Winter is a season of holiday celebra-

tions, football play-offs, and other occa-

sions when family and friends get to-

gether over meals and snacks. Mouth-

watering options such as honey-baked ham, buttery mashed potatoes, and

sweet yams are popular for festive din-ners, while chicken wings, cheesy na-

chos, and chips are among the favorites at football

play-offs and other gather-ings.

However, you don’t have to completely sacrifice all

of your favorite foods. The key is to make a

variety of healthy food choices and limit portion

sizes.

Follow these tips from the

National Diabetes Educa-tion Program (NDEP) to

help you eat healthy during gatherings through-

out the winter season:

Eat a healthy snack. Eating a healthy snack prior to leaving home can prevent

overeating at the party.

Plan ahead. Check out the party food

options before you begin eating, and

make a mental note of what and how

much you will eat. Your food choices should fit into your meal plan.

Bring a dish. Share your healthy dish

with family and friends.

Move away from the buffet. Fix your

plate, and then step away from a table of finger foods to avoid grazing while chat-

ting.

Savor the flavor. Eating slowly reduces

your chances of overeating.

Drink H2O. Water is a healthy, no-calorie beverage. So drink plenty!

Follow these tips if your goal is to serve

healthy feasts to your guests:

Having targeted goals can

help...

Achieving better work/life

balance does not have to be

as difficult as it appears.

Focusing on too big a picture

of what you want can be

overwhelming. Instead, break

the large goal of attaining

balance into chunks.

Focus on specific, targeted

goals—one small goal at a

time. This approach can get

Eating Healthy Around the Holidays

P E N N - D E L C O

S C H O O L D I S T R I C T Inside Penn-Delco D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

S P E C I A L

P O I N T S O F I N -

T E R E S T :

Eating Healthy

10 Minute

Exercises

Meet the New

Administrators

District News

Employee

Spotlight

New Zumba

Class

Beating the

Winter Blues

you to your bigger goal

faster.

Set aside the next 90 days to

work on balance. Identify

specific activities in the most

valued parts of your life.

Target the “hunger”—fun

time, relationships, personal,

exercise, family, etc.

Write down what and when

specific things will happen.

Balance is not about divvying

up time and allotting percent-

ages. It is about doing things

to match your values—those

things you hold dear, the

things that really matter to

you.

Easy on the toppings. Lighten your recipes by using reduced-fat or fat- free

mayonnaise, butter, sour cream, or salad dressing.

Focus on fruits. Serve fresh or canned

fruits instead of ice cream, cake, or pie.

Transform high fat, high-calorie desserts by replacing whole milk or whipped

cream with 1 percent or nonfat milk.

Serve low-calorie beverages. Offer your guests sparkling water

or diet beverages.

We’re all in this together.

Support your family and friends by encouraging them to eat healthy

during the winter months and throughout the year.

Increase fiber. Serve whole

grain breads, peas, and beans as part of your meal.

Bake it. Broil it. Grill it. Con-sider healthy alternatives to tradi-

tional meats. Choose skinless meat or poultry and avoid fried dishes.

Trim it down. Eat smaller portions of

food. Trim off extra skin and fat from meat.

Party hard! Focus on family,

friends, and activities rather than food.

Penn-Delco Supports Healthy Living

Try incorporating one of

these 10 minute workouts (right) into your day. You may find it will give you more

energy to make it through to that dismissal bell.

HEALTH TIP:

Starting a meal with a

bowl of hot soup may

help you eat less. Eat-

ing soup forces you to slow down and recog-

nize that you are be-

coming full before mov-

ing to the next course.

To cut down on calo-

ries, choose broth

based soups like vegeta-

ble or chicken noodle

instead of cream based

soups like chowder.

Better Work/Life Balance

P A G E 2

1. Where is your hometown?

2. Where did you go to college?

3. Where did you work last before coming to Penn-Delco?

4. Where and what grade did you do your student

teaching? 5. What was your favorite

subject in school?

6. What was your first car?

7. If you could travel anywhere where would you go?

8. What is your favorite holiday song?

9. What motto do you live by or what is your favorite

quote? 10. What is your favorite

thing about Penn-Delco?

Anne Dudley , Secondary Curriculum Supervisor

Meet the New Administrators

1. San Diego, Cal.

2. Vanguard Univ. for undergrad,

Vanguard University (MA Curriculum

& Instruction), CA State University

Fullerton (MS Instructional Leader-

ship)

3. Garden Grove Unified SD: Doig

Intermediate—Principal

4. Valley HS, Santa Ana Unified SD

5. History & Math

6. ’81 Mercury Zephyr

7. Normandy Coast – My grandfather

landed there in WWII

8. “Little Drummer Boy” and recently

“Dominick the Donkey” – I never

heard it before I moved East.

9. “Be a duck, not a sheep”

10. The Community feel

5. Math and Science

6. 1955 Chevy

(Honestly!)

7. Ambergris Caye, Belize

8. “Believe” and “I Want a Hippopotamus

for Christmas”

9. Do unto others as you would have

them do unto you.

10. Everyone’s focus on doing what is right

for our students.

1. Grew up in Palmerton, PA; lived in

Basking Ridge, NJ for many years

2. BA from Cedar Crest College,

Masters from Kean University, Seton

Hall University

3. Interim Director of Elementary

Teaching and Learning in Wallingford

-Swarthmore, PA (2011-12),

Assistant Superintendent, School

District of the Chathams, NJ 2003

2010 - retired)

4. William Allen HS, Allentown, PA,

Chemistry

I N S I D E P E N N - D E L C O

L.J. Blair , Northley Middle School Principal

1. Mickleton, NJ

2. Widener University: BA in Psychology,

MA Education, Certifications-Principal,

Supervisory in Curriculum, Elementary Ed.,

Special Ed.

3. Interboro School District

4. 2nd grade Elementary and High School

Special Education

5. Math

6. Pontiac Grand Prix

7. Italy

8. Bruce Springsteen "Santa is Comin' to Town"

9. Don't talk about what you will do, rather, go

after it and make it happen!

10. The people!

10 Questions for the new Administrators

Eric Kuminka , Coebourn Elementary School Principal

Meet the New Administrators Cont.

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

1. Reading, PA

2. Undergrad in Elementary

Education and special educa-

tion certification: West Ches-

ter University. Master’s: Uni-

versity of Central Florida, Ele-

mentary Education and Reading; Post-Master’s: Penn State

University, Applied Behavior Analysis; Doctorate: Widener University, School Administration, Pupil Services. I also

received Supervisory Certificates in Special Education and

Curriculum & Instruction from Widener

3. School District of Lancaster for 5 years as a Special Education

Consultant and Board Certified Behavior Analyst

4. Twin Valley Elementary School in kindergarten and 5th

Grade

5. Psychology/ Science

6. Ford Escort

7. St. John’s or Turks and Caicos

8. “Mele Kalikimaka” or “Hawaiian Christmas Song”

9. “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.

The important thing is not to stop questioning” -Albert Einstein

10. I work with an amazing and knowledgeable group of people,

and I am able to work with students with disabilities!

hand experience were current

administrators, Gary Bender, L.J.

Blair and Anne Dudley. Each pro-

vided a unique perspective based

on their experience as an educator

turned administrator from other

districts. It is a goal of the district

to attempt to encourage the devel-

opment of leadership skills and

offer opportunities for teachers to

gain experience in administration.

Dr. Steinhoff hopes to run a similar

sessions in the future..

More than 25 Penn-Delco teachers

throughout the district attended a

meeting for aspiring administrators.

The purpose of the meeting was to

bring together those teachers who

may be considering a career as an

administrator. This was an oppor-

tunity for teachers to learn the

pros and cons of becoming an ad-

ministrator and to learn about the

steps they can take to prepare

themselves for a future in admini-

stration. There to give them first-

Penn-Delco has hired a full-time

public relations coordinator!

Christa Fazio was hired in Sep-

tember to coordinate the dis-

trict’s public relations efforts.

Christa most recently worked

for the DCIU as a district public

relations coordinator, splitting

her time between Penn-Delco and Haverford Township

School District. Prior to that, Christa worked for a large public relations agency in Philadelphia for 7 years. She will

be updating the website regularly, managing our social me-

dia sites and newsletters and will work closely with the

media to share the good news of Penn-Delco! If you have a

district story you would like to share with Christa, please

contact her at cfazio@pdsd.org or at ext. 1330.

After 25 years as a Penn-Delco School District em-

ployee, Jane Jenkins will be retiring from her position as

Human Resources Secretary in January.

The district would like to recognize Jane for her many

years of service. Throughout her time at Penn-Delco,

Jane has been an asset in the HR department and has

truly been a pleasure to work with.

Diane Smith, from HR, will be transitioning form part-

time to full-time and will be stepping into Jane’s posi-

tion.

Human Resources will be welcoming back a familiar

face, Sue DeAugustine, to fill the part-time secretary

position.

HR Veteran Passes the Torch

Aspiring Administrators Meeting

“Thank you,

Jane! Best

wishes on

your

retirement.

We will

certainly

miss you.”

Kristin Kosmerl, Supervisor of Special Education

PDSD Hires New Public Relations Coordinator

Penn-Delco Makes the Holidays a

Little Brighter for Others in Need

Thank you to all the staff that helped to coordi-

nate the many holiday giving initiatives that

took place throughout our district. From

Thanksgiving food drives to toy drives, to

warmth and mitten trees, to Super Storm Sandy

relief and military care packages...the list goes

on and on. It is because of your leadership and

support that our school community was able to

impact so many lives during this holiday season!

I N S I D E P E N N - D E L C O

PDSD Employee Spotlights

Karen Wells

Pennell Reading Specialist

Years of Service: 17 years

Karen is the Building Read-

ing Specialist at Pennell

Elementary. She works

with small groups of chil-

dren in every grade level, 1-

5, to give them extra read-

ing support. Before becom-

ing the reading specialist she

taught kindergarten (1 year)

and fifth grade (9 years),

and was the Student Teacher Support Team teacher (5 years

Education: BA in Elementary Education – Neumann University,

Masters in Reading from West Chester University

Hobbies: Loves to spend time in Ocean City NJ, Cooking,

Reading

Fun Fact: After graduating from Sun Valley HS, she immediately

went to work at Dupont for 11 years and then she became a

stay at home mom working part time. Once her daughters

started school in Penn-Delco, she decided to go back to

school to get her degree in teaching.

I N S I D E P E N N - D E L C O

Peggy Prox

Aston Elementary Secretary

Years of Service: 10 years

Peggy is Aston’s Secretary in the

main office. She started with the

district as the clerical assistant at

Aston and quickly moved to the

full time secretary position.

Hobbies: Her favorite hobby is

quilting.

Fun Fact: Peggy and her husband

are both S.V.H.S. graduates. They

were both in the high school production of “Rebel Without a

Cause.” Peggy actually had the female lead with Lenny (now Vince)

Patterson! Her grandson, who attends Parkside Elementary School, is

third generation Penn-Delco.

Creighton Anderson

Sun Valley Science Teacher

Years of service: 5 years

Creighton teaches Chemistry, including AP Chemistry. He is also

co-coach of the Sun Valley Debate Club and coaches the S.T.E.M.

Robotics Club. He is certified in Project Lead the Way, which

is a national secondary-level Engineering curriculum focused on

S.T.E.M.

Education:

Columbia University NYC;

M.A. Secondary Science Edu-

cation. University of Ari-

zona, Tucson Arizona: M.S.

Material Science and Engi-

neering; University of Arizona,

Tucson Arizona: B.S. Material

Science and Engineering

Hobbies: Archery, Tennis,

Hiking, Writing (He’s writing a

fiction novel)

Fun Fact: Creighton loves going to countries around the world

with his family. His two favorite destinations have been China and

Turkey.

Jim Crothers

Preventive Maintenance\HVAC Mechanic

Years of Service: 8 years

Jim is a Jack of all trades. He is responsible for maintaining the tempera-

ture in all the buildings; ensuring that we have comfortable learning envi-

ronments for our students. He responds to calls from teachers and staff

throughout the day for various HVAC issues and repairs. He also

makes sure that all building mechanics are functioning properly.

Hobbies: Jim likes to go boating

in Elkton, MD and he loves

spending time with his four kids

(ages 3 to 15) and his wife.

Fun Fact: Jim is a huge Flyers

fan! His love for hockey started

when he was a kid and he

played hockey for Penn-Crest

High School.

In each issue of Inside Penn-Delco, we

will feature a different group of Penn-

Delco employees. These employees

will be randomly selected to represent

all areas of Penn-Delco. This is an op-

portunity for you to get to know some

of your fellow co-workers a little bet-

ter and share some of the great things

our employees are doing for our dis-

trict. You might even learn something

new about them!

P A G E 4

link between healthy behaviors and depression. Women

who exhibited healthy behaviors (like exercising, not

smoking, etc.) had less sad and depressed days than

those whose behaviors were less than healthy. Although

researchers studied women, the results are likely similar

in men.

Treat Yourself

Having something to look forward to can keep anyone

motivated. Winter seems endless! But if you plan

something exciting, your mood improves when you’re

anticipating it and when the event actually comes. Plan

something that’s exciting to you—a weekend trip, a day

at the spa, a party (but keep #5 above in mind), or

special event like a play, girls (or guys) night out, or

sporting event. Relax!

You’re busy! Work, class, family, friends, appointments,

meetings—even if you enjoy being busy, everyone needs

some time off. Don’t be afraid to say "No" to extra

opportunities (covering a shift for a co-worker, bringing

food to your son’s class party). Try to spend a few

minutes each day doing nothing! Read a book or maga-

zine, sleep in on the weekend, go to bed early, try some

meditations, or take a yoga class. Relaxation, especially

in the form of yoga, can alleviate stress and leave you

with a calm energy. Mental exercises like meditation and

positive thinking can help keep depression at bay.

Embrace the Season

Instead of always avoiding the cold and the snow—look

for the best that it has to offer! Take up a winter sport

like ice skating, snowboarding, hockey, or even sledding!

Enjoy these opportunities while they last—after all,

they’re only here a few months per year. Staying active

will boost your energy. Seeing winter in a positive light,

with all the fun activities that it has to offer, will keep

your spirits high.

Get Social Support

Don’t underestimate the power of friends, family,

mentors, co-workers, and neighbors. Who can you turn

to when you’re down and need a pick-me-up? Keep a

mental list of these special people and don’t be afraid to

ask for help or encouragement when you need it.

Something as simple as a phone call, a chat over coffee,

or a nice email or letter can brighten your mood.

Winter is in full force. As the days get shorter and the nights

get colder, even the best of us can get a little down. The

"winter blues" are characterized by the mild depression, lack

of motivation, and low energy that many people experience

during this cold season. Luckily, there’s a lot you can do to

both prevent the blues from coming on and get yourself back

to normal if they’re already here.

Eat a Healthy Diet

What and when you eat has a great affect on

your mood and energy. Avoid refined and

processed foods (like white breads, rice, and

sugar). These foods are not only devoid of the

nutrients your body craves, but they zap your

energy levels and can affect your mood—causing depression, lack of concentration, and

mood swings. Try to incorporate more com-

plex carbohydrates (whole wheat breads,

brown rice, veggies, fruit) and get your daily 8

cups of water. These healthy foods provide

your body (and mind) with nutrients, and

stabilize your blood sugar and your energy

levels.

Get Some Sun

Most people know that sunlight provides us

with Vitamin D. But did you know that it also

improves your mood? Winter days are shorter

and darker than other months, and because of

the cold weather, a lot of people spend less

and less time outdoors. Lack of sunlight can

cause many people to become depressed—

without knowing why! Similar to exercise,

sunlight exposure releases neurotransmitters

in the brain that affect mood. Try to spend a

little more time outdoors. Keep your shades

up during the day to let more light in. Sit near

windows in restaurants and during class. Try

changing the light bulbs in your house to "full

spectrum" bulbs. These mimic natural light and

actually have the same affect on your mind as

the real thing.

Act on your Resolutions

A recent study from the CDC showed a strong

Catch some Zzzz’s

People naturally want to sleep a little bit more during

the winter. But with all we have going on, sometimes

sleep is the first thing to go. With a little time manage-

ment, and some self-discipline, you can meet your shut-

eye needs. Aim for 7-8 hours each night, and try to

keep your bedtime and waking time consistent. That

way, your sleeping patterns can normalize and you’ll

have more energy. Try not to oversleep—those 12-

hour snoozes on the weekend can actually make you

Another “Employee After Work Activity” is being offered! Zumba classes will be tak-ing place beginning on Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. in the Northley Middle School cafeteria. If you are interested, please complete the registration form and waiver form and submit your payment of $25.00 to PDSD by Tuesday, January 8. Cost per Employee: $25.00 – must be paid in advance by Tuesday, January 8. Time: 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Start Date: Wednesday, January 9, 2013 Where: Northley Middle School cafeteria Duration: 6 weeks—Last class will be on February 13, 2013 (unless a make-up day is necessary due to weather) Instructor: Licensed Zumba Instructor: Michelle Ritz Wear comfortable clothes, sneakers and bring water and a towel.

Zumba® Fitness When participants see a Zumba class in action, they can’t wait to give it a try. Zumba classes feature rhythms set to high-energy Latin and international beats. Before participants know it, they are getting fit and their energy levels are soar-ing! It’s easy to do, effective and totally exhilarating. Sound like fun? Give it a try!

8 Cool Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

Register online at www.pdsd.org

Employee Spotlight Barbara Boyle, M.A.

Administrator: Education,

Emotional & Alternative Services

Years of Service: 7 years

Ms. “B” is responsible for providing the social ser-

vice needs of the students and families in our dis-

trict. She is a community liaison for Penn-Delco

and runs both the alternative and summer school

programs.

Education & Certifications: Master in Arts– Rose-

mont College; Principal Certification - Gwynedd

Mercy College; drug and alcohol prevention coun-

selor and interventionist.

Hobbies: Rescues Huskies, photography, gardening,

cooking, cars, coaches basketball and softball

Fun Fact: Barb is instrumen-

tal in coordinating the holiday

gift drive for our students

and their families every year.

Leading up to the holidays,

Barb works with local organi-

zations to collect gifts to give

students in our district who

can’t afford to buy their own.

She then delivers the gifts

herself to ensure that our

students and their families

have a memorable holiday.

I N S I D E P E N N - D E L C O

Happy Holidays

Have a wonderful

Winter break!

P A G E 5