PGHS Summer Teacher/Staff Update
Summer 2014
Important Updates for Teachers
Teacher Schedules: Teacher schedules will be available on Powerschool on Monday, August 4, 2014. Student schedules will roll out on August 12, 2014 with parents and students having access to their schedule via Powerschool. Duties for teachers will not be distributed until mid-August.
New Team Members - I would like to officially welcome the following new PGHS Team Members:
- Brian Sheehan - Biology & Chemistry Teacher - Brian is a recent graduate of Lebanon Valley College and has a dual certification in Biology and Chemistry.
- Tiffany Nguyen - Biology LTS - Tiffany has a Masters in Forensics Science from the the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
- Lauren Compton - Math LTS - Lauren will be replacing Amber Biddle while she is on maternity leave. Lauren has experience in teaching math and is a huge soccer fan.
- Michelle Moyer - Spanish 1/2 Time - Michelle is replacing Julia Stoudt, who accepted a position at West Pottsgrove Elementary School - Congrats Julia). Michelle, an experienced teacher, comes to us with a strong skill set in student engagement.
Teacher Prep Day - Teachers are able to get into their classrooms starting on August 4, 2014. Renovations are taking place in the 400 wing and those teachers have been reassigned and may be sharing classrooms with other teachers.
1-1 Digital Learning - Mr. Wagman led a group of PGHS teachers and building/district leadership to update the team on the progress of the 1-1, to share out the current plans, and to hear from teachers on the 1-1. Plus, the teachers representatives discussed professional development opportunities needed to be prepared for the 1-1 roll out.
SLO's (Student Learning Objectives) - Under the leadership of Dr. Shirk, a team of PGHS teachers worked together throughout the summer on SLO's. The SLO team examined previous work, the creation of the District SLO Webpage, professional learning plans, and they dug into the Assessment Literacy Series. Members of the SLO team also planned out how to support teachers with SLO's and the professional development needed to implement SLO's.
Renovations - The Renovations have certainly changed the complexion of PGHS as we move toward progress for the future. It is exciting to watch the day by day changes of the building renovation. Below are some important bullets on the latest progress:
- Hallways - The ceiling and grids in the hallways have been removed to allow contractors quick access to the ceiling during the evening and over school vacations.
- 400 Wing - This wing has seen the most changes in renovations with the total removal of walls and the beginning of designing the new classrooms for that area.
- New Gymnasium - The portico outside of the music area has been removed and the base for the new gymnasium has started.
- Kauffman Road Entrance - A new entrance is being created just a few feet away from the prior entrance that brought you into the south entrance of the building. This has the south entrance currently closed as the new road/entrance way is built. The entrance is scheduled to be open for the start of school.
- Cafeteria - The ground work for the new cafeteria is scheduled to begin in the next week or so.
- Classrooms - Other than the 400 wing, classrooms have remained untouched to the renovations at this time. They are scheduled to be renovated for next summer.
Athletics - There will be a mandatory coaches meeting this Thursday at 4:00 p.m.
Curriculum - Under the direction of Daniel Vorhis, Director of Education and Assessment, many teachers worked on curriculum to closely align their courses to the Common Core standards. Additionally, teachers wrote the new curriculum for the new Advanced Placement courses in Biology, Calculus BC, Environmental Science, and Physics. This past week, our Biology teachers spent time aligning their curriculum and assessments to the Keystone exams. Mrs. Launi, Biology Teacher, worked on creating the first ever online course in Anatomy and Physiology at PGHS. Curriculum writing is an on-going process as we continue to stay relevant, current, and closely aligned to state and national standards.
Freshman Orientation - We are excited to meet our incoming 9th graders on Monday, August 11th and Monday, August 18th. The orientation will be held from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. and it will begin in the auditorium. All 9th grade teachers are encouraged to attend. Four staff members from PGMS will be attending to help with the transition for students and our staff. Mr. Madden is leading this event, any questions, please contact him.
Parent Information Session for 9th Graders & New Students - There will be an informational session for parents of 9th graders and/or new students on Thursday, August 14, 2014 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Teachers are encouraged to attend. If you are interested in attending, please contact Dr. Ziegler.
Pottsgrove High School
Email: wziegler@pgsd.org
Website: www.pgsd.org
Phone: 610-327-2277
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PottsgroveHighSchool
Twitter: @pgshs