WINTER 2005

WINTER 2005

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

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4

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

Winter 2005

• Volume 11

•

Issue 4

Features and Around the Township 12

Something’s Always Blooming at Phipps No matter what the season, Phipps Conservatory offers a great day trip adventure.

14

To Russia With Love Preserving the endangered Red-Crowned Crane—an Aviary mission.

42

Letters to TODAY Who’s speaking out in our letters to the editor column?

73

Knowing Your Neighborhood Ridgewood Manor stars as this edition’s neighborhood focus.

75

18

A certificate of achievement is presented at a Township Board of Commissioners meeting.

22

USCVFD’s grand opening of its Route 19 fire station

54

Upper St. Clair High School Halls of Fame

Back Where I Started Erin Allen shares her reasons for returning to Upper St. Clair.

Township 19

USC Community Recreation Campus Moves Toward Referendum Members of the Boyce Mayview ad hoc advisory group visit area community recreation complexes for ideas.

28

A Stunning Lineup of Activities The Township’s Recreation Department offers something for everyone this winter season.

30

The Library’s Programs Activities abound for all ages.

34

Winter Storm Emergencies Public Works Department responds during winter storms.

44

Walk, Walk, Walk Use the two-page color centerfold map of Boyce Mayview Park’s interior walking trails on your next hiking excursion.

School District 53

USC School District Receives Gold Medal Our District ranks high in its quest for top honors.

56

A New Look for the Team Team teaching at Fort Couch takes on new identity.

61

USC Panther Stadium’s New Turf Jim Render talks about the field on which we play.

62

Paw Prints—Highlights About Our Schools Read about our school’s fall reviews and coming winter attractions.

68

School District Calendar Find out what’s going on November 2005 thru mid-March 2006.

Advertising Guides 46 50 70 83

Gift Pinebridge Commons Dining Businesses at Your Service

Cover 10

This cover of the UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY magazine is underwritten by the Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair and showcases Kenny Blake who performed at the Foundation’s fall fundraiser “A Night of Cool Jazz.” See pages 10 and 11 for a feature article on this organization that has enhanced the quality of life for its residents for the past 12 years.

Winter 2005 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

5

Publishers Dr. James D. Lombardo Superintendent of Schools Douglas A. Watkins Township Manager

The staff of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY wishes its readers a wonderful winter season.

Left to right are Linda Dudzinski, Paul Fox, Colleen DeMarco, Tom Labanc, Kathy Christie, Mark Mansfield, Laurie Buker, Terry Kish, Lynn Dempsey, Vince Yevins, and Cindy Kane.

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY extends a warm welcome to its newest advertising sales associate Laurie

Steering Committee Thomas A. Labanc School District Representative

Buker. Laurie joins sales associates Lynn Dempsey and Kathy Christie in helping to make our magazine the best it can be for our readers and advertisers.

Thank you to Nancy Beaulieu for her time and energy associated with advertising sales. Nancy will be leaving our operations after the winter 2005 issue.

Mark S. Mansfield Senior Assistant Township Manager

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY is a community magazine that is dedicated to promoting the Township

Editors and Staff

and School District of Upper St. Clair by recognizing the gifts and contributions of the people who live and work here.

Linda M. Dudzinski, Editor-in-Chief Paul K. Fox, Managing Editor Cindy Kane, Township Associate Editor Terry Kish, School District Associate Editor Colleen DeMarco, Office Manager Lynn Dempsey, Senior Advertising Associate Nancy Beaulieu, Advertising Associate Laurie Buker, Advertising Associate Kathy Christie, Advertising Associate Vince Yevins, Accountant Thank you to our volunteer contributors this issue: Megan Adamo, Erin Allen, Joe DeMar, Tracy Doyle, Dina Fulmer, Wayne Herrod, Walter Jarosh, Kathy Kasunich, Mike Kirkpatrick, Jim Render, John Rozzo, Lynn Rubin, Bill Smith, Mary Lynne Spazok, Jay Walsh, Hank Walshak.

A special thank you to Victoria Colcombe for her help in accounting and reporting for UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY.

The 44th issue of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY is a joint

publication of the Township and School District of Upper St. Clair. © Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of this magazine, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of the Editor is strictly prohibited.

The 44th issue of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY magazine is made possible through the combined resources of the staff and volunteers of the Township and School District of Upper St. Clair. Thanks are extended to the staff and volunteers for their enthusiasm and efforts on this continuing project.

School Board Directors

Township Board of Commissioners

Angela B. Petersen, President Jeffrey W. Joyce, Vice President David E. Bluey Barbara L. Bolas Russell R. Del Re Glenn G. Groninger Vicki A. McKenna Clark R. Nicklas Mark G. Trombetta, M.D.

Frank E. Marsh, President, Ward 5 Robert W. Orchowski, Vice President, Ward 3 Preston Shimer, Ward 1 Gloria S. Smith, Ward 2 Ched Mertz, Ward 4 Bill Bates, At Large Ernest T. Harris, At Large

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY is a non-partisan Township, School District, and community magazine.

Political advertising and political commentary are not accepted. The publishers of this magazine reserve the right to reject advertising or articles inconsistent with the objectives, image, and aesthetic standards of the magazine.

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY magazine is published and mailed quarterly to residents and businesses

in Upper St. Clair. Extra copies of the magazine are available at the Township of Upper St. Clair Municipal Building and Township Library. If you did not receive a copy in the mail, please call 412-833-1600, extension 2284.

The next issue of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY will be the Spring 2006 issue and will be published in March 2006. Articles that were submitted but not published in this issue are on file for consideration in upcoming issues. Articles and announcements may be sent to: Editor, UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY, 1820 McLaughlin Run Road, Upper St. Clair, PA 15241.

Subscription Information If you know someone living outside the Township who would enjoy receiving UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY, please send $12 to cover mailing and handling for the next four issues with name and address, including zip code, to our address listed to the left. Add $10 to cover international mailings.

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY 1820 McLaughlin Run Road Upper St. Clair, PA 15241 412-833-1600, extension 2284 Fax: 412-851-2592 School District: 412-833-1600 Township: 412-831-9000 Printed by Pentagon Printing Corporation 18 West Steuben Street • Pittsburgh, PA 15205 412-922-0422 • Fax: 412-922-2922 6

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

Deadline for articles and advertising for the Spring 2006 issue is January 2, 2006 Article Information Editor-in-Chief Linda Dudzinski–phone: 412-833-1600, extension 2681 (email: ldudzinski@uscsd.k12.pa.us) Advertising Information Office Manager Colleen DeMarco–phone: 412-833-1600, extension 2284 (email: cdemarco@uscsd.k12.pa.us) fax: 412-851-2592 Visit our Website: www.twpusc.org/magazine

Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

7

1820 McLaughlin Run Road • Upper St. Clair, PA 15241

Dr. James D. Lombardo

Douglas A. Watkins

Welcome to the 44th edition of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY, our Winter 2005 issue. Many things have happened in our community since we last wrote. Let us tell you about them.

Our schools and students continue to excel. Upper St. Clair students performed first in reading and second in mathematics on the Pennsylvania State Student Assessment program. Expansion Management magazine designated Upper St. Clair School District as a Gold Medal Award winner, a distinction bestowed on the top 16% of U.S. schools when it comes to student performance and community support. In October, we honored 13 of our past students and administrators who were inducted into Upper St. Clair High School’s Halls of Fame for their significant contributions to society while in our school system and after high school graduation. Finally, the Upper St. Clair School District and the Upper St. Clair Education Association successfully completed negotiations of a new four-year collective bargaining agreement.

Our Township takes second seat to none. In October, our Township saw the grand opening of our fire station on Route 19, a building, along with its volunteer members, that will serve our community well. The Township is well on its way to shaping the nature of Boyce Mayview Park with the help and input of all residents. The interior walking trails are being “walked-in” as we write, and we’ve provided a two-page Boyce Mayview interior trails map in the centerfold of this magazine to help you find your way around our 470-acre park. Our grounds crew and maintenance staff have been busy building steps at Morton, bleachers at Morton, enhancing existing parks like Baker, and building bridges along McLaughlin Run Road—all for your enjoyment.

Much is happening and we’re excited to tell you about it! Many articles covering each of our highlighted topics in this address can be found throughout this issue of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY. We wish all of our residents a wonderful winter season and a prosperous New Year!

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Dr. James D. Lombardo Superintendent of Schools

Douglas A. Watkins Township Manager

School District of Upper St. Clair 412-833-1600 Fax: 412-833-5535 Website: www.uscsd.k12.pa.us Email: info@uscsd.k12.pa.us 8

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Township of Upper St. Clair 412-831-9000 Fax: 412-831-9882 Website: www.twpusc.org Email: uscadmin@twpusc.org Winter 2005

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

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Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair “Building a sense of community by supporting activities and programs that enhance the quality of life for our residents.”

The Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair, celebrating 12 years of

Partnership and Support The Community Foundation partners with and supports many efforts in the community. The following grant recipients represent a sampling of the support to the Upper St. Clair community:

2005

service to the community, augments the many advantages to living in Upper St. Clair by providing financial support for special programs and projects. The Foundation’s four focus areas—specifically designed to meet targeted needs—are Education and Lifelong Learning, Fine and Performing Arts, Recreation and Leisure, and Technology and Science.

Quest for Lifelong Learning (under the educational focus area), encouraging a community of learners in which intellectual activity and creativity are both expected and celebrated, offers sessions twice annually.

Wonderful offerings such as Quest, events at USC’s annual Community Day, Flavours cookbook—a community-involved publication, sports activities, and musical appearances are just a few of the many sponsored activities provided by the Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair.

Fiddlesticks, accompanying the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, will appear on stage at the USC High School Theatre on January 15, 2006, while Marvin Hamlisch will again delight audiences this coming July.

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (Artist in Residence program); USC High School musical ad; Township of Upper St. Clair (Community Day); USC High School (shuttle for Town Hall South); USCVFD Building Fund (brick campaign); Girl Scout Troop #1776; Girl Scout Troop #1142; Alliance Church (Community Day float prizes); USC High School Cultural Diversity Club (Breaking Down Cultural Barriers); Odyssey of the Mind World Finals (finalists from Streams School); USC High School Robotics Club; Upper St. Clair School District (Mongolian Performing Arts Troup); UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY (front cover sponsorship).

Fiddlesticks on stage with the PSO—a concert for all ages.

2004 USC Crew Team (rowing machines); USC School District (baseball fields repair); USC High School Spring musical ad; USC High School (Becoming a Competitive College Applicant seminar); USC High School (Bobby Petrocelli motivational presentation); Boyce Middle School (Odyssey of the Mind); Community Day (moonwalk and train); Jewish Israeli Film Festival; Dr. Lombardo China trip; Summer Reading Program prizes; USC Fencing Club (equipment); USC Band Parents; USC Hockey Club (uniforms); South Hills Interfaith Ministries; John Despines (USC Cardboard and Paper Recycling program); USC School District (Baker fund, High School fund).

The ducks are nearing the finish line at the Community Day duc k race.

Flavours cookbook Printed in October 2002, the winner of the 2003 l ona regi ic was the Mid-Atlant ity Cookbook award.

McIlhenney Tabasco Commun

2003 USC School District (High School Theatre acoustical shell); USC Rebounders Boosters (Tipoff Classic); USC High School musical ad; Community Day (moonwalk); Township of Upper St. Clair (Dr. William Pope’s retirement dinner); USC Band Parents (Jim Bennett’s retirement party); USC Kennywood Day (water); USC Library Batik project; Regional Environmental Education Center; USC School District (Music to Their Ears program); South Hills Interfaith Ministries.

Mariam Richardson and Linda and Harry Serene welcome Marvin Hamlisch (left) to Upper St. Clair for his summer performance.

on giving a lesson ke Roger Brown La rg bu ns no Ca fly-casting at Recreation and as part of the ea activities. ar Leisure focus

The Pittsburgh Sym 10

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

phony Orchestra an

d the USCHS Panth

eon Choir

A Night of Cool Jazz The Kenny Blake Band Mary Mann, Left to right: Amy Palermo, set up for the event.

Hein Erin and va, ano Vill y Patt

Left to right: Geralyn Sneath, Mark Carolla, Peggy and Steve Snavely, Linda Serene, Lynn Dempsey, and Shellie Yeung

On Saturday, September 24, 2005, the

Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair hosted “A Night of Cool Jazz”—its eighth dinner/dance fundraiser. St. Clair Country Club was transformed into an intimate jazz club for the event. Guests enjoyed the music of local jazz sensation Kenny Blake and his talented musicians, a wine tasting, and a fabulous dinner buffet. Over 180 community members attended the event.

The Foundation received a tremendous response from the community, accepting a fabulous selection of auction items from individuals and many local businesses. Guests were very generous in bidding on these items during the silent auction. Mardi Gras beads were also offered to attendees for donations to help the flood victims of the recent hurricanes. This year’s event raised over $20,000 for the Foundation.

The proceeds will help to fund grants supporting a variety of activities and programs meant to enhance the quality of life for residents of Upper St. Clair. The Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair, which was founded in 1993, has continually been an integral part of the Upper St. Clair community funding projects that are not supported by tax dollars.

Please contact the Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair with grant questions or if you are interested in becoming involved with this non-profit organization that enthusiastically supports our Township and its residents.

Left to right: Deepa Godbole , Celeste Acinapura, Diane Vate Peggy Snavely, r, and Becky Stern greet the guests.

Left to right: David and Jan Jones, and Barbara and Roy Johnson enjoy the entertainment.

Left to right: Doug and Pam Dillie, David Heilman, and Marcella Lantzm and Sharon an

Krasky, Left to right: Glenn and Jen d and Rich and Ann Marie Boy bid on the auction baskets.

John and Nadine Engel

Community Foundation Contact Information Phone: 412-831-1107 • Fax: 412-257-4160 Wintercfusc@adelphia.net 2005 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY Website: www.mainstreetusc.com/cfusc • Email:

11

k Something’s Alwaysk Blooming at Phipps! b k Mary Lynne Spazok

The day trippers

are boycotting the gas pumps. Yep, that’s right! Much to our chagrin, we haven’t ventured away since early spring. However, the dog days of summer brought on the urge to splurge. So, when philanthropist Henry Phipps’ birthday rolled around on Friday, August 5, we couldn’t resist free admission to Pittsburgh’s crystal palace, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. This steel magnate generously donated the 13-room Victorian glasshouse to the city in 1893. One of the finest conservatories in our country, there are tropical plants, palms, orchids, ferns, and desert plants.

Enter Phipps at the fashionable grand plaza, ascend a palatial granite staircase and enter into an enchanting world of flora and fauna.

Kathy Galbraith

Fellow day tripper Kathy Galbraith admires the gorgeous cut flower arrangements, in magnificent urns, that are oh so perfect.

Continuing along, we take in the Butterfly Forest. Majestic describes these whimsical creatures. Detect the sipping of nectar from flamboyant flowers. With ease of flight, the butterfly releases precious pollen as it flutters here and there.

The forest is kept at 80 degrees during the day and 70 degrees at night—the proper ecological environment. Outdoors or behind glass, an adult butterfly’s life is quite short, being just a few days or weeks. The winter cycle nurtures hibernation of new eggs for the anticipated early spring hatching. Plants here are insecticide free, while the meal bug

b 12

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

e Bonsai

ensures control of all invasive pests. An intimate experience for all, children especially are fascinated with the “flowers that fly.”

Weather permitting, stroll the Japanese Courtyard where the Bonsai permeates the air with a heady scent of garden-fresh pine.

Take pleasure in the Outdoor Garden which features beneficial medicinal and sweetscented herbs. The Discovery Pavilion offers “hands-on” activities for the youngins’. The Discovery Garden boasts a sensory section to stimulate the sense of touch, smell, sight, and taste. Who doesn’t covet the grand marble statuary located throughout the charming theme gardens?

Perennial show favorites include the vibrant Spring Flower Show and enchanting Candlelight Evenings of December. Kids are swept away with ghosts, goblins, and magical spirits during October’s Halloween Happening twilight tour. Lip-smacking good is the red, ripe, and roasted Garlic Tomato Festival of August. A fresh produce donation benefiting the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank guarantees free admission.

On-the-go seniors Betty and Ed Kernick visit Phipps often. They appreciate cozy seating niches that encourage relaxation while delighting in the decorum. A handicap accessible facility, wheelchairs are available at the admissions desk close to the elevator.

Cumbersome items such as bulky coats, backpacks, and other personal belongings may be stored in lockers located conveniently by the restrooms. If you are looking for an expressive gift, browse The Shop at Phipps, which features botanically-inspired stationery, toys, cosmetic items, and tools of the trade. Consider doing one-stop holiday shopping here.

Doesn’t everyone delight in a quirky gnome?

A most welcome addition to the visitor’s center is the charming Café Phipps. Tables are adorned with fresh flowers for your dining pleasure. Offered is scrumptious, as well as eclectic, seasonal menu delights. During

Winter 2005

k

conservatory hours, the café chefs of the Big Burrito Restaurant Group prepare fresh regional, organic, and of course, environmentally-friendly food and libation. The assortment of novel salads is mouth watering, while the hale and hearty pizza medley appeals to discriminating palates.

At Phipps, education is paramount.

Classes are available year round for all ages. Weekends include a complimentary lecture that may focus on exotic vegetation or simple household species. Meandering pathways guide guests to discovery tables.

Here, questions are encouraged by conservatory employees and horticulture volunteers who demonstrate floral composition, wreath design, and Bonsai for beginners. No electric clippers permitted here!

Phipps is supported in part through personal memberships, corporate donations, and Allegheny Regional Asset District funding. These resources sustain the 36 million dollar expansion. As you visit, observe state-of-the-art construction (green building design) of future working greenhouses along with the exotic Tropical Forest Conservatory.

A myriad of cascading waterfalls will enrich the aura of this sultry ecosystem.

Planning a distinctive celebration?

Soon, the Special Events Pavilion will offer breathtaking views of the Pittsburgh skyline.

Phipps’ aspiration is to accomplish the imperative that underscores a family-oriented quality of life.

Betty and Ed Kernick

The day trippers arrive no later than 9:30 a.m. to avoid rush hour traffic coming and going. Check MapQuest.com or visit AAA Western Pennsylvania for the best route since there is perpetual construction in Oakland. Upon arrival, signage clearly indicates the “Phipps Zone.” Park here for free, but immediately register your vehicle

��������� A sleeping gnome

at the admissions and information desk.

Beware! Heed the warning, or a parking violation with a hefty fine will be issued by the City of Pittsburgh Parking Authority. After all, this is the realm of universities and medical facilities. Latecomers using meter parking will need a quantity of quarters. Be prepared!

Browse www.Phipps.conservatory.org for curriculum. Classes have capacity limitations, so register early. Leisure pursuits such as vegetable gardening, the environment, botanical art, or a blend of these are some of the topics presented. Say “you are special” with an education gift certificate.

Scholarships for those demonstrating financial need may be applied for. Phipps has been authorized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to offer Act 48 continuing professional education for teachers and administrators.

I am very thankful my parents afforded me the opportunity to experience this glorious masterpiece as a youngster. That first visit developed into a coveted family tradition. Let this be the unique holiday activity for friends and family to cherish.

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is just 12 miles from Upper St. Clair. Hours of operation are daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays evenings until 9. The day trippers encourage one and all to support the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens through membership. Nominal price points include student, senior, individual, family, and so on. The year-round benefits collectively outweigh a modest annual endowment. Become a member today; “Something’s always blooming at Phipps!”

Don’t forget the camera! Extraordinary photo opportunities abound. 

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

13

5

Russia With Love

To With dental implants, we can Wayne Herrod put a whole new smile on your face.

The eggs were accumulated in Pittsburgh for the start of the three-day trip. The first stop was Los Angeles, then Seoul, Korea, and finally Khabaravosk, Russia. In Russia, the trip continued by truck, train, and boat for another nine hours, which brought the travelers and their precious cargo to the Khinganski Nature Reserve.

The eggs, surrounded by foam, were transported in picnic coolers. Hot water

Agent 007 James Bond introduced

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But losing a tooth doesn’t have to mean losing your smile.With timely implementation, we can replace lost teeth with precision-crafted, permanent implants, and even prevent deterioration of the underlying ridge bone that would otherwise occur. Partials, bridges, and dentures simply can’t compare.

To find out how our dental implants can put a smile back on your face, just call our office and schedule an appointment.

It could be your first step to a happier, healthier future.

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

himself as “Bond, James Bond” in the movie From Russia With Love. It wouldn’t be surprising to hear James (Jim) Dunster, the curator of birds at the Pittsburgh National Aviary, introduce himself as “Dunster, James Dunster.” For the last three years, Jim has participated in an endangered crane program that could clearly be referred to as “To Russia With Love.”

Jim, along with Christopher Munch, lead aviculturist at the Pittsburgh National Aviary, and Pearl Yusuf, assistant curator of the Zoo of New England, recently returned from Russia after delivering eggs in the aviary’s continuing effort to save two kinds of cranes that are on the verge of becoming extinct. This is the tenth year that the aviary has experienced the delivery of these eggs in an attempt to save the RedCrowned Crane, the third most endangered bird in the world (two of these birds are on display at the aviary) and the White-Naped Crane, which is classified as threatened.

Nineteen eggs from 11 zoos were taken to a Russian reserve this year. The aviary has participated in this project in previous years, but one of its mating cranes died several years ago, so none of these 19 eggs are from Pittsburgh this year. A new mate was recently introduced to the surviving crane, and the aviary is optimistic that it can participate in the egg donation program again next year.

As I photographed the birds in their pen, the male continually placed himself between the female and me, which seemed to me an attempt to protect her. Love was definitely in the air.

This cooler is the vehicle for the eggs’ transportation.

bottles were used to keep the temperature at a constant 99 degrees. Handlers of the eggs kept a close eye and were in constant contact with the coolers as the temperature must be continually monitored, the eggs must be protected from air turbulence, and they must go through manual airport security. The eggs cannot go through X-ray as this would kill the embryos. “The eggs have always arrived intact and no birds have hatched in route,” said Chris Munch. “It shows that these four-inch, thick-shelled eggs are really tough.”

The trip’s timing is critical. It would be a major ordeal if any of the eggs were to hatch early. The first (and obvious) problem would be the survival of the hatched chick. The second problem would be that the travelers have custom permits only to bring eggs into the country. A chick, even if it survived, would not be allowed into the country due to quarantine concerns and customs laws. On this past trip, a chick hatched shortly after arriving at the reserve. Chris felt that this birth was a little too close for comfort.

The eggs are hatched at the reserve and the chicks remain at the reserve for one

5

Winter 2005

birds in attractive settings to realizing our responsibility to celebrate, protect, and preserve birds for future generations.

Today, we are in the midst of transforming the Pittsburgh Aviary from a delightful bird zoo into our ultimate vision—a unique cultural attracThe eggs hatched soon after A newly hatc tion recognized as the hed crane their arrival at the reserve. preeminent aviary conyear. They are then released into the wild. servation organization.”

“It’s not a drop-and-abandon release,” said After this year’s trip to the Russian reJim. “The birds are sent out in short, su- serve, Jim reflected, “Seeing the cranes in pervised releases so it’s a slow and careful process.” Originally, many of the cranes stayed close to the reserve for long periods.

Now they leave sooner, which, according to Jim, is a very good sign. Each of the birds is banded and some have been spotted in Japan and Korea. These birds can fly at altitudes of 30,000 feet and can travel long distances.

There is currently no means to track the success of the program, as funding is insufficient to purchase electronic devices at $7000 each to monitor these birds. The Red-Crowned Cranes at the project group is looking to obtain grants Khinganski Nature Reserve and funding to help purchase these devices. To date, over 100 birds have been their wetlands habitat and knowing that released because of this effort. the aviary and other zoo’s cranes’ progeny With fewer than 2000 Red-Crowned are thriving here is the most rewarding part Cranes in the wild, personnel at the National of the trip.”

Aviary and all of the zoos involved with As I see it, it was definitely worth the this program should be commended for trip to Russia with love.  their efforts. The aviary’s executive director, Dayton Baker, sums up the aviary’s For a detailed story of the trip, visit goals, “During the last 50 years, we have www.aviary.org (conservation and field regrown from simply presenting beautiful search—crane project).

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

15

U. S. House of Representatives Timothy F. Murphy

U.S. Congressman for the 18th District of Pennsylvania 322 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-2301 Fax: 202-225-1844

504 Washington Road Pittsburgh, PA 15228 Phone: 412-344-5583 Fax: 412-429-5092

Website: http://murphy.house.gov/ E-mail: murphy@mail.house.gov

Leaving No Child Behind and Watching Students Succeed Congressman Tim Murphy The results are in from the 2004

National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, and news is good for America’s education system.

The report, released in July, shows elementary school student achievement in reading and math is at an all-time high. Even better news is that Pennsylvania schools are performing better than the national average.

Much of this good news can be attributed to our country’s commitment, made three years ago, to leave no child behind. The No Child Left Behind Act has been a big step forward in bringing accountability to our nation’s schools, but much of it hinges on an assessment system that does not give us all the information parents and teachers need.

In August, the preliminary Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report is released by each state, which the Department of Education uses to measure school performance.

The problem with the AYP is that it is really just a misnomer as it does not measure progress at all. It does provide information on average test scores for grade levels each year. It can tell you if a grade as a whole is meeting state standards, but it cannot tell you if the students are improving. Parents, teachers, and school administrators need to know both.

Comparing a school’s fifth grade class from year to year when 100% of the students are different does not tell us if the students are learning more. Nearly all of the differences in test scores can be explained away by the difference in student abilities from year to year. One year’s class may have more gifted students in it and another year may have more children with learning disabilities. One would expect the average scores to be different, but that alone does not tell you much about the quality of teaching in the school.

County of Allegheny Vince Gastgeb

County Councilman - District #5 Allegheny County Courthouse Downtown Office 436 Grant Street • Room 119 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: 412-350-6490 Fax: 412-350-6499

Bethel Park Municipal Building District Office 5100 West Library Street Bethel Park, PA 15102 Phone: 412-851-2470

E-mail: vgastgeb@county.allegheny.pa.us

Allegheny County Issues County Councilman Vince Gastgeb Assessments The 2006 assessed property values have not been released to the citizens of Allegheny County. County Council voted to withhold these assessments, believing they posed a hardship on homeowners by forcing higher property taxes when combined with millage rates. Assessments are computed using a 16

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

model based on sales data and neighborhood mapping of comparable neighborhoods and homes. While on the surface this may sound reasonable, there were a couple of mistakes in the process.

• The actual number of neighborhood home sales was low for the model to work accurately.

Winter 2005

The current AYP system is no different than comparing this year’s high school football team to a previous team made up of different players. You can see if they win more games, but you can’t tell if the individual players are improving year to year unless you follow them over time.

Our current AYP system does not allow that comparison.

In June, as the only child psychologist in Congress who also has 25 years of experience in evaluating children’s academic performance, I sat down with U.S. Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spelling to discuss improvements in the assessment method used by No Child Left Behind.

I proposed using methods such as Value Added assessment systems being put into place in some Pennsylvania schools and in other states. The Value Added system monitors students over time, and takes into account other variables influencing test scores outside of the educational system such as socioeconomic status.

Secretary Spelling is very committed to working to further evaluate this issue. We agree that there needs to remain absolute measures of whether or not students are meeting academic goals. However, we also need to be able to determine if students who are behind are actually catching up or continuing to lag. These changes in the analysis of test scores will provide valuable information for parents, teachers, administrators, and students. I am optimistic these changes, once put in place, will be a significant improvement of No Child Left Behind.  • Homeowners’ winning appeals (by some accounts up to 69,000 properties) were not accurately placed into the computer model.

Inherent to the process is that there is no protection of the millage rates of the 129 municipalities and 43 school districts in Allegheny County. There are many issues and proposals on the table regarding the assessments and property tax issues. Revenue-neutral tax legislation and mandated homestead exemptions among all taxing jurisdictions are just two options that may allow for a better system and protect the taxpayer.

Reducing the Size and Cost of Government— Row Office Reform In May of this year, Allegheny County voters approved a referendum (by a wide margin) that eliminates six of the ten row offices. This common-sense measure was needed to bring more efficiencies and economies of scale to county government.

More than anything, taxpayers cannot afford

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to continue to pay for these types of offices and services. Millage rates become artificially high when government costs are not kept under control. In addition, Allegheny County was forced to lay off 500 workers earlier this year. While this is something no one likes to see, there needs to be a measure of fiscal accountability to control costs.

Internet Library Protection Imagine having your son, daughter, grandson, or granddaughter doing homework at a public library computer terminal and unwittingly having to witness pornography on the terminal next door. There is a strong presumption of safety, especially in a place where children frequent—the libraries in Allegheny County. While the Internet is a wonderful thing, it can also be a dangerous place. I drafted a bill this year to promote changes within the eiNetwork—the inter-computer system among libraries in the Allegheny County Library Association. While many safeguards are in place and the level of expertise and interest from library personnel is optimal, the system needs added measures of protection.

Federal law allowed for applicable local ordinances under the Children Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Specifically, activity on the Internet will be reported to the county when

an incident occurs. Filters will be reviewed and updated to make sure X-rated sites are difficult to get to. A proactive, educational enrichment and prevention course conducted by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office and the Allegheny County Police should be taught to all library personnel.

County Council passed this Internet protection bill this summer in conjunction with the partnership formed with the Allegheny County Library Association.

Allegheny County Parks Work on the long-awaited skateboard and tubing park has begun. The new structure will be built next to South Park’s BMX track and will offer a new type of recreation to our community’s youth. In addition, a joint state- and county-funded program will allow for the Montour trail to connect into South Park’s south-end fairground section. Work is expected to begin in 2006.

The hit of the year has been South Park’s new fenced-in dog park! Many residents have enjoyed this new feature, an improvement included in the Allegheny County Parks Master Plan.

It has been a passion of mine to upgrade and improve our county park system, the largest quality-of-life entity that we have in the region.

Boyce Mayview Park I have been working with Upper St.Clair officials to find funding to assist in the development of Boyce Mayview Park. Because of its size and regional draw, I feel it meets the definition of a Regional Asset as defined in the Regional Asset District Law. (Residents pay a one percent County RAD tax on most purchases.) A systematic plan and program to allow Boyce Mayview Park to receive annual RAD allocations is being considered. Currently, county government is in discussion with the RAD board on this issue. I am cautiously optimistic that county government will provide funding to the park under RAD guidelines.

Contact Information Please contact me with ideas and suggestions concerning any issue. I invite you to stop by the South Hills district office (located in the Bethel Park Municipal Building), open Monday and Wednesday mornings. This office is staffed with senior citizen volunteers who offer outreach to the constituents of District #5. 

Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

17

Township of Upper St. Clair Frank E. Marsh President, Ward 5

Day 412-831-9000 Evening 724-941-6244 2007*

Highlights of the Board of Commissioners Meetings All business regarding the operation of the Township is conducted at the regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners.

Citizens are invited to comment on any Township matter. Complete Board minutes can be found at the Library or on the website at www.twpusc.org. For more information, call 412-831-9000.

April 18, 2005 Special Meeting 4 people attended.

Robert W. Orchowski

Vice President, Ward 3 Day 412-831-9000 Evening 412-854-1868 2007*

Township News

Preston W. Shimer Ward 1

The Board: • Voted to place the discussion and approval of the Boyce Mayview Community Recreation Center ad hoc Advisory Group on the Board of Commissioners Informational and General Affairs meeting agenda of April 25, 2005.

May 17, 2005 Special Meeting 2 people attended.

The Board: • Voted to appoint Jen Schuler, Lynn Rubin, and Kathy Kasunich co-chairs of the Boyce Mayview Community Recreation Center ad hoc Advisory Group.

June 6, 2005 Approximately 28 people attended.

Day 412-831-9000 Evening 412-221-1736 2007*

Gloria Smith Ward 2

Day 412-831-9000 Evening 412-833-1284 2005*

Ched Mertz Ward 4

Day 412-831-9000 Evening 412-833-3631 2005*

Bill Bates At Large

Day 412-831-9000 Evening 412-257-8115 2007*

Ernest T. Harris At Large

Day 412-831-9000 Evening 412-854-1119 2005*

*Date indicates expiration of term.

Left to right: Susan Van Cleve (mother), Commissioner Gloria Smith, and Raymond Van Cleve

Recognitions: • Commissioner Smith presented a Proclamation to Raymond Van Cleve recognizing his attainment of Eagle Scout rank.

• Commissioner Orchowski presented Certificates of Achievement to the USC High School WPIAL championship teams for boys’ tennis, boys’ basketball, and girls’ track 4 X 800 meter relay team. Certificates of Achievement were also presented to Rob Rankin and LaVonne Ellerbe for placing second in the PIAA state shot put championship and fourth in the PIAA state 300-meter hurdles championship, respectively.

The Board: • Tabled PLC05-0002, Oakbrooke Estates Plan No. 1, preliminary subdivision approval, until July 5, 2005.

• Adopted Bill No. 13-05, granting unified conditional use and preliminary land development approval to WINUpper St. Clair, L.P., located at 1614 Washington Road (formerly 1598 Washington Road), subject to certain modifications and conditions.

• Continued public hearing re. PLC05-0004, Dawson subdivision, 1372 and 1400 McLaughlin Run Road, conditional use/preliminary and final land development.

• Adopted Bill No. 14-05 granting amended final approval to the Summerfield Village planned office and maintenance building additions.

• Adopted Resolution 1451 establishing August 1, 2005, as the public hearing date for a proposed amendment to Chapter 130 of the Township Code revising the handicapped parking requirements, to update the definition of pharmacy, to revise the signage requirements within the C3, Regional Shopping Center District, and to update the title of the Allegheny County Agency.

• Voted to appoint individuals to the Boyce Mayview Community Recreation Center ad hoc Advisory Group.

• Adopted sections of the Interior Trails Plan dealing with the core interior trails, benches, bridges, and ancillary functions.

• Adopted Resolution No. 1452 adopting the Allegheny County Hazard Vulnerability Assessment and Mitigation Plan.

• Adopted Bill No. 15-05 amending Chapter 105A of the Township Code entitled “Sewer Accounts, Delinquent.”

1818 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY 2005 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY Winter Winter 2005

• Granted extension of time for recording PLC03-0008, The Offices at Clair Boyce, until July 6, 2005.

• Authorized attendance by Commissioners Harris, Mertz, and Shimer at the Boyce Mayview Community Recreation Center ad hoc Advisory Group meetings.

July 5, 2005 Approximately 24 people attended.

The Board: • Tabled PLC05-0002, Oakbrooke Estates Plan No. 1, preliminary subdivision approval, to August 1, 2005.

• Adopted Bill No. 16-05 granting preliminary and final subdivision approval to the Dawson Farm subdivision, 1372 and 1400 McLaughlin Run Road, subject to certain modifications and conditions.

• Adopted Bill No. 17-05 accepting dedication of the public improvement on Lot 202, Westminster Manor Plan No. 2, further identified as 2033 Blairmont Drive.

• Adopted Bill No. 18-05 granting site plan approval to the Boyce Mayview Active Area and Fields Development Phase I, with the expectation that the Township Manager bid the project alternatively as has been discussed.

• Closed public hearing for the Five Year Capital Improvement Program for 2006-2010.

• Adopted Resolution No. 1453 authorizing the Township to consent to the assignment of the cable TV franchise agreement and change control from Adelphia to Comcast.

• Adopted mission statement for the Boyce Mayview Community Recreation Center ad hoc Advisory Group.

• Voted to accept parameters for the Boyce Mayview Community Recreation Center ad hoc Advisory Group including that all meetings with a quorum present be held in accordance with the Sunshine Law, including subcommittees of the ad hoc Advisory Group; that the Township Manager’s designated representative be notified of such meetings to ensure proper notification to the public; and that the initial study be completed and recommendations reported to the Board of Commissioners

by August 2, 2005, in an attempt to meet the fall ballot deadline.

• Failed to adopt Bill No. 19-05 establishing limitations on the tenure of the president and vice president of the Township’s Board of Commissioners.

• Appointed additional members to the Boyce Mayview Community Recreation Center ad hoc Advisory Group.

August 1, 2005 Approximately 11 people attended.

The Board: • Tabled PLC05-0002, Oakbrooke Estates Plan No. 1, preliminary subdivision approval, until September 6, 2005.

• Continued the public hearing regarding PLC05-1301, Amendment to Chapter 130 of the Township Code, entitled “Zoning” to revise the handicapped parking requirements, to update the definition of pharmacy, to revise the signage requirements within the C3, Regional Shopping Center District, and to update the title of the Allegheny County Agency, until September 6, 2005.

• Tabled PLC05-0016, WIN-Upper St. Clair, 1614 Washington Road, final land development approval, until September 6, 2005.

• Adopted Resolution No. 1454 authorizing the filing of an application for funds with the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development.

• Adopted Resolution No. 1455 adopting the 2006-10 Capital Improvement Program.

Board Approval of Contracts: • SHACOG (Contracting with American Water Services, Hilliard, OH) Sanitary Sewer Pipe Lining (Project for Chartiers and Painters Run Watersheds) ............................... $363,168 • ET Techtonics, Inc.—Philadelphia Two bridges for interior trails at Boyce Mayview Park...................................... $34,125

Community Recreation Campus Moves Towards Referendum Advisory panel charged with recommending facilities and programs for new civic complex Kathy Kasunich and Lynn Rubin Upper St. Clair has much to offer

its residents in terms of recreation. The Township’s current inventory includes 11 neighborhood parks, 14 athletic and joint-use fields (with four more under development), the paddle tennis/tennis complex and threehole golf course, the Gilfillan Farm history center and trail, plus the new hiking trails and the environmental complex at Boyce Mayview Park.

Westlake, Ohio, Recreation Center indoor track, featuring a three-lane track (12 laps equals a mile) with banked corners, is adjacent to the fitness center and runs above the 15,000 square foot gymnasium.

The gymnasium features two regulation basketball courts with 12 retractable baskets, four volleyball courts, and three retractable curtains that divide the space into four multi-purpose areas.

But, the Township is missing a vital ingredient in its mix of competitive services that draws prospective property owners to a first-class community and keeps current homeowners as residents. That is a contemporary community-oriented recreation campus that showcases a family aquatics center and water park plus a community recreation complex.

In the May 2006 primary election, Upper St. Clair voters will be asked to approve a bond issue necessary to design and construct these overdue facilities in the 470-acre Boyce Mayview Park and perhaps on other property, depending on the facilities’ footprint. To

evaluate future recreation needs, USC commissioners have appointed an ad hoc advisory group composed of residents representing community organizations to research and identify specific facilities, equipment needs, and programs for residents of all ages from pre-school through senior citizens. Commissioners Preston Shimer and Ched Mertz are liaison commissioners to the advisory group.

Of the 30 community organizations invited to participate, 20 have provided representatives (see sidebar on page 20). They, in turn, will solicit facility and program ideas from their individual memberships and combine them into a community-wide list of recreation needs. The commissioners will use this community input as a blueprint for the architects and consulting engineers to assign actual design, construction, and equipment costs for presentation to the public at a series of town meetings to be held prior to the referendum.

It is important to note that while the Township’s current Capital Improvement Plan allocates $27.3 million for such a center, this amount is for planning purposes

Westlake, Ohio, Recreation Center aquatics area features five pools that include a 25-meter, fivelane lap pool, diving well, therapeutic jetted pool, children’s play pool with several water features, a lazy river, and two slides.

Westlake, Ohio, Recreation Center features 63,200 square feet of recreation space, with an addition being added that will double the size of the fitness center.

only and is not an appropriations line item.

An accurate bond issue cost can’t be determined until the advisory committee’s process of exploring needed facilities and programs is completed and presented to the commissioners for their review and final decision.

The committee is charged by the commissioners to be an independent, non-controlled organization. Its work must be completed and presented to the commissioners for their consideration prior to February 2006 in order for the Township to frame the ballot question and forward it to the county legal department for review prior to placing it on the May ballot.

Eye-Opening Visits to Seven Ohio Recreation Complexes The advisory group’s first meeting was a workshop conducted by commissioners and Township staff to overview the history of the Boyce Mayview project and the attendant master plan. Previously completed economic and financial considerations were discussed and the description, reasoning, and requirements for the proposed referendum were explained.

In July, members of the advisory group traveled to northeastern Ohio to tour the campuses of seven operational community recreation centers. They met with and were briefed by parks and recreation committee members and by the salaried professional Continued on page 20

Township of Upper St. Clair Meeting Dates • The Board of Commissioners meets at 7:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building. The regular public meeting is held the first Monday of the month in the Board Meeting Room. The informational and general affairs meeting is held the last Monday of the month in the Board Meeting Room.

• The Planning Commission meets the third Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m.

• Parks and Recreation Board meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m., no meeting in December.

• Zoning Hearing Board meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at 8 p.m.

• Civil Hearing Board meets as needed.

• Building/Fire Codes Appeals and Advisory Board meets as needed.

Visit our website - www.twpusc.org

The Westlake, Ohio, Recreation Center’s 5500 square-foot fitness center features 41 pieces of cardio equipment, a 25-piece circuit system, free weights, and stretching areas.

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

19

Community Recreation Center Continued from page 19

staff members responsible for operations and programs.

This tour proved to be a defining event, as it allowed committee members to see actual multi-use facilities in daily use and to judge independently for themselves if, and how, a similar recreation campus would benefit Upper St. Clair. Several advisory group members said that they had changed their minds from skepticism and outright rejection of a community recreation campus to enthusiastic and immediate support for a similar type of facility in the Township.

Shown here is Middleburg Heights, Ohio, Recreation Center’s 13,000 square-foot natatorium.

The outdoor pool is visible through floor-to-ceiling windows.

The following organizations and their representatives are members of the Boyce Mayview Community Recreation Center ad hoc Advisory Group: USC Athletic Association, Tom Burke; Boyce Road Gardeners, Jerry Kender; USC Chamber of Commerce, Ray Gergich; Christ United Methodist Church, Tony Reda; USC Citizens for Land Stewardship, Larry Burke; Community Foundation of USC, Jim Bennett; Deerfield Manor Homeowners Association, Tom Boyd; Democratic Committee, Robert Dudas; Friendship Village, Bobbi Jo Haden; League of Women Voters, Laryn Finder; Montclair Homeowners Association, Joe Becker; Oak Park Court Homeowners Association, Sev McMurtry; Parks and Recreation Board, Kelly Bakayza; PTA, Annette Tomasetti; Republican Committee, Michael Geraci; Ridgewood Manor Homeowners Association, Karen Lee Williams; USC School District, Jeff Joyce; USC Senior Citizens, Barbara Tate; Skyridge Homeowners Association, Paul Watson; Springfields Homeowners Association, David Moritz; Tiffany Orchard Homeowners Association, Jenn Schuler; USC Swim Club, Terry Kish; Thousand Oaks Homeowners Association, Creed Hess; Trotwood Hills Homeowners Association, Chrissy Sileo

20

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

The seven communities visited all charge membership and program fees with different fee structures for residents, non-residents, families, and senior citizens. Generally, membership and program fees are adequate to pay down bond obligations and to defray the vast majority of operating expenses.

The key to profitability? Market-based facilities and programs the community says it wants. Fitness and wellness centers, for example, are hugely popular and oversubscribed in many cases. Competitive swimming programs and water aerobics are also popular. Indoor tracks see heavy use.

Many municipalities operate their community rooms and social areas as profit centers and market them aggressively for weddings and outside social functions as well as for corporate events and meetings. Several have separate senior citizen facilities.

According to many facilities managers, area realtors make the recreation campus a “first stop, must see” item on their tours for relocating homeowners. And, as witnessed by the sheer numbers of users in the indoor and outdoor pools, on the tracks, on the exercise equipment, and in the meeting rooms, their memberships and business communities support these centers enthusiastically.

There are two gymnasiums, one with a wood floor that houses two cross-courts and one that features a multipurpose synthetic floor. Over 12,000 square feet of fitness space and top-of-the-line exercise equipment are provided. Enclosing the facility is an elevated four-lane, one-eighth-mile track.

Group fitness rooms, a child-care area, community meeting rooms, and a café round out the amenity areas. The fitness rooms are used for a wide variety of heavily-subscribed wellness programs such as aerobics, Pilates, and ballet.

What Could a USC Recreation Campus Look Like?

The natatorium also has developed a partnership with Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital, which provides a wellness and physical therapy center to address the rehabilitation needs of the community.

Two other Ohio community recreation centers visited were Westlake (http://www.cityofwestlake.org/services/ recenter.php) and Middleburg Heights (http://www.middleburgrec.com). (See photos.) In addition, USC advisory committee members have visited community recreation facilities in nearby Peters Township and in Cranberry. Both of these facilities are open for tours.

Meetings of the ad hoc advisory group are open to the public. Please check with Channel 7 or with the Township for dates and times. Residents are welcome and encouraged to attend. There is a public comment period at the end of agenda items at each meeting. 

One of the most impressive facilities toured was The Natatorium in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio—a short drive from USC for anyone wishing to tour it.

Should you wish to view this complex online, go to http://cfo.cityofcf.com/web2/ view.do?dir=parksandrec/nat.

This facility features four separate bodies of water including a leisure pool with a 140-foot water slide, a six-lane-by-25-yard competition pool, a 12-foot diving well, a lazy river, three lap lanes, an 18-seat spa, and a warm-water therapy and instructional pool.

Middleburg Heights, Ohio, natatorium showing waterslide, tot area, and elevated spa. The fitness center is visible on the second level.

Winter 2005

The Middleburg Heights, Ohio, Recreation Center features a 20,000 square-foot outdoor pool, which includes a tot area, slide, tumble buckets, and water cannon.

Kathy Kasunich and Lynn Rubin are co-chairs of the Boyce Mayview Community Recreation Center ad hoc advisory group of the Upper St. Clair Board of Commissioners.

Boyce Mayview Interior Trails Walter Jarosh, Township Superintendent of Buildings/Forester Fall activities in the park continue to

expand the interior trails plan, but there is much work to be done. Shaping of the trail surface continues to expand the many trails that are available for users to “walk in.” “Walking in” the trail means that it is passable for hikers to walk on, but the surface is not fully developed and compacted. Natural surface trails improve as more users compact and widen the tread or walking surface.

The first step in establishing a trail is to clear the fallen trees and vegetation that obstruct the proposed route. The trail is then shaped or cut into the slope following the blue markers installed by the trails’ designer. This process transfers the trail on the map to the corresponding trail location on the ground. The trail is placed on the land to accommodate drainage and provide a wide area or footpath that is easy to follow. Continued walking on this route hardens the surface and establishes the natural surface trail.

Volunteers and public works personnel continue to expand the usable trails. Once a trail is cleared it is available for the walking-in period. As a named trail develops, permanent sign posts will be installed to designate its opening to the general public.

Each named trail on the map will receive a corresponding directional signpost at its starting point and at trail intersections in the woods/fields areas. Users will then be able to follow the map to traverse the many trails in the park.

If you would like to assist in the development of the trails, we encourage you to help us walk them in. Trails that are cleared and ready to walk in are identified in the park with a temporary paper sign. Volunteers are needed to help us with additional trail clearing and shaping and sign post installation. If you would like to be included on an email list for trail volunteer opportunities, submit your email address to Jarosh@twpusc.org or phone 412-831-9000, extension 273. The vastness of the area and the ever-changing work locations require that detailed times and directions be given to all volunteers.

We will also be seeking volunteers to assemble two fiberglass bridges. If you are a member of a group looking for a community service opportunity, this project needs your talents.

Trails that are open for the walk-in phase (at press time) are Little Falls Trail, Hidden Pond Trail, Friendship Trail, Many Habitats Trail, Queen Maple Trail (connector portion), Sylvan Ridge Trail, Upland Trail, Old Oak Trail, Boyce School Trail, Morton Falls Trail, Morton Ravine Trail, Trillium Trail, Woodlands Trail, Between Two Worlds Trail, Meadow Edges Trail, and Old Farm Road.

See our wonderful two-page color map of the Boyce Mayview Park interior trails found on pages 44-45 of this issue. Use this map as your reference as you canvas the trails on a crisp autumn or comfortable winter day. You can also visit the Township website at www.twpusc.org or stop by the Township offices for a highlighted map.  Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

21

The USCVFD is Open for Business!

How Much Did the New Fire Station Really Cost?

During the process of building

Firefighters pushing the trucks into their new home.

After years of planning and months

of construction, the Township of Upper St. Clair and their volunteer firefighters celebrated the opening of the new fire station with a grand opening of the facility on October 15, 2005, just over one year from the October 4, 2004, groundbreaking.

Volunteer firefighters and their families, Township officials and other dignitaries, members of the greater Pittsburgh firefighting community, and community residents gathered on site for the big event.

After brief remarks from USCVFD President Jerry Kopach, Jr. and Fire Chief Brian Reddecliff, Upper St. Clair Commissioners Frank Marsh and Bill Bates and Township Manager Doug Watkins spoke to the crowd offering their congratulations and best wishes to the department.

Jerry Kopach, Jr. commented that while it’s natural to feel proud any time an idea becomes reality, the length of the project and the benefit to the community made this event one of historical significance to the Township.

Chief Brian Reddecliff thanked everyone who helped make the new station a reality. “The members of the fire department have proven time and time again that they are committed to this community and all of its needs. The outpouring of support for this project has been wonderful, and it is reassuring to know that the community is as committed to us as we are to them.”

“We have been blessed with the Upper St. Clair Volunteer Fire Department,” commented Douglas A. Watkins, Township Manager. “They have saved the taxpayers millions of dollars over the years.”

Instead of a ribbon cutting to mark the official opening of the building, a length of fire hose was uncoupled.

The first order of business once the building was opened was to get the fire trucks into the garage. The membership 22

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

rolled up their sleeves, and following an old firefighter tradition pushed the trucks into their new home. (This tradition dates back to when fire trucks were pulled by horses, then had to be pushed back into the station after a call.)

What’s Inside?

Once the trucks were in the garage bays, the volunteer firefighters were busy giving tours of the new building. At over 18,000 square feet, the fire station has six truck bays for the department’s equipment.

Firefighters still change into bunker gear near the trucks, but instead of being a foot away from a piece of equipment there are ten feet between a firefighter and a truck.

The new lockers are located behind the vehicles instead of beside them, further reducing the risk of a firefighter being struck by a moving vehicle.

Behind the truck bays are areas specifically designated for hose storage, air bottle filling and maintenance, equipment repair, radio repair, and decontamination.

The decontamination (wet) room was designed for cleaning hose, gear, and equipment. In the old building this function occurred primarily by pulling the trucks from the garage and cleaning items on the garage floor. After cleaning, hose was stacked up to the ceiling on racks behind the trucks within a foot of the bumpers. In the new building, hose is stored on racks conveniently located to the garage bay and within easy reach for rapid, efficient restocking of fire apparatus.

Proper in-floor drainage is provided.

In the new station, air bottles are now filled in an enclosed compressor station.

This new equipment allows firefighters to fill three bottles automatically at the same time. Compare that to the way they

Winter 2005

Continued on page 24

the new fire station, there have been questions raised about what the project cost and not all the information relayed in the newspapers has been completely accurate.

Before a determination was made whether to update the old fire station or build a new one, an estimate about the cost of a new station was needed to help make the decision. The estimate for the cost of a new building only was approximately $2.2 million back in 2002. As with any project, once it goes from concept to design to construction, the costs become more realistic because more details are available. In September 2004 Nello Construction, with a $3.4 million bid, was awarded the project by a unanimous decision of the Township Board of Commissioners.

In a letter written this past July

by Kevin Turkall, architect for the new fire station, the project breaks down as follows: $760,507.50–site; $2,650,843–building construction; $29,813–new traffic signal for fire exiting; $34,086–change orders (less than one percent), for a total construction cost of approximately $3,475,000.

The site construction costs included about $300,000 in relocation of utility lines running through the property and under the new building, a cost that was not in the original conceptual estimate before the site was established. In addition, because of utility relocation issues, additional property had to be acquired at a cost of approximately $300,000.

Building costs did increase to approximately $125 per square foot, but, during the same time period, construction costs also increased. In addition, the original estimate was based on invited bidding, not open bidding and subject to state prevailing wage requirements.

The traffic signal was added to help any future development at the intersection with Orr Road, and the entrance of the fire station moved to make a “plus” with Orr Road. The signal currently helps the firefighters, but could be modified in the future for a full traffic signal. 

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Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

23

Open For Business!

Continued from page 22

previously had to fill bottles, one at a time on a work bench. Not only was it a slow and labor intensive process, there was also the possibility of explosion during the filling procedure.

Workstations for preventative maintenance and repair work on breathing apparatus have been included in the new station, and there is a workroom for maintenance on radio equipment.

In the old fire station, firefighters stored flammable liquids in a small, locker-type cabinet inside the garage bay. The new building includes a storage room to store flammable liquids such as fuel for chainsaws and the “jaws of life.”

The operations area of the new building was designed to meet the needs of the entire department, from line officers and

administration, to training and fitness. A bunk room with two sets of bunks has been added to allow members to stay and rest during lengthy incidents, such as during the flooding experienced after last year’s hurricanes. Members may use them to stay on stand-by for incidents like winter storms, further reducing response times.

A generator with the capacity to provide enough power for the station to remain fully functional during a power outage is part of the new building. Experience during recent storms has demonstrated how important this feature is to the department’s efficiency.

One of the highlights of the new fire station is a library to house the department’s training manuals and material. The old building had no library, and training material was stored wherever there was an empty shelf or box. The main meeting room, adjacent to the library, features a rear screen projection system for multi-media type training sessions. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � � �

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24

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

Fire fighting is a profession that demands strength and cardiovascular fitness. The bunker gear each firefighter wears, without an air bottle, weighs 40 pounds. (The air bottle adds an additional 40 pounds.) When you consider that firefighters need to be strong enough to handle hose under pressure, operate rescue equipment, or carry a person from a building, it is understandable why a fitness center was part of the new fire station. Men’s and women’s locker rooms are located near the fitness room. Equipment in the room was purchased with money from a FEMA grant.

Controlling operating costs and energy efficiency were important factors during the building’s design. For example, a typical residence has an R-value of 13. Between the wall design and choice of windows and insulation, the station’s R-value is approximately 32.

Occupancy sensors to control lighting, heating, and air conditioning have been installed throughout the building. When the sensor detects a lack of movement after a pre-determined time frame the lights will turn off, and the heating and air conditioning will set themselves to a reduced level of operation.

Continued on page 26

ISO Ratings and How They Affect Your Insurance Rates Currently the USCVFD has the highest ISO rating available to a volunteer fire department. The rating is important to the residents of the Township since it helps keep homeowner’s insurance premiums to a minimum. In order to maintain the rating, the fire department must constantly upgrade its equipment, communications, training, and vehicles.

Matt Serakowski, Township Director of Community Development, explained that the Insurance Service Organization (ISO) rates communities on various items including things like the community’s fire department, building inspection, services, and flood plain planning. They use the voluntary information they receive from municipalities to develop ratings that insurance companies use to set rates for homeowners’ insurance.

The department completes an annual inspection, stated Matt, where they provide detailed information to the ISO. Information on the types and ages of vehicles, the number of calls per year, response times, number of hydrants, feet of hose available, and availability of public water are just some of the data collected by the ISO to determine the department’s rating.

“We’re extremely lucky to have such a highly trained and educated fire department,” Matt commented. “The new fire station is only going to enhance its ability to deliver a high level of service to the community.”

Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

25

Open For Business!

Fund Raising Efforts

Continued from page 25

Why Did USCVFD Need a New Building?

A common misconception

was that the new building was being completely funded by the Township of Upper St. Clair, and that the Volunteer Fire Department should not need to raise funds for this project. The Volunteer Fire Department of Upper St. Clair committed to raise $500,000 for the new facility over the next several years.

In addition, department expenditures over the next three years for refurbishing the rescue truck, safety updates to breathing apparatus, and equipment for the new facility required an additional $500,000, bringing the department’s financial needs to $1 million.

Residents and businesses have assisted by making contributions to the Upper St. Clair Volunteer Fire Department New Building Fund. These contributions went directly towards construction of the new building.

In addition to donations toward the building fund drive, engraved bricks were purchased by individuals, families, and other groups and businesses.

The bricks were placed around the flagpole at the new station as permanent recognition of these supporters of the USCVFD.

One of the several compelling reasons the Volunteer Fire Department of Upper St. Clair needed the new station was to maintain its Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating. In order to maintain the rating, a fire department must constantly upgrade its equipOld fire station demolition bega n in late Septem ment, communications, training, ber. and vehicles.

For example, several of the department’s trucks need to be replaced over the next five years. Due to NFPA regulations the trucks are becoming larger and wider and would not fit into the old station. The new station eliminates the problem the department had of trucks being stacked in the garage, where trucks were parked one in front of the other because of space limitations. The potential delay in response associated with a truck parked in front of another and failing to start is eliminated in the new facility, since each vehicle has its own bay.

In addition to not having enough space for trucks, the old station didn’t have enough space for firefighters. When responding to a call, firefighters had to dress in their bunker gear within inches of a fire truck.

“We ran out of space for trucks, administration, offices, training facilities—everything,” ’s entry system. said Jerry Kopach, Jr. “We just ran out of room Greg Gerlach checks the building to function safely and efficiently.”

In addition, the old building, built in 1949, had deteriorated with age. One of the most serious problems was a roof that leaked more with each rain storm, despite efforts to repair it. After a feasibility study to determine if it was more economical to remodel or build a new structure, it was discovered it was less expensive to demolish the old fire station and build a new one.

While many things have changed since a group of 12 Township residents got together and started the Upper St. Clair Volunteer Fire Department in 1938, one thing has remained constant—the dedication to serve and protect the members of the Upper St. Clair Dave Kish fills air bottles in the enclosed community. 

tions center

e new communica

th Drew Gerlach in 26

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

compressor station.

New Station at a Glance: • Over 18,000 square feet • Six truck bays • Dedicated maintenance and repair areas • Operations and command center • Library for reference materials • Training and seminar room • Firefighter fitness training center • Bunk room • Energy efficient features

Finance Sewer User Fees Explained In July 2005, the Township contracted with Pennsylvania American Water Company

(PAWC) to provide the billing and collection of its monthly sewer user fees. Many residents have called the Township’s Finance Department to receive an explanation of the new charges as shown on PAWC bills. The following illustrations of the quarter and the monthly billings have been given to help explain how the new monthly charges have been transitioned from the old quarterly sewage billing system. Please note that the Township multiplier has been blended into the rate per gallon used and the service charge per account in the PAWC monthly billing. 

Quarterly Water Usage Service Charge per Quarter Total ALCOSAN Charges Township Multiplier Total Quarterly Sewage Bill

Gallons Used 21,000

Rate Per 1000 Gallons $ 2.50

Amount $ 52.50 5.25 $ 57.75 2.00 $ 115.50

PAWC Monthly Sewage Billing

Monthly Water Usage Service Charge per Month Total Monthly Sewage Bill Three Monthly Bills per Quarter Total Quarterly Sewage Bill

Gallons Used 7,000

Rate Per Gallon $ 0.005

Amount $ 35.00 3.50 $ 38.50 3.00 $ 115.50

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Township Quarterly Sewage Billing

Trash Collection and Recycling Schedules 2005 Township Trash Collection and Recycling Holiday Collection Week of Thanksgiving Day ........... Friday, November 25 (delayed one day) Residents designated as (b) recycling will have their recyclables picked up Friday, November 25.

Week of Christmas ........................ Thursday, December 22 (no delay)* Week of New Year.......................... Thursday, December 29 (no delay)* *With the 2005 Christmas and 2006 New Year holidays falling on Sundays, regular trash and recycling pick up days are not affected.

������������

2005 Fall Yard Debris and Leaf Waste Collection—Saturdays Fall yard debris and leaf waste collection will take place the following three Saturdays. Place your debris in compostable paper bags and place them at curbside by 6 a.m. the morning of pick up.

November 12

November 19

December 3

Voluntary Upper St. Clair Cardboard and Paper Recycling Program A volunteer group of USC residents have organized a Township-wide Cardboard/Paper Recycling Program. Donations are welcomed. A donation jar will be available on site.

Date and Time: Saturday, December 3, 9 a.m.–noon Where: USC Public Works Parking Lot (Truxton Road at McLaughlin Run Road) Items to be Collected: Corrugated cardboard, paper (not newsprint), magazines, catalogues, phone books, junk mail, shredded paper, cereal and tissue boxes, and household batteries (9v, AA, AAA, C, D). Please do not drop off newsprint. Continue to recycle newsprint at your curbside.

Questions: Call the Township at 412-831-9000.

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2006 Trash and Recycling Calendar Be on the look out for the Trash and Recycling Calendar due in mailboxes late December. Christmas tree recycling occurs January 9–23, 2006.

See page 36 for tree recycling information.

Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

27

We Have Just the Thing Keep busy with one or more of the exciting programs sponsored by the Recreation and Leisure Services Department this winter. Contact the Recreation and Leisure Services Department at 412-831-9000, extension 256 for a full list of available classes.

Three easy ways to register: Some classes have limited availability.

Register early to guarantee yourself a spot!

1. Register online 24 hours a day, seven days a week at www.twpusc.org/rec.

2. Mail registration with appropriate fee to: USC Recreation, 1820 McLaughlin Run Road, Upper St. Clair, PA 15241.

Make check payable to USC Recreation.

3. Come in to the Recreation Office during regular business hours Monday through Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m. in the lower level of the Municipal building.

Classes are taught by faculty from the Vella Dance Studio under the direction of Donna Grove.

Dates: January 10–March 28 Day: Tuesdays Preschool Classes (Ages 3-5) Place: Library Multi-Purpose Room Ballet (new students) 9:15-9:45 a.m.

Tumbling (new students) 9:45-10:15 a.m.

Place: Community Center Multi-Purpose Room 1 Ballet (returning students) 10:15-10:45 a.m.; 1-1:30 p.m.

Tumbling (returning students) 10:45-11:15 a.m.; 1:30-2 p.m.

Tap 11:15-11:45 a.m.; 2-2:30 p.m.

Ballet/Acro** 6-6:45 p.m.

Children’s Classes Place: Community Center Multi-Purpose Room 1 Jazz (Ages 7-9) 4:45-5:15 p.m.

Ballet/Acro (Ages 6-8)** 5:15-6 p.m.

Resident: $40 per class/session, Nonresident: $53 per class/session ** Resident: $60 per class/session, **Nonresident: $72 per class/session

Fencing Covers warm-up and stretching exercises, basic footwork and hand work, and the basics of tactics and strategies. Requires the purchase of a fencing glove (approximate cost $13).

Dates: February 3–March 31 Day: Fridays Times: 4:30-5:30 p.m. (grades 3-5) 5:45-6:45 p.m. (grades 6-12) Place: To Be Announced Fee: $99/resident, $129/nonresident Open to children (ages 2-5) accompanied by an adult. Weekly art projects allow you to explore creativity through the eyes of a child.

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Dates: February 7–March 7 Day: Tuesdays Time: 9:30-10:15 a.m. or 10:30-11:15 a.m.

Place: Recreation Center Fee: $40/resident, $53/nonresident +$10 materials fee paid to instructor at first class UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Session I: Times: Place: Session II: Times: Place:

Saturday, December 3 10:30 a.m.-noon (grades 5-8) 1-2:30 p.m. (grades 1-4) Recreation Center Sunday, December 11 1-2:30 p.m. (grades 1-4) or 3:30-5 p.m. (grades 1-4) Recreation Center Monday, December 5* 10:30 a.m.-noon (ages 3-5) Recreation Center $15–session/resident, $20–session/nonresident + $5 materials fee paid to instructor at class

*Session III is designed for preschoolers (ages 3-5) accompanied by a caregiver to decorate a house together.

Kid’s Cabin Fever Crop No School Today! Come and learn a new craft and have some fun!

Bring photos, scissors, and glue. The rest of the supplies will be provided for you. It’s a “pizza crop”—lunch will be provided. Register with a friend and enjoy! For all school-age children.

Date: Time: Place: Fee:

Monday, January 16 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Community Center Multi-Purpose Room 2 $15/resident, $20/nonresident

Parent and Toddler “Time Together” Weekly sessions will provide a fun opportunity for children (ages 16-24 months) to spend special time with a parent. The small group setting will give toddlers a chance to watch one another and learn.

Parents can meet other parents with little ones and pick up some helpful parenting tips.

Dates: Day: Time: Place: Fees:

January 12–February 23 Thursdays 9:30-11 a.m.

Library Multi-Purpose Room $72/resident, $80/nonresident

Mommy and Me

Our Time Art

28

Decorate your own gingerbread house. We’ll provide the supplies; you bring your imagination.

Session III: Time: Place: Fee:

Children’s Dance Classes

Fee:

Gingerbread House Workshop

Winter 2005

A special time for moms, dads, or caregivers and their preschoolers (ages 2 and 3) to have fun together.

Includes basic tumbling, puppet play, and parachute games.

Dates: Day: Times: Place: Fee:

January 10–March 28 Tuesdays noon-12:45 p.m.

Community Center Multi-Purpose Room 1 $72/resident, $96/nonresident

You’ve Been Looking For! Valentine’s Day Workshop (Ages 3–5) Little ones can spend the morning working on a special Valentine’s Day craft they can keep or share with their favorite valentine. Includes a special snack.

Date: Time: Place: Fee:

Saturday, February 11 10:30-11:15 a.m.

Library Multi-Purpose Room $10/resident, $13/nonresident No refunds after February 4.

Christmas at Tara Trip Highlights of this trip include touring the castle that Frank H. Buhl built for his wife, Julia (The Buhl Mansion and Art Gallery), Kraynak’s Christmas Shop (with animated characters and 116 decorated and lighted Christmas trees), Daffin’s Candy Factory, the Wendell August Workshop (metal engraving), and a tour and meal at Tara-A Country Inn. Date: Time: Fee:

Thursday, December 15 Bus leaves the USC Recreation Center at approximately 8:15 a.m. and returns at approximately 6:30 p.m. $62 (includes transportation, lunch, and all admissions) No refunds after December 1.

Friday Night Pizza Crops

Crocheting This class will teach all basic crochet concepts such as reading a pattern, selecting yarn, and, of course, mastering the stitches needed to complete a project. Register with a friend for a “girls’ night out” or make a “mother-daughter date” just to catch up with one another. This class will be fun for everyone.

Dates: Day: Time: Place: Fee:

Family Swim Take the plunge during the open swim hours at the High School pool.

Open only to Township residents. All children ages 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Dates: Days: Time: Place: Fee:

Experienced or beginner, join us for six hours of cropping fun.

Pizza and beverages will be provided. Bring all your supplies.

Dates: January 13 or February 10 or March 10 or April 14 (second Friday of each month) Day: Fridays Time: 6 p.m.-midnight Place: Community Center Multi-Purpose Room 2 Fee: $10–crop session/resident, $13–crop session/nonresident +$5 fee paid to instructor at the class for dinner expenses

Saturday Workshops

January 9-30 Mondays 7-8 p.m.

Library Multi-Purpose Room $75/resident, $89/nonresident + $5 materials fee

February 11–May 14 Saturdays and Sundays 2-4:30 p.m.

USC High School pool $20/individual membership $45/family membership $5 per person walk-in/guest fee at the door

X

Cooking for Kids

Participants (grades 1-4) will try out recipes to make a breakfast, lunch/dinner, dessert, and an appetizer. All aspects of working in the kitchen will be covered.

Dates: Day: Times: Place: Fee:

March 8–29 Wednesdays 4:30-6 p.m.

Recreation Center $40/resident, $53/nonresident +$8 materials fee paid to instructor at first class

Doll Cake (grades 1-5)–February 12 Participants will have the chance to create a beautiful doll cake, complete with delicious frosting and lots of sprinkles.

Drawing and Painting for Children

Wood Models (ages 7-12)–March 4 Participants will assemble a wooden model car or sailboat and then paint it with acrylic paints.

Create drawings and painting with acrylics, watercolors, and pastels. Learn about line drawing, color, and design by drawing from still life, the figure, and your imagination.

Fairy Figurines (ages 7-12)–March 11 Participants will paint an enchanting plaster figure with special fairy wings, then sprinkle her gown with glitter.

All workshops will be held at the Recreation Center.

Time: Fee:

10-11:30 a.m. $15–workshop/resident, $20–workshop/nonresident + $5 supply fee paid to instructor at first class

Dates: February 7–March 7 Day: Tuesdays Times: 4-5 p.m. (ages 6-8) 5:15-6:15 p.m. (ages 9-12) Place: Recreation Center Fee: $45/resident, $60/nonresident +$10 materials fee paid to instructor at first class

The Recreation and Leisure Services Department sponsors many ongoing exercise and fitness programs throughout the year.

Classes are available in Bodysculpting, Yoga, Body Effort, and Pilates. Check your Recreation Booklet, the Township website at www.twpusc.org, or contact the Recreation Office at 412-831-9000, extension 256 for a complete list of classes and times.

For additional information on any of the Recreation Department classes, contact the Recreation Office at 412-831-9000, extension 256.

Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

29

Library

Upcoming Programs at the Library Program registration begins two weeks prior to each program.

Please visit the Library to register. All programs are free of charge.

Programs for Young Children Bedtime Stories for preschool children three and one-half years of age and older Join Miss Anne for some stories, songs, and fun before lights out. You can wear your pajamas! Parents are invited to attend. The dates for these programs are Wednesdays, November 30 and December 14 at 7 p.m.

Concepts Capers for preschool children three and one-half years of age and older accompanied by an adult Preschool children are invited to the Library to explore colors, shapes, numbers, and letters using crafts, games, and puzzles. Not only will the kids have fun, but also this is an excellent way to reinforce early literacy skills. This program will be held on Wednesday, November 9 at 7 p.m. and repeated on Monday, November 14 at 10 a.m. A second program will be held on Friday, December 2 at 10 a.m. and repeated on Wednesday, December 7 at 7 p.m.

Large Print Books Diane Ornato

The Library’s large print collection is expanding to

meet the growing demands of our patrons. With a 79% increase in circulation over the past four years, the large print collection is steadily gaining popularity. If you have never tried a large print book, you may be pleasantly surprised by the ease of reading that large print affords. Also, large print titles are often available when the regular copies have waiting lists. Additionally, patrons report that the large print format allows for easier reading during exercise sessions on treadmills and stationary bikes.

Through the consistent and generous donations of the Lions Club of Upper St. Clair, the Library has been able to provide many additional large print books. This collection is located behind the new nonfiction shelves and includes over 700 titles of popular authors and best sellers. Fans of mysteries, classics, romance, literary fiction, spy and detective stories, legal thrillers, and nonfiction will be pleased with the selection. Say good-bye to eye strain and fatigue, and maybe even your reading glasses, when you enjoy the comfort of the larger, darker typeface of the large print format.  Look for some of your favorite authors in the large print collection: Stephen Ambrose David Baldacci Maeve Binchy Sandra Brown Mary Higgins Clark Tess Gerritsen John Grisham John Irving Jonathan Kellerman Sue Monk Kidd David McCullough

30

Fern Michaels James Patterson Nora Roberts Stuart Woods

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

y Julia Fennell and R.J. White enjo in some quiet time, sharing a book the ladybug seat.

Andrew White enjoys a book in our new ladybug. The Friends of the Library donated the funds for this great soft seating area for tots.

Programs for School-Aged Children Money Cents for kids in first grade and up Is your child always asking for money? Do you wish he would learn how to save and possibly earn money on his own? Well, Money Cents is the program for you! At this program, children will learn all kinds of things about money—saving it, earning it, and spending it. Fun activities will put the spotlight on the history of money, the various kinds of money, and tricks money can do. This program will be offered in two sessions, the first on Tuesday, November 8 at 7 p.m. for kids in first through third grades; the second on Tuesday, November 22 at 7 p.m. for kids in fourth grade and up.

Science Verse for kids in first through fourth grades We’ll explore the world of everyday science using Jon Scieszka’s newest book for children, Science Verse, as our guide. Kids will have the opportunity to create science experiments at the Library that they can reconstruct at home! This program will be held on Tuesday, December 6 at 7 p.m.

The Chronicles of Narnia Book Club for kids going into fifth grade and up If your child is a fan of C.S. Lewis, encourage him to attend the Chronicles of Narnia Book Club. Held from September to December, the book club will feature informal discussions on each of the books in the series, and kids will get to speculate on the books and talk to others who are fans of the series. This will be a great way to get ready for the December release of the movie The Chronicles of Narnia. The November 29 session will feature the books The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle. All sessions begin at 7 p.m.

Programs for the Whole Family Turkey Trot Storytime for children three and one-half years of age and older accompanied by an adult Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Get ready to celebrate it at our Turkey Trot Storytime! This program will be held on Saturday, November 19 at 2:30 p.m. and will feature some great Thanksgiving stories, rhymes, and songs.

Family Sing-a-Long for children of all ages accompanied by an adult Join us at the Library for a fun, family evening featuring folk songs from America, Australia, and Ireland. Local mom Lori Pearce will be the featured performer combining singing, guitar playing, and storytelling for a wonderful evening. This program will be held on Tuesday, December 13 at 7 p.m.  For more information about these programs, as well as other opportunities provided, please visit the Children’s Library. Pick up a brochure for an expanded description of the fall programs, or visit the Library’s website at www.twpusc.org/library.

Winter 2005

Audiobooks

Audiobook Survey

Maureen Case Have

you

listened to a good book lately? More and more people are discovering the pleasure of listening to books. In today’s busy world, people are taking audiobooks everywhere. They listen while driving, exercising, or gardening. They also just enjoy sitting back and listening to an excellent storyteller.

The audiobook industry continues to change with technology. Books on cassette tapes are on their way out. It’s getting harder to find the newest titles on cassette. CDs are here… at least for now. Right now the collection at the Library consists of CDs and cassettes, but we’re always looking to the future.

What’s next in the world of audiobooks?

Audio downloadables are the newest possibility the industry has to offer. Downloadable books allow library patrons to check out titles and then load the books onto their portable media player, all from their home computer.

Many of our borrowers enjoy the audiobook experience. We want to continue to provide the best service possible. You can help us do that by completing the survey to the right and returning it on your next visit to the Library. 

(Please return to the Library on your next visit.)

1. Are you interested in downloadable audiobooks? _______________________________ 2. Do you own a portable media player? ________________________________________ a. If yes, what do you own? ______________________________________________ b. If no, do you plan on buying one?_______________________________________ 3. What can we do to improve the audiobook collection? __________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Some Common Questions and Answers About Downloadable Audiobooks Do I need to download software on my computer?

No. The audiobooks can be downloaded or played on any computer supporting Windows Media Player.

What portable devices can I use?

You can use portable music players, portable media centers, Pocket PCs, and smartphones.

How does it work? Do I need to return the audiobook?

After you have searched our catalog and found a title you wish to listen to, you download it to your computer and onto your portable device. Once the download is complete, you can begin listening. You’ll have a three-week loan period, and you can renew it for an additional three weeks.

After the loan period is over, you won’t be able to access it and you must delete it manually.

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k

Library Winter Hours

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Monday–Thursday 9:30 a.m. –9 p.m. • Friday–Saturday 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. • Sundays 1–5 p.m.

k Closed early at 1 p.m.: Wednesday, November 23—Thanksgiving Eve • Saturday, December 31—New Year’s Eve Closed full day: k Thursday, November 24—Thanksgiving Day • Saturday, December 24—Christmas Eve Sunday, December 25—Christmas Day • Sunday, January 1, 2006—New Year’s Day k

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Call Bonnie Byrnes or John Geisler at 412-344-0500 x210 or x222

Call NOW to Preview Phase III www.waterdamfarms.com Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

31

Savvy Seniors Officers and Board Members of the United Senior Citizens of USC

Current officers and board members of the Senior Citizens of Upper St. Clair are left to right, first row: Betsey Krebs, J. Alice Lesica, Barbara Tate; second row: Millie Staub, Liz Jawelak, Elinor Lippke; third row: Joan Toth, Al Baumgartner, Malinda Kelly; fourth row: John Lesica, Richard Toth, Don Tate; missing from photo: Ed Ayoub

Many wonderful people help to organize the United Senior Citizens of USC, a dynamic group of community seniors, who meet weekly on Wednesdays for activities sponsored by the Township’s Recreation and Leisure Services Department.

United Senior Citizens officers and members of the board of directors are shown below.

Their contributions and commitment are vital to the group.

Consider joining this active group of seniors for the many exciting opportunities for friendships and events! 

Officers: Betsey Krebs, president; Ed Ayoub, first vice president; Don Tate, treasurer; Elinor Lippke, corresponding secretary; and Barbara Tate, recording secretary

Board Of Directors 2004-2006 Term: Liz Jawelek, John Lesica, J. Alice Lesica, and Millie Staub 2005-2007 Term: Al Baumgartner, Malinda Kelly, Joan Toth, and Richard Toth

Township Welcomes New Older Adult Coordinator

Amy Kerman has joined the Township as the new Older Adult Coordinator for the Recreation and Leisure Services Department. Amy, who earned degrees in both social work and education, keeps busy as a Girl Scout leader, PTA member, and president of the Sisterhood of Beth El Congregation of the South Hills. A resident of Upper St. Clair, Amy lives with her husband, Bruce, and their two daughters, Rebecca and Sarah.

Lynn Walcoff, former Older Adult Coordinator, is now Program Coordinator for the Recreation and Leisure Services Department.  We are looking for volunteers who have a talent to share with our group.

You could lead one of our weekly Wednesday gatherings! Call Amy Kerman, Older Adult Coordinator, at 412-831-9000, extension 296 with your ideas.

Join Us for Bowling The Township’s senior citizens bowl at the AMF

The United Senior Citizens will be selling See’s Candies now through November 16. Order yours now by calling Malinda Kelly at 724-969-0328 or John Lesica at 412-221-2289. These chocolates make great gifts, but time is running out!

Gold Card

Bowling Center in Mt. Lebanon every Monday at 1 p.m. (except holidays). The group includes both men and women—so bring a friend or your spouse.

Beginners are most welcome. No experience required.

To join in the fun, call John Lesica at 412-221-2289.

Senior Citizens of Upper St. Clair, apply now for your Gold Card. See and enjoy drama and musical performances, exciting athletic events, and other activities, courtesy of the Upper St. Clair School District.

If you are a resident 62 years of age or older, just stop by the School District receptionist desk and ask for your Gold Card! It’s a great way to experience your community.

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

Silver Card

Senior Citizens of Upper St. Clair, the Recreation and Leisure Services Department offers for your consideration the Silver Card. Holders of this card are entitled to free admittance to the three-hole golf course, outdoor tennis facilities, and family swim at the High School pool.

Any resident age 62 and retired or age 65 with no restrictions is eligible for the Silver Card Program.

Applications are available at the Recreation Department, so stop in and ask for your Silver Card!

iting on deck Wannabe Tiny Tots—wa on the bench ce pla s er’ sist or r to take brothe for tennis lessons.

We used to be Tiny Tots, now we’re getting ready for Wimbledo

Tiny Tots—today, it’s court ten; tomorrow, Wimbledon!

n.

Events on McLaughlin Run Road Bill Smith

Can’t remember when we were but we sure love the camaraderie Tiny Tots, on the courts!

There’s always something happening on McLaughlin Run Road for residents to enjoy, from tennis to golf to Township employees keeping our grounds safe and beautiful.

Winter, spring, summer, or fall, we invite you to come out and enjoy our wonderful facilities. You’ll find we offer something for all ages.

on Grandfather and grands ment. mo f gol lity qua a re sha

Pittsburgh Youth Ballet Company Jean Gedeon,

Artistic Director

David J. Stapor, M.D. Donald F. O’Malley, Jr., M.D. Edward D. Poon, M.D. Mark L. Lesh, M.D. Jeffrey M. Matheny, M.D. Certified American Board of Orthopedic Surgery

• Sport Related Injuries • Total Joint Replacement Including Minimally Invasive Techniques • Arthroscopic Surgery • Carpal Tunnel • Rotator Cuff Repair • ACL Reconstruction • Fracture Care 1000 Higbee Drive, Suite 106 1200 Brooks Lane, Suite 240 Bethel Park, PA 15102 Jefferson Hills, PA 15025 Phone: (412) 854-5664 Phone: (412) 469-1660 Office Hours by Appointment

UPPER ST. CLAIR THEATRE Thursday, Dec. 8 - 7:00 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 9 - 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10 - 2:00 & 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 11 - 2:00 p.m.

Pittsburgh Youth Ballet Company 3000 Industrial Blvd., Bethel Park, PA 15102

(412) 835-1335 • (412) 835-1250 More information online:

www.pybco.com

Girl Scouts, Brownie and Daisy Troop discount and badges available

Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

33

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Winter Storm Emergencies

Info Line 412-854-5353 www.twpusc.org Please Do NOT Call the Public Works Department!

Winter storm emergencies are just

that—emergencies. The Township of Upper St. Clair’s administrative staff, Po lice De part ment, and Public Works Department are on call 24 hours a day to help residents and businesses by making the streets safe.

During the winter season, Township residents are asked to be patient and understanding. To help the Police and Public Works Department during storms, the Township asks the cooperation of residents in the following areas: 1. Keep calls concerning snow removal to a minimum. Public Works and Police phone lines need to be kept open for emergency calls only during storm situations.

The Township is as eager as you to have the streets cleared quickly. Major roads such as Route 19, Boyce Road, McLaughlin Run Road, Lesnett Road, McMillan Road, Fort Couch Road, and Mayview Road are plowed first as a matter of public safety and for emergency vehicles.

private snow removal. Please refer to the Verizon Yellow Pages.

7. The Township receives numerous calls regarding sidewalks not being adequately maintained during heavy snow periods.

Sidewalks with unshoveled snow may cause problems for residents, school children, mail carriers, delivery persons, etc. Chapter 109 of the Township Code states that the standard removal time of snow and ice from sidewalks is within 12 hours after the snow or ice has ceased to fall or be formed. There are several Township-owned sidewalks that are posted “No Winter Maintenance” and are not covered under this ordinance.

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8. Please keep fire hydrants clear of snow.

They are for your safety.

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2. Do not shovel or plow snow back into the streets. This is a violation of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code and creates additional traffic safety problems.

3. When streets are plowed, snow will be pushed in front of driveways. Unfortunately, there is no other place for the snow to go.

4. The Public Works Department is not permitted to assist residents by clearing driveways, sidewalks, or paths to mailboxes. Public Works employees work as many hours as necessary to make streets, inlets, cul-de-sacs, sidewalks, and parking lots safe for all vehicles and pedestrians.

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5. Under emergency situations, there may be delays or cancellations of garbage collection and recycling pickup. Please do not call the Township during a snow emergency to ask about gar bage collection. Until the snow situation is under control, it is impossible to say when garbage collection will be back on schedule. Check Cable 7 or the Township’s website at www.twpusc.org for information on garbage collection.

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Public Works Snow Removal—How It Works The Public Works Department is on call 24 hours a day to help residents with snow removal emergencies and related situations. During severe snow situations where plowing is needed, the main state and Township roads have priority, which in some cases require residential roadways to be designated secondary priority.

Some considerations regarding the snow removal services that you receive as a resident of USC:

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1. The Public Works Department must be alert to air temperatures and road surface temperatures. Sodium chloride (rock salt) is effective to about 23° fahrenheit.

At temperatures below 23°, road surfaces will require additions of liquid calcium

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6. The Township cannot rec om mend contractors or companies that provide 34

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

chloride. Traffic causes rock salt to act more quickly, so streets with heavier traffic will show the results of sodium chloride application sooner than less traveled roadways.

2. Air Science Consultants are available to the Public Works Department on a 24-hour contracted basis and provide periodic advance weather forecasting.

3. Peak traffic occurs between the hours of 4–8 a.m. and 2–9 p.m. Decisions to delay school must be made by school administration by 5:30 a.m. to permit contacting School District personnel.

4. The Public Works Department minimizes the use of chemicals and anti-skid materials by plowing whenever possible.

Generally, accumulations over two inches with additional snow predicted may require plowing as dictated by temperatures and information obtained from Air Science Consultants.

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5. Constant monitoring of road conditions helps the Public Works administration coordinate snow removal actions to ensure total roadway coverage. All snow removal vehicle drivers assist and back each other up to ensure effective roadway salting and plowing.

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6. Walks should be clear by 8 a.m. at the Township Building and tennis bubbles.

The Recreation Center schedule is checked to ensure clear walkways prior to scheduled activities.Evenings require walk clearing for the Township Building Li brary un til 9:30 p.m. and for any scheduled meetings which normally run until 11 p.m. Tennis bubbles operate until 11 p.m. It may be nec es sary to call personnel for morning walkway clearing by 5:30 a.m. or 6 a.m. as dictated by the size of the back-up crew.

7. Excessive snow may require opening of inlets or location of fire plugs.

8. The Public Works supervisor coordinates with all drivers to ensure that vehicle breakdowns and problems are reported and scheduled, so that effective snow removal operations are not jeopardized.

9. On-call Public Works supervisors have access to four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Public Works 2005: A Busy Year for Public Works The Public Works Department has been busy this year with

its scheduled Force Work Projects. These are projects that the Public Works Department completes in-house with its staff. The department prioritizes the projects at the beginning of each year along with working on additional projects that arise unexpectedly.

Please enjoy the improvements that the department has made!

2005 Projects:

Baker Park

• Boyce Mayview Park shelter renovation • Baker Park renovation phase 1 and 2 (consists of new swings, play equipment, sandbox, sand volleyball court, and two bocce courts) • Golf course pedestrian and small equipment bridge (lost in Hurricane Ivan) along McLaughlin Run Road • Morton Soccer #3 permanent bleacher construction • Morton Athletic Complex stairway replacement • Morton Road widening and storm sewer addition • Boyce Garden Road construction and garden topdressing • Boyce Mayview trail project (building trails, pedestrian bridges, etc.)

• Township Building lawn irrigation project (in conjunction with contractor) • Wiltshire Park pedestrian bridge replacement (fall/winter 2005—one of three to be replaced)

Morton bleachers

Dog Owners

#

Morton steps

Golf bridge along McLaughlin

Run Road

Pet Owner’s

Please purchase a County license for dogs three months or older

by January 1 every year.

Responsibilities

Applications are available at the Township reception desk.

Many people who have contact with animals would agree that pets provide a great deal of pleasure, whether they are your own or belong to a friend, relative, or neighbor. Although most pet owners are responsible, the job of owning an animal extends beyond providing food, water, and shelter.

Pet owners must take into consideration their neighborhood and the community in general.

The most common complaints about animals involve a resident who fails to follow ordinance requirements such as permitting an animal to roam unattended, to bark excessively, or who owns more than three adult pets. A less common complaint concerns owners permitting their pets to create unsanitary conditions on streets, sidewalks, or the yards of others.

Residents, who allow their animals to behave in this manner, risk citations and potential fines.

These can be avoided by simply extending common courtesy to others, which promotes community relations and deters more stringent animal regulations.

Code requirements concerning animal control can be found on the Township website at www.twpusc.org. 

The fines can be up to $300 a day for each unlicensed dog.

Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

35

Sanitary Sewer Backups AND your homeowner’s coverage The Township maintains over 158 miles of underground sewer lines. There is no way to predict when the next sanitary sewer backup will occur. And while only a handful of our residents experience a significant sanitary sewer backup each year, we know that when it does occur, it is a distressing situation. It can be even more devastating if a resident is not insured for losses—losses that can easily run into tens of thousands of dollars.

Sewer Backup Insurance Homeowners can alleviate possible sewer-related damage expenses by contacting their property insurance provider to verify that they have sewer backup coverage. Most homeowners’ insurance policies do not automatically include coverage for these occurrences. Given the potential for significant loss, it would be advisable for homeowners served by a public sewer system, particularly those with finished basements, to obtain some level of coverage.

Lastly, if you experience a floor drain backup or otherwise suspect a sanitary sewer problem, please contact the Township’s Public Works Department immediately at 412-831-9000, extension 271.

u

You are invited to participate in the

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Township of Upper St. Clair’s Christmas Tree Recycling Project!

Bring your tree, without decorations, to the YMCA upper parking lot between January 9–23, 2006.

The trees will be ground for mulch for residents’ use.

Please remove all plastic tree bags!

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For more information, call 412-831-9000, extension 271 or visit www.twpusc.org.

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Annual EMS Subscription Drive The 2006 Tri-Community South EMS

annual subscription drive is underway. Subscription information has been mailed to every known occupied residence in the municipality.

If you have not yet received this information, please contact the Tri-Community South EMS office at 412-831-3710, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Your subscription to Tri-Community South EMS means that should you need medically necessary ambulance transportation, Tri-Community South EMS will accept reimbursement from your health care or other appropriate insurance carrier as payment in full for the services rendered, and you will not receive any direct bill for these services. Medicare generally pays about half of the billed costs, while other insurers may pay up to 80% of billed costs.

Your subscription helps to make sure that Tri-Community South will continue to provide quality ambulance service when you need it, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Tri-Community South EMS is owned and operated by the Municipality of Bethel Park and the Townships of South Park and Upper St. Clair. Although it is a municipal agency, Tri-Community South EMS attempts to recover operating costs by billing for services and accepting insurance reimbursements and by conducting the annual subscription drive. If operating costs cannot be recovered by these means, the system must take money from municipal tax revenues to make up the shortfall. At present, the system is completely self-supporting and no municipal tax revenue is being used for EMS operation, nor does Tri-Community South receive any revenue from the so-called EMS Tax enacted in 2005 to replace the Occupational Privilege Tax. 36

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Your subscription entitles you to medically necessary emergency ambulance service as often as needed anywhere in the Municipality of Bethel Park, South Park Township, and Upper St. Clair Township, and also in Mt. Lebanon Township, Dormont Borough, Castle Shannon Borough, Whitehall Borough, Green Tree Borough, Baldwin Township, Baldwin Borough, Pleasant Hills Borough, Brentwood Borough, Peters Township, Jefferson Hills Borough, and Scott Township. Your subscription covers all family members living at your home address and any guests or visitors at your home. Your subscription also covers pre-scheduled nonemergency ambulance service when medically necessary—when the service meets the requirements or guidelines of your health care insurance provider and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Your subscription covers medically necessary emergency and non-emergency ambulance service only. According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the criteria for medical necessity for emergency ambulance service are that the service be “reasonable and necessary.” In addition, for non-emergency ambulance service to qualify as “medically necessary,” the patient must need care or monitoring by trained attendants, the destination must be an approved medical facility, and the patient must be unable to walk, or must be stretcher bound and unable to be safely transported by other means such as wheelchair van, invalid coach, private vehicle, or commercial common carrier.

Winter 2005

The following services are specifically designated by CMS as not being medically necessary: • Ambulance transportation provided solely for the convenience of the patient or family, or to accommodate a specific physician.

• Ambulance transportation to obtain services which could be performed at the patient’s bedside or at the point of origin of the trip.

• Ambulance transportation to a doctor’s office.

• Ambulance transportation to a more distant facility, when a closer facility can appropriately provide the services required.

Services for these reasons, or services that are not reasonable and necessary, are not covered by your subscription. 

S u b s c ribe N o w!

Your subscription takes effect as soon as it is received and payment is accepted by Tri-Community South. It remains in effect through December 31, 2006, regardless of the date it is received.

If you have any questions about your ambulance subscription or about Tri-Community South EMS and the services they provide, contact them at 412-831-3710, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or visit their website at www.tcsems.org.

Tri-Com Moves Into Its New Building Tri-Community South EMS made

1

and the building on a cold Ground was broken for h the system’s staff and wit 5, snowy March 1, 200 ending. municipal officials att elected and appointed jected to be October 1, 2005 pro The occupancy date, tant. seemed impossibly dis

2 Less than three weeks later, the site was graded and ready for the foundation to be laid.

the move to its new headquarters and Bethel Park ambulance base this fall. The new building, at 5490 Progress Boulevard in Bethel Park, includes garage space, crew areas, and the system’s business offices. The building has 14,100 square feet, more than twice the existing space in the system’s former headquarters building at 2470 Slater Road in Bethel Park.

The Progress Boulevard site is closer to the geographic center of Tri-Community South’s service area, and with improved street access and better access to the garages by the ambulance crews, response times, already good, should improve.

Tri-Community South will continue to use the South Park and Upper St. Clair bases during the daylight and evening shifts in order to reduce response times to the farthest reaches of the service area during the hours when three or four ambulances are in service.

The South Park base is in the South Park Municipal Building on Brownsville Road, and the Upper St. Clair base is in the Upper St. Clair Municipal Building on McLaughlin Run Road. Each of these bases has garage space for one vehicle and facilities for the EMS crew. 

For more information on Tri-Community South’s new headquarters building, or for any other information, call 412-831-3710, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or visit their web site at www.tcsems.org.

4

By May, the walls we

re taking shape.

5 . By now, with The roof trusses were raised in June was eagerly one every ule, sched of d ahea construction y. panc occu ng ipati antic

6

3

The roof was completed in July, and interior work was well underway.

One month later, the walls were going up.

7

By August, the windows and doors were in place, the interior walls were up and painted, the environmental systems were being installed, and the EMS staff was busy packing things at the old base in preparation for the move.

8 Tri-Community South EMS ready to serve the community from its new facility.

Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

37

Some People Think Any Real Estate

Roberta Allen

Hope Bassichis

Norma Bishop

Michelle Bonnar

Carpenter Team

Linda Cobb

Jim Cuddy

Barbara Cusick

Darla DíAnna

Janine Dillon

Kathryn Gerhart

Dal Goldstein

Judy Hlister

Elaine Krelis

Alexis McAdoo

Deonna Miller

Lisa Moeser

Helen Moore

Pat Paslowski

Toni Petrucci

Anita Poage

Tulla Rakoczy

Stacy Romanias

Kathy Sekeras

Karen Skrainy

Paula Stoltz

Jim Walsh

Jane Washil

Sandy Wiedt

Mariann Ziegler

Tade Bua-Bell

Sandy Learish

Office Managers

South Hills/USC Office

38

1699 Washington Rd. • Pittsburgh, PA 15228 • 412-833-5405

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

Company Will Do. Others Expect More.

Nancy Beaulieu

Bonnie Byrnes

Anita Crago

Kathy Donoghue

Kathy Enick

John Geisler

Edith Gidwani

Genie Gooding

Lois Goodrich

Sandy Hanson

Leigh Harkreader

Heather Harrison

Nancy Heffernan

Sydnie Jones

Sue Kelso

Kathi Kernan

Jane Krauth

Julie Leslie

Joyce Lewis

Mitch & Angela Mize

Shirley Schultz

Mary Ann Wellener

Don & Arlene Murray

Virginia Montgomery Office Manager

Expect More

Owned And Operated By NRT Incorporated

Rt. 19 South/Galleria Office

1539 Washington Rd. • Pittsburgh, PA 15228 • 412-344-0500 Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

39

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Digital Mammography Available St. Clair Hospital is only one

of three hospitals in Southwestern Pennsylvania to offer patients digital mammography—the mostadvanced technology available for the early detection of breast cancer.

The digital mammography technology is available at the newly-expanded St. Clair Hospital Outpatient Center at 2000 Oxford Drive in Bethel Park. A second machine will be installed at the hospital, 1000 Bower Hill Road in Mt. Lebanon, in early 2006.

With the use of digital mammography, images of the breast are produced on a computer rather than on traditional X-ray film. The use of computers allows the radiologists to magnify or manipulate the images, thereby giving doctors the best possible look at the breast and the ability to detect tumors at earlier stages or rule out abnormalities. Digital mammography is especially effective for younger women and women with dense breast tissue.

40

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

Only eight percent of mammograms in the United States use digital technology, but in a recent study conducted by the National Cancer Institute, digital mammography picked up 15 to 28% more cancers in women younger than 50, those who had not gone through menopause, and those with dense breasts.

Women should have their first mammogram at age 35 and then have yearly mammograms after the age of 40 as part of their routine wellness care.

The St. Clair Hospital Outpatient Center is staffed with the same board-certified St. Clair Hospital radiologists who have been part of the South Hills medical community for decades, as well as with credentialed technologists who specialize in mammography.

The St. Clair Hospital Outpatient Center in Bethel Park has convenient evening and weekend appointments available and offers free parking. For more information about digital mammography at St. Clair Hospital or to schedule an appointment, call 412-942-8150. 

Make a Plan, Not a Promise Three Steps to Organizing Your Financial Future Les Botkin and Sara Botkin, CFP® “I can hardly believe the holidays are here already,” says Alice, her speech

garbled with the leftover pumpkin pie in her mouth. “I know I’m eating like a maniac,” she acknowledges ruefully, “but come January 1, I’m going to lose ten pounds!”

Ever uttered those words? It’s the most common New Year’s resolution there is, yet most of us who make it end up attacking holiday leftovers by January 2.

We’re not in the business of suppressing appetites, but we can give you the tools to make the second most common resolution— getting one’s finances in order—a success.

“Oh, good!” exclaims Alice, now working on the box of Sarris chocolates her motherin-law sent. “Ted and I want to retire in three years, and our stuff’s all over the place. We’ve been meaning to figure out what we have, whether it’s good, and what we should be doing to get ready, but the whole thing’s so overwhelming. Where do we start?”

If Alice lays out her gym clothes on December 31, eliminates fattening food from her refrigerator, and figures out how many calories she needs to cut from her diet to lose ten pounds, her chances of fulfilling her first resolution are good. What about the second?

Here’s an express list of action items to get you on the road toward orderly finances: 1. Gather your stuff. If you’re like most folks, you have your financial matters

scattered in many different places—a 401(k) at work, a couple of IRAs at a brokerage firm, savings bonds, bank CDs, maybe some mutual funds or individual stocks. It isn’t fun, but dig through your files to find the most recent statement from each account. Also gather up any wills, trusts, and insurance policies, and document the value of your home. Don’t forget to inventory your debts, too.

2. Consider your needs. When would you like to retire? When you stop working, how much money will you need each month to be comfortable? What about if you lost your spouse? What would you need, then?

These aren’t always easy questions, so give them serious thought before the year is out.

Track your spending and consider whether retirement means needing less (no commuting costs or executive wardrobe) or needing more (sailing around the world, flying across the country to see the grandkids).

3. Bring it in! It’s the rare individual who can concoct a strong financial plan without professional assistance. A good financial planner will look at your assets and be able to tell you whether you’re in shape to retire when you want to with the income you desire. If you aren’t, he’ll tell you what changes you can make to get closer to your goals. These may include increasing your savings, adjusting your investments to provide better return potential, or reducing your income needs.

What if you’re already retired? A financial advisor can help you consolidate your many accounts into a more manageable portfolio and then decide which investments to sell each month to get you the income you desire.

Remember Alice’s smorgasbord of accounts? If she and Ted retired in that state, how would they decide where to get their money each month? From their 401(k), from the bank, or maybe the IRAs? A financial advisor takes into consideration market conditions and taxes to make the best choice.

Your financial plan will also address your estate planning needs, informing you whether there is anything you could do that would reduce taxes and transfer costs. It should also visit worst-case scenarios, providing you with solutions to protect against financial ruin in the event of death or illness.

When you have a plan of action, your potential for success is high. Get started today so you can begin 2006 armed with the tools needed to plan for a prosperous financial future.  Les and Sara Botkin are a unique fatherdaughter team of financial planners in the South Hills office of Hefren-Tillotson. For help in creating your financial plan, contact them at 412-833-5777.

L u m i n a r i a Luminaria has come to represent warmth, peace, and friendliness in Upper St. Clair

and draws visitors from far and wide to enjoy our candlelit streets. Order by December 3.

Delivery on December 10. Luminaria kits, including 12 candles, bags, and sand, are $8.

The luminaria sale is sponsored by the USC Band Parents Association. Proceeds benefit USCHS music department students. For more information call 412-257-6188 or visit www.uscbpa.org.

Luminaria Kit Order Form Name: ________________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________ Zip: __________________________________________________________ Phone: _______________________________________________________ Number of kits _______ x $8 per kit = $ _______Total enclosed Make check payable to: USC Band Parents Association Mail to: USC Band Parents Association 2583 Rossmoor Drive, Upper St. Clair, PA 15241 Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

41

One Million Steps

reached a goal of which he Shinko, at the age of 71, has p at Upper St. Clair resident Bob ran up his one-millionth ste day, August 21, 2005, Bob Sun On on ps ud. ste s pro y m’ ver diu be sta uld the sho an running ’s Panther stadium. Bob beg ool Sch h a Hig set ir he Cla e, St. tin per rou Up ning fitness committing to this step-run r June 1, 2001. Shortly after dium. In just a little over fou sta the at one million steps up g nin run of l. l goa goa ss al tne fi son per milestone behind him, Bob reached his years, and with many steps steps), rests a bit and walks (24 le ais an ut, Bob runs up s As a part of his daily worko r aisle (24 steps) and repeat aisle. He then runs up anothe t nex the ut to r rko ove wo ng and n rni dow his typical mo this routine many times in this process. He continues session. seen Bob running the dium’s track, maybe you’ve If you walk or run at the sta l, don’t expect him to quit his first long-term fitness goa d che rea has he ile Wh ps. ste tinue this fitness routine time soon. He hopes to con any e tin rou g bin lim ir-c sta his lion steps in two years. new goal of running one mil a de ma has and ely nit efi ind e for health reasons, iors are encouraged to exercis In this day and age where sen Bob is truly inspirational.

Bob Shinko

Sincerely, Betty Pecore

USC Salutes Its Soldiers In the Fall 2005 edition of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY, a mother of an American soldier wrote to TODAY asking for some support for our troops overseas. Her plea was simple: “I hope and pra y that someone else will honor him besides his family and God.” Luckily, you hav e a chance to answer this mothe r’s prayer. With your help, and only with your help , our community can create sup port for our brave young men and women defe nding America overseas.

This school year, the Upper St. Clair High School Student Cou ncil will be conducting a military project call ed Salute the Soldiers. Through this project, high school students will be wri ting letters and words of encour USCHS junior class student council agement to our brave men and women in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.

To make this happen, however, we need your help. Community involvement is vital for this pro succeed. That means as you read ject to these words, they are directed ind ividually to you. Thus far, we hav many opportunities to coordinate e not had within the community, but TOD AY has presented the USC Stu an opportunity to get the word dent Council out.

We need you to help us compile a list of recipients for our intende d letters. These men and women USC residents, family members, can be friends, neighbors, or anyone else who is serving our country abroad know any information about a . If you soldier, please send the following: the soldier’s name, overseas mailing address, branch of serv ice, and any other information you think is important for us to know. Even if you don’t know or copy of the have all of the information, plea Please send a written se provide us with as much as possible. As little as just the nam to: ati requested inform on e of the soldier might be enough for us to find out the rest. on You have the opportunity to ans ks Jac h Jos wer a mother’s call for help. Wil l you respond?

2321 Aetna Drive 15241, Thank you, Upper St. Clair, PA on to: ati orm inf Josh Jackson or email the oo.com.

Josh Jackson is a junior at USCHS.

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salutethesoldiers@y

To send your letter to TODAY, write to Letters to TODAY: UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY Editor, 1820 McLaughlin Run Road, Upper St. Clair, PA 15241 or email: ldudzinski@uscsd.k12.pa.us.

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

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Bows

Live Wreaths

Made to Order

Fancy Fruits Poinsettias Branches Roping

Handmade

Christmas Trees 4’ to 12’ • Frazier Fir •• Douglas Fir • Scotch Pine • White Pine • Blue Spruce • Con Color • Balled Balled Trees Trees

All Sizes • White Pine • Frazier • Scotch

Bedner’s

Farm Market

1520 Bower Hill Road • Upper St. Clair, PA 15241

(412) 221-5525

Opening November 25, 2005 46

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

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FINE STATIONERY

For All Your Special Occasions Invitations, stationery, cards and personalized gifts for everyone on your list.

Specializing in Crane Fine Papers

690 Washington Road • Mt. Lebanon

412-561-4422

Store Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri., and Sat. 10 — 6 Tues. and Thurs. 10 — 9

WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED WE BRING PEOPLE AND NATURE TOGETHER * Bird Feeders & Houses * Quality Bird Seed * Bird Baths & Fountains

* Unique Bird/Nature Related Gifts * Chimes and Statuary TM * WBU Advanced Pole System

* Shade Grown Coffee * Squirrel Feeders * Squirrel Solutions

* Binoculars * Books, Tapes, C.D.’s & Cards * Garden Accessories

Norman Centre II • 1775 N. Highland Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15241 • 412-833-9299 Pine Lake Plaza • 10900 Perry Highway Wexford, PA 15090 • 724-935-0051 3848 Wm. Penn Highway Monroeville, PA 15146 • 412-374-0678

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The heartwarming spirit of the holiday shines through this season’s collection of glorious Christmas Door Wreaths, Ornaments, Fruit & Goodie Baskets, and Arrangements

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

47

The History of the Greeting Card Sandra Kalix The tradition of sending greeting cards can be traced to the ancient Chinese

and early Egyptians who exchanged greetings of good will and prosperity for the New Year, the world’s oldest and most widely observed holiday. By the early 1400s, greeting cards of handmade paper were being exchanged for the New Year and as Valentines. The oldest known greeting card is a Valentine made during this time. Due to the advances in printing and the introduction of the postage stamp, by the 1850s the greeting card had transformed from an expensive, handmade and hand delivered gift to a popular affordable personal message.

Today there are cards for any occasion, situation, or holiday. Cards that feature inventive designs, unusual papers, and embellishments, such as glitter, beads, ribbons, or feathers, offer the distinctiveness consumers are seeking. Christmas remains the number one holiday and birthdays the number one everyday occasion for sending cards. U.S. consumers purchase seven billion greeting cards each year.

Receiving a greeting card in the mailbox

can brighten one’s day and connect the recipient instantly with the sender. In today’s busy world where family and friends are scattered all over the world, cards allow us to keep in touch and let others know how special they are to us.

Even though email, text messages, and phone calls are valued as the modern way to communicate, there will always be occasions such as weddings, deaths, and holidays when sending an electronic greeting is inappropriate; email just isn’t special. We receive email from strangers and we receive junk email. Americans say they prefer receiving the old-fashioned handwritten paper card that someone took the time to look for, consider, purchase, and send to make them feel special and remembered.

For generations, people have kept greeting cards as sentimental keepsakes to hold, read, and remind themselves of special occasions and the special people who sent them. I recently found a birthday card, tucked away and forgotten, sent to me decades ago by my grandmother who

penned on the card, “I wish I was 28 again, ha-ha.” She was in her eighties at the time and even though she passed away over 20 years ago, it still makes me laugh because I now more clearly understand what she meant. I also wish I were 28 again!

Greeting cards can continue to touch us long after the occasion for which they were sent has past. A greeting card is still an inexpensive way to remember someone, whether it be an expression of love, joy, or sympathy. Cards express our thoughts and feelings when we cannot find the words ourselves.  You’re Invited Fine Stationery, located at 690 Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon and owned by Sandra Kalix, offers greeting cards, stationery, and invitations for all your special occassions.

Sandra can be reached at 412-561-4422.

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

Give the Gift of Travel ������������� ���������� ����������� ����������� ������������ ��������

Sigrid Kiernan Now that the holiday gift rush is on and stores are packed with harried

shoppers, your best bet for a different and last-minute gift may come from an unusual source—Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Whether it’s a custom vacation package for someone you love or a gift certificate in a smaller denomination, the gift of travel is simple to buy and the memories will be cherished.

Treat yourself this holiday season with a trip to a special winter wonderland in Bavaria, Austria, or the French Alsace region. These areas, among others, have fabulous Christmas markets waiting for you to experience. You can “soak up the sun” sailing the beautiful blue Caribbean waters or perhaps enjoy either of the interesting coastlines of Mexico. There are numerous cruise lines with a variety of cabin categories still available to book for both the Christmas and New Year holiday sailings. Swim with dolphins, snorkel with stingrays, or simply relax on a deserted beach basking in the warmth of the tropical sun. Enjoy glittering nightlife and quaint shopping villages.

For those who prefer to stay closer to home, Walt Disney World is calling you to join the festivities and be a part of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and EPCOT’s Candlelight Procession. The Downtown Disney area is alive with excitement from shopping, to restaurants, to outrageous clubs and live entertainment. Enjoy a round of world-class golf.

It is time to schedule a vacation for those upcoming school breaks and holidays. It’s great to look forward to an escape to a fun destination, and there’s no better way than Carlson Wagonlit Travel to get you there.  Joseph and Sigrid Kiernan, long time residents of USC, are co-owners of Carlson Wagonlit Travel located in Pinebridge Commons for over 20 years.

Carlson Wagonlit has provided quality service, expertise, and knowledge in the “specialty travel area.” Joseph or Sigrid can be reached at cwtusc@aol.com or at 412-221-6772.

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

49

P INEBRIDGE Pinebridge Commons McLaughlin Run Road at Lesnett Road ••••••••••••••••• Carlson Wagonlit Travel Cathy Davin Interior Design Common Ground Café Design Image Salon Forest Ridge Land Co. Peter Gialames & Associates Henderson Investment Corp.

Jimcor Associates, Inc. Timothy Kerr, DMD & Romana Pautler Kerr, DMD Larry E. Manalo, DMD Pediatric Alliance

Pediatric Dentistry South Piccolina’s Restaurant Pinebridge Commons Assoc.

Primary Physicians Research Questa Petroleum Co. REFCO Eric J. Reitz DMD & Gary J. Yanniello, DMD South Hills Financial Group State Farm Insurance Suburban Dry Cleaners Weidmann Technical Services

Hair • Nails • Massage Featuring: Hair Designers Carole • Dannielle • Kim • Lori • Cindy Each with over 15 years experience

Hair Services Cuts, Styles, Color, Highlights, Perms Chemical Straightening Nail Services Manicures, Pedicures, Acrylics, Tips, Solar Nails, Wraps

Introducing Barbara DeTemple Certified Massage Therapist NCTMB, AMTA

•••••••••••••••••

for leasing information, please call Pinebridge Commons Associates (412) 220-9288

Stop in to see our updated, spacious, new location inside the Pinebridge Commons.

As seen on ABC’s TV hit “Extreme Makeover” If you are looking for a destination specialist, we have them. Our Vacation specialists include everywhere from the Caribbean, Europe to Australia. Our European specialists are Austria, Great Britain, Ireland, Hungary, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries. We also have a Master Cruise Counselor for all cruise markets and a Group and Incentive specialist.

We also have over 125 years of experience in our office.

Register On Line for Promotions www.kiernantravel.com 1580 McLaughlin Run Road • Upper St. Clair, PA 15241 412-221-6772

800-962-9450

Fax: 412-221-7223

E-mail: cwtusc@aol.com

Larry E. Manalo, D.M.D. Pinebridge Dental • Upper St. Clair • 412-221-2221 88 Dental • Castle Shannon • 412-343-4100

5050 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY 2005 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY Winter Winter 2005

’s Americaon i t Vaca ts Exper

Vacation Packages / Business Travel Cruises / Airline Tickets

COMMONS

TIMOTHY J. KERR, D.M.D. ROMANA PAUTLER KERR, D.M.D.

Northern Italian Restaurant

FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY

“ Come visit with the little one” Private Conference Room Now holding wine dinners & specialty evenings Al Fresco Dining Expanded Dining Room

Reservations suggested  Gift Certificates available

Phone (412) 257-1880 Fax (412) 257-2895 1580 McLaughlin Run Rd., Upper St. Clair, PA 15241 Visit our website: www.piccolinas.com

Chairside Whitening System

MAKE IT A TRULY WHITE S A M T S I R CH Pinebridge Commons Suite 207 1580 McLaughlin Run Rd. Upper St. Clair, PA

412-257-4250

Candle Fires

Cindy Brophy

As pretty as they are, candles are a growing source of home fires. The National Fire Protection Association reported in 2002 that fires caused by misuse of candles resulted in 17 deaths and $176.1 million in property damage in 1998, the last year for which statistics were available.

Here are some tips to help you reduce the chance your family or home will be among the next statistics.

• Remember that a burning candle is an open flame. Keep at least one foot of space in all directions between the candle and any combustible item such as curtains or bedding.

• Place candles on secure furniture and out of reach of children and pets.

• Burn candles only while an adult is in the room. Never leave a burning candle unattended.

• Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.

• Trim wicks to within one-quarter inch of the top of the candle before each use.

• Do not allow a candle to burn to the bottom of the container. Stick candles should not be allowed to burn within two inches of the holder.

• Use flashlights instead of candles during power outages.

• Avoid candles that have combustible items embedded inside them.

This article was provided by Upper St. Clair State Farm Insurance agent Cindy Brophy.

Winter 2005 UPPER UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY 5151 Winter 2005 ST. CLAIR TODAY

Upper St. Clair School District Board of School Directors

School District News

Angela B. Petersen President 412-831-7182 2007*

Jeffrey W. Joyce Vice President 412-257-1704 2007*

David E. Bluey 412-835-6145 2005*

Barbara L. Bolas 412-833-9841 2007*

Russell R. Del Re 724-941-3336 2005*

The 2005-06 regular meetings of the Upper St. Clair Township Board of School Directors are held at 7 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month at the Central Office School Board meeting room. No regular meeting is scheduled for July.

Glenn G. Groninger 412-854-5345 2007*

Vicki A. McKenna 412-831-7125 2005*

Clark R. Nicklas 412-831-1027 2005*

Mark G. Trombetta, MD 412-831-8543 2007*

*Date indicates expiration of term.

School District Central Office Administration

To reach personnel, call 412-833-1600, press 1, enter extension number followed by the # sign.

Administrator

Dr. James D. Lombardo Dr. Terrence Kushner Dr. John Bornyas Director of Programing, Superintendent of Schools Assistant Superintendent/ Operations, and Director of Secondary Education (9-12) Middle Level Education (5-8)

M. Jane Sierzega Dr. Judy Bulazo Director of Finance Director of Professional and Business Development and Elementary Level Education (K-4)

Ray Berrott Director of Technology

Jean Toner Director of Human Resources

Secretary/Email Address

Extension

Dr. James D. Lombardo . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Ann Stabile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Superintendent of Schools mstabile@uscsd.k12.pa.us Dr. Terrence Kushner . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donna Faccenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Assistant Superintendent/Director of dfaccenda@uscsd.k12.pa.us Secondary Education (9-12) Dr. John Bornyas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cheryl Ellison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Director of Programing, Operations, cellison@uscsd.k12.pa.us and Middle Level Education (5-8) Dr. Judy Bulazo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cheryl Ellison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Director of Professional Development cellison@uscsd.k12.pa.us and Elementary Level Education (K-4) M. Jane Sierzega . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bonnie Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Director of Finance and Business bthomas@uscsd.k12.pa.us Ray Berrott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doreen Leech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Director of Technology dleech@uscsd.k12.pa.us Jean Toner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debi Bakowski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Director of Human Resources dbakowski@uscsd.k12.pa.us Eloise Stoehr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phyllis Feller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Supervisor of Pupil Services pfeller@uscsd.k12.pa.us Dr. Sharon Suritsky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phyllis Feller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Supervisor of Special Education pfeller@uscsd.k12.pa.us Charles Samek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Karen Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Director of Transportation kpowers@uscsd.k12.pa.us

2201 2218 2202 2202 2266 2211 2286 2283 2283 3450

School District Building Administration

Eloise Stoehr Supervisor of Pupil Services

Dr. Sharon Suritsky Supervisor of Special Education

Charles Samek Director of Transportation

Dr. Timothy Steinhauer ..... Principal of the High School Dr. Mike Ghilani ................ Assistant Principal of High School Jace Palmer.......................... Assistant Principal of High School Dr. William Rullo ............... Supervisor of High School Guidance Joe DeMar ........................... Principal of Fort Couch Middle School John Rozzo........................... Assistant Principal of Fort Couch Middle School Karen Brown ...................... Principal of Boyce Middle School Dr. Ruth Ann Matyuf ......... Principal of Baker Elementary School Mark Miller ........................ Principal of Eisenhower Elementary School Dr. Claire Miller ................. Principal of Streams Elementary School

USC School District website: www.uscsd.k12.pa.us 5252 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY 2005 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY Winter Winter 2004

USC Garners Gold Upper St. Clair School District was

recently designated a Gold Medal School District

by Expansion Management magazine in their 14th annual Education QuotientTM issue.

Each year Expansion Management ranks over 2800 school districts across the country on how well each district is preparing its students to be part of the workforce after graduation. The special report is mailed to over 45,000 CEOs, vice presidents, directors, and other officers of companies who have indicated that they are considering expanding into new areas.

“We are extremely pleased and proud, although not totally surprised, that our District performed well,” said Dr. James D. Lombardo, Superintendent of Schools. “This award is validation for all the years of hard work our teachers, administrators, and parents have dedicated toward making sure our children have a bright future. It is also evident of our community’s strong support for its schools over the years.”

To be ranked as a Gold Medal School, a district must rank in the top 16% of all school districts nationally. Expansion Management

Editor Bill King said the Education QuotientTM issue is the magazine’s most popular of the year with its readers.

“People who evaluate communities for business expansion require a good education system,” King said. “That seems to be first and foremost on their list of things to care about.

Communities with excellent schools can expect to come out on top when the site selectors come calling to create new jobs.”

As well as awarding gold medals and blue ribbons, the magazine also issues other

ratings, such as Green Light, Yellow Flag, and Red Zone.

The Education QuotientTM is now in its 14th year and is well-respected nationally. 

For more information on the Education QuotientTM research study, or to read the article, visit the magazine’s website at www.ExpansionManagement.com.

Integrating Robotics into the Upper St. Clair School District Tracy L. Doyle, USCHS physics teacher Technology continues to be a hot topic in business and education. As a physics

teacher with an engineering background, I’m always looking for new and exciting ways to introduce different technologies to my students.

This summer I attended a LEGO Robotics and Robolab teacher training program through Carnegie Mellon University at the National Robotics Engineering Consortium. Through this program I realized the power of using simple robots to not only learn about mathematical relationships, programming, and mechanical design, but also to learn about team work, time management, and resource allocation.

For the 2005-06 school year, plans are underway to start a robotics club at Upper St. Clair High School where students can use robotics kits to complete simple challenges in a team setting. The robotics club will be open to all students at the High School. The club meetings will usually consist of a short tutorial session where new programming options will be introduced followed by a “challenge” that students must compete in small teams using their new knowledge. Some additional activities planned for the club include watching videos that explain past, present, and future robotics applications, listening to speakers from local robotics companies and institutions, visiting robotics sites, competing in robotics competitions at the regional and national level, and

presenting robotics technology to the middle and elementary schools within the District.

This year the plan is for students to work with two different types of robotics kits. The first kit is the LEGO Robotics Kit. The structure of this kit consists of a variety of LEGO pieces and sensors. The students will use an iconbased program, Robolab, to write the robots’ programs. This is a basic kit that is designed for use by students as young as middle school through the college level. The second kit is the VEX Robotics Kit available through Radio Shack. This kit is more complex than the LEGO Robotics Kit, with hardware that is primarily metal and programming that is written in code.

The VEX Robotics Kit will be used once students master the LEGO Robotics Kit. There are a variety of robotics competitions that the students can participate in over the next several years. Although the FIRST Lego League competition is for middle school students, plans are to run the same competition in the High School club. This will be a great chance for students to work as a team to complete a challenge under time and resource constraints, and will prepare the students for possible regional and national competitions. The VEX Robotics competition, FIRST Robotics competition, and Botball Robotics tournament are competitions that occur annually. Each of these competitions is very intense and requires a significant

Ben Bafrali, Kenneth Cochran, and Laura Campbell experiment with robotics kits.

amount of time, dedication (from both students and mentors), and money.

To bring such an incredible activity to the students at Upper St. Clair High School requires considerable planning and materials. While attempts are being made to obtain financing through grants, local robotics companies, and fundraisers, any technical expertise or financial contributions from community members or businesses would be greatly appreciated.

In addition to the creation of this club at the high school level, plans are underway for a robotics camp for middle school students during summer 2006 in cooperation with Carnegie Mellon University and the National Robotics Engineering Consortium. 

Winter 2005

For more information, please contact Tracy L. Doyle at tdoyle@uscsd.k12.pa.us.

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

53

2005 Upper St. Clair High School Halls of Fame Thirteen was a lucky number on Friday, September 30, 2005, for Upper St. Clair’s best and brightest as they were honored

at the sixth annual Halls of Fame Induction Ceremony. The excited crowd, gathered for the football match up of Upper St. Clair against Bethel Park, cheered for each inductee as they were individually recognized during pre-game activities.

Congratulations to the newest members of Upper St. Clair High School Halls of Fame!

Academic Hall of Fame

Arts Hall of Fame

Left to right: Meredith Bell and Gail Deibler Finke Left to right: Shawn Douglass, Amy Purdy, James Purdy, Lesley Retallick Lee, and Jack W. Elliott Dr. Catherine Luke

Athletic Hall of Fame Andrea Spadaro Morrison

Class of 2005 Halls of Fame Inductees Academic Hall of Fame Student Alumni Honorees Shawn Douglass (1983) Andrea Spadaro Morrison (1975) Jack W. Elliott (1974) Amy Purdy (1996) Lesley Retallick Lee (1984) James Purdy (1996) Administrative/Staff Honorees Dr. Catherine Luke

Arts Student Alumni Honorees Meredith Bell (1998) Gail Deibler Finke (1982)

Athletics Student Alumni Honorees Beth Babbitt Bales (1985) Peter J. Smith III (1982) David Barzler (1965) Sheryl Klick (1996) (Year in parenthesis signifies year of high school graduation.)

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

Left to right: David Barzler, Beth Babbitt Bales, Sheryl Klick, and Peter J. Smith III

The First Day of School �������

While it’s not an official holiday, there is something special about the first day of school. UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY traveled to the District’s elementary schools to ask

members of the Class of 2017 what they thought of their first full day of school. 

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Paul Abrams–Baker My favorite part of the day was probably lunch, because I was only able to eat a couple of bites of breakfast. I woke up at 7 a.m. with my Sponge Bob alarm clock, and the bus was really loud and crowded. My classroom has a bathtub in it where you can sit and read when you have free time.

Molly McNamara–Eisenhower I thought it was great. I liked the writing, making new friends, and being with friends from before. I also liked the bus ride.

Seth Finkelstein–Eisenhower I liked learning new things and meeting new friends. I was a little scared at first, but not now!

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Jolie Oswald–Baker I think art is my favorite thing about first grade, because I like art. I think I’ll learn to read, too. I woke up at 6 a.m., because I’m a slow poke. I got a new backpack for school.

This year was different because the principal was on a television in our room doing announcements.

����������������� ������� ��������������������������� ��������������������������� Gracie Sebastian–Streams I couldn’t fall asleep last night because I was a little scared because I didn’t know if I would get a nice teacher. But now, I have a nice teacher and I’m not scared. I’m a little tired and I miss going home. In kindergarten we did easy math like 2+2=4 and 4+4=8 and now we’re doing harder stuff.

George Tankosich–Streams I was kind of excited today. I got up at 6 a.m., but I kept waking up all night. It’s different staying all day and having lunch at school. My favorite thing about today was eating at school. I learned new things and I learned that real math in first grade is a lot harder than not real math in kindergarten.

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Winter 2005

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55

A New Look for the Team Joseph F. DeMar, Fort Couch Principal and John T. Rozzo, Fort Couch Assistant Principal Team teaching has been an integral part

of Fort Couch for many years, and according to the National Middle School Association, Fort Couch Middle School implements the five components of successful middle schools: transition programs, an advisory program, varied instruction, exploratory programs, and interdisciplinary team teaching.

Team teaching is often referred to as the foundation of the middle school. A teaching team in middle school can be defined as two or more teachers from different subject areas that share a group of students that they commonly instruct.

Fort Couch has six academic teams, each consisting of a math, science, language arts, and social studies teacher. Additionally, there are teams for expressive arts, enrichment resource, foreign language, and physical education.

There are many advantages that teachers experience when team teaching. Team teaching affords teachers the opportunity to have daily collaboration with their team members, which allows for the constant evaluation of instruction and assessment across all curricular areas. Through collaboration, team teachers are also able to efficiently maintain open lines of

communication with parents, students, colleagues, and administrators. Interdisciplinary team teaching in the middle school helps teachers and students develop strong stable relationships.

While administration and teachers are extremely proud of the success and effectiveness

of the team teaching approach at Fort Couch, they believe there continues to be an opportunity to grow and expand to better meet the needs of students. This year will mark the first year where each of the six academic teams at Fort Couch will take on its own identity.

All students are assigned to one of the six academic teams. Collaboratively, teachers and students of each team will create a team name,

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logo, banner, song, and shirt.

Since the team classrooms are generally located in the same part of the building, each team will be encouraged to showcase its section of the building with team banners, logo, slogans, or any other team item. Certain days throughout the school year will be designated as “team pride” days when students will wear their team-designed shirts.

It’s no secret that Fort Couch offers students various clubs, groups, activities, sport teams, and other extracurricular organizations, all of which have high participation rates and allow for student connection. By instituting a team identity for each academic team, Fort Couch administration is also assuring its parents and community members that the students will have an academic connection at Fort Couch. The groundwork for this new dimension of the school has been established, but it will be the creativity, talent, and work ethic of our teachers and students that will ultimately allow Fort Couch to continue to strengthen the foundation of our middle school. 

The Thomas Studio of Performing Arts 1900 Painters Run Road, Pgh., PA 15241 412.257.2000 www.thomasdance.com

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~ Upper St. Clair 7th grader ~ Thomas Studio dancer for 11 years ~ Miss Jr. Dance USA Summer 2005 ~ Featured in Dance Spirit Magazine Oct. 2005 ~ Jr. Overall Dance Champion, Dance USA 2005 ~ Model Search winner 2005

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

~ National & Regional Future Star Award recipient, 2003, 2004, 2005 ~ High Scoring Soloist at Access Broadway 2004, 2005 Thomas Dance Company Member

Emily Kikta

~ Ballet Scholarship from Dance Caravan ~ Attended Point Park Univ. I.S.D. on scholarship 2005

all ages and levels professional, qualified staff

ballet pointe tap jazz lyrical modern hip hop gymnastics

Reaching Out to Foster Children Megan Adamo

Left to right, first row: Julie Segerdahl, Courtney Joyce; second row: Stacey Vespa, Olivia Criss, Sam Amodeo, Patrick Myron, Tommy Churchill, Yash Tripathi, Julia Dixon; third row: Meghan Allwes, Bridget Murphy, Timmy Shoup, Jordan Grabowski, Marcus Meston, John Fawcett, Megan Adamo, Michele Scherf; fourth row: Jonathan Wang, Gabe Boyd, Ryan Lott, Akash Monpara, Luke Boyd, Sam Boyd, Alivia Fink, Lauren Kelly Last May, during National Foster Care month,

my fourth grade class at Streams Elementary collected small toys for foster children. Since Miss McFedries (my teacher last year) used to work at a foster care agency, our class decided to do some community service. Our donations

included suitcases, lots of school supplies, stuffed animals, puzzles, and other small toys. We were very successful in collecting donations!

Our class even got to learn about foster care when Mrs. Wagner, a foster mom and a teacher’s aide at Streams, taught us some things. When a child enters foster care, it’s usually because something at the child’s home is unsafe or his parents can’t take care of him anymore. Sadly, when a foster child transports his things to a new foster home, he usually has to use garbage bags because he doesn’t own a suitcase.

A foster parent’s job is to make the foster child feel welcome. Mrs. Wagner said, “You feel like you’re on the outside. Imagine coming into a family that has already begun. You would definitely feel pretty strange.”

If you are interested in learning more about life in foster care, there are several very interesting books you can read such as The Pinballs, The Great Gilly Hopkins, and Pictures of Hollis Woods.

I’m glad we did our community service project. I got to learn more about foster care.  Megan is a fifth grade student at Boyce Middle School.

Thank You and Welcome

Diane Horvath, GRI

Real Estate Sales & Listing Leader USC Office 2004 412-833-3600 ext. 219 412-833-6808

Real Estate Services

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Retirees As teachers throughout the District were waking to their alarms on the first day of school, the following retirees were able to laugh at the clock. The entire community thanks them for their many years of service and wishes them a long and happy retirement!

• Professional: Theresa Avick, Nicholas Beck, William Brandtonies, Edward Callahan, Barbara Chesney, Nelson Earley, Les Evans, Barbara Hogan, Maria Jula, Regis Kessler, David Kuzmovich, Daria Lacey, John McGinnis, Nancy Muha, Marian Orr, Susan Rossetti, Dennis Snyder, Lawrence Warzinski, Lois Weidner, Valerie Whitecap, David Zott • Classified: Marilyn Reese, Patricia Smith • Administration: Robert Obrosky

! u o Y k n Tha

New Hires There are many new faces among the staff this year. Welcome to the District!

• Baker: Kristy DeNee, Renee McCarthy, Erin McMinn, Kristin Senay • Eisenhower: Gena Bossart, Lauren Greco (also at Streams), Krystle Grove, Conan Lingler, Jodi Smith, Jennifer Waters-Milbert, Kelly Young • Streams: Christina Contes, Jessica Heenan, Elizabeth Loomis, Morgan Olsen-McFedries, Angela Rionda, Charity Schmiedl • Boyce: Aaron Chaney, Matthew Dudley, Raymond Gombar, Justin Gremba, Patrick Jones, Matthew Mellinger, Dana Pears, Amy Pfender • Fort Couch: Edward Brewer, Patrick Corr, Joshua Criswell, Kierrah Hanna, Thomas Kaminski, Erin Lemon, Kathryn Olczak, Jayna Rubin • High School: Daniela Buccilli, Keera Dwulit, Beth Hendrickson, Lorraine Milovac, Dawn Mostowy, Johanna Rennhoff, Heather Seaman, Jamie Vallo, Melissa Welhorsky • Classified: Debbie Christman (central office), Dara Georges (central office), Erin Williams (USCHS), Helen Sobocinski (Eisenhower), Madeline Kneier (Eisenhower)

Welcome!

Winter 2005

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57

Meet the Teacher

A new feature in UPPER ST. CLAIR

TODAY, Meet the Teacher, focuses on one of the many great teachers working in the District.

In this issue we spotlight Becky DeGregorio, a teacher at Streams Elementary.

Becky and her husband, Mike, are Upper St. Clair residents with children in three of the District’s schools. Jay is a freshman at the High School, Sam is in seventh grade at Fort Couch, and Becca is in fifth grade at Boyce.

In addition to all the typical activities involved with working and raising children, the DeGregorios are fostering a future seeing-eye dog. Becky explained that these dogs need to be socialized, and therefore each lives with a family for a year going through obedience training and learning commands before being formally trained as a seeing-eye dog.

Read on to learn more about this special teacher!

Becky DeGregorio and her foster seeing-eye dog, Abbie.

Name: Becky DeGregorio.

School and subject area: Streams Elementary Resource Teacher (provides support primarily as a reading specialist, but also in math).

Education: Port Allegany High School, University of Pittsburgh–BS in medical records administration, Point Park University–post baccalaureate degree in education, currently attending Duquesne University for graduate work in reading specialty.

Favorite subject in school: Math.

Least favorite subject in school: Reading. Becky thinks that’s what compelled her to be a reading specialist stating, “I was a struggling reader. I broke the code in high school,” she explained, “and I decided that I’m going to help my students break the code earlier than I did.”

Why she became a teacher: “I felt like I wanted a job where I made a difference.”

What people might be surprised to know about Becky: She is a certified PIAA basketball official. 

International Education Week at the High School

Members of the project’s planning committee, left to right: Dr. Clark Remington, Sue Hofrichter-Watts, Barb Wagner, Hanna Rennhoff, Cathy Bowen, and Deanna Baird.

Missing from photo: Helen Krizner, Pat Palazzolo, Tanya Chothani, Tina Lardas, and Tom Labanc.

Upper St. Clair High School staff and students are eagerly anticipating

International Education Week, November 28 through December 2. This year’s theme, “One World,” ties in with the Great Eight and Live Eight concerts and includes interdisciplinary events.  58

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

USC Welcomes New Families On Friday, August 26 Upper St. Clair New families in the

District

Left to right: Fort Couch principal Joe DeMar, High School principal and High School assista Dr. Tim Steinhauer, nt principal Jace Palme r ready to meet and gre et.

PTA Council held a dinner for new families to the District. The event, which was an outstanding success, provided participants the opportunity to meet members of the community and relieve some anxiety regarding their transition to Upper St. Clair. Committee members Stacie de la Parra, Tracie Degnan, Kristen Lane, Jeanne McNamara, Kim Saghy, Tina Seech, Annette Tomasetti, and Karla Perlestine hosted the new families. Members of the District’s administration, School Board, and PTAs also extended a warm welcome.

Many thanks to Ted Petersen and the School District Athletic Department for donating tickets to the opening football game and to area businesses that donated to the dinner: Ritter’s Diner, Giant Eagle, Olive Garden, and Eat’n Park. 

Left to right: Karen Mo and Dr. William Ru ellenberg, PTSO president, llo, supervisor of Hig h School Guidance, holding his son, Brian.

with his principal John Rozzo Fort Couch assistant their daughter, Sidney. wife, Shauna, and

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Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

59

Did You Know?

Did You Know? Did You Know? Did You Know? Did You Know? Did You Know? Did you Know? Did You Know? Did You Know?

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It’s smiles all around as USC High School’s drum line takes first place.

Group Benefits Commercial Insurance Individual Financial Planning Professional Liability Coverage Life-Disability-Automobile-Homeowners

Drum Line Takes First at Competition Upper St. Clair’s drum line, under the direction of Mike Blair, took first place at the North Side Summer Celebration Drum Line Competition this past August. The performance was held at St. Boniface Church on the North Side, where USC faced competition from Oliver High School, Perry Traditional Academy, and Schenley High School.

nt Seminar Kropp Attends West Poi US C Hig h Sch ool sen ior Ru sse ll Kro pp wa s on e of 800 stu dents from across the Un ited Sta tes inv ited to par tic ipa te in the 2005 Summer Leaders Sem ina r at the U.S .

Mi lita ry Ac ade my at k. During the weekYor w Ne West Point, ticipated in four long seminar, Russell par with military ng alo s academic workshop ining, and tra ess fitn cal training, physi ere int sted in atintramural athletics. He is duation, and gra r tending West Point afte demies in aca e vic ser the has included all ssell is the son his college applications. Ru of Dave and Leslie Kropp.

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Securing Tomorrow .

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

USC Grad Drafted by Twins Kevin Slowey, a 2003 graduate of Upper St. Clair High School, was recently drafted as a right-handed pitcher in the second round by the Min nes ota Twi ns. He was picked after completing his junior year at Win thro p Uni versity in South Carolina, where he studied international business. This pas t sum mer, Kev in play ed for the Belo it Sna ppe rs in Bel oit, Kevin Slowey Wisconsin. Following the season, he will spend four to six weeks in an instruct ional league in Fort Meyers, Florida. The son of Pat and Annie Slowey, Kevin was named 2005 Sch olar Athlete of the Year-Big South Conference .

Student Patrick McDonnell, principal Dr. Ruth Ann Matyuf, and guidance counselor Kristin Senay are hard at work at Baker’s WBKR.

WBKR on the Air Baker Elementary School has a new television station! With the help of the PTA, Miss Lee, Mrs. Kuzma, Ms. Senay, and Mrs. Seymour, Baker produced its first WBKR television show on August 31. Morning and afternoon announcements are televised daily, and there will be guest appearances throughout the year.

Fort Couch Teacher Honored Fort Couch social studies teacher Tom Kaminski was honored as Pennsylvania State Student Teacher of the Year, receiving the award this past October in Lancaster. Tom holds a BA in history from The University of Pittsburgh, and earned his teaching certificate at Duquesne University, where he is currently working on a master’s degree in education.

Tom conducted his student teaching in the Peters Township School District, under the guidance of Vaughn Dailey, a man he described as an amazing person to work with and for. While at Peters, Tom said he fell in love with the seventh grade age group. Now teaching seventh grade at Fort Couch, he commented, “I feel really blessed to be in the District.”  Winter 2005

Tom Kaminski talks to a student.

USC High School Stadium Turf Renovation and Reconstruction Jim Render In 1996, the Upper St.

When padding begins to show, it’s time to Clair School Board acted make a change. School directors and adupon a recommendation ministrators became proactive on this issue from District administra- following the fall 2004 season. They found tion to install an artificial that our field was in bad shape—literally playing surface at the coming apart at the seams. A committee of High School stadium interested persons was formed by Dr. James Jim Render field. It was reasoned Lombardo, Superintendent of Schools, to do that because of major renovations to the a research and feasibility study. Dave Bluey, existing high school building, causing the Russ Del Re, and Jeff Joyce represented the practice fields in the front of that building school board. Dr. John Bornyas was the to be lost for two years denying use of that point man from central administration, and space by physical education classes, athletic Joe Wightkin and Dave Walk brought their teams, and a very active community, it would expertise from Aramark’s school maintenance be prudent and wise to resurface the stadium department of our District. USCHS Athletic before building construction began. Costs for Director Ted Petersen and I, as coach of the grass maintenance and restricted stadium use boys’ high school football team, represented were weighed against little maintenance and the school’s athletic department. virtually unlimited daily participation.

In June of 1997, the day following graduation, the process of removing the natural grass began.

On that day, Upper St. Clair entered a new generation of synthetic grass technology, beginning a commitment to providing an artificial field at the High School’s Panther USCHS athletic director Ted Petersen and athletic trainer Joe Graceffo Stadium.

Throughout the winter months, leadOur first surface, commonly referred to as astro turf, was a “tufted carpet” made ing vendors and suppliers of synthetic turf

by Southwest Recreation, Inc. Its common systems came to showcase their products name (astro turf) resulted from its premier and highlight their capabilities. We saw installation at the Houston Astrodome. Ad- everything from water and rubber drainage vancement of the product soon brought it demonstrations to a sales pitch where a drill to outdoor stadiums including Mt. Lebanon could not penetrate or alter a company’s High School in the mid 70s. It was the first artificial grass product. We saw numerous school district in the WPIAL to use astro pictures and slide presentations of other turf and fight back against rain, mud, and fields being resurfaced, beginning to end. very little grass as the fall playing season On-site visits to facilities in Philadelphia extended into late November and early and Dallas were made as the vendors enthuDecember. The astro turf systems worked siastically vied for our business. Finally, our well, but were very expensive. In early specifications were written and the job was years, the carpet was laid over asphalt and put out for bid. After six months of research was much harder than what Upper St. Clair and the opening of bids, the job was awarded purchased in 1997. Our system was much to A Turf, a division of Surface America. We softer as it contained a foam layer between first became aware of this company’s product the surface and the drainage pad at the bot- at Hershey Park Stadium where the USCHS soccer team won consecutive state championtom. It served us well for eight years.

Like all carpets that get constant use, ships in 2003 and 2004. there comes a time when they wear out.

Continued on page 63 Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

61

Paw Prints The USC PTA Council is an impor-

Fort Couch

Baker Elementary

tant link between the local PTAs and the district, regional, state, and national PTAs. USC PTA Council works to support and speak on behalf of children and youth in the schools of our community, seeking better education, more resources, and safer schools in the lives of our children. Get involved–join your PTA or PTSO. Your presence can make a difference!

The school year is off to a great start here at “the Fort.” By now the students have memorized their locker combinations and know where to find their classrooms. New students and teachers alike are now a wellestablished part of the Fort Couch family.

Student Council officers and room representatives have been elected, and soon the Reach Out program will be underway. Fort Couch is buzzing with activity and energy.

Baker is back into the school year with the children enjoying the new butterfly garden and the return of the “personalized brick walkway.” Special thanks go out to Baker mom Amy Fletcher who tended to the garden throughout the hot summer. The fourth level hoedown and campfire was a tremendous success, and the fall Open House provided parents with the opportunity to meet the teachers and see the classrooms. As winter approaches, the children are looking forward to the Enchanted Shop and the winter choral concert.

High School With the Thanksgiving season close upon us, the High School has much to appreciate and even more to anticipate. The PTSO kicked off the school year with the alwayspopular Senior Cruise attended by close to 300 students. More programs for that class and all the others have been occurring during the passing months.

There are myriad student activities at the High School.

Even before the start of school, students were preparing for this season’s successes in football, golf, field hockey, tennis, soccer, volleyball, cross country, swimming, and other areas of endeavor, with the support of our band, cheerleaders, and auxiliary groups. We cheered at the Senior Recognition and Homecoming games and savored the excitement of the Homecoming bonfire and the Homecoming dance.

The school year began with New Family Orientation, Freshman Rush, Natural Helper selection, Freshman Student Council elections, and auditions for the fall play that came to life on stage at the end of October. The Theatre, which is always busy, will also soon feature our band, choral, and orchestra concerts. Even if you do not have a High School student in your house, you should come, listen, and enjoy!

PTSO meetings are held the third Wednesday of every month, except December, at 9:30 a.m. in classrooms 148/149. Come hear reports from the administrators, counseling department, faculty, and student council, as well as from the PTSO executive board and committee chairs.

See what other parents are doing as part of PTSO and find your place.

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Eisenhower Elementary

September Fort Couch social—first of many!

The evening socials are a big hit (as always), as are the foosball and ping-pong tables! Fort Couch PTA can always use your help. If you would like to volunteer, or have any questions, contact Annette Tomasetti at 412-835-1131, or email annetttet@verizon.net.

Boyce Boyce PTA, students, and teachers are getting set to welcome illustrator John Manders on November 21-22. John lives and works in Pittsburgh’s Highland Park area with his pet African Grey parrot, Sherman. He has illustrated over 30 children’s picture books as well as many children’s magazines. His style has been described as a “madcap artwork” belying a “rigorous and elegant technique.”

He describes his art as a reflection of his “cartoony and wise guy” personality.

The Boyce family will get an inside look at how a book comes together from an illustrator’s perspective. John will share an overview of all the stages of the creative process from manuscripts, to sketches, to finished paintings along with the tools and materials he uses.

He will also emphasize the number of people involved in the process and the importance of group cooperation. To cap off his presentation, each student will have the opportunity to have him sign one of his books.

Winter 2005

Some exciting new PTA-sponsored events mark this year at Eisenhower. To get the kids reacquainted before the start of the school year, Eisenhower held the first annual “Summer Night at Ike.” The kids got together and watched a movie under the stars!

Winter will bring Family Bingo Night, with fun and prizes for the whole family.

The first annual book swap is scheduled for January. Students can bring in their own used books and swap for a new “gently used” book of their choice.

Eisenhower started a Birthday Book Club. Families can donate ten dollars to buy a book of their choice. A plaque will then be placed inside the book in the student’s honor. It’s a perfect way to leave a lasting impression at the school’s library.

In the spring, Eisenhower will hold its first spring fashion show at St. Clair County Club. Look for details in the upcoming issue of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY!

Streams Elementary Streams has already had several big PTA events. Before school started, Streams held a “buddy tour” where students new to Streams, along with their families, were “buddied” with a current student and given a tour of the building. New students and their families also got a chance to meet principal Dr. Claire Miller and some members of the school’s PTA executive board.

October brought Streams biggest fundraiser, Stravaganza, which helped raise money and was a fun evening for everyone. Streams finished October with the fourth level Open Mike and the Harvest parties and parade.

PTA Council USC PTA Council serves to inspire and instruct the PTA/ PTSO leaders at each school. This year, council is focusing on increasing PTA membership. If you haven’t already joined, it’s not too late. Contact Kim Scott at 412-220-2723 and join today.

Some of the projects sponsored by the USC PTA Council include the District-wide directory, the District phone chain (used a lot last winter!), and Internet communications. In addition, by pooling resources, Council can provide better quality programming that addresses issues in parenting, education, and in areas of special need through the Together in Parenting (TIP), Topics in Education (TIE), Gifted and Talented Education (GATE), and Partners in Education (PIE) programs. Importantly, through various chairmen, Council keeps the local units apprised of legislative action and current issues related to the health, safety, and education of our children.

Together in Parenting (TIP) provides support and education concerning difficult parenting education issues. All TIP presentations are held in the LGI Room of Fort Couch Middle School.

The community is invited to attend the following TIP program: Thursday, November 17, 2005, 9:30 a.m.

Jan Mancini, Nutritionist presents “Current Trends in Adolescent Nutrition and Health,” including information on eating disorders. 

Turf Renovation Continued from page 61

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The field is much less abrasive than the former “rug” and it’s soft to the touch, much like natural grass. Carefully selected rubber and sand are used as infill components with A Turf synthetic grass systems. The characteristics of these components contribute to the outstanding playability and durability of each infill system.

The field has been decorated in school colors in both end zones and a panther head logo has been placed in the center of the field.

Residents and parents, as well as student athletes and musicians, have been highly complimentary of the finished product. From both aesthetic and playability standards the field has received high marks. USC football boosters paid for the black end zones and the football, soccer, and band boosters are paying for the panther logo at the 50-yard line.

The School District has invested in a safe and technologically advanced field for its students and community members to enjoy for the next decade or so. 

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

63

Been There, Done That!

A new feature in this issue of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY is Been There, Done That, a

column of advice from parents to parents.

Raising a family can be tough, and as parents move through the various stages of child rearing they have a lot of wisdom and insight they can share with other parents.

One common dilemma facing timecrunched parents throughout the Township is how to get a healthy meal on the table, especially when working with variable schedules. TODAY contacted three busy families to borrow their secrets to try to answer the timehonored question of “What’s for supper?”

For Mary Jo Elliott, the crock-pot and some advance planning are her answers for meals for a family on the run. Laura, a senior at the High School is on the soccer team, Eric, a freshman, plays basketball and baseball, and Emily, a fifth grader at Boyce plays soccer, basketball, and softball. Multiple sports mean multiple mealtimes, and using a crock-pot enables the Elliotts to have a hot meal ready for the entire family, no matter when they need to eat.

Mary Jo said she usually gets out her cookbooks right before school starts to look for low-fat, easy recipes her family will eat, and prepares them the night before. She refrigerates the meals overnight, plugs in the crock-pot when she leaves in the morning, and by dinner the meal is ready.

Another strategy Mary Jo uses is to plan and prepare meals ahead of time, explaining that she usually prepares the next day’s meal while cleaning up from dinner, which also results in a cleaner kitchen. By planning ahead, she has little or no prep work at mealtime.

While crock-pot cooking works for the Elliott family, Janet Frost said she hasn’t found too many crock-pot recipes that her family likes. Instead, Janet has several ideas of quick and easy meals that everyone enjoys and can get on their own. While the Frosts make it a priority to sit down together for dinner at least three times a week, with children in four different schools (Rick’s a sophomore at the High School, Rachel’s in eighth grade at Fort Couch, Joe’s in fifth grade at Boyce, and Jackie’s in second grade at Baker), a part-time job, several volunteer commitments, kids’ activities, and a husband who works late one night a week, there are days when everyone eats in shifts.

Janet recommends dishes like chili, tacos, or pasta for those nights when family members will be eating at different times, since these are meals that can easily be reheated.

She said having meat defrosted and using the grill speeds up prep time for meals, as does 64

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

using pre-made food as the main course.

Janet said she’ll pick up rotisserie chicken when it’s on sale, sometimes shredding it and using it with tortillas for roll-ups.

Other mealtime strategies at the Frost home include occasionally having breakfast for dinner, and an “easy night” (typically the night her husband works late) where soup and sandwiches or homemade macaroni and cheese are on the menu. Janet said she also plans not to cook one day each week, and her family will order pizza or something else.

While Janet doesn’t typically write down a meal plan, she said when things get extremely hectic she will take the time to plan out several menus so she is sure she has everything on hand to prepare dinner. It may not seem like such a big thing she explained, but it is helpful to know that dinner is one less thing to think about.

Organization is a key ingredient at the Kerr home when it comes to feeding their family. Tim and Romana Kerr run their own dental practice at Pinebridge Mall, and are the busy parents of four children: Conrad, a sixth grader at Boyce, Carson in third grade and Collin in first grade at Eisenhower, and Selena, age two.

Romana said she will stock up on whatever’s on sale at Giant Eagle and cook for the entire week in two or three days. She’ll cook batches of food in quantities to serve about 25 people, and then freeze things so dinner is ready when she needs it. Their menus include ethnic dinners such as a Hungarian pepper stew, baked ziti, meatballs, or pork tenderloin. Tim bakes bread for the family every other week. In addition to pre-made meals, Romana said they do a lot of cooking on the grill.

Romana shared that there are nights when someone doesn’t like what’s for dinner, and that person has cereal or peanut butter and jelly. While their system works for them, she thought it probably wouldn’t work for everyone. Her advice? “Go with whatever works for you.” 

Our question for the next issue is: How do you manage and organize all the paperwork in your life—especially all those school papers?

Tips on how to determine what to keep and what to toss would be greatly appreciated!

Email your tips to Terry Kish at tkish@adelphia.net, subject: Been There, Done That no later than Wednesday, December 21, 2005. Do you have a suggestion for future questions for this column? Please send them to Terry Kish at the same email address.

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

65

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

Kindergarten News Parents are requested to register their kindergarten-aged children at the elementary

school located in their attendance area. All children five years of age on or before September 1, 2006, are eligible to register.

School Area Date Baker........................................................................................................ Tuesday, February 28 Eisenhower............................................................................................... Wednesday, March 1 Streams ........................................................................................................ Thursday, March 2 Times for all.......................................................................................... 9-11 a.m., noon-2 p.m.

A special evening session for all elementary schools will be held on Tuesday, March 14, 6:30–8 p.m. at the School District Central Office.

It is not necessary that the student accompany the parent to registration.

Readiness Evaluation

School personnel are available to screen children whose parents wish additional help in making a decision on entrance into kindergarten. Individual dates will be established during registration.

Admission Periods

The admission period for kindergarten is limited to the first two weeks of the school year unless the child’s family transfers to Upper St. Clair from another school district where the child was enrolled in a kindergarten program. Questions regarding kindergarten readiness should be directed to Eloise Stoehr, Supervisor of Pupil Services, at 412-833-1600, extension 2214.

School Health Immunization Regulations

The Allegheny County Health Department’s (ACHD) Board of Health has enacted a revision to the School Health Immunization Regulations for children in Allegheny County.

Since August 2002, all students entering school for the first time at kindergarten or first grade must have the following immunizations completed prior to entering any public, private, or parochial school: • At least four doses of diphtheria/tetanus vaccine (one dose must be on or after the fourth birthday) • Three doses of polio vaccine • Three doses of hepatitis B vaccine • Two doses of measles vaccine, preferably as MMR vaccine • One dose each of mumps and rubella vaccine, preferably as MMR vaccine • Vericella immunity, either from vaccination, history of having chicken pox, or laboratory testing Since 1983, Allegheny County regulations have allowed provisional status only for students who transfer from another state. Students transferring from out of state may be enrolled provisionally provided there is evidence of having received at least one dose of each antigen and provided there is a plan to complete the required immunization within eight months.

Families are encouraged to obtain the needed immunizations from their physicians.

However, the ACHD does offer the required vaccines free of charge. To obtain information about clinic location and times, interested persons should contact the ACHD Infectious Diseases Program at 412-578-8060.

Provisions for this regulation do not apply in cases where extenuating medical or religious factors are involved. If there is any reason why a child should not be fully immunized, parents must submit a physician’s certificate explaining the circumstances.

Parents are also required to provide written documentation if they disapprove of immunizations for religious reasons. These documents will be accepted in lieu of a certificate of immunization.

Registration Packets

Registration packets will be available at each elementary school after February 21, 2006.

Parents are encouraged to pick them up during school hours and return the completed forms at the time of registration.

Winter 2005

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67

Upper St. Clair School District Calendar (November 2005–Mid-March 2006) All events are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, please check the calendar on the School District’s website at www.uscsd.k12.pa.us.

Legend: BA – Baker Elementary • BO – Boyce Middle • CO – Central Office • EI – Eisenhower Elementary • FC – Fort Couch Middle • HS – High School • ST – Streams Elementary November 2005 13 HS–Marching Band Banquet 14 HS–Pantheon Pops Concert (Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

CO–Finance, Facilities & Operations School Board Committee Meeting (Board Room)–7 p.m.

15 HS–Plan Test10th Grade HS–Fall Sports Banquet BA–PTA Meeting (LGI)–7 p.m.

EI–1st Level Breakfast–7:30-8:15 a.m.

ST–PTA Meeting–9:30 a.m.

16 HS–PTSO Meeting (Rooms 148/149)–9:30 a.m.

HS–Band/Orchestra Concert (Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

BO–Open Mike (LGI)–9:30 a.m.

17 ST–Book Fair ST–Ice Cream Social–7-9 p.m.

K-12 Report Cards Distributed–First Report 18 BA–Family Bingo @ High School ST–Book Fair 19 EI–1st Level Bowling 20 HS–South Hills Junior Orchestra Concert/Banquet–noon-6 p.m.

21 BO–Author’s Day CO–Regular School Board Meeting (Board Room)–7 p.m.

22 HS–Jazz Concert (LGI)–7 p.m.

HS–“Ben Franklin” (Theatre)–10 a.m.

BO–Author’s Day ST–Kindergarten Open Mike–9:30 a.m.

24-25 Thanksgiving Recess–No School 28 HS–Financial Aid Meeting–7 p.m.

FC–Reach Out Begins 29 ST–Kindergarten Special Night–7 p.m.

30 HS–Band/Orchestra/Choral Concert

December 2005 1 HS–Band Luminaria Presentation BO–String/Chorus/Band Concert (Gym)–2:30 & 7 p.m.

BA–Holiday Shop 2 HS–Band Citrus Pick-Up (Township Maintenance Building)–3-7 p.m.

BA–Holiday Shop 3 HS–SAT (Alternate Location) HS–Band Citrus Delivery (Township Maintenance Building)–9 a.m.-noon HS–Madrigal Dinner (Nutrition Center)–5:30 p.m.

5 CO–School Board Reorganization Meeting–7 p.m.

6 HS–Plan Test Part 2 (10th Grade) HS–River City Brass Band (Theatre)–8 p.m.

ST–1st Level Open Mike–9:30 a.m.

HS–Town Hall South (Theatre)–10 a.m.

7-9 HS–Natural Helpers Retreat 7 EI–Holiday Mart CO–PTA Council Luncheon 8 HS–Band Luminaria (Recreation Center)–3-8 p.m.

HS–Nutcracker Ballet (Theatre)–7 p.m.

EI–Holiday Mart ST–Holiday Shoppe 9 HS–Band Luminaria (Recreation Center)–9 a.m.-8 p.m.

HS–Nutcracker Ballet (Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

FC–Reach Out Ends FC–Caught You Being Good Kick-Off Breakfast (Library)–8:20 a.m.

FC–Book Fair Begins EI–PTA Meeting–9:30 a.m.

ST–Holiday Shoppe K-12 Second Marking Period Progress Reports Sent 10 HS–ACT Test (Alternate Location) HS–Band Luminaria Delivery–8 a.m.-noon HS–Nutcracker Ballet (Theatre)–2 & 7:30 p.m.

11 HS–Nutcracker Ballet (Theatre)–2 p.m.

68

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

12 FC–Caught You Being Good Begins FC–Book Fair Begins 13 HS–Choral Concert (Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

14 HS–PAC Meeting (Rooms 148/149)–8:30 a.m.

HS–Band Enjoy Money Due 15 BA–Winter Assembly–9:45 a.m. & 1:15 p.m.

16 HS–Band Ski Bus 17 HS–Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra (Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

19 FC–Book Fair Ends CO–Regular Board Meeting–7 p.m.

21 HS–Band/Orchestra Concert (Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

FC–Caught You Being Good Ends 22 FC–Holiday Assembly (MPR/Gym/NC)–2 p.m.

BA/EI/ST–Winter Parties–1:45 p.m.

23-31 Winter Recess–No School

January 2006 1-2 Winter Recess–No School 4 HS–PTA Council–9:30 a.m.

5 BA/EI/ST–Elementary Choral Concert (HS/Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

6 HS–Band Ski Bus 10 BA–PTA Meeting (LGI)–9:30 a.m.

ST–PTA Meeting–9:30 a.m.

11 HS–Band Parents Meeting (Band Room)–7:30 p.m.

BO–PTA Meeting (LGI)–9:30 a.m.

12 HS–Junior Parent Meeting (Theatre)–7 p.m.

FC–PTA Meeting (MPR)–9:30 a.m.

13 HS–Band Ski Bus FC–Social (MPR/Gym/NC)–7-9 p.m.

EI–PTA Meeting–9:30 a.m.

15 HS–Band Holiday Valley Ski Bus 16 Teacher In-Service–No School 17-19 EI–Book Swap 18 HS–PTSO Meeting (Rooms 148/149)–9:30 a.m.

HS–Band Hoagie Presentation BO–Open Mike (LGI)–9:30 a.m.

19 FC–Choral Concert (HS/Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

20 HS–Band Ski Bus BA–Family Read-In 21 EI–2nd Level Bowling 22 HS–Band Spaghetti Dinner 24 EI–3rd Level Social–7-9 p.m.

25 BO–Deer Valley Parent Information Meeting–7-9 p.m.

26 FC–Band/Orchestra Concert (HS/Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

27 HS–Band Ski Bus K-12 First Semester Ends Second Marking Period Ends 28 HS–SAT (Alternate Location) HS–Sadie Hawkins Dance (Large Gym)–7:30-10:30 p.m.

30 ST–Ice Skating Party Teacher In-Service (Classroom Management)–No School 31 HS–Band Hoagie Money Due HS–American Mathematics Competition K-12 Second Semester Begins

February 2006 1 HS–Band Pizza/Cookie Dough Presentation FC–8th Level Parent Meeting (HS/Theatre)–7-9 p.m.

FC–PTA Council–9:30 a.m.

2 FC–IB 7th Level Science Fair (MPR)–6-7 p.m.

ST–4th Level Special Night–7 p.m.

3 HS–Band Hoagie Set Up (Nutrition Center)–4:30-6:30 p.m.

4 HS–Band Hoagies (Nutrition Center)–4:30 a.m.-noon HS–Tamburitzans (Theatre)–7 p.m.

Winter 2005

6 HS–9th Grade Course Selection 6-10 BA–Outreach (All Week) 7 HS–10th Grade Course Selection HS–Town Hall South (Theatre)–10 a.m.

8 HS–11th Grade Course Selection HS–Band Parents Meeting (Band Room)–7:30 p.m.

HS–IB Diploma Parent Meeting (Resource Room)–7 p.m.

BO–PTA Meeting (LGI)–9:30 a.m.

9 FC–PTA Meeting (MPR)–9:30 a.m.

10 HS–Band Ski Bus Make-Up FC–Valentine’s Dance (MPR/Gym/NC)–7-9 p.m.

BA–Caper EI–PTA Meeting–9:30 a.m.

ST–Family Bingo Night @ HS–7-9 p.m.

K-12 Report Cards Distributed–Second Report 11 HS–ACT Test (Alternate Location) HS–Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra–7:30 p.m.

13-24 HS/FC/BO–Grades 11, 8, 5 PSSA Writing 14 BO–Valentine’s Day Treats BA–PTA Meeting (LGI)–9:30 a.m.

BA/EI/ST–Valentine’s Day Exchange ST–PTA Meeting–9:30 a.m. & 7 p.m.

15 HS–PTSO Meeting (Rooms 148/149)–9:30 a.m.

HS–American Mathematics Competition Make-Up 16 HS–Band Pizza/Cookie Money Due EI–1st Level Social–7-9 p.m.

ST–1st Level Special Night–7 p.m.

17 HS–Band Ski Bus Make-Up 18 HS–Sitz Probe (Theatre)–7:30-11 p.m.

20 Teacher In-Service–No School 22 HS–PAC Meeting (Rooms 148/149)–8:30 a.m.

23 HS–National College Fair ST–3rd Level Open Mike–9:30 a.m.

24 EI–Family Bingo Night @ HS–7-9 p.m.

25 HS–Band Pizza Delivery (Nutrition Center)–9-11 a.m.

28 EI–2nd Level Breakfast–7:30 a.m.

BA–Kindergarten Registration

March 2006 1 EI–Kindergarten Registration ST–PTA Council–9:30 a.m.

2 ST–Kindergarten Registration ST–Snuggle Up and Read–7 p.m.

3 HS–Musical Performance (Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

Half Day Early Dismissal For Students (Teacher’s Professional Development) High School–10:55 a.m.

Elementary Schools–11:30 a.m.

Middle Schools–12:25 p.m.

Third Marking Period Progress Reports Sent 4 HS–Musical Performance (Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

5 HS–Musical Performance (Theatre)–2 p.m.

6-10 BA/EI/ST/FC–1st, 2nd, and 7th Level Achievement Tests 7 HS–Town Hall South (Theatre)–10 a.m.

HS–River City Brass Band (Theatre)–8 p.m.

FC–IB 8th Level Parent Meeting (MPR)–7:30 p.m.

8 HS–Musical Performance (Theatre)–6:30 p.m.

BO–PTA Meeting (LGI)–9:30 a.m.

9 HS–Musical Performance (Theatre)–6:30 p.m.

FC–PTA Meeting (MPR)–9:30 a.m.

EI–PTA Meeting–7 p.m.

10 HS–Musical Performance (Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

11 HS–Musical Performance (Theatre)–7:30 p.m.

14 BA/EI/ST–Kindergarten Registration @ CO–6:30–8 p.m.

BA–PTA Meeting (LGI)–9:30 a.m.

ST–PTA Meeting–9:30 a.m.

15 HS–PTSO Meeting–(Rooms 148/149)–9:30 a.m.

HS–Winter Sports Banquet BO–Open Mike (LGI)–9:30 a.m.

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69

l Winter Dining Guide k 2 005 k j ������

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71

Around the Township

Around the Town News

A Successful Triathlon it was!

Natalie Johnsen wins

first place.

While the fifth annual South Hills Kids Triathlon is history, the

event was also history making. With more than 200 athletes (ages seven to 12) participating, the race saw its biggest turnout yet. Contributions for Habitat for Humanity of $40,000 were raised as a result of the race. The money was used for housing projects to benefit the September 2004 local flood victims.

Even though the skies were threatening, the race, which consisted of swimming, biking, and running, started on time. The participants braved the hot, humid July temperatures and finished with tired smiles, feelings of accomplishment, and a sense of pride for helping out a worthy cause.

Joined by Congressman Tim Murphy, Senator John Pippy, and WTAE sports director and newscaster Andrew Stockey, race director Dana Barone said, “This year’s race was the best ever thanks to our sponsors, our volunteers, and our wonderful group of participants! We are all glad the bad weather held off.”

Seventeen youth from Upper St. Clair participated in this year’s triathlon. Natalie

Johnsen placed first in the girls’ 11-yearold age group, while Megan Hindman placed second. Other USC participants were Robbie Deutsch (eight-year-old), Julia Ferry (nine-year-old), Pete Frac (11-year-old), George Giacobbe (12-yearold), Evan Horton (eight-year-old), Jake Johnsen (eight-year-old), Barbara Klavin (eight-year-old), Samantha Lackner (eightyear-old), Nathan Novak (nine-year-old), John Pacalo (ten-year-old), Philip Saracco (ten-year-old), Ben Spock (eight-year-old), brother and sister John and Katie White (ten- and eight-year olds), and Katey Woistman (11-year-old).

Natalie Johnsen, a sixth level student at Boyce Middle School turned 11 on June 5.

This was Natalie’s third year to participate in the triathlon, but her first year to place.

“I can’t believe I actually won! It was so much fun and it was for a worthy cause,” said Natalie. Natalie credits her swimming ability to being an active member of the USC swim club, where her favorite stroke is butterfly.

How did Natalie train for the triathlon?

“I trained by biking and running laps around Streams school, and by attending swim team practice three mornings a week. My swim coach, Julie Rocks, and my dad helped motivate me. I trained with my brother, Jake, who also participated in the triathlon. My dad was my personal trainer. I tried to eat healthy and get enough protein.”

How did Natalie feel about the race? “I was so nervous at the beginning of the race, and then I had trouble with my shoe strings getting caught during the biking, but I did not give up. I was glad to see so many kids participate this year to earn money for Habitat for Humanity,” said Natalie.

Megan Hindman, also a sixth level student at Boyce and a third-year triathlon participant, tells us how she readied herself for the competition. “I didn’t really train. I play soccer and ran 5K races, so that helped me with the running part. I belong to Woodland Hills swim team, so that got me ready for the swimming. I also went on two-mile bike rides with my dad every now and then.”

Katey Woistm

an and Megan

Hindman

Why did Megan enter the triathlon? “I did the triathlon because I wanted to help people who don’t have homes and it’s a fun way to raise money. I got to do it with my good friend, Katey Woistman, and it made the triathlon more fun.”

How did Megan feel at the end of the race? “Coming across the finish line I felt tired, but really happy to be done. Katey and I had different start times so it was great to be able to cheer her on while she raced. I had a really fun time this year and am planning to do it again next year.”

Look for next year’s race details in our Summer 2006 edition of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

and join in the fun, while helping out a worthy cause.  2005 South Hills Kids Triathlon participants

72 UPPER UPPER ST. ST. CLAIR CLAIR TODAY TODAY Winter Winter 2005 2005

Ridgewood Manor Mike Kirkpatrick Ridgewood Manor is a

Ridgewood Manor volun“kid friendly” community of teers have organized a block 78 homes on Manor Drive, party and beef roast every Ridgewood Drive, Glenwood spring since 1979. This famDrive, and Hastings Mill ily event starts on a Friday Road, and is adjacent to the and continues through Morton soccer/baseball field Saturday night. It features complex. Ridgewood Manor slow cooked beef for all, a was approved by the Townfamily bocce tournament, ship in 1977, with the first games for kids of all ages, three homes being built in and dancing to the tunes of a local DJ. This year’s event 1978. By the early 80s, the had a western theme with a entire plan was completed. square dance caller stationed Ridgewood Manor feaunder a tent. The Upper St. tures common grounds Clair Volunteer Fire Departshared by all homeowners. ment made a visit with one These grounds include the of their trucks and thrilled all entrance, a connecting sideLeft to right: Lindsey Kirkpatrick, Connor Leavey, Keating Leavey the kids with the water spray. walk between the streets, “The Park on the Ridge” (a large, paved board. Ridgewood also has a member on Over 150 adults, kids, and visitors joined recreation area with a large, grassy area ad- the Boyce Mayview ad hoc advisory group in this year’s festivities.

Several activities are organized throughjacent), and several wooded acres bordering formed this past year by the Township of Morton Road. A modest annual assessment Upper St. Clair. out the year for family and adult fun and Though the demographics of the neighborhood have changed throughout the years, Ridgewood has remained a great place to raise a family. Many Ridgewood kids have started their educational journey right up the road at Baker Elementary.

Many have moved elsewhere but are now teaching in our School District. A homeowner’s directory is published to keep neighbors in touch and offers a list for newcomers s or looking for babysitters, grass mowers, We posed before we got hb anor neig wet!

Ridgewood M snow shovelers, and dog sitters. (homeowners dues) is used toward enjoyment. There is a Halloween party and maintaining and improving the common parade for the kids, a holiday progressive grounds. dinner in December, and many other The RMCSA, Inc. (Ridgewood Manor parent-organized events throughout the Community Services Association, Inc.) is school year. The “hood” continues to grow served by seven volunteer board of direcand evolve as five new families have moved tors who each serve a three-year term. The to Ridgewood Manor since June 2005 to board meets monthly to review and conjoin in the fun!  duct necessary matters in the community.

Special thanks to Robin Klamis and Sheila Several active committees interact with the Kirkpatrick for the continued success of the community: grounds committee, social annual Ridgewood Manor block party. committee, and environmental protection Pete Ross and Liz Leavey with a western look Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

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es Prof ilon USC Twelve-year-old Kathryn Miller, a seventh grader at Fort Couch Middle School, has been a student with the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet since the age of four and was recently offered a full scholarship at the Universal Ballet Academy (Kirov Academy, Washington D.C.). She attended the School of American Ballet in New York City this past summer.

Kathryn has been chosen to perform with the New York City Ballet in Saratoga Springs, New York, for the past five summers and was the Hope Award recipient at the Youth America Grand Prix Ballet Competition.

Seventeen-year-old Kiersten Luther, a senior at Upper St. Clair High School, has been selected to represent Allegheny County as Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Young Woman. The Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Young Woman Program is a non-profit corporation led by volunteers throughout Pennsylvania who represent all sectors of the community including business, civic leadership, and education. Together with its local and regional programs across the state, the POYW program seeks to recognize the accomplishments and commitment of young women and to assist them as they chart their futures. Each year, outstanding high school senior women are selected for special recognition.

Kiersten was chosen for exemplary performance in the classroom, outstanding volunteer service, involvement in extra-curricular activities, and performing arts talent. During the competition in Somerset, Kiersten was also interviewed by a panel of judges and performed a lyrical dance routine.

At Upper St. Clair, Kiersten is an honor student, president of the German Club and performs with the Upper St. Clair High School Dance Team. She is also a student at Janet Hays and Company Dance Studio. She tutors weekly at Fort Couch and founded a non-profit organization that collects and refurbishes used dance recital costumes and donates them to children’s hospitals.

Kiersten is the daughter of Dr. Robert and Melanie Luther of Upper St. Clair.

G

Residents

Dr. Amelia Pare´ is a board certified plastic surgeon whose office is located in Summerfield Commons at the intersection of Washington and Boyce Roads. Dr. Pare´ graduated from Harvard University with a degree in chemistry. After receiving her medical degree at Hanemann in Philadelphia, she completed her general surgery residency at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in Columbia University. The University of California at Los Angeles provided her plastic surgery residency.

She has presented papers across the country describing new techniques in brow lifting, breast reconstruction, micro-surgery, and gene promoters. Recently, she treated children from Iraq. In October she traveled to Hershey as a delegate for the Pennsylvania Medical Society and attends several medical meetings a year to keep up to date with new technologies.

Dr. Pare´ resides with her husband and cardiac surgeon, Dr. Kyung Park. She is an avid gardener and enjoys her dog, Scooter, and cat, Minky.

Dr. Robert Luther, Jr., a long time resident of Upper St. Clair has implemented state-of-theart laser treatments for cavities in his dental practice. Located in Oakdale, just minutes from the Mall at Robinson, Dr. Luther’s newly expanded office uses the new “erbium” laser system. This new dental laser has proven beneficial to his patients by giving them the opportunity to have a safe, comfortable dental experience for cavity removal without a drill, and in most cases without anesthesia.

Dr. Luther also uses the Diagnodent laser system, which detects cavities that traditional methods of probing miss. The operatories in his practice reflect leading-edge technology with intra-oral photography. The camera, the size of a small pen, fits inside the patient’s mouth. A computer adjacent to the dental chair shows the patient at a glance what the camera has photographed.

Dr. Luther is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. He resides in Springfields with his wife, Melanie, and their three children. 

South Hill Chorale Performs Holiday Concert

G

Scheduled for December 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. each night, the South Hills Chorale will perform “A Holiday Potpourri” at the Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church. Guest artists will be the Mt. Lebanon High School percussion ensemble.

Tickets are available for $10 and can be purchased in advance by calling 412-347-0175. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. Visit their website at www.southhillschorale.org for more information.  74

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Winter 2005

Back Where I Started Erin Allen I am back where I started. Where I started

has plenty to recommend itself.

I grew up in Upper St. Clair and left for college in 1988, with no specific ideas about returning to Erin Allen this plot of well-manicured suburbia. For the next seven years or so I studied and lived in other cities. About ten years ago, I started a career, got married, and settled into a city lifestyle in Shadyside. About three years ago, however, my husband and I shifted gears and bought a red brick colonial in this familiar zip code and have begun the process of rearing our two boys here.

I believe that there are many other parents out there who have also returned to where they started. I’m confident that every day in Upper St. Clair the question, “Are you from Upper St. Clair?” is asked. I’m also confident that the conversations that ensue are all fairly similar, including: “Oh, really, me, too!” And the follow-up: “What class were you in?” And the next best response: “No, but my spouse is from here.” Sound familiar? Our Friday night football stadium is full of parents who can sing the alma mater and who studied (or not) in the High School when its exterior was turquoise.

While we regularly hear headlines about the Pittsburgh region’s declining population, large numbers of us are drawn back to USC. Why do we return? I can make a few solid guesses on factors that did not draw us back. Upper St. Clair’s early history is certainly not an obvious drawing point. Our web page reminds us that our fair township was named in honor of General Arthur St. Clair, “a controversial figure,” who was court-martialed at the end of the Revolutionary War (something about losing a fort to the British). The end of his life was “spent in poverty and obscurity.” Such infamy is certainly not a call to return to his namesake.

We definitely do not move back because we feel living here will keep us on the cutting edge of fashion. We usually catch on to trends a year or so after our friends who live in big cities. Nor do we harbor visions of walking to quaint boutiques to do our shopping; out here we drive everywhere. A vibrant nightlife is also not a strong recommendation to move here; our streets are largely quiet and still at night.

No doubt we weren’t dreaming of a thrilling, fast-paced lifestyle as parents in the suburbs. I know my days are spent in endless cycles of clanging a metal cart around the grocery store, fixing food, and cleaning the kitchen. While we insist that we enjoy our change of seasons, we do not settle here for a temperate climate. Yet, still we return, drawn like teenagers to a mall, from all points on the earth.

What exactly then drew me, and people like me, back to Upper St. Clair? There have to be several other quality neighborhoods out there.

All of the familiar answers that we give to this question ring true, and I have no doubt they are legitimate. We move back for family and friends, for quality schools, for nice homes and yards. We move back because we support the Pittsburgh sports teams—go Steelers! We love the city ten miles to our north, with all that it has to offer.

But, we move back for more than this.

Specifying exactly what else draws us here is difficult, but I do have one thought. Maybe after seeing other parts of the world, we suspect that the nest we flew away from has everything we need to rear our family. As we reflect on our childhood, we decide that despite all the typical difficulties of growing up, we were pretty content here. The adults around us loved us and were looking out for us. We return to rear our kids, hoping they will have a similar sentiment about their childhoods that we now have.

We also realize that, as adults, we might now enjoy the company of the adults we grew up around in Upper St. Clair. We suspect that other adults of our generation will return for reasons similar to our own. We imagine that people new to the Township will value it for the same reasons we value it. We are drawn here for the people who live here.

T.S. Elliott wrote: We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time.

A WARRANTY THAT’S HARD TO OUTRUN

As I arrive where I started, I am impressed with all that this community and its people have to offer. I have found no better place to rear my sons, and no better people to live among. I’m willing to forgo walking to boutiques, keeping up with trends, and going out at night in exchange for feeling good about where my kids spend their days, and the people who surround them while they grow up.

In the meantime, we continue to repeat the conversation about how we’ve moved back. We nod silently as others tell us that they’re from around here, too. We don’t ask deep questions about why they returned. We already know the short answers. The larger reasons why we return, however, are definitely worth contemplating. 

I’d like to hear your thoughts. Specifically, for my next column, please let me know what you do to keep your inner athlete alive when you’re not driving your kids to their various sporting events. Please email your thoughts (by December 15) to Erin Allen, at erin.allen@adelphia.net.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Winter 2005

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CASA Swears in Ten Advocates— One from Upper St. Clair The Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program swore in

its 29th class of volunteers in the courtyard of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas this past July. The Honorable Eugene F. Scanlon, Jr., the administrative judge for the Family Division, presided over George Krock the event, along with a panel of judges from both the adult and juvenile sections. Ten new CASAs took an oath to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children.

There are over 5000 children involved in the juvenile court system and CASA volunteers are assigned to the worst cases of abuse and neglect. With so many children involved in the system, CASA was started in 1993 in Allegheny County to be an extra pair of eyes and ears on complex cases in order to convey investigative findings to the court through prepared factual reports

and testimony in court. CASA volunteers become successful advocates by providing, on average, 18 hours per month of advocacy work, and are assigned just one case of a child or sibling group.

These new volunteers, all from different parts of the Pittsburgh area, hit the ground running and are already being assigned their cases. Their hard work will allow for 42 children, many who have been waiting for months for a CASA volunteer, to receive much-needed attention to their life situations.

One of these newly appointed volunteers is Upper St. Clair resident George Krock. George recently retired from PPG after 38 years of employment in human resources, where he tackled many challenging issues, one being diversity. He has been involved in his community for years and has engaged in founding a drug and alcohol treatment center, coaching several different sports teams for children and teens, and teaching Sunday school.

Now George is going to apply the skills

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he gained as a leader at PPG, through his community service, and during his CASA training, to impact the lives of children of abuse and neglect.

These children face such issues as domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse, emotional abuse, deplorable housing conditions, and other hardships. Because CASA volunteers are provided unlimited access to the children and information regarding all services and schooling on their case through court order, they are able to uncover facts and situations that are often undiscovered. No other volunteer experience in Pittsburgh provides for this level of impact on the child welfare system and exposure to the legal community.  For more information on the CASA program, email hmalloy@pgh-casa.org or call 412-594-3606.

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A New Year—A New You Carol Teodori Here we are—a new year, a clean

slate, a new opportunity to look at what would make our lives better. How much effort are you willing to put into that New Year’s resolution this year? It is a good idea to find one area of your life on which to concentrate. Take small steps. Set small, incremental goals and focus on accomplishing them one at a time rather than tackling the impossible all at once. Remember, writing the Great America Novel doesn’t happen in an overnight flash of brilliance. It starts with just sitting down to write everyday.

The best way to keep resolutions is to find support and encouragement in making the changes you are seeking. If you lack the community of support you need to help realize the goals you have set for yourself this year, it may help to tap into an existing community that is also just around the corner. Changing Seasons is an adult learning center that teaches the creative and the healing arts. It is a community where people are invited to continue to

l e a r n i n g

grow into fullness of life, and a place where you can have fun doing it!

The winter season at the McMurray facility is initiated with a health fair on January 14, 2006, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Many local leaders in complementary health care will be present to offer support in your effort to take responsibility for your own well-being. There will be free health screenings and cooking demonstrations as well as presentations and demonstrations that will introduce you to some of the alternatives open to you.

For information, directions, or to be on the mailing list, call 724-941-2182 or email info@cslconline.com. Look on the web at www.cslconline.com where you’ll find flyers for all of the classes, workshops, and events that are scheduled for the winter season. Ongoing classes in Integral Yoga and Tai Chi are offered as well as many workshops and events that promote and encourage attention to self-care. This may be the help you’ve been looking for. 

Find a Piece of Your Past

Mahla & Co. Antiques is celebrating

its ten-year anniversary. Started in 1995

by Elizabeth Mahla, the gallery hosts 19 dealers in a 10,000 square-foot, renovated warehouse. The business is now managed by proprietors Sue Cosgrove and Liz Winters, lifelong residents of Upper St. Clair.

Mahla & Co. Antiques houses such a diverse collection of its own art and antiques, but also adds items from the many antique dealers on site. The combined efforts have provided Mahla’s patrons with antiques from local estate and settlements to antiques from around the globe. It is a rarity to find this type of diversity in the heart of the Strip or anywhere in our city under one roof.

Changing Seasons

The concept of collecting items of quality has given many the opportunity to invest in, as well as enjoy, a piece of history. At Mahla & Co. Antiques its dealers extend their personal knowledge to the customer, adding a greater sense of security with each purchase. In addition to an investment purchase, design and use are always a consideration when assisting customers with their purchase decisions. To live with your investment proves a great reward!

Mahla’s two large showrooms feature a striking collection of American and continental pieces, including formal and country furniture, exceptional silver, glass, and china, and a wide selection of lighting.

You can visit Mahla & Co. Antiques at 17th and Smallman Street, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.4 p.m. or reach them at 412-471-2090 or www.interioraccess.com.

Who knows, you may find a piece of your past!  Winter 2005

c e n t e r

2 nd A n n u a l

Mind Body Soul

Health Fair January 14 11:00-4:00 PM

Call or email for your free copy of our Winter 2006 Course Catalog .

www.cslconline.com

724-941-2182 info@cslconline.com

Queen Anne.

Louis XIV. Just some of our birthday guests.

Celebrating 10 years of good, old-fashioned business.

17th & Smallman In The Strip Or visit us at www. interioraccess.com M-F 10-5; Sat 9-4 • 412 -471-2090 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

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Art in the Round The eighth annual Art in the Round, sponsored by WOMEN of

Maureen Cavanaugh The Proof is in the Performance

Southwestern PA, Inc. (Women Organized to Mentor, Empower and Network), a Washington County business and professional women’s organization, will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2006, in the historical Washington County Courthouse.

Art in the Round is a philanthropic event bringing over 50 local artists together to sell original and limited edition artwork.

The proceeds of the evening provide grants to organizations helping women and children in need. The recipients of the 2005 Art in the Round funds were Community

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Dave Olson, bagpiper entertainer

Champions/Jefferson Award, POWER (Pennsylvania Organization for Women in Early Recovery), ABCDEF (Abernathy Black Community Development and Education Fund), Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Fayette County, Community Action Southwest, Lydia’s Place, Pittsburgh Action Against Rape, PA Elks Major Project, Primetime Adult Care, Washington Arts, Washington City Mission/Avis Arbor, Washington Women’s Shelter, and CASA for Kids, Inc. WOMEN of Southwestern PA, Inc. is proud to have disbursed $50,000 over the past seven years to these and other charitable organizations.

Myrna Boyer, 2006 participating artist

Art in the Round—“An Affair of the Senses”—continues to brighten the dreary winter season in the historic rotunda of the Washington County Courthouse. Hors d’oeuvres, wine tasting, desserts, Chinese auction, entertainment, and much more highlight this event.

The 2006 Art in the Round feature artist is James M. Sulkowski from Houston, Pennsylvania. James studied for two years at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Carnegie-Mellon University, and most notably at The Art Students League of New York with master painter Frank Mason. It was during his five years of study with Mason that Sulkowski learned the concepts and techniques of the great masters. In his landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and murals he attempts to reveal the universal and beautiful elements found in the world around us.

Brenda Waters of KDKA is the honorary chairwoman for Art in the Round. Brenda has added to the evening’s sparkle for the past six years. 

2004 feature artist Michael Clauson

Art in the Round Sponsored by WOMEN of Southwestern PA, Inc.

Saturday, February 25, 2006 Washington County Courthouse Rotunda • 1 Main Street, Washington, PA 5 to 8:30 p.m. • $25 advance - $30 door For general information, call 724-969-0984.

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Lanny Frattare Golf Classic Raises $163,000 for FamilyLinks Corporate sponsors of the event include Giant Eagle, GlaxoSmithKline, Delta Airlines, Wise, Snyder of Hanover, 7-Up, Interstate Baking, Kellogg’s Snacks, Heinz, U.S. Steel, and Eat’n Park.

Some 190 people participated in the golf and social events, with USC resident Steve Blass and Larry Reichert entertaining the crowd as auctioneers.

“Family Dentistry with a Soft Touch”

Lanny Frattare, former USC resid ent, with his wife, Christine

The 19th anniversary Lanny Frattare Golf Classic held at the St. Clair Country

Club on July 11 raised $163,000 to help improve the lives of the more than 32,000 children, families, and developmentally disabled adults who are served by FamilyLinks.

The annual event has raised some $2.2 million over its 19 years.

“We’re very grateful to Lanny and the many volunteers and sponsors who have helped make this event a continued success,” said Ralph Egerman, chairperson of the FamilyLinks board. “They work very hard on this, and I can’t say enough about the consistent generosity that Lanny has shown in supporting our agency over the years,” he added.

sident and USC resident Past FamilyLinks board pre anied by her daughter, omp acc ht), (rig Lourdes Ridge president Gabriella, and new board rd member, boa and t) (lef n Ralph Egerma ter).

Lynette Taylor-Criego (cen

FamilyLinks is a nonprofit human service agency that provides services for troubled youth and at-risk families at 18 sites throughout Allegheny County, including residential facilities, emergency shelters, substance abuse counseling, in-home family counseling, mental retardation services, and outreach programs for schools. 

Diane M. Falsetti, D.M.D. 412-854-4492 Summerfield Commons 2585 Washington Road, Suite 110 Upper st. Clair, PA 15241

, Lanny Frattare rri Elias-Joyce, Left to right: Te sident Karen Williams and USC re

The volunteer committee that organizes the event is directed by Upper St. Clair resident Karen Williams and coordinated

by Terri Elias-Joyce with fellow executive members Vince Bianco, Cliff Hendry, Von Campanella, USC resident Jay McCann, Ray Stoner, and additional committee members. Other committee members from USC include Lynn Dempsey, Dan Long, Nancy McDonnell, Claudia Benack, Becky Surma, and Larry Trotter.

• Exceptional Cosmetic Dentistry • Tooth Replacement, Crowns and Bridges • Tooth Whitening • Friendly, Caring Staff Expert handling of insurance issues.

Diane Len, USC resident and dire strategy and planning for ctor of program FamilyLinks, loose with a golf cart

Winter 2005

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

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KEYGroup® Celebrates Its 25th Year in Upper St. Clair Hank Walshak When you talk with Dr. Joanne Sujansky, you get a firm

sense of a person committed to expecting the best of herself and others.

She is a long-time resident of Upper St. Clair and is chief executive officer of KEYGroup®, a keynote, assessment, consulting, and training organization, now in its 25th year, also located in Upper St. Clair.

Dr. Sujansky has seen the company grow into an international leader in creating productive workplace cultures filled with passionate, dedicated people who are committed to increasing market share, building brand value, embracing new ideas, and delivering superior customer service.

Along the way, she has authored ten books and hundreds of articles and has delivered keynote addresses to audiences around the world. She consults with executive teams in and out of the United States. Some of her local clients include PPG Industries, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline, St. Clair Hospital, U.S. Steel, Mellon Financial, the Children’s Institute, UPMC, SAE International, Giant Eagle, Marc USA, Blattner Brunner, KDKA, and Westinghouse. And at the age of 35, she became the youngest person ever to achieve the national presidency of the American Society for Training and Development, a 70,000-member professional organization.

Her latest challenge is to help cities like Pittsburgh assist companies to prepare for their transition from organizations staffed largely with Baby Boomers nearing retirement to organizations ready to welcome twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings into their midst.

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Winter 2005

advantage companies can neither lose nor have taken away by other companies. And the companies that do this the best are what she terms Vibrant Entrepreneurial Organizations (VEO). These companies Dr. Joanne Sujansky share the big picture younger people need to take personal risks and hold themselves accountable. They exemplify the new face of loyalty.

“Today, employees want challenging, meaningful, enriching work.

If they have it, they will look for ways to build and improve their company’s future,” she says, adding, “If younger employees feel they are treated as commodities that can easily be replaced, they will look elsewhere for opportunities.

She points out that VEOs support high productivity while minimizing stress and produce a winning tradition. “They bring out the best in people and create a cycle of winning by seeking out and hiring only the best people,” she says.

Most important, she adds, is that a VEO raises communication to an art form. “Communication goes beyond sending emails or holding employee forums on critical issues, even though these tools may be valuable for many companies,” she emphasizes, adding, “Communications by leaders of VEOs make sure that young employees understand the vision and future direction of the company and buy into major change initiatives about which employees can make their voices heard.”

“Work-life balance is also critical. I wouldn’t have it any other way. That’s what we recommend to our clients. If I didn’t do what I recommended, they would see through me and my company and our credibility would disappear,” she says.

Early on, Dr. Sujansky and Chuck, her husband of 28 years, wanted to live in a community that had the best combination of education and sports programs for their growing children. “It didn’t take us long to decide on Upper St. Clair,” she says. Over the years, she and Chuck have kept a firm grip on family values, and have raised three children here—Cara, 25; Justin, 24; and Jenna, 13.

As one-half of a dual-career team, Dr. Sujansky credits Chuck directly for the success of their marriage and their family, and indirectly with the growth of her business. “In major ways, he and I balance each other very well. He’s our logical, left brain thinker, and I’m the right-brain type who likes to explore lots of options in our lives.”

Staying focused on family has not always been easy, but Dr. Sujansky insists on doing the right thing, and her clients respect her for it. “I remember one year around Thanksgiving having to choose between traveling to New Zealand to deliver a keynote address and staying home for the holiday with my family. I opted to stay with my family, even though I had to forego business and income,” she said.

She admits that saying “no” can be difficult, but that it gets easier with time.

Her take on business is no less straightforward. “I feel that I owe it to our clients to do what we’re best at, to grow steadily and continually, and to hire the best talent,” she says.

Her other challenge is to stay as smart and up to date with what’s going on in the world of business. “I read a lot to stay abreast of the latest thinking and to present myself to clients with an informed mind,” she says.

Dr. Sujansky sums up her approach to work, family, and success in a simply understood way. “Believe in yourself, follow your passion and what you feel excited about, and care about other people along the way,” she says. 

Let Us Giv e T h an ks

What a team! $15 million in sales in 2004

Pilgrims we thank you from the bottom of our heart, For giving this great nation a wonderful start.

All those sacrifices you made by crossing the sea, Have made us special in this land of the free.

As we all sit down to eat on this Thanksgiving Day, We’re giving you thanks in every possible way.

All the hardships you incurred in those early years, Have definitely saved us from many, many tears.

From the day that your ships finally came to dock, At that ever-famous place called Plymouth Rock, You all worked together and carved out a new land, We are giving you thanks for making that stand.

Bonnie

Our freedom still reigns from all that you have done, This home of the brave will remain number one.

You are the backbone of America, you precious few, That’s why we will always give thanks to you.

Marlene

Bonnie Detwiler ext. 158

The year sixteen and twenty is a date to remember, Each and every year in this month of November.

It is not about a turkey dinner; it is just about pride, That is why we thank you from deep down inside.

Marlene McNaughton ext. 122

Now let us bow our heads as we are about to eat, For those who taught us victory without defeat.

You Pilgrims have made our hearts stand ever tall, We truly give thanks to you… one and all.

412-831-0100

—Jay Walsh (Eisenhower School Custodian)

Jamie’s Restaurant Raises Money for Soldier’s Families On Monday, August 29, 2005, Jamie Petrolias and Rob

Storms of Jamie’s Restaurant and Lounge in Dormont hosted their first annual golf outing at Scenic Valley Golf Club. Fortyfour golfers braved the rainy weather to complete a round of golf and to help contribute to The Fallen Patriot Fund. The Fallen Patriot Fund is a division of the Mark Cuban Foundation.

Its goal is to help families of U.S. military personnel who were killed or seriously injured during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Financial resources are vital to enhancing the sustainability of the family unit for those who suffered a loss because their loved one sacrificed himself or herself for freedom.

Within that group, grant recipients will be selected in accordance with criteria established by The Mark Cuban Foundation.

All proceeds will be disbursed.

Petrolias and Storms, partners in the one-year-old restaurant that transplanted itself from Market Square in summer 2004 (Jamie’s on the Square), decided that this fund was particularly meaningful and that the money would be put to good and immediate use.

The efforts of the outing raised $1350. That amount was matched by an anonymous contributor, amounting to a total of $2700.

“It felt great to be able to help in the war against terror and all the golfers were very proud to have been able to assist the families of the heroes fighting in Iraq,” said Petrolias. He added that he hopes to raise $5000 at next year’s outing.

Visit www.fallenpatriotfund.org/index.html for more information on the Fallen Patriot Fund.  Winter 2005

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Family Hospice and Palliative Care Family Hospice Celebrates 25 Years of Service

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Left to right: Rick Murray, Karen Eckstein, and Lou Walsh

Eighteenth Annual Golf Benefit Upper St. Clair citizens are always there to help out a good cause. Three Upper St. Clair residents who attended Family Hospice and Palliative Care’s 18th annual golf benefit on May 16, 2005, at Valley Brook Country Club were Rick Murray, owner of Rusmur Floors who donated a rug for the golf raffle to help raise money for Family Hospice and Palliative Care patient services; Karen Eckstein, director of special events at Family Hospice and Palliative Care; and Lou Walsh, a long-time Family Hospice and Palliative Care volunteer.

The event raised $77,000 to benefit patient and family services.

and Attendees Carole of Co-chairs Richard Gilardi of Susan and the event Partridge Drive David Hicks of Segar C ircle

On August 20, 2005, Family Hospice and Palliative Care celebrated its 25th anniversary with the Toast to Life Celebration. Four hundred people attended the dinner/dance in the Carnegie Music Hall’s foyer. The event honored Kathi Kropf, a Mt. Lebanon resident who has volunteered for years with Family Hospice and Palliative Care. The event raised over $130,000 for hospice patient and family services.

Community Services

Support Groups

November is National Hospice month.

Family Hospice and Palliative Care displays the Memorial Tree of Love at the Galleria and other locations. Memorial tags can be placed on the tree for a minimal donation.

Call 412-572-8812.

While dealing with grief is never easy, it’s harder during the holidays. Call Family Hospice and Palliative Care at 412-572-8800 for information about grief support or to schedule a speaker for your group on this subject. 

Woman’s Club of Upper St. Clair Invites You The Woman’s Club of Upper St. Clair and The Jr. Woman’s Club of Upper St. Clair are social, cultural, and philanthropic organizations for women from all communities in the South Hills. The two affiliated clubs offer activities for women of all ages and interests.

For further membership and club information call 412-835-9607. 

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

The 2005-06 Woman’s Club board members, left to right, are Shirley Tadda, president; Doris Farmer, director; Pat Collier, treasurer; Joni Bogut, secretary; Sandy Boring, assistant treasurer; Lori Long, Jr. Woman’s Department chair; and Janet Pruitt, director.

Winter 2005

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The Carlisle Collection Joins Komen Foundation’s Million-Dollar Council The Carlisle Collection has become a member

community. All money raised in the Fabric of Hope program goes directly to the Komen Foundation. of the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s Million-Dollar Teres Lucot, owner of Trunk Shows, said, “In Council, says local Carlisle consultant and Upper St. 1998, Carlisle offered its consultants the opportunity Clair resident Teres Lucot. to choose a focus for its philanthropy. We chose the Carlisle, a New York company specializing in diKomen Foundation. Most of us have a friend or relarect sales of women’s fine apparel, announced that tive affected by breast cancer, and a number of us are its sales consultants have raised over one million survivors ourselves. We wanted to make a difference. dollars through its Fabric of Hope program, which Working with Komen gives us that opportunity.” supports the Komen Foundation’s mission—to Carlisle founder and chairman, William D. eradicate breast cancer.

Rondina, expressed his pride in their achievement.

Carlisle’s approach is unique. Teres Lucot and Teres Lucot “Our consultants have embraced the Fabric of Hope other Carlisle consultants throughout the country offer an elegant silk scarf for a minimum donation of $125 to the program with passion and hard work. It’s wonderful to see their Foundation. Carlisle designs and provides a new scarf each year efforts recognized.”  to benefit Komen through the Fabric of Hope program. Teres and To make a contribution to the Fabric of Hope program contact Teres her sales team donate their time and expertise in promoting the at Trunk Shows, 412-221-9143 or ttl811@adelphia.net. scarf locally, making it available to people in the Upper St. Clair Winter 2005

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

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Timepieces for the Wrist Amie Guarino, Jewelry Stylist of Louis Anthony Jewelers Patek Phillipe

introduced the first wristwatch in the late 19th century. Since then, more consumers are gravitating toward a watch that serves functionality, fashion, and beyond.

Amie Guarino Celebrity endorsements have also contributed to the growing popularity of embellished timepieces.

Phillip Stein is perhaps the brand receiving the most attention in this new generation of timepieces. When Madonna gave one to Oprah Winfrey a few years ago, sales skyrocketed. These watches have dual time zones, and contain a copper chip implanted in the back of the watch that is said to shield the body from electronic pollution caused by cell phones and other

similar devices. While this claim may entice some, the fact remains that the watch is attractive and additional straps in various colors and textures are available making this watch a versatile jewelry choice.

The customer looking to make a bold statement may want to look at Pippo Italia watches. With or without diamonds, these watches are guaranteed to make a statement. Interesting design elements such as carbon fiber dials and flower shaped bezels carved from semi-precious stones make this line a celebrity favorite.

A watch that is also known as “jewelry for the wrist,” Meyers designs a line of ladies watches that can be custom made.

Available in large and small sizes, these timepieces are adorned with faceted sapphires that dangle from the bezel. The customer can choose from multicolored sapphires or pearls in any combination.

Help Us Keep it Clean If you bring it in, please take it out! are continually maintaining and manicuring our community, everybody should do their part to help keep Upper St. Clair looking great.

Maybe you’ve been at one of our schools, our parks, or our neighborhoods and spotted a stray piece of trash. Why don’t you pick it up to help keep our Township as clean as possible? We live in such a wonderful community, and we, as citizens, can enhance its appearance by staying on top of debris. A stray pop can, a piece of discarded paper, an empty bag from a fast food chain all take away from the beauty of our Township.

Won’t you do your part to help keep our community clean by picking up after yourself at sporting events, a picnic, or at our schools? Better yet—be an earth warden and clean up after someone else who was less considerate. Our young children are learning good habits about our environment in school. Let’s follow their direction and encourage their good behavior and ours as well.

Help our community look and be the best it can be by keeping it clean. And remember, if you bring it in, please take it out!  UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

These stunners are generating a buzz in Pittsburgh and beyond.

Whatever your fancy, Louis Anthony Jewelers has the watch to fit every lifestyle.

Time is on your side, so why not stop by and view the latest and most unique looks in decorative timepieces. 

Amie Guarino of Louis Anthony Jewelers graduated from USCHS in 1998. She has studied fashion merchandising and has been working in the family business since high school.

PRIME TIME Adult Care Receives Award PRIME TIME Adult Care, located at Christ United

While our Township workers

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My Panse Collection by Pippo Italia

Winter 2005

Methodist Church in Bethel Park, was recently honored with the 2005 Excellence in Ministry award from the United Methodist Foundation of Western Pennsylvania.

This award was given as recognition of the hard-working staff that has created such a stimulating and affirming environment for their frail, elderly, or functionally-impaired clients whom they care for each day. The staff’s nurturing and supportive attitude for their client’s care, as well as PRIME TIME’s commitment to continue fundraising efforts to provide this care at the lowest possible cost to ensure a continuation of service was recognized for consideration of this award.

Additionally, and over the past two years, PRIME TIME has had two staff persons named as finalists for the Alzheimer’s Association Caring Touch award.

PRIME TIME Adult Care provides medical supervision and mental stimulation for the frail and elderly, those with functional impairments, and those with Alzheimer’s disease.  For more information, contact Mary Ann Weber, PRIME TIME Adult Care executive director, at 412-835-6661.

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Give an annual subscription (four issues) of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY for only $12 to that special someone.

It’s great for a college student or anyone who wants to keep in touch with USC!

Classifieds To place your small business or professional ad in the classified section, send 35 words or less with a check for $75, made payable to the Township of Upper St. Clair, to UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY magazine, 1820 McLaughlin Run Road, Upper St. Clair, PA 15241

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Advertiser Index W i n t e r

Advertiser

Page

Adelphia ............................................................................................................63 * Amel’s Restaurant .............................................................................................70 * Angelo Associates, Inc. ....................................................................................21 * ARAMARK ........................................................................................................59 Asbury Heights .................................................................................................25 Bado’s Pizza Grill & Ale House .........................................................................70 * Bedner’s Farm Market .......................................................................................46 Bill Gray Automotive .........................................................................................58 * Blackstone Art of Design ....................................................................................1 Boehmer Heating & Cooling Company .............................................................81 * Calabro Tire & Auto Service .............................................................................76 California University of Pennsylvania .................................................................9 * Carlson Wagonlit Travel ....................................................................................50 Catalucci Painting & Restoration, Interior & Exterior ........................................83 Changing Seasons Learning Center .................................................................77 Chatham College ................................................................................................3 Citron Jewelers .................................................................................................45 * Clark Construction Company ...........................................................................75 * Coffey Contracting Company ............................................................................82 * Coldwell Banker–Route 19 South/Galleria, USC, South Hills Offices .................................................................38, 39, 40 * Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Inc. Corporate ........................... Back outside cover Coldwell Banker–Leigh Harkreader & Kathi Kernan ..........................................23 Coldwell Banker–Sherwood Village ..................................................................82 Coldwell Banker–Waterdam Farms ...................................................................31 Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair ............................. Front Cover, 10, 11 Crandall, Steven R., D.M.D. ..............................................................................14 * Cupelli & Cupelli, Drs. .....................................................................................67 Design Image Salon .........................................................................................50 Design on Main ................................................................................................21 Don’s Appliances ..............................................................................................65 Elegant Impressions .........................................................................................69 Falsetti, Diane M., D.M.D. ................................................................................79 Ferry Electric Company ....................................................................................83 Friendship Village of South Hills ......................................................................13 * Gabler & Associates, P.C. .................................................................................69 GALLERIA of Mt. Lebanon ................................................................................23 * Gateway Engineers ...........................................................................................78 * George Girty Landscape Design .......................................................................80 * Ghelarducci’s Garden Center ............................................................................83 Gurtner, Steven M., D.M.D. and Gurtner, Maggie, D.M.D. ..................................7 Hefren-Tillotson, Inc. ..........................................................................................4 * Henderson Brothers, Inc. ..................................................................................60 * Herman J. Heyl Florist ......................................................................................47 * Howard Hanna Real Estate Services ......................................... Front inside cover Howard Hanna–Maureen Cavanaugh ...............................................................78 * Howard Hanna–Susan Highley .........................................................................27 * Howard Hanna–Diane Horvath .........................................................................57 Incredibly Edible Delites ...................................................................................46 Jacksons Restaurant-Rotisserie-Bar ..................................................................71

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Jamie’s Restaurant ............................................................................................71 * Jaro Interiors, Inc. ............................................................................................46 Keller Williams–*Sandy and Marshall Goldstein ..............................................61 Keller Williams–Karen Marshall Group ..............................................................4 * Kerr Family and Cosmetic Dentistry .................................................................51 Louis Anthony Jewelers ............................................................ Back inside cover Mahla & Co. Antiques ......................................................................................77 * Manalo, Larry E., D.M.D. ..................................................................................50 Mellon Private Wealth Management Services ...................................................17 Mia Cucina Personal Chef Service ...................................................................57 Mt. Lebanon Montessori School and Academy ................................................83 Nancy Sakino Spears, LLC ...............................................................................31 Northwood Realty–Bonnie Detwiler and Marlene McNaughton ........................81 Outback Steakhouse .........................................................................................71 Oxford Mortgage–David and Cheryl Bayne .......................................................15 P & W SAAB .....................................................................................................65 Pare´, Amelia, M.D. ..........................................................................................56 Pawlak’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning .................................................63 Piccolina’s Restaurant .......................................................................................51 * Pinebridge Commons Associates .....................................................................50 Pittsburgh Youth Ballet ......................................................................................33 Providence Point ..............................................................................................49 * Prudential Preferred Realty–Route 19 South .......................................................2 Prudential Preferred Realty–Terry Abbott ..........................................................15 RDP Studio, Ltd. ...............................................................................................61 * Regis McQuaide & Co. Master Remodelers, Inc. ..............................................76 Roach Brothers, Inc. .........................................................................................83 * Robin Richards Photography ............................................................................67 Rohrich Cadillac ...............................................................................................75 Rollier’s Hardware .............................................................................................85 * Rusmur Floors ..................................................................................................88 * Scott Bros. Windows and Doors .........................................................................7 * Sesame Inn .......................................................................................................70 Seton Hill University .........................................................................................24 Severns Dentistry & Orthodontics ....................................................................55 Shadyside Academy .........................................................................................48 * Silk Road Gourmet Chinese Restaurant ............................................................70 * St. Clair Fitness & Racquet Club ......................................................................47 * St. Clair Hospital ..............................................................................................87 * State Farm Insurance–Cindy Brophy ................................................................51 Steel Valley Orthopedic Associates, Inc. ...........................................................33 Tambellini Restaurant, Bridgeville .....................................................................71 * The Thomas Studio of Performing Arts, Inc. .....................................................56 Tournesol ..........................................................................................................46 Valley Brook Family Dental................................................................................59 Valley Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. .............................................................85 Wellington Real Estate–Patty Thomas ...............................................................64 Westminster Presbyterian Church .....................................................................25 Wild Birds Unlimited ........................................................................................47 * You’re Invited ....................................................................................................47

Advertise with UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY, in publication since 1994.

Phone: 412-833-1600, extension 2284 • Fax: 412-851-2592 • Website: www.twpusc.org/magazine *The above VIP advertisers, who are advertising in this issue, have contributed their support for a minimum of 22 issues.

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COLDWELL BANKER Check out these fabulous Upper St. Clair area homes!

Beautifully updated ranch on cul de sac! Family room fireplace, den, gameroom, 3Br, 2.5Ba, oversized garage. $204,900 Emily Shonberg 412-344-0500

Immaculate center hall colonial, lavish woodwork, kitchen opens to familyrm, wet bar, den, French door to deck! $329,900 Jim Walsh 412-833-5405

Beautiful updated home, skylights, beamed familyrm with fireplace, 4Br, 2.5Ba, patio, on cul de sac! $329,900 Norma Bishop 412-833-5405

Spectacular view, 2 story foyer, island kitchen, 1st floor laundry, 4Br, 2+2Ba, familyrm, gameroom! $364,900 Paul Gupta 412-833-5405

Gracious & spacious newer Colonial on cul de sac! Familyrm fireplace, den, gamerm, gourmet kit, 3rd flr suite! $599,900 Linda Cobb 412-833-5405

Great property with updates, large rooms, 4Br, 2.5Ba, familyrm, den, gameroom, 2 car garage! $239,900 Amy Thamert 412-833-5405

Outstanding brick Provincial on cul de sac! Familyrm, den, gamerm, screened porch, brick patio, sprinker system! $529,900 Jane Krauth 412-344-0500

Lovely, spacious Colonial in “Millgrove�, 4Br, 2.5Ba, familyrm fireplace, fresh natural decor, oversized deck! $248,000 Sydnie Jones 412-344-0500

Spacious Colonial, 4Br, 2+2 updated baths, familyrm fireplace, sunroom, gamerm, large tiered deck! $248,000 Edith Gidwani 412-344-0500

Gorgeous Colonial! Familyrm wet bar, French doors to deck, cherry kitchen, 4BR, 2+2Ba, den, gameroom! $379,900 Nancy Beaulieu 412-344-0500

Fantastic California style contemporary ranch with wall of windows, 3Br, 3Ba, familyrm, gamerm, great deck! $189,500 Jeff Earley 412-344-0500

Spacious Colonial, familyroom fireplace, 4Br, 2.5Ba, deck, 2 car garage, extra wide yard! $189,900 Kathi Kernan 412-344-0500

Spacious two story, livingrm and familyrm fireplace, den, kitchen opens to sun porch, 5Br, 2+2Ba, walk-out basement! $269,900 Cindy Demel 412-831-5555

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