A comprehensive recap of the 2024-25 school year at the Gateway School District
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As we’ve now wrapped up the 2024-2025 school year, it’s an excellent opportunity to reflect on the growth, accomplishments, and the milestones we’ve reached together. We’ve diligently created new opportunities for students, staff, and our community.
One of the most significant highlights was our high school graduation ceremony on June 3, where nearly 300 students walked across the stage, marking the completion of their high school journey. Their hard work, dedication, and resilience is inspiring and is reflective of our school community.
Next year, the District will introduce several exciting programs aimed at preparing students for the future. We were proud to receive the PA Smart Grant, which will support the development of innovative educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. These efforts will be complemented by the launch of a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) course, equipping students with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.
Further, our curriculum will also expand next school year with the addition of a Cybersecurity course, providing students with critical knowledge and skills in a field that is increasingly important in today’s digital landscape. These courses are part of our ongoing commitment to providing students with cutting-edge educational experiences, preparing them for an ever-changing world.
Finally, our partnership with Point Park University — which involves eight, teaching related classes that transfer for 24 credits at Point Park — will offer students valuable pathways to further their education and careers. Through this collaboration, we continue to foster new opportunities for our students, if they are considering a college pathway.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to supporting all students in achieving their goals and preparing them for future success. We are excited about what the next school year will bring as we continue to evolve and adapt to the needs of our students and the community.
We wish our students, staff, and community a restful, enjoyable remaining summer. The next school year promises to be another successful one, unofficially beginning on August 14, from 4:00 p.m – 6:00 p.m, for our back-to-school kickoff at Gateway Middle School.
Gateway High School principal Justin Stephans leaned into the microphone and spoke two final words: “class dismissed.”
S enior S threw their hat S into the air with glee, marking the end of a commencement ceremony on June 3 that celebrated the Gateway High School graduating class of 2025. In total, 289 seniors walked across the stage and accepted their diplomas.
This joyous day celebrating a wonderful, hard working class took place at Walter “Pete” Antimarino Stadium. The night featured a number of excellent speeches and musical performances. The Gateway High School band performed the processional song, ‘Pomp and Circumstance’, while the Chorale sang ‘For Good’, a lovely song from the musical ‘Wicked’. Diana Novak sang the Gateway alma mater, while co-senior presidents Kennedy Edwards and Jolina Estremera gave the welcome address, a speech that celebrated the achievements and perseverance of a great senior class. Edwards also sang the National Anthem. Ethan Grieve Lindbland and Daniel Baker gave the salutatory and valedictory addresses, respectively.
In total, the class of 2025 had 21 students that finished with a 4.0 or higher GPA (distinguished honors), 54 high honors students, and 61 honors students. Baker, the class valedictorian, will be attending Liberty University on a full academic scholarship. Lindblad will be attending Princeton University. Lindblad and Darren Johnson are National Merit
Finalists. Salma Mukhtar and Brody Fiorito earned National Merit Commended distinctions. Mukhtar, notably, will be attending Cornell University.
Some other highlights include several students attending universities in Florida (one student is attending EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University), and others going to out-of-state schools, like Ohio State University and the University of South Carolina. A double digit amount of athletes have signed to play their respective sports in college, while at least six students have reported that they’ll be enlisting into the military.
National Honor Society members include, as follows: Abeer Abdalla, Rukmani Asuresh, Daniel Baker, Braeden Bungard, Lydia Blash, Alyssa Castelli, Elaiyah Daniels, Scarlett Davis, Kennedy Edwards, Elena Ellinger, Brody Fiorito, Abigail Griffith, Emiliana Izzo, Darren Johnson, Paige Kessler, Samantha Koruzo, Dexter Kovach, Sai Pranav Malyala, Joanna Miller, Salma Mukhtar, Dino Nadarevic, Ethan Nguyen, Diana Novak, Piper Ranallo, Peter Reynolds, Ciara Rhea, Payje Robinson, Jay Sen, Zylan Sims, Anna Walter, and Jennifer Yue.
Congratulations, Class of 2025!
$132,059 was awarded to our students. Congratulations to all of the students that were selected and applied for these awards. Awards winners include, as follows:
U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete: Adam Memije & Payje Robinson
U.S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence: Braeden Bungard
U.S. Marine Corps Semper Fidelis: Ciara Rhea
U.S. Marine Corps: Brandon Kurtz
Pete Antimarino Leadership Award: Chase Gabriel
Bobie Bao Memorial Scholarship: Abeer Abdalla
Biondi Motor Company Scholarship: Elena Ellinger
Monroeville Arts Council Scholarship: Landon Lohr
Gabriele D’Annunzio Society – The Pitcairn Italian Club Scholarship: Alexis Manso & Alexander Jordan
Evergreen Elementary School PTO: Rukmani Asuresh
Ramsey Elementary School PTO: Hunter Raymer & Luke Pawlowski
Dr. Cleveland Steward, Jr. Elementary School PTO: Jacqueline Lu
University Park Elementary School PTO: Ava Bradley
Gateway Middle School PTO: Ashlee Young
Peter F. Flaherty, IV Scholarship:
Joanna Miller, Elsidro Bryant, Connor Olson Bartges, Jayden Lewis, & Landen Samaras
The Furrie Scholarship: Lydia Blash, Abigail Griffith, Joanna Miller, Kaden Gibson, & Luke Pawlowski
Gateway Band Boosters Scholarship
In Memory of Noah Gray: Kai Jones & Landon Lohr
Gateway Education Association Scholarship:
Lydia Blash, Gianna D’Agostino, & Dexter Kovach
GHS College Entrance Exam Award: Helen O’Grady, Ethan Grieve Lindblad, Brody Fiorito, Peter Reynolds, & Ryan Scott
Gateway High School Counseling Department Starfish Award: Gianna D’Agostino & Brayden Onderick
GHS Cheerleading Boosters Scholarship: & Alexandra Revoredo
GHS Football Boosters Scholarship: Chase Gabriel
Gateway High School Boys Soccer Boosters Scholarship: Peter Reynolds
Gateway High School Swimming/Diving Team Booster Scholarship: Paige Kessler & Hunter Raymer
Gateway High School Girls Volleyball Booster Scholarship: Jolina Estremera & Joanna Miller
Gateway Pavlik-Stewart Bowling Scholarship: Kai Jones
Gateway Theater Guild Senior Scholarship: Scarlett Davis, Bailey Steele, & Braeden Bungard
Brandon Kuster Memorial Scholarship: Hayden Nadeau & Luke Pawlowski
Celeste Massaro Scholarship: Salma Mukhtar
Monroeville Interfaith Ministerium Scholarship: Ajani Mbandi
Monroeville Lions Club Scholarship: Reilly Griffith
Monroeville Rotary Club Scholarship: Zylan Abriola-Sims, Ava Bradley, Samantha Koruzo, Leiazia Rich, Connor Evans, & Kai Jones
National Merit Commended Recognition: Salma Mukhtar & Brody Fiorito
National Merit Finalists: Ethan Grieve Lindblad & Darren Johnson
The National School Orchestra Award: Scarlett Davis
Olympus Energy Scholarship: Salma Mukhtar
P3R Board of Directors Scholarship: Zylan Abriola-Sims
Pitcairn Woman’s Club Scholarship: Danika Warren
Amanda Jane Price Memorial Scholarship: Natalie Whitfield
Provost Scholarship Penn State University: Thomas Tuskan
David H. Reed Memorial Scholarship: Reese McDonnell, Atalie Ruefle, Ava Zappa, Adam Memije, & Vincent Vagni
Richard Siegel Memorial Scholarship: Joanna Miller
The John Philip Sousa Award: Kai Jones
Tech Excellence Scholarship: Austin Lockhart
Turtle Creek Satellite Rotary Club: Elsidro Bryant
University of Pittsburgh Merit Scholarship: Abeer Abdalla & Brody Fiorito
Weiss-Felsenthal Family Scholarship: Alyssa Castelli
Wilkins Elks #577 MVP Scholarship: Joanna Miller
In the 2024-25 school year, Gateway High School continued to further its mission of providing students with a varied, career-focused education that prepares them for an ever-changing world.
Academically, GHS gave students more options to get ahead by expanding Advanced Placement (AP) and College in High School (CHS) courses. They also introduced Gator Time: a special block where students receive extra help or try new challenges. Meanwhile, the Teacher Academy, led by Mark Spinola, continued preparing future educators. Mr. Spinola’s work, which involves sending high school students to teach in local elementary schools, earned recognition from the National Education Association (NEA) and the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA).
Outside the classroom, students ran a Coffee Shop and Flower Delivery program to learn real-world business and customer service skills. In addition, the school’s National Honor Society and Interact Club supported the community through the United Way’s Champion School Initiative, backpack program, and monthly drive-thru food distributions. The College and Career Fair offered students a chance to speak with local colleges, trades, and businesses, helping them plan for life after graduation.
The year was capped off with a lively performance of the musical, Once Upon a Mattress. Families, friends, and alumni came together to watch this joyful show, celebrating the creativity, unity, and dedication that truly define Gateway High School.
Gateway Middle School celebrated a momentous 2024-2025 school year with their move to a newly renovated building, consolidating all middle school-aged students into one building. Families and community members attended our grand opening events and tours of the new building.
The grand opening marked the beginning of a successful year. Among other highlights, students and families hosted the school’s first Celebration of Cultures. Middle School families had the opportunity to learn about various cultures and sample food from around the world.
Marci Crow — along with help of teachers and counselors — organized a speaker series for students to learn about career opportunities from local professionals, such as Chris Jamison, Officer Dylan Keffer along with his K-9 partner, Dirk, Dr. Guy Rossi and Dr. Dennis Chakey, Mayor Nick Gresock, and WPXI Chief Meteorologist, Stephen Cropper.
The counseling department also started the Be the Kind Kid Club, uniting students around activities that focus on good deeds and kindness and continuing to
This 2024-2025 school year was a remarkable one for our four elementary schools — Dr. Cleveland Steward Jr., Evergreen, University Park, and Ramsey Elementary — filled with growth, learning, and numerous achievements. Students made significant academic progress, as our teachers implemented engaging lessons and creative projects that sparked curiosity and a love for learning in the classroom. Our elementary school also implemented RIASEC, which categorizes students into six personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. RIASEC is part of the basis for World of Work, a career exploration framework that helps students understand their own interests and career paths, while helping teachers tailor their instruction to different learning styles.
To further their career learning, 4th grade students from acorss the district ventured to JA Biztown, a simulated town in Bridgeville, stocked with a plethora of mini-storefronts. Some of those storefronts include PPG Paints, #1 Cochran, FedEx Ground, Giant Eagle, Gordon Food Service, Highmark, UPMC, Vector Security, and Sheetz. Throughout the day, students worked their assigned jobs in various businesses.
The field trip came as the near last piece of the JA BizTown curriculum. Throughout the learning, students go through five units: Financial Literacy, Community & Economy, Work & Career Readiness, Business Management, and Visit & Debriefing.
Further, PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) continues to be a focus, as our elementary schools steep positive reinforcement into the school day, rewarding students for following schoolwide expectations. These thoughtful, intentional efforts have helped create school environments flush with positivity, hard work, respect, and friendship.
Students finished out the school year with several culminating events. Kindergarten and 4th grade students were recognized during promotion ceremonies, celebrating our young learners for completing their first year, while sending off our oldest elementary school students to middle school. Before that, though, students met various professionals on career days, had a blast during Fun Days, and came together at Gateway Middle School for a day to meet some of their classmates, tour the building, and complete some fun activities during a RIASEC party.
perpetrate a positive school. Students also united through boys and girls mentorship groups, giving students the opportunity to come together around common issues.
Further, new offerings at Gateway Middle School include the student help desk. Through the help desk program, students get on the job experience working with technology, helping prepare devices and fixing them when there’s an issue. In turn, students have become a crucial factor in the district’s relationship with technology, ensuring that their fellow students and teachers have properly functioning technology at all times.
Other innovative offerings include SeaPerch, a program that gives students the opportunity to build underwater robots and compete against other schools in competitions. To that point, Gateway’s SeaPerch team qualified for the annual International SeaPerch Challenge.
Gateway’s Cyber Academy, headed by Dr. Marci Klinger and Regan Reeder experienced continued growth in the 2024-2025 school year. The Cyber Academy helped educate 514 students in total and graduated 138 of 139 seniors.
From full-time to part-time cyber students, Dr. Klinger, Reeder, and our host of cyber teachers helped meet the varying needs of our students, providing them a flexible, extensive educational experience.
Beyond traditional course offerings, Gateway Cyber Academy offered a wide range of world language and elective courses this year. World language courses include Spanish 1, 2, & 3, and French 1, 2, & 3, as well as Latin 1 & 2 and German 1 & 2, as requested.
Elective courses, by general groupings, include:
n Microsoft Office, Introduction to Coding, and Introduction to Computer Science
n Online Learning and Digital Citizenship, Personal Finance, and Strategies for Academic Success
n Food Products and Processing
n Small Business Entrepreneurship
n Career Planning, Career Management, Introduction to Business, and Food Products and Processing
n Engineering and Design, Introduction to STEM, and STEM and Problem Solving
n Introduction to Art, Art History 1, and Fundamentals of Digital Media.
Across the Gateway School District, our students achieved quite a bit in the 2024-25 school year, taking home a number of awards, and representing the district honorably through a variety of mediums. Some highlights:
The AIM Science Bowl team earned 3rd place in the ESSPA Science Bowl competition, hosted by Hempfield High School.
The team of Ethan Lindblad, Hussain Raza, and Isabelle Stanley earned 3rd place overall. Individual awards went to Ethan Lindblad, 2nd place overall (Team A), and Brody Friorito, 4th place overall (Team B). Kudos to the Science Department for providing a strong curriculum that prepared these students to compete at the highest levels!
Gateway’s Phipps Fairchild Challenge team earned 1st place in the yearlong competition, earning $1000 towards environmental programs at Gateway High School. Individual award winners include:
Challenge #1 - Biological Sculpture2nd Place
Challenge #2 - Fine Arts and Writing1st Place - Piper Munyon
Challenge #4 - Environmental Justice1st Place - Piper Munyon
Challenge #5 - Model Building1st Place - Piper Munyon
Challenge #6 - Data Collection1st Place - Piper Munyon
Five students scored a perfect score on one section of either the ACT or SAT. Those students include Brody Fiorito, Ethan Lindblad, Helen O’Grady, Peter Reynolds, and Ryan Scott. Additionally, Darren Johnson and Ethan Lindblad were National Merit Finalists, while Salma Mukhtar and Brody Fiorito were National Merit Commended students.
n Fourth graders at Evergreen Elementary achieved a clean sweep in this year’s GeoChallenge competitions, winning all three events. In October, January, and April, students connected via Zoom with fourth grade teams from California, Utah, and Alaska. The goal was to use a combination of probability, logic, and geography skills to correctly identify the other teams’ home state before their own state could be guessed. It was a fun and competitive way to sharpen critical thinking while learning more about the country and their peers across it.
n University Park was recognized in high honor for their PBIS efforts, as the Pennsylvania Positive Behavior Support (PaPBS) Network informed them that they had met the criteria for implementing School-Wide (SWPBIS) Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports for Tiers 1-2-3 Sustaining. By meeting the Tier 3 Sustaining criteria, University Park has reached the highest level of PBIS recognition, a distinct honor that only 44 other schools in the state can claim. This was the third year in a row that University Park has reached Tier 3 Sustaining.
n Kennedy Edwards was nominated for the Gene Kelly Awards’ Outstanding Student Artist for her work as the stage manager for ‘Once Upon a Mattress’. The Gene Kelly Awards honor students for excellence in High School musical theater. In addition to that nomination, Edwards received a CLO Cash Scholarship through the Gene Kelly Awards program. Braeden Bungard received a CLO Ambassador’s Scholarship through the program, also.
n Sixteen Gateway High School students earned recognition as AP Scholars, while six students earned recognition as AP Scholars With Distinction. AP Scholars include Ryan Deselich, Grant Karstetter, Abeer Abdalla, Rukmani Asuresh, Scarlett Davis, Alsu Ibrahimli, Jacqueline Lu, Madison Lu, Salma Mukhtar, Dino Nadarevic, Ethan Nguyen, Diana Novak, Helen O’Grady, Ciara Rhea, and Jay Sen. AP Scholars with Distinction include Daniel Baker, Brody Fiorito, Darren Johnson, Ethan Lindblad, Giovannina McIntyre, and Peter Reynolds.
n Brody Fiorito and Harita Venkatesh won first place in the Chem Lab event against twenty other districts, as part of the regional Science Olympiad competition held at PennWest California University. Additionally, the science club team placed 9th overall in this academic track meet, consisting of a series of 23 team events. Gateway continues to show outstanding achievement in STEM field competitions.
n The science department collaborated to select Salma Mukhtar (12th grade), Baylee Blanton (11th grade), and Lily Cook (10th grade) to receive Certificates of Merit from the Society of Women Engineers. These female students are recognized for being high achievers in math and science and considering a career in engineering, computer science or technology. Our selected senior, Salma, was also awarded a $100 Amazon gift card. We are thrilled to advocate for the next generation of women engineers!
n Gateway Middle School’s SeaPerch Team, HydroDynamics, qualified for the International SeaPerch Challenge. SeaPerch is an innovative, underwater robotics program that equips students with the resources they need to build an underwater, remotely operated vehicle (ROV).
n The Gateway AIM Chess team earned 1st place at this year’s ESSPA Chess Tournament. Our team, consisting of Daniel Bandos, Ethan Lindblad, Josh Biehl, and Prince Sadam, won the most rounds in a very competitive bracket. Further, Bandos earned the third-highest individual score.
n AIM Student Ethan Grieve Lindblad had the highest score for Gateway High School in the annual American Mathematics Competition and earned a spot in the American Invitational Math Exam.
n Piper Munyon earned best research award for her project at the Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair.
It was a fantastic year for our district’s art and music departments. Check out some highlights below:
The 3rd Annual Winter Showcase of Art was on display during the Band and Orchestra winter concerts in December. Student art from the Drawing, Painting, Digital Photography, Design, Art Survey, Sculpture and Adapted Art Classes was on display.
Annual K-12 District Art Show at the Monroeville Public Library
Four GHS students were selected by art teacher, Mrs. Severson, to represent Gateway High School in a juried exhibition of high school ceramics this April 2025. Reese McDonald (grade 12), Madeleine Mutale (grade 11), Adelyn McWhinney (grade 10), and Addison Tran (grade 9), each entered works to be shared with the public at the gallery space for Standard Ceramic in Carnegie PA.
Braelyn Meisenheimer, grade 9, entered an original work of art into the Metamorphosis art competition and gallery show hosted by Phipps Conservatory. Students were asked to create a piece of art to reflect how their personal journey allows them to maintain hope and reimagine sustainability. Braelyn created a self-portrait painting that incorporated assembled materials to demonstrate her personal interests and her commitment to creating a future that thoughtfully reimagines discarded items in new ways.
Student art was on display during the month of March to celebrate student achievement in the visual arts and to recognize Youth Art in Our Schools month.
Alyssa Castelli wins logo design contest
Congratulations to Alyssa Castelli for winning the Monroeville Independence Day Parade Committee’s K-12 logo design contest. Alyssa’s design was featured in banners and ads for this year’s Monroeville Independence Day Parade.
Seventy-five 4th grade students from across the district make up the 4th Grade All Star Choir. They performed a winter concert for friends and family at Gateway High School. Additionally, they performed at the Monroeville Mall to entertain shoppers as they shopped for the holidays on December 14, 2024. Other performances include a performance as the opening act for Gateway High School’s production of “Once Upon a Mattress” on March 28, 2025. Additionally, 14 All Star Choir students attended Singing Saturday with the Pittsburgh Youth Chorus at North Hills Middle School on February 22, 2025.
At Gateway Middle School, music is a vibrant and valued part of the student experience, offering a variety of ensemble opportunities based on grade level, experience, and interest. Students in grades 5-8 can participate in Band, Choir, or Orchestra during the school day, with additional options available after school. Fifth-grade students begin with small-group instruction during the school day, where they focus on building strong fundamentals and learning the basics of their instruments. In grades 6 through 8, students participate in a full ensemble as part of a classroom setting, where they continue to develop their skills and perform together as a group.
Throughout the year, GMS music students have taken part in a wide range of experiences, both in and out of the classroom. From field trips and guest artist workshops to concerts and community events, the music department has provided meaningful and memorable opportunities for all who participate. Here are some of the highlights from this year’s accomplishments in the GMS music program.
n Gateway High School and Eighth Grade Band, Choir, and Orchestra students visited the Benedum Center to see Hamilton, the musical. The performance offered students a powerful example of storytelling through music, history, and live theater, leaving many inspired by its creativity and impact.
n An interdisciplinary field trip with the Music, Art, and Tech Ed departments attended the first STEAM SYMPOSIUM, organized by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Student groups rotated through interactive workshops focusing on key industries facilitated by professional artists and industry leaders. These include architecture, digital art, digital storytelling, graphic design, music production, tech-heavy theater production, and video game design.
n Three 8th grade students and one 9th grade student participated in the PMEA Jr. High Choral Festival, held at Keystone Oaks High School. Students learned the music weeks ahead of time and then came together for a day-long rehearsal and an evening concert. The guest conductor was award-winning composer and arranger, Victor C. Johnson.
n Three GMS students, Logan Artim, Mason Gaetano, and Kayla Morford, participated in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Junior High District Orchestra Festival.
n GMS hosted a Veterans Day assembly on November 11, 2024, for the student body and guest veterans. The 8th Grade Band, Choir, and Orchestra, and the 6th Grade Choir performed patriotic music.
n On December 13, GMS 6th Grade Treble Choir, 7th Grade Mixed Choir, 8th Grade Concert Choir, and Bella Voci performed a Winter Concert on December 12th in the GMS Auditorium. The choirs performed challenging two-part and three-part pieces for a standing-roomonly audience.
n On March 5, The GMS Concert Choir and the GHS choirs, including Chorale and Symphonic Choir, performed together to celebrate Music in Our Schools Month. The theme of the concert was Heroes.
n On May 13, 2025, the 7th and 8th Grade Orchestra and 8th Grade Band Performed their Spring Concert.
n On May 22, 2025, the 5th Grade Choir performed their Spring Concert for the 5th Grade student body. The students had an amazing time sharing their love of singing popular Broadway Musical selections with their entire grade level.
n On May 22, 2025, the 6th Grade Treble Choir performed their Spring Concert for the 6th grade student body. The choir students enjoyed being able to showcase their talents as soloists and as part of an African Drumming Ensemble with their entire grade level.
n GMS 5th Grade Choir, 6th Grade Treble Choir, 7th Grade Mixed Choir, 8th Grade Concert Choir, and Bella Voci performed a Spring Concert on May 22nd in the GMS Auditorium. The choirs performed an exciting program that focused on a theme of Broadway Musicals.
n Performed a program at Gateway Elementary Schools on October 31st, introducing stringed instruments and how music can help to tell a story.
n Performed three concerts (December, February, May) throughout the year at the GHS auditorium.
n Performed holiday music for the Monroeville Historical Society Light Up Night at the Old Stone Church in Monroeville.
n Performed at the Allegheny County Courthouse on December 12th for “The Holiday Project” fundraiser.
n Attended a Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra program called “The American Dream” on January 23rd at Heinz Hall.
n Two GHS students, Abigail Kovac and Zahara Myers, participated in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Senior High District Orchestra Festival
n Carson Settlemire participated in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Junior High District Orchestra Festival.
n Hosted the PMEA Junior High District Orchestra Festival at the GHS auditorium on April 25th and 26th, bringing together 110 area musicians
n Performed three evening concerts this year.
n Performed throughout the community in December.
n Fourteen students participated in Allegheny County Chorus, hosted at Gateway High School for the second year in a row.
n Three students successfully auditioned for PMEA High School chorus: Parker Abel, Elena Ellinger, and Diana Novak. Elena Ellinger and Diana Novak moved on to PMEA Region Chorus.
n Diana Novak made it to the PMEA all state chorus. Diana is the first Gateway student since 2017 to make it to all state chorus.
Gateway High School Band Highlights
n The marching band performed at the Monroeville Independence Day Parade and the opening of Gateway Middle School. They also at the PIMBA Championships.
n The Honors Wind Ensemble performed at our Winter and Spring Concerts and performed with the strings to form The Gateway Symphony Orchestra.
n The Symphonic Band performed at our Winter and Spring Concerts.
n The Jazz Band performed at the Allegheny County Courthouse.
n Diana Novak (senior) and Ethan Settlemire (junior) represented Gateway at the PMEA District Band East Festival.
Gateway High School Play and Musical
n After dancing through the Roaring ‘20s of Chicago Teen Edition last year, Gateway Musical transformed the stage into a medieval kingdom this spring with the production of Once Upon a Mattress. Carried on by a wave of wonderful songs — hilarious, raucous, romantic and melodic — this rollicking spin on the classic tale The Princess and the Pea provided some side-splitting shenanigans. With a talented cast and ensemble of 52 students in grades 8-12, a strong stage crew, and a full orchestra led by Evergreen Elementary principal, Mike Matteo, this musical was exciting and extremely funny!
n Gateway High School Theater presented ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’, a play by Oscar Wilde. This was our high school’s first play in three years. Written in three acts, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is a hilarious satire of Victorian social hypocrisy written in 1895.
AcroSS the diStrict, career and college readiness remains a primary focus. At the elementary level, our schools hold career days, allowing students to interact with and learn from professionals across a variety of careers.
Further, World of Work, a career exploration framework, was introduced this year, allowing students to dive deeper into career learning, while getting a clearer understanding of their own strengths and interests.
To further their career learning, 4th grade students from across the district ventured to JA Biztown, a simulated town in Bridgeville, stocked with a plethora of mini-storefronts. Some of those storefronts include PPG Paints, #1 Cochran, FedEx Ground, Giant Eagle, Gordon Food Service, Highmark, UPMC, Vector Security, and Sheetz. Throughout the day, students worked their assigned jobs in various businesses.
The field trip came as the near last piece of the JA BizTown curriculum. Throughout the learning, students go through five units: Financial Literacy, Community & Economy, Work & Career Readiness, Business Management, and Visit & Debriefing.
At Gateway Middle School, our counselors work to expose students to career education in each grade. Gateway Middle School continues to utilize online resources like PA Career Zone in grades 5 and 6, and Xello in grades 7 and 8. Through these resources, students practice making budgets, sample resumes, take career interest inventories, and begin to explore career opportunities.
Additionally, Gateway Middle School has fostered a strong relationship with Forbes Road Career and Technical College. GMS and Forbes hosted a 7th grade career fair in which current Forbes students showcased the available programs that students can study. In 8th grade, students can attend “Hands On Career Day”, in which they visit Forbes and get a more in depth look at the programs.
Further, students in 5th grade participated in a monthly Speaker Series, where they heard from a variety of professionals. Students got to ask questions to a wide range of professionals. To cap off the year, our 8th graders experienced a career fair featuring a wide range of presenters, which provided invaluable exposure to a host of local career opportunities, allowing students to consider high school course selection more thoughtfully.
At Gateway High School, career learning takes a great focus, through a partnership with Forbes Road Career & Technology Center, in addition to a variety of classes and electives that give our students the opportunity to explore their interests. Additionally, GHS held a skilled trades and career fair, as nearly 40 technical schools, local unions, college representatives, and vendors gathered at Gateway High School.
Throughout the 2024-25 school year, we’ve shared a number of stories, highlighting loads of awesome initiatives happening throughout the district. Check out some story snippets below, with hyperlinks to the full versions.
Student technology help desk teaches students valuable skills
The inception of the student technology help desk at the Gateway School District was born out of necessity. As the district moved to being one-to-one — meaning every student had a device — there was a need to get devices prepared for the upcoming school year. That’s when Jennifer Czyzewski and Jesse Smillie — two IT employees in the district — had a thought: students might enjoy helping out. “Kids are very capable of doing this work,” said Czyzewski. Years ago, that started the student technology help desk program at Gateway High School. And then, four years ago, the middle school program started. A program that began with a simple realization has morphed into something much more complex.
For the full story, click here.
After learning more about Mark Spinola’s Teacher Academy course at Gateway High School, National Education Association President Becky Pringle issued heavy praise.
“This program at Gateway School District is exactly what we need to model all over the country,” Pringle said to WPXI.
On September 6, Pringle and Pennsylvania State Education Association President Aaron Chapin made the trip to Gateway to show support for Spinola’s Teacher Academy course, a three level course that teaches students about the teaching profession, molds their teaching skills, and eventually places them in internships in classrooms.
Spinola, a social studies teacher at Gateway since 2001, created the Teacher Academy course roughly three years ago, off the heels of hearing data that shed light not only on a teacher shortage in education, but particularly a shortage of diversity in education.
At Gateway, teaching literacy is a community effort
About 15 years ago, Jennifer Hayes decided to move into the Gateway School District. Hayes, a reading specialist in the district for 28 years, had seen first hand just how effectively the district had educated students — particularly with literacy — and wanted her kids to experience it.
“I wanted them to have a Gateway education,” said Hayes. “They’re doing great. I’m really proud of the teachers here, I’m proud to live here, and I really love my job.”
Hayes is one of five reading specialists throughout the district’s four elementary schools. The reading specialists play a crucial role in reading interventions – not just catching up students that might be reading a level behind, but enriching students who are ahead of the curve. Beyond the reading specialists, though, there is a top-down buy-in in literacy, a steady, measured approach that extends to administration, principals, teachers, and the Monroeville Public Library, too.
For the full story, click here
Gator Commons Makerspace fuels new ways to learn & create
For Dawn Nicolazzo, Gateway High School’s Library Media Specialist, providing new and exciting opportunities for students is always a priority.
A few years back, Nicolazzo visited Beaver Falls High School, and was impressed with one of their creative makerspaces. That experience sparked an idea for Nicolazzo, who sought to create a similar space at Gateway High School.
“I took a small idea and ran with it to see how it could fit our needs within our space,” said Nicolazzo.
What once was a small idea has turned into the Gator Commons, a makerspace located in the Library Media Center.
For the full story, click here.
Gateway’s oldest and youngest learners work together in Preschool Education class
Before Kate Thompson took the Preschool Education class at Gateway High School, she thought she wanted to study to become a nurse.
The hands-on experience, though, has changed her future career choice. Thompson now wants to become an early childhood teacher.
“I feel like I’ve taken a step into my future, and I’m already living it a little bit,” said Thompson, a 12th grader. “This is my favorite class. I really love it. It brings me joy everyday.”
First taught by Mary Lou Van Orden, Preschool Education — also known as the ‘Lil Gators Preschool Program — has become a staple, impactful class at Gateway High School.
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Students embrace a changing world in Intro to AI class
Grant Sample has often heard people worry that artificial intelligence (AI) is going to take over the world. Sample cautions, however, that that won’t happen unless “we program it to.”
Among a variety of business and computer science courses that Sample teaches at Gateway High School, he teaches a Introduction to Artificial Intelligence class, which seeks to teach students what AI is and isn’t, and how to leverage it, among other things. The course is a great example of a district-wide initiative to adjust its curriculum and classes to prepare students for an ever-changing world.
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After a unified bocce match, Olivia Garbett, one of Gateway’s unified bocce coaches, recalls a team member’s parent approaching her, overcome with a variety of emotions.
“One of the player’s moms came up to me one time after a match and was like, ‘I laughed, I cried, and I just had a really great time,’” said Garbett. “It’s a really cool event to be a part of.”
Gateway is now in its third year of offering unified bocce, a co-ed, intramural sport that fields teams composed of an even split of special education and regular education athletes. Garbett and Jay Scarcelli, special education and math teachers in the district, respectively, coach the team.
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Across Gateway High School’s Robotics Club — also known as Quasics — it’s common to find stories of students coming into their own.
Students like Prince Sadam, Emma Parrish, and Salma Mukhtar joined the club with some interest in STEM and engineering, but have now found their future paths in college. The elements of teamwork and friendship and the proverbial roller coaster ride of building a functional robot over the process of months have stuck with students and kept them eagerly participating in Quasics, which is now in its 18th season.
“I wasn’t sure if this would be my thing, but my siblings were already involved and I tried it. I ended up really liking engineering,” said Muhktar, a senior. “I’ve really developed a passion for engineering, and I really like how we’re involved with the community, too.”
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For Betty Howard and Carianne Kunich, executing their jobs means always looking for ways to help out, beyond their natural responsibilities. Howard and Kunich have helped coach Gateway Middle School’s girls basketball team for years, a useful outlet to help mentor young girls. Three years ago, they took their mentorship roles to a new level, starting a girls mentorship program that helps 8th-12th grade girls work through common issues, explore careers, and spearhead service projects, too.
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As a mom, in addition to being a 3rd grade teacher, Lindsay Mueller understands the value of introducing careers at the early grade levels.
While a student’s future as an adult might seem distant in elementary school, talking about careers, and getting students to understand their strengths as learners helps empower them, and enables them to take more control in their learning.
“My hope is that as they get older, they’ll know some of the things they really enjoy, so they can explore different courses and career paths that they didn’t know existed,” said Mueller, a teacher at University Park Elementary.
With that in mind, the Gateway School District has adopted and weaved a career framework into their elementary schools this school year. The career framework, called World of Work, started in Cajon Valley, San Diego.
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Gateway to partner with Point Park University to offer 24 college in high school credits
Kids Kafe: Evergreen Elementary’s coffee cart brings joy to students and staff
Whether it’s a teacher receiving a coffee to perk them up in the morning or a snack to get them through the afternoon, the Kids Kafe coffee and snack cart always lights up the faces of Evergreen Elementary staff and students.
“We get teachers through their days,” said Sarah Creamer, an autistic/life skills teacher at Evergreen. “The staff is very appreciative of it. They’ve really taken to it and really have helped make it a success.”
Creamer and her fellow autistic/life skills teacher, Matthew Richards — along with their students — run the Kids Kafe cart, a twice-a-week cart that serves coffee, tea, and a number of snacks. The cart, which started up this school year, is one of several similar initiatives in the district.
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As the education world looks for new ways to tackle the nationwide teaching shortage, the Gateway School District is thinking of creative solutions.
Mark Spinola’s Teacher Academy class at Gateway High School is one of the landmark ‘grow your own’ teaching programs in the state. Now, the district is taking its efforts a step further, partnering with Point Park University to offer eight classes that transfer for 24 credits at Point Park.
Those classes include Teacher Academy 1-3, Child Development 1, Pre-School Education 1-3, and Disability Studies: Understand and Supporting Individuals with Disabilities. Outside of Disability Studies — which Spinola wrote recently for adoption next school year — all seven courses already exist at Gateway High School.
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Chick-fil-A Leader Academy students distribute 250 care packages to AHN Cancer Center
Kudos to our Chick-fil-A Leader Academy students, who completed their Spring Impact Project by distributing 250 care packages to patients at the AHN Cancer Center.
The Leader Academy is a national high school leadership program sponsored by Chick-fil-A Operators, focused on making an impact through action. Through several Leader Lab meetings — where students discuss leadership skills and future action — students planned their yearly impact project.
On April 28, Leader Academy students stuffed care packages with a plethora of useful gifts: water, hydration packets, fuzzy socks, puzzle books, encouragement cards, hand lotion, and much more. Students also served lunch to AHN Cancer Center employees, toured the building, and delivered their care packages to patients.
For the full story, click here.
Last school year, some engineers from Bechtel — an engineering, construction, and project management partner to industry and government — came to visit Gateway Middle School to check out its SeaPerch program, which involves building and programming underwater robots.
Over a six week period, eight engineers visited the school twice a week, helping mentor students with mini lessons on buoyancy, propulsion, thrust, ballast, and much more, while overseeing some of the SeaPerch projects. The engineers came away impressed, struck by just how well the SeaPerch program mimicked engineering work life.
“Having them come in and share their thoughts with our kids, they saw that what our students are doing in class is very much like the way they operate in their field,” said Craig Stamford, a Gateway Middle School teacher and SeaPerch coach.
Congratulations to all our coaches and student athletes for excellently representing the Gateway School District on the field, court, track, rink, and pool. Some highlights, from a year of many:
Football: S.J. Moorefield and Amari Gans were named 1st team all-section, while Amari Gans was selected to play in the PSFCA East-West All-Star Game. Kaiyen Mbandi and Kacey Carter were named 2nd team all-section.
Girls Volleyball: Earned WPIAL Playoff berth. Joanna Miller was named 1st team all-section, while Aurora Brown was named 2nd team all-section.
Boys Basketball: Earned WPIAL Playoff berth. Mykel Bruce-McCrommon was named 1st team all-section, while Paul Nnacho was named 2nd team all-section.
Girls Soccer: Addie Hellman was named 1st team all-section.
Boys Soccer: Earned WPIAL Playoff berth. Brothers James and Nick LoCoco were named 2nd team all-section.
Swimming: The boys and girls swim teams sent 13 swimmers and 1 diver to the WPIAL Championships. Of those swimmers, Hunter Raymer, Gunner Raymer, and Aliya Rassiane all medaled in their individual events, advancing to the PIAA Championships at Bucknell University. At the PIAA meet, Hunter placed 14th in the 200 Individual Medley and 10th in the 500 freestyle, breaking his own school record in that event. Gunner placed 23rd in the 200 freestyle.
Wrestling: Braden Washington (133), TJ Mitchell (172) and Donovan DeLoco (189) qualified for the WPIAL Championship tournament.
Bowling: Earned berths to individual (Joey Jurczak) and team state tournament and qualified for the national tournament in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
Ice Hockey: Earned PIHL playoff berth in their 1st year back as a varsity program.
Baseball: Roman Jennings was named 1st team all-section, while Jon Saunders was named 2nd team all-section.
Track & Field: Dino Nadarevic won the WPIAL Championship in Shot & Discus and qualified for the PIAA meet in Shippensburg. Nadarevic also set the school record in the Discus with a throw of 187’ 0”. WPIAL Medalists in addition to Dino include Austin Lockhart in the Triple Jump (8th Place medal), Boys 400m Relay (Finished 7th), Jace Smith (8th place) in girls 100 meter, and Taniya Denson in Girls Pole Vault (7th place medal), while also setting a new school record of 10’ 9” in the vault.
Boys Tennis: Adam Memije won WPIAL Singles Championship, Zidaan Hassan and Logan Memije won WPIAL Doubles Championship, and the team as a whole won WPIAL Team Championship, all qualifying for state tournament(s) in Hershey.
Unified Bocce: Won section title and had both teams qualify for regionals, where they finished in 3rd place.
The Gateway School District Board of Education supports a comprehensive secondary program of studies designed to meet the varied educational needs and career objectives of high school students. Each school year, the district is constantly evaluating its offerings to best meet the needs of its students, and to prepare them well for their post-secondary endeavors.
The district offers 100-plus electives over a wide range of subjects. Among new electives to highlight, the district will now be offering Intro to Cybersecurity in the 2025-2026 school year, diving into an important topic that has a quickly growing job market.
Further, the district will be offering Disability Studies: Understand and Supporting Individuals with Disabilities. The course comes as one of eight classes that will transfer over for 24 credits at Point Park University, a new partnership that was fostered this school year.
Some additional highlights:
The district will be offering a new science curriculum in the 2025-26 school year, in efforts to offer our students the most relevant, up-to-date instruction.
Gateway High School’s ‘Intro to Artificial Intelligence’ class teaches students how to responsibly and effectively leverage artificial intelligence, as its significance continues to grow in the modern world.
The district offers 32 classes that equate to college credits. The district has partnered with CCAC, Carlow University, Seton Hill University, La Roche University, the University of Pittsburgh, Point Park University, and Pennsylvania Highlands Community College to offer these credits.
As laid out in the Program of Studies, the district has compiled recommended classes to enroll in for various career paths, ensuring that our students are prepared well for their chosen, post-secondary path.
Please click here to check out Gateway High School’s 2025-26 program of studies, for a deep dive into the district’s course offerings.
The 2024-2025 school year marked another year of fantastic collaboration between the Gateway School District and Forbes Road Career & Technology Center. Forbes provides an educational experience that focuses on providing students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the workforce. Their programs typically offer hands-on, practical learning experiences, and may include internships, apprenticeships, or other work-based learning opportunities. These programs often focus on specific industries or fields, such as healthcare, manufacturing, or technology. Some highlights, from this past school year:
A new program is being offered for the 2025-26 School year: Aspiring Educators. This will allow students to learn and experience the education field as well as having the ability to teach within our districts.
n Jake Brew, a Gateway senior in Forbes’ Computer Networking & Security program, placed 4th in Networking Infrastructure through FBLA at the State Leadership Conference in Hershey, PA.
n Forbes’ ProStart Team, under the instructor of Chef Bethany Hopkins, competed in State College and placed in the top 10. One of the students is Gateway junior, Jeremy Brown.
n Logan Koval, a Gateway senior in Computer Networking and Security, placed 1st for Computer Applications in Region 11 FBLA Competitions
n Jake Brew placed 1st in Networking Infrastructure for Region 11 FBLA Districts.
n Gateway sophomore Diesel Tech student, Isaiah Gigliotti, earned his OSHA-10 card.
n Veterinary Sciences Gateway student, Shaylee Grill, was inducted into the National Technical Honor Society.
During a school board meeting on March 24, the United Way recognized Gateway as a United Way Champion School District. The recognition comes in light of the district’s various, far-reaching efforts to give back to its surrounding community.
“They recognized that as a district we’re doing a lot to give back to our community,” said Jennifer Hoffner, University Park principal.
Hoffner was crucial in starting one the district’s banner community service projects five years ago, the Gateway Backpack Program. Through this program, students pack roughly 190 bags a week, filled with nutritious foods that families in need might require over the weekend.
“We noticed about five years ago that some of our kids were talking about being hungry and food insecurity. Five years ago we started the backpack program at University Park and then the following year we branched out into the other elementary buildings, realizing that a lot of our families — especially post-covid — were struggling,” said Hoffner
“Food insecurity was something that we thought was very important. We’re in school to help our kids grow academically, but if we’re not meeting their social and emotional needs and making sure they’re well-fed, we’re not going to be able to help them grow.”
The amount of service projects throughout the district are vast. Other groups leading the way include the InterAct Club, National Honor Society, and Chik-fil-A Leader Academy, among others. Throughout the district, loads of students, staff members, and board members contribute to make these efforts possible.
“Whether it’s the Chik-fil-A Leader Academy or the Be the Kind Kid club at the Middle School, we teach our kids the value of giving back to their community, making an impact on their community, and showing empathy,” said Hoffner.
“You need to value the community you live in, and there’s no better way to do that than giving back to it. We’ve got a lot of proud Gator students who want to do good for others.”
It was an excellent year for Gateway Food Service Operations, as staff provided more meals to our students than ever before! With efficiency and quality, reimbursable meals include 260,892 breakfasts and 393,489 lunches, as of 5/22/25.
As a department, it is a primary goal to provide students with quality, nourishing food that sets them up for a successful day of learning. Our School Lunch Hero TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) has worked together to meet that goal every day. Our staff truly is our most valuable resource, and that remains true, as an already top-quality staff was expanded this school year.
Among success stories, Gateway Middle School’s team has settled in well in a new building that consolidates all of our middle schoolaged students. This “success story” can’t be commended enough, especially when one considers the operation pumps out more than 450 student breakfasts and nearly 800 school lunches each operating day. Staff have even developed new recipes, such as Chicken Teriyaki, Buffalo Chicken Macaroni & Cheese, and Sweet ‘N’ Sour Chicken, to name a few.
Over at Gateway High School, our “By the Slice” pizza station reopened. Further, some new options include cold “Grab ‘N’ Go Wraps”, along with a plethora of new special offerings, such as the Teriyaki Cheesesteak Grinder, Creamy Chicken Pasta Primavera, and Chicken/ Cheese Enchiladas, along with other entrees or delicious side offerings such as our fresh tomato, basil, and mozzarella salad.
Furthermore, our four K-4 Elementary School TEAMs have also added some new menu offerings, like General Tso’s Chicken and Rice. We commend our food service staff for their hard work, innovation, and integral part they play in keeping our students well-fed and ready to learn.
Safety and security efforts continue to be a top priority for the district, as we recognize that creating a safe and nurturing school environment is integral to learning. Our efforts are ever-evolving and often discussed, as our safety and security committee meet regularly to ensure our efforts are as effective as possible.
Our safety and security efforts are led by our school police officers, which grew to a total of 12 officers this year throughout our school buildings. These officers are well-trained and ingrained in our school environment. Further, they are staying well on track with necessary training, as the district continues to seek out informational and innovative training that prepares our officers to do their job to a high standard.
Further, risk and vulnerability assessments have been recently conducted by outside parties on all our school buildings, with conclusions being made that every building is safe and secure.
Nevertheless, there are efforts to expand our safety and security, with additional cameras being installed district-wide this summer, as well as additional vape detectors being installed at Gateway High School.
On October 4, homecoming court members were recognized during halftime of Gateway’s football game against Penn-Trafford. The Gators were defeated 32-13. Before the game, former Gateway teacher and longtime cross country and track coach, Tom LaBuff, was honored.
The homecoming king and queen this year was Niklaus Farrar and Adrianna Glaze. Homecoming court members include Ashlee Young, Atalie Ruefle, Jayla Stanton, Jolina Estremera, Boaz Bey, Dyson Harper, Darious Farrar, James Lococo, Farrar, and Glaze. Congratulations to everyone! You are all shining examples of what it means to be a Gateway Gator.
