Avonworth School District News
Start of the 2020-2021 School Year - August 2020
Welcome Back!
Newsletter Contents
- Information from Our Nurses
- Food Service Information
- Bus Stop & Time Revisions
- Technology Information
- COVID-19 Handbook Addendum
- So Now What? Support for Parents/Guardians
- Meet Our New Staff Members
Important Information from our Avonworth Nurses
Our amazing Avonworth nurses have also been working hard to prepare for the upcoming school year. Working with our District's Wellness Committee, they have developed procedures and protocols in alignment with guidance provided by the Allegheny County Health Department and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The following information is being provided by our nurses to help our school community understand how situations related to student and staff health will be handled during the 2020-2021 school year. Please take a moment to review.
COVID Symptom Process Flow Chart
Avonworth Food Service Information
Please use the following link to review the protocols that have been put in place for our cafeterias. This document also includes information regarding how food service will operate for the 2020-2021 school year for all students regardless of the school model they have selected.
The Harvest of the Month Program Grant
The Avonworth School Nutrition Program was the lucky recipient of the Harvest of the Month Program Grant! This grant provided a free virtual, individualized culinary consultation, and training program to our school nutrition staff by a professional chef.
Chef Bill has been providing culinary training to schools for over 30 years, with a strong emphasis on incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables, healthier proteins, beans and legumes, and alternative grains into school menus. His main goal is to show that the same culinary fundamentals that are utilized in high-end restaurants are needed in school kitchens. He aims to provide schools with basic food preparation training that staff can use to prepare healthier school meals.
Harvest of the Month is a program developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Project PA (Penn State University) to promote a local agricultural product each month through schools, child and adult care centers/daycare centers, and summer feeding sites. The program aims to provide participants with local, healthy products while supporting Pennsylvania farmers and producers.
Look for the Harvest of the month logo on school menus and encourage your student to try the featured item made from fresh local produce!
Visit https://www.paharvestofthemonth.org/ for additional information
Bus Stop & Time Revisions
A.W. Beattie/AMS/AHS Stops & Times
If you have any questions, please contact Sandy Dille at First Student. Her contact information is as follows.
412-734-9288
Technology Information
Device Refresh
Each year students in grades 4, 7, and 10 receive new devices as per our District's 1:1 device refresh cycle. With a global shortage of computing hardware, the devices are not yet available. For the time being, students in grades 7 and 10 will continue to use the device that is already assigned to them. Fourth-grade students will receive temporary devices in class on the first day of school. As soon as the new devices arrive, we will work on exchanging the devices with students in the safest way possible. The device insurance (detailed below) will apply to all devices assigned to your child.
1:1 Device Insurance
Accepting or declining the annual insurance for using a district-issued device is required for each student utilizing a district device. The optional annual 1:1 Device Insurance can be renewed or declined by following the directions on our website. Please remember that if you choose to not carry the annual insurance and your child's device is damaged or lost, you will be responsible for the full cost of repair or replacement.
Please click HERE to go to our district website page with all of the information related to 1:1 and device insurance. You can register for insurance directly at https://www.one2onerisk.com/
Welcome to Alma!
To get parents/guardians started with Alma, they will receive an email from Alma asking to activate their account. A photo of what that email will look like has been provided below.
You should find the steps for activating your account fairly easy to follow. Once you are logged in, you can use the Study Guide within the Alma system for support if needed. The guide will walk you through the different features of the parent/guardian portal, with screenshots to show you where to find key information.
COVID-19 Addendum
If you have not, a link to the addendum will be provided below, as well as a link to the google form.
Please review the information and complete the form by the end of the day on September 1, 2020.
COVID-19: Addendum to the 2020-2021Student Handbook
So Now What? Helping Parents & Caregivers Navigate a School Year Like No Other
Please use the following link to learn about the sessions and how you can register to attend.
Meet Our New Staff Members - Welcome to Avonworth!
Ms. Andrea Patton - Athletic Director
Little did we know, the hire of Ms. Patton turned out to be a historic one. Hiring Ms. Patton to be our new Athletic Director created the first father-daughter Athletic Director duo in the history of the WPIAL. You can read more about Ms. Patton and this historical hiring HERE.
Please take a moment to read this letter from Ms. Patton, which has important information regarding fall sports, live streaming of athletic events, and more.
Mrs. Pharlan Ives - Assistant Principal at APC & AES
Prior to coming to Avonworth, Mrs. Ives was a teacher in the Quaker Valley School District. Welcome to Avonworth, Mrs. Ives!
Mr. Robert Eastwood - 2nd Grade Teacher
Prior to coming to Avonworth, Mr. Eastwood taught at Southern Tioga School District and Propel Charter School. Welcome to Avonworth, Mr. Eastwood!
Mrs. Sarah Salvatore - Reading Specialist
Prior to coming to Avonworth, Mrs. Salvatore taught at Saint Killian Parish School in Cranberry Township. After eight years at Saint Killian, she taught 2nd grade and 5th grade at Provident Charter School in Troy Hill. Welcome to Avonworth, Mrs. Salvatore!
Ms. Sasha Martin - Elementary Music Teacher
Prior to coming to Avonworth, Ms. Martin taught K-5 general music at Pittsburgh Public Schools. Welcome to Avonworth, Ms. Martin!
Ms. Emily Cropper - 6th Grade Learning Support Teacher
Prior to coming to Avonworth, Ms. Cropper spent time in the Beaver Area School District as an ESY Teacher and was also a substitute teacher at districts in the area. Welcome to Avonworth, Ms. Cropper!
Ms. Nicole Findon - Middle School Computer/STEM Teacher
Prior to coming to Avonworth, Ms. Findon was the middle school STEAM teacher at Pittsburgh Schiller (6-8) in the Pittsburgh Public School District. Welcome to Avonworth, Ms. Findon!
Ms. Shelby James - High School Art Teacher
Prior to coming to Avonworth, Ms. James taught middle school art at Pittsburgh Public and K-12 art at Holy Family. Welcome to Avonworth, Ms. James!
Ms. Sonia Ewell - High School English Teacher
Prior to coming to Avonworth, Ms. Ewell taught English Language Arts (ELA) and Social Studies at Duquesne City School District. Ms. Ewell also spent time as a grade 7/8 ELA teacher at Propel Charter. Welcome to Avonworth, Ms. Ewell!
Ms. Alexandra Imbrogno - High School Social Studies Teacher
Prior to coming to Avonworth, Ms. Imbrogno was a Culture Literacy Teaching Associate at City Charter High School. She also taught Social Studies at Propel Braddock Hills Elementary. For the last four years, Ms. Imbrogno was the career readiness teacher at City Charter High School. Welcome to Avonworth, Ms. Imbrogno!
Ms. Brittany Covalt - High School Science Teacher
Prior to coming to Avonworth, Ms. Covalt taught physics at Hopewell High School. She also taught chemistry at a cyber school and taught chemistry and organic chemistry lab at Slippery Rock University. Welcome to Avonworth, Ms. Covalt!
Dr. Matthew Erickson - Director of Student Services
Welcome to Avonworth, Dr. Erickson!
Ms. Nadine DeLeo - Social Worker/Therapist
Welcome to Avonworth, Ms. DeLeo!
Mr. Mark Narad - Applications Analyst
Welcome to Avonworth, Mr. Narad!