Students at Sto Rox High School received an American flag from the office of Pennsylvania State Senator Wayne Fontana. The flag was presented by Sto-Rox alum Pat Donovan, class of 1961. Mrs. Donovan represented the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. She presented it to Mrs. Prill’s and Mrs. Livingston’s art class in recognition of the work done by students in making holiday cards for the U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. Senior Jesse James assisted with the flag ceremony and will enter the U.S. Marines immediately following his graduation in June.
Important Graduation Information
Dear Parents of Graduating Seniors:
It has been a very busy, productive year at the high school and we look forward to a wonderful Grand March next week followed by the prom. Commencement exercises will take place on Wednesday, June 9 at 7 pm in the football stadium. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved inside the building.
Graduation is an academic exercise and one not to be taken lightly. For all of our students, this will be an opportunity to experience the pageantry and tradition of commencement. For our parents, we would like to offer an evening filled with great sentiment and meaningful memories that will last for many years.
There will be a mandatory graduation practice on Wednesday, June 9 at 9am. All graduating seniors should report to the cafeteria no later than 8:45 am. Practice will last approximately two hours. Any student not reporting to practice will not be permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony that evening.
Graduates are to report to the school cafeteria no later than 5:30 pm June 9. Girls are asked to wear clothing that is in good taste: a nice dress, skirt or slacks and light colored shoes. Boys are asked to wear a collared shirt, dark trousers and shoes and preferably a tie. Here are some examples of clothing that is too short, tight or transparent and is not appropriate for graduation: Tee shirts, flip-flops, jeans, shorts and tennis shoes.
At the ceremony, parents will be required to remain in the stadium seats and off the track and field during the ceremony. The ceremony will be videotaped and posted on our website. In addition, there will be ample opportunity for photos following the ceremony.
Graduation is always bittersweet as we say good-bye to our seniors, and that is the case this year. We look forward to a wonderful commencement full of great words, music, and memories.
Sincerely yours,
Melanie Kerber, Ed. D.
Important Dates for Seniors
Caps and Gowns: Cost is $22 each. Students must pay in cash. No checks will be accepted. Academic regalia can be purchased in the front office from 7:20-7:40 am beginning May 20. Gowns should be purchased as early as possible and hung so the wrinkles will fall out in time for the ceremony.
Grand March and Prom: Grand March will begin at 6 pm in the high school auditorium on Friday, May 28. Those attending must have a ticket. Visitors without a ticket will be permitted to sit in the gymnasium and take photos following the ceremony. Doors will be locked at 6 pm. No one will be admitted to the gym or auditorium after 6 pm.
Skills Tutor and Community Service: The last day to complete and submit documentation for community service and skills tutor is Friday, May 28. Community service documentation should be submitted to your teen’s advisor. Skills Tutor must be submitted to Mrs. Finnegan. Students not completing one of these requirements will not be permitted to attend the prom.
Senior Awards Night: Senior awards night will be held at the high school auditorium at 7pm on Thursday, June 3. Parents of students receiving awards will be notified in advance to ensure that they will be present for the ceremony.
Graduation Practice: Wednesday, June 9 at 8:45 am in cafeteria. Students not reporting to practice will not participate in the graduation ceremony.
Graduation: Wednesday, June 9 at 7pm in high school stadium; students should report no later than 5:30 pm.
Kennywood Picnic: Thursday, June 17
Rock and Roll Salute to the 60's and 70's
Get out those tie dye shirts and bell bottom pants and come to the Father Ryan Arts Center on Thursday, May 20 for a rock ‘n roll salute to all of those classic bands of the 60s and 70s. The house will be rockin’ with the music provided by Joe Grushecky, Rich Whitkowski and the Pittsburgh All Star Band. Vocalists include Camille Pinto, John Frasier, Shanell Schpani, Terrence Austin, Terrence Moses, Taiece Brooks, Margua Geter, Vasha Turner, and Maxine Blackwell. Joining the rock band will be Chris Geisler and John Castelli. Wes Dorrenbacher will serve as a master of ceremonies in an Ed Sullivan type format. There will be lots of doo wop dancing from Hope Phillips, Sierra Russell, Riki Lyn Fowlks, Kathleen Gary, DeeDee Wassick who is also playing sax in one number. Amanda Anderson, Maxine Blackwell, Michelle Walker and Samye Williams will also be participating. The program consists of tunes by Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Sonny, Cher, and much more. Come out for a rockin’ good time. Tickets are $7 and available at the high school or at the door. Doors open at 7:00 pm.
Academic Night
A World Awaits…
Saturday, March 22, 6:00 pm
Sto Rox High School Café
Come and witness all that the high school students have worked on for the past year.
All those attending are invited to visit the art show in the gymnasium and stay for the 7:30 pm spring choral and band concert
BLACK MALE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
THE ROAD TO MANHOOD: BLAZING A NEW STATE OF MIND
Deadline for application - June 1st, 2010
Cost: free to qualified students
Sponsored by: The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and Robert Morris
4TH Annual Leadership Training Summit for African American males, grades 9-12, July 8-11
(Followed by a year-long leadership development program)
Location: Robert Morris University Moon Township Campus
Requirements: Desire to succeed, good school attendance, GPA of 2.0 or higher, letter of support, copy of last report card, a positive attitude and an open mind!!
For more information contact: Florence Rouzier, BMLDI Co-Director, Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, Call 412-277-4215 or e-mail frouzier@ulpgh.org
From the Desk of the Principal - May, 2010
Labor Day
May 1st, traditionally called May Day refers to several public holidays. In Asia, India and Europe, May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labor Day, a day of political demonstrations and celebrations organized by the unions, anarchist, and socialist groups. The custom originated in Europe and spread with Christianity. May Day remains a popular day off for European workers and the event is marked with festivals, special concerts, beautiful flowers, and on college campuses much revelry.
As I sit and think of Labor Day, I know of no group of workers that strive more than the teachers at Sto-Rox High School. They are true education professionals committed to urban schooling, helping students experience success, finding new ways to accomplish difficult tasks, and always searching for ways they can relate to their students. Our staff is so genuinely interested making a difference in lives of the young people in our community.
This has been particularly evident during the recent PSSA testing cycle. Much time and attention is given to instruction and making certain that the curriculum they are teaching is in line with the Pennsylvania standards outlined by the Department of Education. Much time is spent with the juniors discussing the importance of the test and its implications for them personally as well as the future of the high school and the district. Throughout the year, all students in grades 9-11 take the benchmark test that prepares students for the high stakes testing while providing information to students and teachers about areas of weakness. Teachers take that data obtained and put it to good use in their classes, adjusting their curriculum as needed. Throughout the year, students practice responding to writing prompts and complete hours of PSSA practice exercises. In mid March, english and math teachers swing into action with an intense review of material that will be covered on the test. All efforts are made to accommodate juniors during the testing including special attention to grouping of students, close proctoring, and a three hour delay for grades 9, 10 and 12. All teachers bring in the students’ favorite foods, paid for out of their own pocket. In short, the testing conditions are optimal and all students are in an environment that is likely to result in a positive outcome.
May 3-7 is Teacher Appreciation Week and it is the perfect time to express your gratitude to your teen’s teachers. Please take the time to consider sending in a hand written letter expressing your gratitude for all that has been given to your child in the way of instruction and support. It will be the best way to make a teacher feel appreciated. Did you know that research indicates, students perform at a higher level when the parent is actively engaged with their child’s teacher? Please take the time to say “Thank you for all that you have done”.
Fourth Quarter Assignments
1. All seniors who have not scored proficient or advanced on the PSSA have now received their assignments for Skills Tutor, an online program that must be completed at the high school. Students may work on Skills Tutor after school, on Saturdays with prior notice. All work must be done in the school. Seniors not completing Skills Tutor by Friday, June 4 are at risk not to participate in graduation or receive a diploma.
2. Seniors should be working on their Senior Project, which includes a written paper and an oral presentation. Papers are due on May 3 and oral presentations will begin in mid-May. Guidance for this assignment can be found from either Mr. Captline or Mr. Woj.
3. All seniors must clear accounts with the cafeteria, library and front office to return missing texts, pay for lost books or settle an unpaid lunch bill. The date of graduation is likely to change as a result of the February snow days. You will be notified as soon as the date is set.
4. All students in grades 9-12 must complete 7 hours of community service. Seniors who did not complete 7 hours last year as reported on their final report card, have 14 hours of community service to complete prior to graduation. Documentation is located in the student hand book and is to be submitted to your teen’s advisor no later than Friday, June 4.
High School Happenings
May 4th 6th 4Sight Testing Grades 9 & 10
May 17th 21st PSSA-M Testing Grade 11
May 20th Flashback Salute to the Music of the 60’s and 70’s - 7:30 pm, Father Ryan Arts Center, Featuring high school students as vocalists and dancers. Tickets are $7.
May 22nd Academic Night, Art Show, and Spring Concert - Doors open at 6PM. Concert starts at 7:30.
May 28th Prom and Grand March- 6pm in the High School Auditorium.
May 31st Memorial Day
June 4th Rockin’ in the Rox - Benefit concert for Grady’s All Stars; 7pm-high school
June 8th Move Up Day - 8th grade travels to the high school!
June 9th Commencement - 7pm-high school stadium
Sto-Rox Students Combine History and Art
Six students had their artwork selected to be sent to the 2010 Congressional Art Competition, An Artistic Discovery. This competition is sponsored by Congressman, Mike Doyle and will be on display at the University of Pittsburgh’s William Pitt Union. The awards forum is May 17th and participants, parents, teachers, and friends are all welcome. The students selected were - Orlando Russell, Elizabeth Thornton, Adam Baker, Allison Funwela, Natalie Gamble, and Travis Crump. We congratulate these students on their fine work.
Don’t for forget May 22nd is the Annual Student Art Show in the High School Gymnasium from 6-8p.m.
Twelve students from the arts classes will be attending an Artist’s Workshop at the Father Ryan Arts Center on Monday, May 3rd. They will visit the gallery and see the exhibit, “Artistic Dimensions” and see the artwork of John DelMonte and Ray Black. Mr DelMonte will be there to talk to the students and give a demonstration of his techniques.
Read more at http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_678584.html
Spanish
In Spanish classes, students are watching music videos and learning lyrics to such songs as “Somos el Mundo” (We Are the World), a Speedy Gonzales cover by A.B. Quintanillo, A Los Lobos song (El Canción del Mariachi) sung by Antonio Banderas with cameo appearances by Cheech (or Chong, one of them…), Quentin Tarantino and others. Also, we viewed two Santana videos - Maria Maria (alluding to the Broadway Musical West Side Story) and Corazón Espinado, sung by Maná and Santana on guitar. The lyrics are heart-breaking but the rhythm is Latin and hot!
History II
The students are currently studying the Cold War and the different altercations that started as a result. The students are currently completing a research project where they use Microsoft Publisher to create a newspaper about the Korean War. Next, we will be discussing the 1950’s and the Eisenhower years. The students will explore what life was like as well as the fears people faced during the dawn of the Nuclear Age. We will then begin the 1960’s and our discussion of the Vietnam War.
History I
Students in U.S. History 1 are learning about the foundation of big business and corporations in America. They are learning about pioneers in the corporate world, such as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. Students will get the chance to be creative in this chapter, as they will work in groups to create and film a short skit that explains big business in the 19th century. They will work as a group to write, film, and edit the skit. Students are excited to begin the creative process. The films always turn out great.
Battlebots
Thanks to everyone that supported our BattleBots team this weekend. Cody Redmond, Andre Watkins, Cody Winberg, Sonny Smarra, and Brandon Chapman built a robot under the guidance of Ms. Deibler and Mr. Rea and participated in a regional competition at Century III Mall. The boys did very well and they had the opportunity to battle Montour’s team. We commend and thank all of the students who gave so much time and energy to this project and represented the school so well. .
Summer Reading
Parents: Did you know that the number one cause for sagging performance is summer loss. The time that a student loses during the summer from not reading daily can result in requiring an entire grading period to catch up before introducing new material. The high school has a summer reading and math program in the form of a packet that is distributed during the last week of school. Reading and related assignments are due on the first day of school and will count towards the final grade at the end of the first grading period. In addition, by completing this, your teen’s skills will be current and it will ease the learning for the coming year. Please ask your teen about their summer reading and math assignments and support them in completing it. The packets are designed in such a manner that students spending 30 minutes of day on the assignments will have everything complete prior to the first day of school. Help your teen get out in front early next year by taking a small part of each day to read, learn and reinforce skills through drill and practice.
Alumni Benefit Concert for Grady All Stars
Sto Rox alum RJ Carrabia and his partner Mike Sell have put together a great concert to benefit Grady’s all stars. Bands from all over Pittsburgh will perform, and it is a great time to catch up with alumni and hear some great music. The concert is scheduled for June 4 at 7pm at the high school. Tickets are $5 and available at the high school or at the door. Doors open at 6:30 pm.
PROM…PROM…PROM
With prom season blasting upon us, parents and teens need facts to make smart decisions regarding their limousine rental during this chaotic time. How do you pick a good limo company? Is the cheapest going to be the best? Are my kids going to be safe on this very important night? These are just a few of the questions and concerns that surface during this annual ritual.
Below are 10 tips to ensure that you are SAFE and STYLISH and SMART this prom season.
1)Look and Touch - You spend hours calling every limousine company to find the best deal, but how do you know that the car you have rented is the actual car that is going to show up? If a smoke-filled, 1970s, dented limo shows up, is it too late to say no...? Do you refuse to pay and end up sitting on the curb? Avoid these hassles by always looking and touching. Go to your limousine company and see the cars firsthand. Once you make your reservation, obtain a written agreement showing the price and the actual limousine that will pick you up.
2) Know the TOTAL Cost - Always ask about the total cost. Is there a mandatory 20% gratuity? Are there additional charges for every stop the limo makes? Are there surcharges or other fees? Is the normal 10-20% tip included or extra? Always ask your limousine provider to give you a written confirmation showing the total cost. No one wants unpleasant surprises when renting a limousine.
3) Is Your Limo Company LEGAL? – Make sure your drive is a licensed limo driver so that your night isn’t ended prematurely by the local police.
4) Show Me the Money - Sometimes it's hard to get everyone to agree and commitment to your party a month before the prom. Things change, dates flake, and couples break up the night before. To protect yourself, collect all of the cash as soon as possible and give it to your parents for the credit card bill..
5) Promise - Everyone wants to party - but drug or alcohol use by minors in a limousine for hire is bad news for you and the limousine company. Parents expect limousine companies to keep their kids safe and limousine companies can lose their license if minors use alcohol before or during a limousine ride. Responsible limousine companies use a Prom Contract such as I-Promise.
6) Know your Chauffeur - The person who makes the party is your chauffeur. He or she can be fun and exciting or quiet and discrete. Check the limousine company Web site or Facebook to learn about your driver and ask the limousine company about the chauffeurs' personality. Ask the chauffeur how to use all of the electronics and talk to them about keeping the party going.
7) Book early - Prom season is usually a crazy time for limousine companies and the best vehicles are the first ones to book up. Get your friends together, make your decisions, and make your reservations early to guarantee that you have a nice limousine. Asks about what's included: water, soda, energy drinks, sparkling cider, etc and get a written copy of the company's cancellation policy.
8) Plan the Party - You're going to be riding in a very expensive vehicle with lots and lots of electronic toys. Plan your party. Bring DVDs, party music, iPods and cameras. Use the big TV’s and the stereo systems to make your party rock!
9) Use your Limousine - You're not going to be riding in the car the entire time you have it rented. Plan out your evening and use your car. When the kids are at the dance, the parents can go out to dinner and have their own party and then return back home before the end of the dance. Everyone enjoys the evening and you make smart choices allowing you to make the most of your limousine.
10) Share your photos - After the dinner and after dance, what do you have left? Take lots of photos to capture the moments. Use your limousine as your personal photography studio. Stand by the car for the perfect group photo and then share. Post your photos, tag your friends, and show everyone else the magic of the evening.
Be safe, be stylish, and be smart this prom season.
Author: David Kinney
Science
PSSA science testing went well, and we expect to see similar PVAS numbers to last year. We are still very proud of last year’s 27.4 school effect score. This school effect metric places us in the “significantly above average” category compared to other schools in the state with regard to performance improvement. Only time will tell, but we are hoping to see continued upward movement due in large part to our Inquiry and the Scientific Methods class that all juniors take. This course is more than a review of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. It teaches critical thinking, experimental design, data analysis, framed through an emphasis on environment science. The text for this course is based off of cutting edge research by the National Science Foundation and aligns perfectly with the PA Standards and Anchors. Students routinely investigate nature through experimentation and are responsible expressing their own knowledge through written prompts similar to those found on the PSSA. For more information contact Mr. Krajcovic or Mr. Lucas.
