March 3, 2014
Congratulatuons to Richard Nase, Leonard Ogazalek and Rian Shubeck for their outstanding performance at the regional wrestling competition held at Wilson West Lawn High School. Each of these fine young men has advanced and have earned the opportunity to compete for a state title in Hershey on March 6 th and 7th. It is difficult to put into words how proud we are of these athletes. Kudos to coach Tim Robb and his staff. Go Panthers!
We are proud to install our newest members into the Panther Valley Chapter of the National Honor Society. Inductions will take place on Wednesday March 5, 2014 at 7:00 PM in the Panther Valley High School auditorium. The National Honor Society induction ceremony is a celebration of scholarship and we invite everyone to join us in honoring the achievements of these scholoars.
Panther Valley Math, English and Biology teachers are conducting benchmark assessements with their students. These assessements will be used to provide performance data that will drive future instruction in the classroom and preparation for the Keystone Exams. The Keystone Exams testing window will be open from May 12 through May 23, 2014.
At the beginning of the school year, Panther Valley High School Student Leadership under the guidance of Mrs. Michele Martin, discussed ideas of how they could contribute to Read Across America which occurs throughout the month of March.
They decided that it would be beneficial to host an author who would be able to join in on our celebration of reading and writing. We considered many authors; however not many fit into their budget and only a few authors were able and enthusiastic to come and talk to our community of students. We understand that many of Ellen Hopkins’ books discuss controversial young adult topics such as drugs, teenage intimacy, and the drastic effects of both. Even though her books discuss these topics, the universal themes surrounding these novels provide a cautionary tone and in order to do this she depicts the cruelty and harsh consequences that some of our choices can led to. PVHS Student Leadership did not choose her because of her controversial novels, they choose her because she is an extremely talented writer, who unlike most authors, tells her story through poetry. We are interested in her as a person and as a writer. The presentation will consist of discussing her profession and answering such questions as-How hard was it to become a published and recognized author? How long was this path? What are her inspirations, motivations, and goals? Not only will her presentation occur for Read Across America, it will also help to introduce students to the high school’s annual career day in April which invites many people from the community who come from numerous occupations to present students with information about a specific career. In the past we have had representatives from Kovatch, Jim Thorpe National Bank, Higwood Manufacturing, and our local radio station to name a few. We believe that introducing students to a variety of careers will help them to make important decisions regarding their future career choices. Having a well- renowned author to also discuss her career will emphasize to students that through hard work and dedication, they too can achieve their career goals. After her presentation, she will be teaching, consulting, and working with several English classrooms filled with students who are already blossoming authors or poets.
This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to work with a professional author. If you should have any questions regarding any events scheduled at Panther Valley High School please feel free to call me at 570-645-2171.
Respectfully,
M. Joseph A. Gunnels
Building Principal
Panther Valley High School