 awards presented in math. In science, 484 Standard of Excellence awards were achieved.
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Mayor Beezley visits Westside
Earlier this fall, as part of a class project, each 5th-grade student at Westside Elementary School wrote a letter to Pittsburg Mayor Marty Beezley. The students were encouraged to describe to the mayor what they like about Pittsburg and what they would like to see changed. The students were then to wait patiently for Mayor Beezley to reply with a letter of her own. On Monday, Oct. 10, they got something even better. Mayor Beezley made a surprise visit to Westside to talk to all 5th-
graders about their letters and to address the students’ questions. Topics of the discussion
and touched by the letters I received from the students,” Beezley said. “I was asked to write
ranged from the city’s restaurants and parks to city streets and storm shelters. “I was very impressed
a letter in reply, but I thought it was more important that I visit the school and that the students see their mayor
and have the chance to ask questions.” Westside 5th-grade teacher Sarah Prince said the class project came as part of the students’ reading of “The City of Ember.” Prince said she was excited for the mayor’s visit. “When she called and said she would like to come speak to the students, I was very surprised and excited for our kids,” she said. “We know the mayor is very busy, and we greatly appreciate that she took the time to visit our school and talk with our students.”
Pittsburg High School FCCLA students recently donated nine pounds of pop tabs to the Ronald McDonald House in Joplin. The students also toured the facility. Ronald McDonald House collects pop tabs as a way to “teach kids about philanthropy and the importance of recycling, and raise funds to help children and their families at the same time.”
IN BRIEF:
On Saturday, Oct. 1, nearly 80 Pittsburg Community Middle School Communication Art students and their teachers visited Kansas City to view the play “The Outsiders” at the Coterie Theatre. After the play, some students had the fortune of having their photo taken with Skyy Moore, who portrays the character Ponyboy Curtis. “The Outsiders,” written by S.E. Hinton, is set in 1965 and tells the story of the rivalry between the “Greasers,” of which Ponyboy is a member, and its rival gang, the “Socs,” which is short for Socials.
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Transportation Director honored by Masonic Lodge Fred Andrew, USD 250’s Transportation Director, was honored this fall by the Pittsburg Masonic Lodge #187 for his ongoing service to the Kansas Masonic All-State High School Marching Band. Since the Pittsburg Masonic Lodge began sponsoring area high school students for the band more than 10 years ago, Andrew and the USD 250 transportation staff have provided the students bus transportation to the annual Masonic band camp. The camp is conducted each year in conjunction with the annual Shrine Bowl football game.
Family Resource Center conducts annual Playground Party The Family Resource Center hosted the 3rd annual Playground Party in late September. The annual event is a major fundraiser for the Center. Musical entertainment was provided by Trout Fishing in America. Playground equipment, an inflatable bounce house and approximately 10,000 blocks was available for the children in attendance. There was also a drawing for prizes, including an Apple iPad 2.
Congratulations to the PCMS 7th grade football team Perfect 7-0 season! Well done, Dragons!
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PHoto finish