spring edition e-newsletterlegendary count basie orchestra. the high school jazz ensemble gave a...

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2014 Spring Edition Newsletter

Spring into Lower Moreland’s

Lower Moreland Township School District

Spring Edition

E-Newsletter

Dr. Marykay Feeley, Superintendent of Schools

Page 2Count Basie OrchestraBest Community for Music Award

Page 3LMTSD ranked 4th in...Math League Competition

Page 4Good News from AT ...MCIU Computer Fair WinnersCheckmate

Page 5MC Science Research CompetitionDelaware Valley Science Fair

Page 613, The MusicalVoice of Inspiration Nominee

0Foundation FundraiserLacrosse Team caring...

Page 11 -12Exciting News Coming Events

Page 8Multi-cultural Night at Pine RoadIt’s Raining Cats and DogsThe Ducklings

Page 9A Musical Tribute to “Those Who Serve”

Page 7Extraordinary Achievements in Art

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High School Jazz Ensemble Opens for the

Monday, March 3rd was a frigid night, but hearts were warm and spirits high in the Lower Moreland High School auditorium. School administrators, community members, family and friends came out to enjoy the smooth jazz sounds of the award winning district musical talent as a prelude to the concert by the legendary Count Basie Orchestra. The High School Jazz Ensemble gave a riveting performance and featured solo musicians on piano, tenor saxophone and trombone.

William Count Basie started the Count Basie Orchestra in 1935 in Kansas City, Missouri. Within a year, it became one of the “Swingingest Band in all the Land”, a

phenomena that is still going strong today. The orchestra, directed by Scotty Barnhart, has been maintained as one of the elite performing organizations in jazz and has won 17 Grammy Awards and 20 Downbeat and Jazz Times polls.

Students were able to play alongside these jazz greats and witness this historic orchestra right here at home. Erin Stroup thanked all those who were instrumental in bringing this performance to the Lower Moreland community. Visit the school district website: www.lmtsd.org/public relations for a recap of this performance.

2014 Best Community for Music EducationThe National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation proudly announced the results of its 15th annual Best Communities

for Music Education (BCME) survey, which recognizes and celebrates commitment to music education for all children.

The Best Communities designation recognizes collaborative, from-the-ground-up efforts of teachers, administrators, students and parents who continually work to keep comprehensive music education as an integral part of the core curriculum. This year, nearly 2000 schools and school districts participated in the

survey. This year’s increase in survey participation is an indication of growing support from both parents and administrators who recognize the vital role that music learning plays in student achievement.

The NAMM Foundation informed the district that the Lower Moreland School District has been designated a 2014 Best Communities for Music Education. “There is overwhelming research tying music education to higher overall student success in school and in life.” The Foundation website states that “This designation recognizes communities for their commitment to music education and strengthens support for these programs.”

It Must Be The Music!

Legendary Count Basie Orchestra

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LMTSD Ranked 4th in the Small Population District Category

Top-ranked school districts have been announced in the tenth annual Digital School Districts Survey by the Center for Digital Education (CDE) and the National School Boards Association (NSBA). The survey showcases exemplary school boards’ and districts’ use of technology to govern the district, communicate with students, parents and the community, and improve district operations. This year’s recognition goes to school districts for their expanding use of innovative technologies district-wide as well as in the classroom.

Lower Moreland Township School District ranked 4th in the Small Student Population District Category (Student population 3,000 or less.)

“Technology innovations enable local school boards to connect with their communities and support students and teachers in ways that were unimaginable

even a decade ago,” said NSBA’s Executive Director Thomas J. Gentzel. “The 2014 Digital School Districts Survey offer powerful examples of technology’s role in the transformation of public education.”

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is the leading advocate for public education and supports equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership. NSBA represents state school boards associations and their more than 90,000 local school board members through the U.S.

The Center for Digital Education is a national research and advisory institute specializing in K-12 and higher education technology trends, policy and funding. CDE provides education and industry leaders with decision support and actionable insight to help effectively incorporate new technologies in the 21st century.

Math League Competition Results Show Great Promise

Students did a phenomenal job for their first experience with this math competition in the Academically Talented (AT) classes. All of the students in AT participated. This was not your standard math…it required very “out of the box” thinking in a very tight time frame. The outcome was very impressive.

The summary of our standings are:

• 6th Grade – 28th Place out of 112 participating

schools in PA

• 4th place in Montgomery County

• 7th Grade – 21st Place out of 90 participating

schools in PA

• 8th Grade – 19th Place out of 88 participating

schools in PA

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Victor Lourng and Olivia Pavucek participated in the 2014 Regional Computer Fair for Montgomery County on Tuesday, April 1, 2014. Congratulations to Olivia Pavucek who placed second in the High School Animation category.

Montgomery CountyIntermediate Unit2014 Computer Fair

The Seventh and Eighth Grade Gifted Support classes

competed in a national online Quiz Bowl competition

this April entitled America Answers. Seventy seventh

grade teams from across the country, and 110

eighth grade teams participated in the bowl. Murray

Avenue’s seventh grade team placed 8th nationally in

the grade level division. The eighth grade team placed

6th nationally in the grade level division out of 110

schools, and 7th place out of the combination of the

180 nationally participating schools.

Good News from 7th and 8th Grade Academically Talented

Please join me in congratulating: (left to right) Chirag Ram, Jonathan L. Katz, Daniel Shevelev, Andre Vasik, Alex Vasik, Gabriel Tkach, and Daniel Galbreath.

Individual Chess Tournament Results:

Gabe Tkach, placed First in States for 10th Graders

Chirag Ram, co-champion in States for 9th Graders

CHECK MATECHESS TEAM PLACES 3RD AT STATES

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Montgomery County Science Research Competition

David Grabovsky 11th Grade 1st Place Physics and a Special Award

Theo Hansel 11th Grade 2nd PlaceMedicine and Health and a Special Award

Samantha Panich 10th Grade 2nd Place Medicine and Health

Katya Farber 9th Grade 2nd Place Chemistry

For over 50 years the science teachers of Montgomery County, PA, and the Montgomery County Science Teachers Association (MCSTA) have seen the value for all students to be involved in student science research. The MCSTA has been conducting this event since 1956, and it is open to all county students in grades 6-12. Over 500 students participate in this event yearly.

Winners of the MCSRC go on to compete in the Delaware Valley Science Fair (DVSF) competition in Oaks, PA, in April. If selected a winner at DVSF, students receive the opportunity to present their projects at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles in May.

The following students competed in the Delaware Valley Science Fair on April 2, 2014.

Katya Farber Grade 9

Samantha Panich Grade 10

Theo Hansel Grade 11

David Grabovsky Grade 11

Congratulations to: Katya Farber for receiving Honorable Mention in the 9th grade Chemistry category for her project “Is the Medicine Cabinet a Good Place for your Medicine?” and David Grabovsky who placed

third in the 11th grade Physics Category for his project “Harvesting Solar Thermal Energy.”

David also received two special awards: a $40,000 scholarship to University of the Sciences and an invitation to present his research at University of Pennsylvania’s NanoDay Expo in October.

Delaware Valley Science FairDVSF is an affiliated Fair for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

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13

THE MUSICALThe Lower Moreland High School Drama Club performed 13, THE MUSICAL at a three day showing on April 3rd - 5th in the high school auditorium. The play is based on the book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. The story centers on Evan, a 13-year-old New Yorker. He’s uprooted by his parents’ divorce and must make his way in foreign Indiana. Although navigating the Big Apple had been a cinch, Evan’s new life isn’t. He deals with cliques and must figure out how he fits in. This play must have struck a personal chord for all those who felt awkward, confused, frustrated and alone during those teen years.

The play was directed by Mr. Michael Barash, whose goal is to provide students a quality Theatre Arts education so they can grown and learn as performers. Performers included Chase Otto, Sarah Leiber, Richard Hoff with lead roles and a talented cast of performers and an amazing crew that included: Assistant Director, Leah Abramson; Technical Director, John Haldeman; Vocal Director, Susanne Lee; Orchestra Director, Glen DeGeorge; Choreographer, Samantha Fazio; Producer, Harvey Perelman; and Stage Manager, Tina Wang.

The performance was enjoyed by family, friends, the community, the staff, the superintendent, Dr. Marykay Feeley, and members of the board of directors.

Our own Carol Lusignea is a finalist in the Voices of Inspiration Award. She was nominated by Mrs. Hillary Eisenman, a music teacher from Pine Road.

Ms. Eisenman described Carol as a person who:

always works to become a more effective educator, has excellent classroom management, sets high standards for her students, has created a collaborative community at school, is a team player, and most notably, she sets a high standard of professionalism that few reach. All qualities of excellence that we strive to achieve at Lower Moreland. Carol Lusignea we salute you!

Carol Lusignea nominated for the Voices of Inspiration Award

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The Advanced Placement and Honors Classes Art Show was held on April 24th at the Lower Moreland High School. The LMHS Art Department hosted the evening which in-cluded ceramics, drawings, and photographic works.

The Lower Moreland Art

Department congratulates

Julianna Magazzeni and Sarah

Moore. Julianna’s “Tiara”

photograph won First Place

in the Montgomery County

High School Exhibition held

at Montgomery County

Community College. Sarah

Moore received an Honorable

Mention for her “Repsol 1000”

Digital Photograph submission. Julianna Magazzeni Sarah Moore

Extraordinary Achievements in

Lower Moreland High School students’ art work was selected to be displayed at the PSEA twenty-seventh annual “Touch the Future” juried student art exhi-bition held March 3-27 at Arcadia University’s Common Art Gallery.

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Students in the first grade at Pine Road School got the chance to learn about the weather and participate in a weather experiment with staff at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, New Jersey via a video conference entitled, “It’s Raining Cats and Dogs!”

The students in Mrs. Fishman’s first grade class did a demonstration on what it’s like to be a cloud. They also performed an experiment to learn about evaporation and the formation of water droplets which become rain.

Pine Road’s first ever Multi-cultural Night was held on Thursday, April 24th in the school gym. A sub-group of the school’s Diversity Committee worked to put this evening together to celebrate the diversity in the district.

Families shared food, clothing, and music from their different cultures. Participants sampled a rice drink from South Korea and pierogies from Poland, among

other delicacies. The kids drew flags representing their culture and posted them on the wall.

The evening was a great success and the start of a great tradition. The principal, Mrs. Donna Blakeman, thanked the staff members: Mrs. Arnwine, Mrs. Cerruti, Ms. Dorner, Mrs. Kyvernitis, Mrs. Rozniatoski, Mrs. Daries, and Mrs. Grossman and PTA parent Mrs. Nathan for putting the evening together.

Multi-Cultural Night at Pine Road

It’s Raining Cats and Dogs at Pine Road

Spring ushers in many new additions. One of them was a new family of ducklings at Pine Road. The mother duck nested under the Pine Road playground where 11 eggs were hatched. The proud family was released into the PR nature trail.

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On May 1, Lower Moreland High School held its Spring Concert honoring, “Those Who Serve.” The evening featured guest composer/conductor, Mr. Stephen Melillo. Mr. Melillo was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in Music and an Oscar for one of his film scores. Patriotic music was performed by the

String Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Sarah Gulish; the Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, and Symphonic Band, under the direction of Erin Stroup; and the Honor Choir and the Concert Choir under the direction of Susanna Lee. The veterans in the

audience were recognized and thanked for their service.

A Musical Tribute honoring “Those Who Serve”

The Lower Moreland High School Music Department faculty and students conducted an evening concert in Virginia honoring our troops. The experience was amazing and emotional. Once again, a fabulous performance.

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With strong support by the staff, students, and the community, the lacrosse team, led by Coaches Jessica Brown and Trish Zawacki, raised $3000 during this year’s Ultimate Challenge. The Ultimate Challenge is a yearly event that places staff vs. current seniors in a competitive basketball game. The staff won in a very close game. More importantly, money was raised to support local boy 3 year old Ciarlo who was born with Spina Bifida with Hydrocephalus and his family through the Sunshine Foundation. The foundation is a local charity that answers the dreams of chronically ill, seriously ill, physically challenged, and abused children whose families cannot fulfill their requests due to the financial strain of the child’s illness.

The Foundation for Lower Moreland SchoolsWhen it comes to the education of our children, we aim to do more, and offer more, and accomplish more. The Foundation for Lower Moreland Schools under of leadership of Mrs. Leslie Clayton Howard and the Board of Directors work tirelessly to achieve this objective. This year’s annual fundraiser held on March 15th at the Huntingdon Valley Country Club was a huge success. Parents, staff, administration, family and friends came out to support this effort and enjoyed excellent food, prizes, raffles, gaming and lots of fun while saying, “Yes, we support public education and the Lower Moreland Township School District.” For more information visit:

www.lmtsd.org

Promoting

Excellence

in

Education

Lacrosse Team Caring and Sharing

in the Community

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The Lower Moreland High School Newsletter, THE LION’S ROAR, won the first place award in the American Press Association’s Annual Review and Contest. Newspaper Adviser, Mr. Lawrence Leong, recognized Editor Conner Brennan and the entire newspaper staff for their outstanding contributions.

Colleen Cerruti, the Life Skills teacher at Pine Road School, earned an Honorable Mention in the Phillies’ Teacher All-Star Contest. She was recognized with tickets to the May 2nd game and her name appeared in a Teacher All-Star supplement that was handed out to all fans. She was nominated for being her students’ cheerleader, champion, and biggest supporter!


Arts Festival

Lower Moreland High School

Thursday, May 15th

6:30 – 8:30 PM

Show contains work from Pine Road, Murray Avenue and the High School. There will be refreshments and activities for kids of all ages, such as: fish printing, clay sculptures, face painting, music and more!

#1

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Dr. Murray CohenPresident

Mr. Michael MuellerVice President

Mr. Alan SteinbergTreasurer

Mrs. Camille BakerSecretary

Mr. Steve Geiger

Mr. Robert Howard

Mr. Yuri Khalif

Mr. Howard Patent

Mr. Lance Wolbransky

Dr. Marykay FeeleySuperintendent of Schools

Cheryl Galdo, Esq.Director of Human Resources/Public Relations

spring edition e-newsletterlegendary count basie orchestra. the high school jazz ensemble gave a...

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