The assistant superintendent of the Quaker Valley School District was recently named the recipient of the 2013 Distinguished Female Educator Award from the Tri-State Area School Study Council. The award will be presented to Dr. Heidi Ondek during the 11th Annual Dr. Jean Winsand International Institute for Women in School Leadership on Thursday, April 18, 2013, at the Edgewood Country Club in Penn Hills.

The award recognizes honorees for their leadership within their school districts and communities as well as their mentorship and assistance extended to others. Nominated by Quaker Valley Superintendent Dr. Joseph H. Clapper, Dr. Ondek was praised as a leader, mentor and collaborator.

“Dr. Ondek serves as a mentor and role model for a variety of women who are pursing educational careers, either as a principal, central office administrator or superintendent of schools,” Dr. Clapper said. “In addition, she is an active participant and collaborator with a wealth of service organizations within and around our greater community.”

Dr. Ondek was promoted to assistant superintendent in July 2006 after serving as Quaker Valley High School principal from 2004-2006. Prior to joining the Quaker Valley staff, she served as an elementary principal in the Northgate School District and as director of special education, curriculum and staff development in the Fort Cherry School District. She began her educational career as a special education teacher.

In addition, Dr. Ondek serves as a regional, national and international consultant and presenter on numerous educational topics. In 2011-12, she participated in The China Exchange Initiative, a shadowing and relationship-building program for educational leaders in the United States and China funded by the Freeman Foundation.

She has also served as an adjunct faculty member for the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Education where she continues to assist as an internship mentor. In addition, Dr. Ondek serves on the advisory council for the California University of Pennsylvania and the Community College of Allegheny County. She was named a trustee of the FRIENDS OF QUAKER VALLEY SCHOOLS Education Foundation in December 2010.

Dr. Ondek holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in education from Duquesne University. She completed her doctoral studies at the University of Pittsburgh.

She resides in Sewickley with her husband, Ed, and their second-grader, Eddie. They also have four adult daughters and five grandchildren.

A Quaker Valley High School student has been selected to compete in the small bore rifle 3-position event at the 2013 National Junior Olympic Championships. Junior Nicholle Benedict will compete beginning this week through April 20, 2013, in Colorado Springs.

Nicholle started shooting small bore rifle at the age of 10. Her other recent shooting achievements include:

2013

• Frazier Simplex team member: team finished first in the nation for 3-position air rifle. Advanced to the regional competition, which is set for April 2013 at Camp Perry. Finals will be held in Alabama July 2013

2012

• 4-position small bore rifle National Rifle Association Sectionals, Gold Medalist
• National Rifle Association Intermediate Junior National Champion
• 3-position small bore rifle 4H National Invitational in Nebraska, Gold Medalist

2011

• National Rifle Association Junior Woman’s 3-position air rifle state champion
• Frazier Simplex team: four-man intermediate junior team member that set a new national record high score for indoor 3-position small bore rifle.

In addition to being a champion rifle shooter, Nicholle is a section leader in the Quaker Valley marching band and a member of the National Honor Society.

Youth Connect will host an important town hall meeting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, in the Quaker Valley Middle School auditorium. Entitled, “It’s No Big Deal… Right?”, the focus of the meeting will be the scope, nature, and problems associated with adolescent use of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs, and what parents can do about this issue.

Participating in the morning event are a number of local residents, as well as a leading expert in teen substance abuse disorder. Jeff Bennett, of Bell Acres, will share the story of his daughter’s struggle with substance abuse; Bennett and his wife, Patti, were featured in Listen II, a documentary about chemical addiction in young people that was produced by The Alliance Against Drugs. Debbie Kehoe, executive director of The Alliance, will also be on hand and will screen Listen II as part of the morning’s event.

Dr. Duncan Clark, director of the Pittsburgh Adolescent Alcohol Research Center, will discuss his 20+ years of clinical research on the impact of alcohol and other drugs on brain development, especially among children and adolescents. Dr. Clark is an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, and also holds a Ph.D. in psychology from UCLA, along with an M.D. from Harvard; his work has been recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, the American College of Psychiatrists, and the American Psychological Association, among others.

A panel of local students will wrap up the presentation with a frank discussion of what parents can do to help their children avoid the lure of drugs and alcohol. The event is free and open to the public; parents of children in grades 4 though 9 are especially encouraged to attend. For more information on the town hall meeting, email youthconnect@hotmail.com.

Youth Connect is a group of concerned adults and students from schools and organizations in the Sewickley area working to provide the information, resources, and support our young people need to avoid risky behavior and enjoy their teen years.

For more information please contact youthconnect@hotmail.com or visit youthconnectnews@blogspot.com. 

Download the event flier

Artworks by three Quaker Valley High School students have been selected for inclusion in the third annual Suburban Pittsburgh Area High Schools Exhibition of ceramics at the Clay Place Gallery at Standard Ceramics in Carnegie. Seniors Iris Ferris and Laura Stinson along with sophomore Sydney Bichsel will have their work on display at the opening reception from 6 – 8 p.m. on Friday, April 12, 2013.

Iris and Laura created their artworks as part of their AP Studio Art course. Sydney made her piece for an artist investigation of Van Gogh for her Ceramics I course. Each of the artworks was selected for its quality and original ideas.

Student artworks will be judged by Dale Huffman, art department chair and associate professor of art at Carlow University. Mr. Huffman holds a master’s of fine art degree from the School of Art Institute of Chicago. He has been recognized with the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Service to the Arts Award and is one of only two American award winners in the Mashiko International Ceramics Contest in Japan.

The Suburban Pittsburgh Area High Schools Exhibition is held each year to showcase the best work from area public schools. Last year 14 high schools from Allegheny, Washington and Westmoreland counties participated in the exhibition.

In addition to the art show, the event will include live music and refreshments. The Clay Place is located at One Walnut Street in Carnegie. Visit  www.clayplaceatstandard.com for more information and directions.

Two Quaker Valley Middle School students recently earned perfect scores in the second of three meets for this year’s WordMasters Challenge. Seventh graders Caitlyn McCloskey and Franzi Nace are two of only 105 seventh graders in the nation to achieve a perfect score.

WordMasters Challenge is a national competition for students in grades three through eight that encourages growth in vocabulary and verbal reasoning involving nearly 250,000 students annually. Quaker Valley students compete in the Gold Division, the more rigorous of the competition’s two divisions.

Other Quaker Valley Middle School students who achieved outstanding results in the meet include sixth grader Marguerite Courtney; seventh graders Molly Henschke and Ryan Weicht; and eighth grader Emma Szuba.

Seventh and eighth grade students are coached by Adrienne Floro, assistant principal, and sixth graders are coached by teachers Kirstin Mastylak and Michael Simon.

The WordMasters Challenge is an exercise in critical thinking that first encourages students to become familiar with a set of interesting new words (considerably harder than grade level), and then challenges them to use those words to complete analogies expressing various kinds of logical relationships.

Working to solve the analogies helps students learn to think both analytically and metaphorically. Although most vocabulary enrichment and analogy-solving programs are designed for high school students, WordMasters Challenge materials have been specifically created for students in grades three through eight.

For more information regarding the WorldMasters Challenge, visit www.wordmasterschallenge.com.

Quaker Valley School District is ranked eighth among 105 school districts throughout the seven-county region and 27th among the commonwealth’s 500 school districts, according to the 2013 Guide to Western Pennsylvania Schools.

“It is always an honor to be ranked among the very best public schools in the region and the commonwealth,” Dr. Joseph H. Clapper, superintendent, said. “We are exceptionally proud of the great things that are happening in our schools and classrooms that foster innovation and creativity.”

The annual guide is published by the Pittsburgh Business Times and is based upon three years of PSSA test scores in reading, math, writing and science. Click here to view the 2013 Guide to Western Pennsylvania Schools online.

“At Quaker Valley, there is an intense focus on developing education plans to suit each student’s individual needs, interests and aptitudes,” Dr. Joseph H. Clapper, superintendent, said. “Our philosophy of ‘one child at a time’ helps to ensure success for every student.”

The following school districts are ranked in the top 10 by the Pittsburgh Business Times:

1. Upper St. Clair School District
2. Mt. Lebanon School District
3. North Allegheny School District
4. Hampton Township School District
5. South Fayette Township School District
6. Fox Chapel Area School District
7. Peters Township School District
8. Quaker Valley School District
9. Franklin Regional School District
10. Pine-Richland School District

A Quaker Valley High School student placed first in the firefighting division in the SkillsUSA Pennsylvania Championships last week in Hershey. Senior Marty Davis will travel to Kansas City to compete in the national competition June 24-28, 2013.

Marty attends Parkway West Career & Technology Center and was one of two Quaker Valley students to compete in the statewide championships. Senior Zach Mancuso participated in the masonry division. They were among seven students representing Parkway West at the state championships.

The SkillsUSA Championships is the showcase for the best career and technical students in the nation. Contests begin locally and continue through the state and national levels.

Begun in 1965, the Championships have grown to over 73 hands-on and leadership competitions. The SkillsUSA Pennsylvania State Conference is comprised of over 1,800 attendees, which include judges from business and industry, educational exhibitors, advisors, competitors and delegates.

According to its website, SkillsUSA’s philosophy is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and to keep training relevant to employers' needs.

The 1996 Quaker Valley High School varsity soccer team has been named to the 2013 WPIAL Hall of Fame Induction class. The team will be honored during an event at the Greentree Double Tree Hotel on Friday, June 7, 2013.

“Induction into the WPIAL Hall of Fame is a very exciting, prestigious honor and we are flattered to be the first soccer team to be selected,” Coach Gene Klein said. “The 1996 team was an extraordinary group of young men and talented soccer players and they were proud to represent Quaker Valley.”

Nominated by Mike Mastroianni, director of athletics and student activities, the 1996 Quaker Valley boys’ soccer team was both WPIAL and PIAA champions and finished the season with a perfect 26­0 record.

“This was the culmination of a remarkable run of success for Quaker Valley soccer, of which the senior class of the 1996 team played a most significant role, winning three state championships in their four seasons of varsity competition,” Mr. Mastroianni said. “They were the dominant team in the WPIAL that season, regardless of classification.”

Outscoring its opponents 169-7, the 1996 team was ranked #1 in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Players earned numerous individual accolades including two national all-Americans, three regional all-Americans, four all-State players, six all-WPIAL players and seven participants in the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association Coaches All-Star game. A total of eight players for the 1996 team went on to play soccer at NCAA Division I colleges and universities.

In addition, Coach Klein was recognized as the National High School Coach of the Year by the NSCAA, Regional High School Coach of the Year by NSCAA, Pennsylvania State Coach of the Year by the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association, and WPIAL Coach of the Year by the WPSCA.

The 1996 team holds Quaker Valley High School records for most wins, 26; most shutouts, 21; fewest losses, 0; fewest goals allowed, 7; fewest goals allowed per game, 0.27; most goals scored by a player – Brad Christof, 49; most assists scored by a player – Brad Christof, 26; most total points (goals and assists) by a player – Brad Christof, 124.

The WPIAL Hall of Fame was organized as a means of recognizing, preserving and promoting the heritage of interscholastic athletics in Western Pennsylvania.

“Many individuals and teams have made extraordinary contributions and have achieved superb accomplishments in high schools sports,” James Collins, WPIAL assistant to the executive director and Hall of Fame committee chairperson, said. “The Hall of Fame aims to honor the contributions and accomplishments of those selected as models for future generations.”

Download newspaper articles from the 1996 season

View the team roster

A team of Osborne Elementary third graders recently placed second in the Pennsylvania Odyssey of the Mind competition – advancing to the Odyssey of the Mind 2013 World Finals at Michigan State University from May 22-25, 2013.

Coached by Mr. Jeff Christensen, the team includes Isabella Bock, Lilly Capezzuto, Stella Christensen, Ilijana Hasak, Jhon Freddy Krebs, Owen Petronick and Taylor Retzlaff.

The Osborne students completed problem titled, “Pet Project,” which required the team to build three vehicles, each of which must use a different method of propulsion. Each vehicle must successfully run their course three times, bringing with it a piece of a pet to an assembly area. Once all nine parts arrive, the pet is assembled, and the completed pet must perform a trick. The Osborne team's vehicles used concentrated air, spring tension, and a slingshot as its propulsion mechanisms.

The Pennsylvania Odyssey of the Mind tournament was held April 13, 2013, at Pocono Mountain East High School in Swiftwater, Pa. The Osborne team advanced to the state finals after finishing first in the Western Pennsylvania Regional Odyssey of the Mind competition in March.

According to its website, “Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics.”

view additional photos of the Osborne OM team

watch video of the awards ceremony (Osborne is recognized at 14:40)

Students in the Quaker Valley School District will perform several concerts throughout the months of April and May. All concerts begin at 7 p.m. The following instrumental and choral concerts feature students in grades 3 through 12:

Wednesday, April 24
Edgeworth Third Grade Music Night &
Osborne Third Grade Music Night

Monday, April 29
Quaker Valley Middle School Orchestra Concert

Wednesday, May 1
Combined Fifth Grade Band and Orchestra Concert
at Edgeworth Elementary

Wednesday, May 8
Edgeworth Fifth Grade Spring Concert &
Osborne Fifth Grade Spring Concert

Thursday, May 9
Quaker Valley Middle School 7/8 Band Concert

Monday, May 13
Edgeworth Fourth Grade Band and Strings Concert

 Wednesday, May 15
Quaker Valley Middle School Sixth Grade Band and Chorus Concert

Thursday, May 16
Osborne Fourth Grade Band and Strings Concert

Wednesday, May 22
Quaker Valley High School Choir Concert

Wednesday, May 29
Quaker Valley High School Band and Orchestra Concert

Thursday, May 30
Quaker Valley Middle School 7/8 Chorus Concert

Two members of QV Creekers have been selected to attend Creek Connection’s Creek Camp this summer at Allegheny College. Sophomore Laura Mangan and freshman Izzy Malcolm received scholarships from the Little Sewickley Creek Watershed Association and Fern Hollow Nature Center to attend this summer learning experience.

While living in college dorms, Laura and Izzy will participate in various outdoor activities throughout the week. They will study fresh water ecology in the beautiful streams of Northwestern Pennsylvania, observe wildlife and learn from experts in the field.

QV Creekers is comprised of Quaker Valley High School students who keep a watchful eye on the Little Sewickley Creek Watershed. The group is sponsored by the Little Sewickley Creek Watershed Association, Quaker Valley High School, Fern Hollow Nature Center and the Creek Connections program at Allegheny College in Meadville.

The Creek Connections program encourages students to monitor their local waterways. The program provides QV Creekers with equipment to perform chemical and biological tests on Little Sewickley Creek. Quaker Valley students receive 0.5 internship credit for their participation in QV Creekers.

The year culminates in a symposium where students present their findings. This year’s event was held last Friday, April 19, 2013, at Camp Kon-O-Kwee where students presented this year’s results as well as teaching a session on Pennsylvania’s mammals.

Click here to learn more about QV Creekers. Students who are interested in applying for next year’s internship should contact Mrs. Marianne Cibulas at cibulasm@qvsd.org.

Quaker Valley High School is one of 28 schools in Pennsylvania and only six in Allegheny County to be listed among America’s Most Challenging High Schools by the Washington Post. The list was formerly sponsored by Newsweek magazine and known as America’s Best High Schools.

Rankings are based on the Challenge Index, which calculates participation in college-level tests in order to evaluate the rigor of high school curriculums across the nation. This year’s Challenge Index is calculated by dividing the total number of AP tests taken in May 2012 by the number of 2012 graduating seniors. Quaker Valley’s Challenge Index is 1.918.

All schools on the listing have earned an index of at least a 1.0. This year only nine percent of the approximately 22,000 U.S. public high schools reached that standard. While not a measure of the overall quality of the school, the rating provides an indication of the high school’s commitment to preparing average students for college.

According to Jay Mathews, the Washington Post education reporter who devised the Challenge Index, “AP, IB and AICE are important because they give average students a chance to experience the trauma of heavy college reading lists and long, analytical college examinations. Research has found that even low-performing students who got only a 2 on an AP test did significantly better in college than similar students who did not take AP.”

In May 2012, 187 Quaker Valley students completed 349 AP exams – earning a 91 percent pass rate. AP tests are scored 1-5; students must earn a 3 or higher to pass and qualify for college credit. At 91 percent, Quaker Valley far exceeds the average pass rate for Pennsylvania (68 percent) and internationally (61 percent).

Based on the AP test results from May 2012, 62 Quaker Valley High School students earned the designation of AP Scholar ~ including four National AP Scholars. Fifty-five percent of the class of 2012 completed and passed at least one AP exam during their high school career.

“Advanced Placement is widely accepted as the most rigorous high school program in the country,” Andrew Surloff, Quaker Valley High School principal, said. “The commitment of our students and our teachers to this high level, challenging coursework is to be commended.”

Quaker Valley High School offers 18 college-level AP courses. Click here to read more about America’s most challenging high schools.

The Quaker Valley School Board approved a resolution that seeks changes to the charter and cyber charter school funding formula in Pennsylvania’s Public School Code. The resolution passed 8-0 during the April 23, 2013, legislative meeting.

“There is significant unfairness in the way that tuition is calculated in the charter and cyber charter school funding formula,” Dr. Joseph H. Clapper, superintendent, said. “Lawmakers need to fully address this inequity.”

According to the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, almost all funding for cyber and charter schools is currently provided by local school districts, which places a significant financial burden on districts’ resources. In fact, charter schools have cost school districts over $875 million over the last two years.

“The burden of funding charter and cyber charter schools has shifted to the local taxpayers,” Dr. Joseph H. Clapper, superintendent, said. “Meanwhile, unlike local school districts, there is lack of accountability, transparency and local control.”

In March 2012, Jack Wagner, former auditor general, submitted testimony to the House Education Committee stating that cyber schools spend approximately $3,000 less per student than traditional schools – creating a significant windfall for cyber schools while overburdening local taxpayers. Click here to read his testimony.

Currently, Quaker Valley is paying approximately $500,000 in charter and cyber charter school tuition annually.

Specifically, the resolution cites the following recommendations:

• Adopt a funding formula for charter and cyber charter schools that compensates school districts for costs related to maintaining capacity that cannot be reduced or transferred to charter schools on a per capita basis.

• Funding for charter schools not be allowed to exceed the actual expenses needed to educate their students, as verified by an independent audit.

• Pass legislation that caps charter and cyber charter schools’ unreserved, undesignated fund balances in the same way that traditional school districts’ balances are capped.

• Pass legislation that will modify the current charter school funding formula so that employer pension contributions are reimbursed only once. 

• Create an independent entity to determine the actual costs of educating

The signed resolution will be distributed to state lawmakers and Governor Tom Corbett. Those who wish to express their concern regarding this important issue are encouraged to contact their state representatives.  Click here to find your legislators.
 

click here to view the resolution

Four Quaker Valley High School students recently participated in the AppJam at Carnegie Science Center – contributing to team awards for Best Interactive, Best Aesthetics Design and the First Place Carnegie Science Center Favorite. Seniors Solange Fairlie, Tim Lagnese and Andy Schlosser as well as sophomore Rebekah Topper participated in this first annual event offered through Winchester Thurston’s Mobile App Lab.

This is the second consecutive year that Quaker Valley has participated in the Mobile App Lab Project. Other participating schools include Winchester Thurston, South Fayette High School, Pittsburgh Obama High School and Mars Area High School.

According to its website, the afterschool Mobile App Lab was implemented to improve youth programming skills, excite students toward programming, and build the capacity within schools to teach programming. Currently, the program serves 78 students and 18 facilitators from the participating schools.

Six Quaker Valley High School students participated in the Mobile App Lab during the 2012-13 school year. Participants included sophomores Josh Campbell, Justin Green, Jack Regueiro, Rebekah Topper and Andrew Warburton as well as a freshman Jonah Levin.

Karlton Chapman, Quaker Valley’s director of technology, coordinates the program at the high school. In addition, the following five Quaker Valley seniors who participated in the program last year served as mentors for the this year’s program: Julian Dech, Solange Fairlie, Tim Lagnese, Tegan McRoberts and Andy Schlosser.

The Mobile App Lab is a seven-week afterschool program that introduces students to the basics of programming for Android-based mobile applications. Open to students in grades 9-12, the program was taught at Quaker Valley by Professor Jim Roberts from Carnegie Mellon University. The AppJam served as the culminating event.

Read more about the event.

Quaker Valley High School has announced the four candidates for prom queen and 11 candidates for Mr. QV. The annual Mr. QV event will be held on Friday, May 10, 2013. The Grand March/Prom are set for the following Friday, May 17, 2013.

The annual Mr. QV pageant will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 10, 2013, in the Quaker Valley High School auditorium. Tickets are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. Proceeds from the event, which is sponsored by the National Honor Society, will benefit the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

The following seniors will compete for the title of Mr. QV: Levi Bowers, Rocco Brown, Ryan Garbee, Roy Hadfield, Andy House, Jack McGarry, Burke Moser, Dante Piccolo, Jake Pilewicz, Johnathan Roppo and Stephen Wei.

“They’ll wow us with impressive entrances, stun us with their talents, enlighten us with their answers to the judges’ questions, and perform in a mystery round,” NHS co-sponsor Erin Woods, said. “In all rounds, they’re sure to bring laughter to their adoring fans.”

The emcees for Mr. QV are teachers Mr. Jeff Sebastian and Mr. Michael Haboush. The panel of judges includes Mr. Andrew Surloff, principal; as well as teachers Mr. Robert Harrah; Ms. Kerry McGrath; Mrs. Rita Hoepp; and Ms. Robin Russell.

Candidates for prom queen include seniors Morgan Felt, Courtney Kroner, Sierra Perlik and Rachel Silverstein. Seniors cast their votes for prom queen on April 24. The results will be announced at the Grand March Promenade, which begins at 5:15 p.m. on Friday, May 17, in the Quaker Valley High School auditorium.                       

Prom for students will begin at 6 p.m. at the Embassy Suites in Coraopolis. The theme for this year’s event is “A Night in Versailles.”

For more information regarding Quaker Valley High School’s prom, click here.

Quaker Valley High School tennis standout Spencer Caravaggio will continue to compete at the collegiate level at Division 1 Duquesne University. She signed her letter of intent on April 17, 2013.

Spencer helped lead the girls’ tennis team to first place finishes in the MAC tournament all four years. In individual play, she was crowned WPIAL champ and PIAA runner-up in both her sophomore and senior years. She placed third in WPIAL competition as a freshman and junior.

With a career record of 129-10, Spencer holds the Quaker Valley High School record for total wins in girls’ tennis.

Spencer resides in Aleppo Township with her parents Harry and Kay Caravaggio.

Read more about Spencer’s senior tennis season from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

• Tennis Spotlight: PIAA Girls' Singles Tournament  (11-09-12)
• Athlete of the Week: 10-26-12
• Quakers earn title, 'bragging rights' (10-25-12)
• WPIAL Team Tennis Tournament: Quaker Valley edges rival Sewickley for AA crown (10-20-12)
• Quaker Valley senior overcomes injury to win WPIAL tennis title (09-27-12)

The Quaker Valley Middle School track teams took top spots in the Mars Junior High Invitational on Thursday, April 25, 2013. The boys’ team placed first and the girls’ team finished second, behind Hempfield.

The boys were led on the track by the duo of Amos Luptak and Zach Skolnekovich and in the field events by Noah Berry. Amos and Zach ran the race of the day outkicking the field in the mile with Amos placing first and Zach finishing second. Their time of 4:48 crushed the school record and was less than half a second off the meet record. Amos came back in the 800 to complete his double win – setting a new meet and school record of 2:08. He then went on to anchor the mile relay to a third place finish. Zach finished his day placing second in the two-mile.

Noah Berry was the only person at the meet to medal in three individual events – placing first in the triple jump, second in the long jump and third in the Hurdles. Other point scorers were:

• Parker Redcross: triple Jump, mile relay
• Max Miller: mile relay
• Ricky Guss: mile relay

Alana Davidson came away with the meet girls’ MVP for field events. She earned two individual first places – in the high jump and the triple jump. Bearett Tarris raced to two second place finishes in the 200 and 400 – establishing a new Quaker Valley 400 meter record of 61.8. Lucie Kubinski placed third in both the two-mile and the mile – setting two new Quaker Valley records. Her mile time was 5:30.

Other point scorers for the girls were:

• Maddie Mills: 400 meters, pole vault, mile relay
• Isabella Brown: two mile, two mile relay
• Miriam Levesque: mile relay, two mile relay
• Annie Luptak: 1600, mile relay, two mile relay
• Rachel Bould: mile relay
• Audrey Durbin: two mile relay

The annual Quaker Valley Kennywood Picnic Day is scheduled for Memorial Day – Monday, May 27, 2013. Discounted FunDay tickets may be purchased for $26 at all Quaker Valley schools on Tuesday, May 14, as follows:

• Edgeworth Elementary:  9 a.m.
• Osborne Elementary:  9:30 a.m.
• QV Middle School:  10 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
• QV High School:  11:20 a.m. – 12:50 p.m.

$2 of every ticket sale will benefit the Quaker Valley School District to help support after-school activities.

Tickets must be purchased with cash or money orders – no personal checks. There is no limit on the number of tickets that can be purchased. The regular gate price for a FunDay at Kennywood is $39.99.

Tickets are valid every operating day in May, June and through July 5 and September. Tickets may also be used any weekday in July or August.

Visit Kennywood online.

A group of Osborne Elementary fifth graders recently won first place in the third annual Let’s Clear the Air Poster Challenge. The winning poster for the upper elementary division was created by Emma Grubb, Shena Jones, and Kara Fleury. 

All three girls are students in Mr. Gary Shepard’s class. Their art teacher is Mrs. Lynn Sopp. Winners were announced on Earth Day, April 22. Click here to view the winning entries of the 2013 Lets Clear the Air poster contest. The winning posters currently are on display outside of Starbucks at Robinson Town Center.

The goal of the contest is to assist students in southwest Pennsylvania in learning about the effects of air pollution, how to reduce their exposure, and to encourage action through a poster campaign promoting clean air and alternative transportation.

The annual poster contest is a collaboration between the Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership and the Pennsylvania Resources Council.

Quaker Valley High School ranks in the top three percent in the commonwealth and nation according to U.S. News & World Report. The newspaper released its list of 2013 Best High Schools on April 23, 2013.

Ranked 14th in Pennsylvania, Quaker Valley is one of only 69 of the commonwealth’s 687 high schools to make the list. In Allegheny County, only 11 qualified – Quaker Valley ranks fourth. Nationally, Quaker Valley ranks 645^th out of more than 21,000 high schools in the nation.

This year marks the first year that Quaker Valley has been recognized as one of the Best High Schools by U.S. News & World Report.

“This recognition further validates the quality educational program that we provide to all students in the Quaker Valley School District,” Andrew Surloff, high school principal, said. “Unlike other measures, U.S. News & World Report specifically analyzes student achievement data of minority and economically disadvantaged students. This is the core of Quaker Valley’s one-child-at-a-time philosophy – ensuring success for each student.”

U.S. News & World Report collected data on more than 21,000 public high schools from 49 states and the District of Columbia. Nebraska did not report enough data to be included in the rankings.

Schools were evaluated on overall student performance on state-mandated assessments, as well as how effectively schools educated their black, Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students. Performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams was then used to determine the degree to which schools prepare students for college-level work.

“Schools were ranked within each state, as well as on a national stage, so families can see how their public high school stacked up against rivals within the community and across the country,” Kelsey Sheehy, education reporter for U.S. News & World Report said.

The first-ever list of the U.S. News Best High Schools was posted online on Nov. 30, 2007.

“Since U.S. News & World Report's editors believe high schools are among America's most important institutions, adding the Best High Schools to its series was a natural progression,” Robert Morse, education reporter for U.S. News & World Report, said. “Education drives our country's future. Recognizing schools that are performing well and providing them as models to other schools will inspire educators and communities to do better.”

• U.S. News & World Report Best High School Rankings 2013
• How U.S. News Calculated the 2013 Best High Schools Rankings
• National Rankings
• State Rankings: Pennsylvania High Schools
• Frequently Asked Questions: Best High Schools Rankings