Wyalusing Area School District
Ram eNews
August 2022
Parents/Guardians and Wyalusing Area Community Members:
A new school year is quickly approaching and we are looking forward to the exciting time of welcoming our students back for the 2022-2023 school year! This summer the district leadership team has been working hard preparing for the safe return of students.
Please take the time to explore this newsletter and learn about the specifics related to this upcoming school year as well as review the many upgrades and events that took place on our campus this summer.
On behalf of the Board of Directors and Administration, I want to thank you for your ongoing support and engagement, as well as to wish you and your students a wonderful school year!
I can't wait to see smiling faces on Thursday, August 25, 2022 as we welcome students back to campus!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jason Bottiglieri
Superintendent of Schools
This summer we have worked hard to provide further safety measures through the addition of security cameras throughout the Elementary and High School campuses. In fact, students will now see announcements throughout the buildings displayed on tv's as well as live security camera feed to aide in efforts of "See Something, Say Something."
Attention : High School Students
Beginning August 25, 2022, students in the High School building will be able to place their backpack and belongings in their assigned locker for safe keeping. Students have the opportunity to obtain class materials between periods.
NEW THIS YEAR: Students who wish to carry a bag during the school day from class to class will be able to do so with clear backpacks.
Photo Credit: Warren Howeler : Rocket Courier May 12, 2022 Edition
Front Row (L-R): Rachel Vidumsky, Megan Milunic, April Tourscher, Stephanie Carr.
Back Row (L-R): Sean Regan, Adam Shumgart
We are proud to announce and welcome new staff joining the District!
Ms. Rachael Vidumsky : Kindergarten Teacher
"Hi Wyalusing Community! I'm Rachel Vidumsky and am thrilled to be joining the Kindergarten Team this year! I earned my Bachelor's Degree at King's College, as well as two Master's Degrees in early childhood education. This is my fifth year teaching, but my first year teaching at Wyalusing!
Previously, I taught first grade for three years, and third grade for one year. I'm so excited to start this school year and be included in the Wyalusing community. Currently I live in Dallas, PA, and enjoy being outside as much as possible and working out whenever I get the chance. I enjoy being with my family, especially my young nieces and nephews.
I'm looking forward to getting to know the families throughout the Wyalusing Area School District and am most thrilled about being a Kindergarten teacher! I'm excited to see students and families at community events and sporting events. Looking forward to this school year with you all!"
Ms. Megan Milunic : K-2 Learning Support/K-6 Emotional Support Teacher
"Hello! My name is Megan Milunic, and I am so excited to be joining the Wyalusing Area School District as a K-2 Learning Support/ K-6 Emotional Support Teacher this school year.
In 2017, I graduated from King's College with my Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education (PreK-4), as well as Special Education (PreK-8). In addition, I have earned a Master's degree in Instructional Media from Wilkes University. I have five years of teaching experience as a preschool teacher in a Pre-K Counts program.
A few of my favorite things are Disney, dogs, reading, traveling, and hiking. I am a dog mom to a three year old mini golden doodle named Sophie. Also, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I am very much looking forward to being a part of the Wyalusing Valley Elementary team and getting to know everyone as I embark on this new journey of growing as an educator."
Mr. Sean Regan : 5th Grade Teacher
Sean Regan hails from Montrose, PA where he was an AP scholar and a devout tennis player. Sean attended Kutztown University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude in Electronic Media and became a filmmaker, something he does often while he isn't teaching. Sean returned to his alma Mater of Montrose as a sub during downtime and quickly fell in love with the profession. He spent the last four years coaching basketball and tennis and connecting with his students in and out of the classroom. He pursued an education degree with WGU at the start of the pandemic and is now excited to join the Wyalusing family. His friends would describe him as earnestly kind. His former students give praise for his humor and his determination to see his students succeed. Sean loves movies, photography, sports, and writing.
Ms. Stephanie Carr : High School Emotional Support Teacher
Stephanie is a 2009 alumna of Wyalusing and a 2013 graduate of Mansfield University. For the last five years, Stephanie has been teaching in the Northern Tier Counseling Partial Program that services students in all of Bradford County.
She has been coaching the winter season of the Ramettes dance team for the last four years, and is in her second year of coaching the fall season Ramette band front.
Stephanie is excited to be joining the public school system at her Alma Mater! In addition to dancing, she enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her fiance, son, and their dogs.
Mr. Adam Shumgart : High School Band Teacher
Adam Shumgart is a 2017 graduate of Tamaqua Area High School and a 2021 graduate of Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. For the 2021-2022 school year, he spent his first year teaching as a middle school general music teacher at Hazleton Area School District.
As a second year teacher, Adam is extremely excited to begin as Wyalusing’s Band Director. Adam is most excited about setting roots down in the area and building the music program at Wyalusing.
In his free time, he loves to watch hockey/football, play video games, and spend time with his family
Mrs. April Tourscher : Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, and Board Secretary
April is a proud 2009 Wyalusing alumna excited to join the Wyalusing Area School District. Graduating in 2012 from Mount Aloysius College with her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, April has served in administrative roles for the past 9 years and looks forward to supporting the efforts of the Superintendent and the Board.
Mrs. Sandra Fuhrey : Elementary School Principal's Building Secretary
Sandra is a Wyalusing alumna who went on to earn her degree in Architectural Drafting and Design from Johnson Technical Institute. For the past twelve years, Sandra has spent her time at the Elk Lake School District as the Purchasing and Payables Secretary. She looks forward to interacting with staff, students, and the public upon their arrival at the building in the front office!
Ms. Jordan Armitage : Payroll Secretary
Jordan is a 2012 Wyalusing alumna who furthered her education by obtaining her Associates Degree in 2020 and is currently working on her Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. Before beginning her journey in the Wyalusing Area School District, she worked at PS Bank for eight and a half years in the Operations, Loan and Accounting Department. She notes her time thus far with the District has been a pleasure and looks forward to continuing to grow in her role.
Mrs. Marilyn Grover : Licensed Practical Nurse, Support Staff
Marilyn is a Wyalusing alumna who resides in Wyalusing with her husband and two children. Marilyn earned her Early Childhood Degree from Penn College and then went on to complete a Practical Nursing Program, where she received her LPN license. Most recently Marilyn has worked at Beacon Light Behavioral Health and Bayada Nursing. She looks forward to getting started at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.
Ms. Jen McIntyre : Questeq Technology Specialist
"Hello Wyalusing Community! My name is Jen McIntyre, and I am the newest member of the Tech Support team here in the Wyalusing School District. I graduated high school in 2006 and attended Clarks Summit University from 2006-2010 with a major in Counseling. As time went on, I decided to go back to school for Information Technology. In early 2022 I completed several certifications in the IT field. I'm very excited to be working with your students and teachers and I hope to help the school year run that much more smoothly!"
A few familiar faces take on new positions across the district
Mrs. Chelsey Alfieri: Mrs. Alfieri has moved to to serve as a high school English teacher replacing Mrs. Sohns who has retired.
Mrs. Dana Otis: Mrs. Otis will be facilitating learning in the Elementary Library replacing Mrs. Alfieri who has moved to the high school english department.
Mrs. Hilary Doney: Mrs. Doney has moved special education roles and will now teach elementary life skills.
Dr. Deana Patson : Dr. Patson has moved from her Director of Curriculum position to the Next Generation Learning Library. Dr. Patson will facilitate a variety of courses and special STEM learning opportunities at the high school.
Mrs. Susan Kilmer: Mrs. Kilmer has joined the administrative team, replacing Mr. Suppon as the Director of Special Education. Mrs. Kilmer had previously spent many years as a special education teacher.
Mr. Mathew Wincek: Mr. Wincek has moved from his HS Asst. Principal position to the central office and will lead the Curriculum and Technology department.
Student Dismissal Information
- Elementary students will be dismissed at 2:55 PM.
- High school students will be dismissed at 3:05 PM.
Student Bus Assignments & Emergency Dismissals
Parents Note
If you're unsure of your child's bus assignment, pick-up time or drop off time, please contact Katy Stoddard via the provided contact information below.
If your student(s) permanent location has changed since last year, please call Katy Stoddard.
Important : The assigned bus stop will serve as the routine drop off point, which
includes any emergency situation that requires an early dismissal. During
emergency scenarios, such as weather or safety incidents, school officials will not
be able to accept changes to the assigned bus stop location. Parents/Guardians
are strongly encouraged to determine and discuss a safety plan with their children.
Children must know your plan should they be dropped off at their bus stop due to an
early dismissal for emergency reasons.
Katy Stoddard : kstoddard@wyalusingrams.com or 570-746-1600 ext. 3000
COVID-19 Procedures
Student Device Chromebook Insurance Available
Parents/Guardians have the option to pay a non-refundable insurance fee to cover any accidental first and second occasion damage to their child’s device. The fee does not cover any intentional or negligent damage. Insurance fees are due in full by September 30, 2022. Additionally, the Insurance fee does NOT cover any damage or loss of school provided accessories such as the case or charger.
Insurance Amount:
- $30 for first student
- $20 for second student
- $5 for each additional student
Please visit the 1 to World webpage for more information. Follow this link to pay the Chromebook insurance online.
2022-2023 Breakfast & Lunch Updates
Federal Government Statement: Meals are NOT free this year.
Beginning this school year (2022-2023), families will need to complete and submit a current school year Free/Reduced Meal Application if they would like to see if their students qualify for Free or Reduced Price Meals.
- Complete the new 2022-2023 meal application here as soon as possible. This will cover your student(s) for the entire 2022-2023 school year and no other steps will be necessary unless there is an income change during the school year.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have.
Nancy Iseminger
Food Service Director
570.746.1600 ext. 3015
Gift Card Giveaway!
This summer, our campus was busy with renovations, installments, repairs, and enhancements in preparation for the return of our students. Some of the Summer Project highlights include:
District-Wide
- Completed the migration from fuel oil to natural gas across the campus
- Completed various blacktop resurfacing areas and fixed the problematic potholes
- Completed the next phase of video surveillance equipment by installing an additional 28 security cameras
High School
- Completed the High School Cafeteria Project by replacing the outdated HVAC system, new lighting and ceiling tiles. In the near future the HS Cafeteria serving line will be replaced
- Completed a small renovation project for the creation of a High School Career & Conference Center for students to engage with business, college, and military recruiters
- Completed Phase II of the Next Generation Learning Library, the final phase will begin pending funding donations through our partnership with the Wyalusing Area Education Foundation
- Began final preparation for replacement of bleachers in the HS Laymen Gymnasium, this project will be completed by early October
These renovations support the safety and educational needs of our students and community and we appreciate the support from our community and area businesses that helped to make this happen.
Students in Extended School Year (ESY) enjoyed their time at the BEACH! ... (well, kind of)
This summer, the select elementary students spent their extended school year (ESY) at the BEACH!
Not really, but they did have a blast experiencing a beach theme while they honed in on their academic skills and kept up on their school skills. For each of the nine half days of school this summer, students experienced a different beach-themed book and created crafts, engaged in activities, and prepared snacks that matched with the theme of the day.
Mrs. Carr and Mrs. Kilmer had just as much fun as the kids! Some of this fun included crab crafts, a beach ready relay, beach slime that held lots of small shells to find, the creation of pirate ships, and musical beach towels. Students also kept up on their reading, writing and math skills, engaged in social conversations with peers, and had the opportunity to continue their therapy sessions. Everyone had a ball, a beach ball of course!
21st Century Learning Program Offers Enrichment and Academic Support
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Program was held this summer, at the Wyalusing Valley Elementary School for students in grades K-8. Approximately 40 students attended each day where they engaged in hands-on enrichment, recreational activities and academic support. The topics that were covered include; reading, math, environmental education, money management, nutrition, and entrepreneurship while STEM projects consisted of making slime, combining scientists with art, learning about gluten, designing tie-dye shirts, and other related activities.
Mrs. Kathy Lutz and Mrs. Mariah Ogle, Program Co-Coordinators, credit the success of the summer program to the Wyalusing staff and community members from local organizations that dedicated their time and shared their generosity to make the program fun. The program ran smoothly and gave students diverse learning opportunities. Students and staff are already looking forward to next year!
Camp Create
Twenty two students participated in this hands-on, interactive learning experience with Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) tools.
Students gained hands-on experience and learning with MaKey which is used for building circuits, the Merge Cube for augmented reality, the Edison Robot for block coding, and the One Button Studio for video creation.
Thank you to our instructors, Dr. Deana Patson, Danielle Hannon, and Elizabeth Vanderpool for making this year's camp a success!
Summer Reading and Rising Program
Educators Mallory Dibble, Renee Broschart, Emily Delp, Keri Pickett, and Heather McAllister worked with 17 students that ranged from rising first to rising third graders this summer for the delivery of the Summer Reading and Rising Program.
The purpose of the program is to combat the natural summer regression ("summer slide") that occurs each year. Any student that qualified for Title I in the 2021-22 school year was eligible to sign up for the program.
Participants enjoyed the delivery of the 95% Group Summer Reading Bundle.
Erin Salsman FBLA Nationals Competitor
Incoming Senior, Erin Salsman, attended the FBLA National Leadership Conference in Chicago, IL the week of June 29, 2022 representing Wyalusing Area School District and the State of Pennsylvania in the UX Design event. Erin was one of close to 11,000 students from across the nation competing at the conference.
Congratulations on this accomplishment, Erin! We applaud your time and efforts in FBLA!
Custodial Staff Appreciation
Driver Appreciation
Important Upcoming Events... Save the Date!
JOIN US FOR Kindergarten Orientation
Join Mrs. Lantz, Principal and Mr. Keyes, Assistant Principal to hear important announcements and get your questions answered for the upcoming year. Kindergarten students will get a tour of their classroom and meet their teacher!
Tuesday, Aug 23, 2022, 01:00 PM
Wyalusing Valley Elementary School
JOIN US FOR 7th Grade Orientation Night
Join Mr. Otis, Principal and Mrs. Coldren, Assistant Principal to hear important announcements and get your questions answered for the upcoming year. Students will get a tour of their classrooms and meet their teachers!