Oley Valley School District
Digital Newsletter - September 2021
Honoring First Responders
On Friday, September 10, students and staff at OVES recognized and honored local First Responders. Students made thank you cards that were distributed to representatives from the Oley Fire Company, Oley EMS, and Berks Regional Police Department. The elementary school is grateful for the commitment and bravery of all our First Responders.
Students Prepare for the Oley Fair by Estimating Weight of Giant Pumpkins
Students in the third through sixth grade gifted classes learned and researched about giant pumpkins. They learned steps taken to grow the big ones and formulated questions to ask the experts.
Using a practice pumpkin in class (weighing only 47 pounds), they were real mathematicians in determining the “OTT” (over the top) measurements of the pumpkin. The students had to work together to find the side to side inches, end to end inches, and the circumference of the pumpkin. They used these values and the GPC OTT Chart for Atlantic Giant Pumpkins (inches to pounds) to estimate the pumpkin’s weight. Students then put the pumpkin on a scale to find the actual weight of the pumpkin.
Finally, using what they learned in class, students had a chance to estimate the weight of “Emily”, one of the pumpkins entered in the Oley Fair. “Emily” actually weighed 1,234 pounds, and a fifth grader, Natalie, had the closest estimate with 1,300 pounds.
Five Themes of Geography
Mrs. Breen's 7th grade social studies class had fun outside enjoying the beautiful weather and learning about the Five Themes of Geography.
Middle School Musical
The middle school musical, Willy Wonka, will be Friday, November 12 and Saturday, November 13 at 6:30 p.m.
FFA News
A Productive Summer
During the summer, our chapter does its best to keep members involved and create opportunities for new members. The new members can make new friends and get a feel of our Ag department. Our FFA work days were a great way to keep members occupied and to accomplish some summer cleaning and organizing of the Ag classrooms. It offers community service hours and free lunch. They were held Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting June 7th and ending August 16th. The officers could come and do their officer work, while others helped to feed the fish, weed the gardens and flowerbeds, harvest vegetables from the raised bed gardens, clean the duck pen and other tasks around the school. All of the vegetables that we picked was donated to the Oley Valley Food Bank. During the work days we also put together two display boards. One was titled “To Have a Full Plate, Bees Must Pollinate,” and it discussed the importance of bees. The second board was about the awareness of wildfire and was titled, “Burning Up Over Wildfires.” Many members helped to design and decorate the boards. Both boards were entered in the Kutztown and Allentown Fairs and both received first place. A few members took trips to both fairs to help set up and clean up the displays. Members also entered potatoes, flowers, a hardscape display, a pallet display board, and decorated aquariums for the Allentown Fair. We also entered our Pekin duck’s eggs, who is pretty much the mascot of our FFA chapter right now, and they received first place and best in show. Our chapter received first place overall as a chapter at the Allentown Fair because of how many entries we had and how well everyone placed. Many members participated every week. The work days and local fairs helped to keep everyone active in FFA over the summer when not many meetings or events are taking place compared to during the school year.
Lilly Hetrick
Oley Valley FFA Reporter
Second Annual Haunted Hike
On October 22nd and 23rd, the Oley Valley FFA Alumni Chapter will be holding its 2nd Annual Haunted Hike. It will be held at Pike Township Sportsmen’s Association, 860 Hill Church Road, Oley, PA. There will be games, food, trick or treating, and lastly, scaring. On Friday, trick or treating runs from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. followed by scaring which starts at 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. On Saturday trick or treating is from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and scaring is from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. All games and food will be open the whole time. Bring your little kids for a trick or treating walk up and around the hill. No scaring will take place during these times. After the last trick or treaters go through the trail, the scaring will begin. It costs $5 per person to enjoy the haunted trail and to do trick or treating. We hope to see you all there and all scared.
Oley Fair
Class of 2022
THE CLASS OF 2022 LED A SUCCESSFUL CAKE AND CIDER STAND - WE SOLD OUT OF CIDER AND BAKED GOODS AND MADE APPROXIMATELY $13,000!
Oley Fair Ribbon Winners
Congratulations to the Oley Valley High School students that received ribbons at the Oley Fair for their outstanding art work. In the category of painting, Sophia Fike received honorable mention, Kendall Harwell received honorable mention, Tetje Williamson received third place, Graham Gernerd received second place, and Allison Fisher won first place and best in show! In the category of cut paper, Aiden Tobias received second place, and Carli Ronco received first place. In the category of chalk pastels Lia Vocu took first place. In the category of printmaking Carli Ronco took first place.
Pictured - Allison Fisher’s 1st place painting, Carli Ronco’s 1st place print, and Graham Gernerd’s 2nd place painting
Preston Rowe Memorial Tournament
Preston Tyler Rowe Memorial Baseball Tournament
Preston Tyler Rowe Memorial Baseball Tournament will be held on October 9th & 10th at the Oley Valley High School and Oley Valley Youth League.
All proceeds from T-shirts being sold at both tournament locations will benefit the Preston Tyler Rowe Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to graduating OVHS students annually by the Rowe Family.
Lynx Express
Lynx Express
The Lynx Express students are performing work related jobs where they make smoothies, coffee, tea for the high school staff and administration staff. The students are learning the preparation tasks for dehydrating fruit and making fruit leather. They are also learning how to follow recipes for baking cookies and brownies. In fact, we had an order for another school district to sell cookies. This is a way of learning skills and communication skills when delivering products to their customers. They also help with community projects through the Oley Fair and OVCEA. Look for us as we expand our services. We are open daily during the school hours.
Thanks,
Lynx Express
Rotary Student of the Month
DANTE CALOIERO, SENIOR CLASS PRESIDENT, IS THE ROTARY STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER.
PASA-PSBA Conference
Lori Berryman will be presenting at the PASA-PSBA conference in October and the Common Ground Conference in Ocean City, MD in November on teachers' perspectives of grief and bereavement after the loss of a student. Lori is slated to defend her dissertation at Kutztown University in the spring of 2022.
Researching Among the Stars
We have an astronomical researcher among us! Mrs. Janine Bonham, OVHS science teacher, has been selected to join the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP). The NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP; http://nitarp.ipac.caltech.edu) gets educators involved in authentic astronomical research. They partner small groups of educators with a mentor professional astronomer for a year-long original research project using NASA’s vast archives of astronomical data from space- and ground-based telescopes. In exchange, they ask educators to leverage the experience by providing professional development for their colleagues in their local school districts. It involves trips for educator participants and their students to collaborate with scientists and present the research results, all of which are paid for by the program. The program is funded completely via a NASA ADAP grant, and has a highly competitive selection process.
Mrs. Bonham came to OVHS in 2020 after teaching with citizen science research activities in Hawaii and plans to involve her students in authentic research in live studies alongside professionals and students from various schools. She also participates in NASA’s Solar System Ambassadors program where she has facilitated instructional lessons and virtual star tours for classrooms around the world. With her experience and love for learning, teaching and now researching in science and astronomy fields, Mrs. Bonham is working to develop an Earth & space science career pathway in our high school. Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Bonham on her selection as a NITARP researcher and program participant.
The Play That Goes Wrong
This year's high school fall play is The Play That Goes Wrong and will be presented on Friday, October 29 and Saturday, October 30 at 6:30pm.
Upcoming Events
· October 1st - Alumni Recognition in the morning (Schedule to follow)
· October 1st - Homecoming Dance
· October 7th - Special Education Transition Night
· October 11th - Teacher In-service/NO SCHOOL for students
· October 13th - PSAT (10th/11th grade)
· October 13th - 9th graders visit BCTC
· October 22nd - Early Dismissal for Students
· October 29th - End of 1st MP
· October 29th & 30th - Fall Play
Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness
For families and students who may experience homelessness, information on the McKinney-Vento Act is available on the Oley Valley School District Website or see below.
OVSD Homeless Liaison and Unaccompanied Youth Contact:
Mia K. Pietsch, M.Ed
Director of Student Services
Oley Valley School District
17 Jefferson Street Oley, PA 19547
610. 987.4100 ext. 1187 or ext. 1188
Please Visit the Sites below for information:
Oley Valley School District Board of Directors
David R. Pollock Jr., President
Robert A. Heckman, Vice President
Dawn Zackon, Treasurer
Eric Clemmer, Member
Nancy Jackson, Member
Darrell L. Markley, Ed.D., Member
Mary Lou Parry, Member
Ralph Richard, Member
Stuart Salen, Member
John M. Stott, Esquire, Board Solicitor
Oley Valley School District
The Oley Valley School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator who fully and actively supports equal access for all people regardless of Race, Color, Religion, Gender, Age, National Origin, Veteran Status, Disability, Genetic Information or Testing, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression and prohibits Retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or practice in the investigation of any complaint, or otherwise oppose discrimination. Compliance issues/questions should be directed to the Office of the Superintendent.