Wyndcroft Students Recognized in French Contest

Pictured are: (first row) Brianna Gosnell of Evansburg, Zoe Kelly of Gilbertsville, Michael Kealy of Quakertown, Elijah Miller of Royersford, (second row) Medha Balaji of Phoenixville, Louis Martin-Labille of Phoenixville, Caylie Zigner of Pottstown, Madame Ida Fauth, and Connor Paulus of Harleysville.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by The Wyndcroft School.
Eight Fourth Graders from The Wyndcroft School received recognition from the American Association of Teachers of French for their performance on the National French Contest/Le Grand Concours. 

These students all placed in the top 12 percent of students across the county.

“We are so proud of progress our students make with the French language during their time at Wyndcroft,” said French teacher, Ida Fauth of Collegeville. “And to have so many of our 4th graders receive honors in this first competition is wonderful. One student even finished in the top 3 percent, which is an amazing accomplishment.”

The National French Contest/Le Grand Concours is an annual competition sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. Students of French in all 50 states and abroad take a written test and compete against students with similar educational background for prizes.

“The study of the French language is a tradition at Wyndcroft,” says Head of School Gail L. Wolter of Pottstown. “French is one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn and is used in many ways around the world. Every student at Wyndcroft, from our pre-school through 8th grade, becomes a global citizen through their studies of the French language and culture.”

The Wyndcroft School is an independent day school for students 3 years of age through 8th Grade. Located in Pottstown, the mission of the school is to offer a rigorous academic program enabling the child to establish a firm foundation for a happy and successful future with confidence to succeed in an ever-changing world.

Costello Delivers Grants to Local Firefighters

Ryan Costello, left, meets with local firefighters at

the Sanatoga Fire Company.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the office of U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello, R-6th Dist.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello, R-6th Dist., visited Sanatoga Fire Company May 6 to announce an Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency

The announcement was attended by first responders from Sanatoga Fire Company, Empire Hook and Ladder Fire Company, North End Fire Company, and Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Company.

The regional grant in the amount of $282,273 will provide resources, such as coats, boots, gloves, and fire-resistant hoods that will benefit approximately 120 firefighters in the Pottstown area.

“Firefighters and first responders work tirelessly to keep us safe. We must ensure they are equipped for their operations,” said Costello. “I am pleased to see fire companies in our community will benefit from this grant, and I will continue to advocate for measures that support their hard work.”

“By having properly measured and fitted bunker gear for our firefighters we will dramatically reduce the risk of injuries in and of itself. Coupled with the new PPE's advanced materials that will better protect against blood-borne pathogens, cuts, bruises, and of course burns from fighting fires, we will have the lowest possible risk of injury that a fire department can have,” said Derek Dry, Assistant Chief, Sanatoga Fire Company. 

“The fundamental goal of this grant reward is the increased safety factor it will give our firefighters. We would like to thank, not only FEMA for affording our companies this grant opportunity, but Congressman Costello for his support of these grants," he said. "These grants invest in the safety of our communities and their volunteers that serve them.”

Since coming to Congress, Rep. Costello has signed onto funding requests for the AFG program, as well as for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant program. Both of these grants are awarded through a competitive process to career and volunteer fire departments, and both grants are intended to help meet equipment, training, and staffing needs.

Safeguarding the History of Pottstown Schools

From left, Scott Detar, Foundation treasurer; Tracey Brown, foundation president and Howard Brown, chair of the Pottstown Pride Society.

Blogger's Note: The Following was provided by the Foundation for Pottstown Education.

The Foundation for Pottstown Education recently showcased a few memorabilia items that were donated to the Pottstown School District Alumni Gallery at their May Board Meeting. 

Among the items were three report cards from 1915-1918, a brick from the Pottstown High School when it was located at Chestnut and Penn Streets, a pin and class ring from 1949.

These items will be placed in the Alumni Gallery for visitor to view when touring the center. 

The Alumni Gallery is located in the Pottstown High School and was funded by donations to the Foundation for Pottstown Education. 

The Gallery, a one of a kind facility for school districts, showcases the history of the Pottstown School District.

These items were donated by Edith McAllister and Twyla Miller. Our thanks go out to them and to their families for the donations helping to preserving the history of the Pottstown School District.

Howard Brown, chair of the Pottstown Pride Society a committee of the Foundation for Pottstown Education, will be developing a committee of Pottstown Alumni for the Gallery. 

People interested in volunteering for this committee should contact the Foundation at 610-970- 6616.

Why Are Our School Taxes So High?

Photos by Evan Brandt

Roger Eppehimer, right, addresses a panel gathered by Pottstown Schools Superintendent, standing, to discuss why school taxes are so high. Seated, from left, are Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg and Michael Churchill of the Public Interest Law Center and state Rep. Tim Hennessey, R-26th Dist.

If the only thing we can be sure of in life is death and taxes, almost as assured is kaleidoscope of answers you'll get if you ask a related question: "Why are my taxes so high?"

Nevertheless, out of foolishness, bravado or a genuine desire to break the status quo log jam that is choking opportunity in Pottstown Schools, Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez put that question front and center Tuesday night at a special forum of the same name.

Here are just a few of the reasons.

To provide the nuanced answer that rejects the knee-jerk responses of "administrator salaries," "teacher salaries," "Harrisburg," he assembled several speakers to provide context.

Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg and Michael Churchill of the Public Interest Law Center and state Rep. Tim Hennessey, R-26th Dist. provided that context and it quickly became obvious that there is on one thing that is the cause.

Similarly, Rodriguez was quick to point out that "there is no villain, no demon we can go after."

Instead, he said, what's needed is a way to lessen the burden on the local taxpayer, either through more aid from the state -- which is warranted under the Fair Funding Formula -- or fewer unfunded mandates.

Pottstown Schools he said, not only produced the third consecutive budget with no tax hike, but also cut costs. Nevertheless, because of things out of their control, like pensions, costs still went up.

"There are only two ways to reduce the tax burden, increase our revenue from state aid, or reduce the things we have to do, but are not paid to do," he said.

Urevick-Ackelsberg and Churchill focused primarily on the state revenue side of that equation, pointing out that the state Legislature has never asked "what do we need to provide for schools?" instead taking the position in a current lawsuit that Pennsylvania's only obligation "is to keep the lights turned on."

This comparison shows that even with more state aid 

per student and a higher tax rate, Pottstown still has
less available to spend 

per student than a wealthier
district like Colonial.

Because only 6 percent of state education funding is distributed according to the year-old "fair funding formula," poorer school districts continue to struggle; pay the highest taxes and even labor under a racial bias in how funding is distributed, they said.

"Pennsylvania is considered one of the worst, if not the worst, state in the nation for the gap in funding between rich and poor districts," said Urevick-Ackelsberg.

For example, Pottstown Schools would get $127 more per student under the budget proposed by Gov. Tom Wolf, but the formula indicates Pottstown needs $3,765 more per student, said Churchill.

That adds up to $13 million more per year Pottstown would receive if all state education funding were distributed through the formula.

For his part Hennessey noted that 37 percent of every tax dollar Pennsylvania takes in goes toward education. He noted that for the most part he agrees with the activists about schools in Southeast Pennsylania not getting a fair shake.

That is brought about by the political reality of control of the leadership by central and western lawmaker who not only have a "bias against the Southeastern region," but are never going to vote to take funding away from schools in their districts to send to the Southeast.

Nevertheless, said Rodriguez, Pottstown and similarly affected districts, must continue to advocate for fairness.

That effort is scheduled to continue this morning at 10 a.m. 

That's when Pottstown High School will be one of several locations statewide where the Campaign for Fairness in Education Funding will stage press conferences to highlight the inequities in Pennsylvania's school funding.

In the meantime, here are the Tweets from last night.

Keeping Things in Perspective on Memorial Day

Photos by Evan Brandt

The Pottstown Memorial Day Parade began as it should, with veterans groups and representatives of the local ROTC.

Yes there were no Clydesdales.

At least, not out in the open.

The much-anticipated appearance by the Budweiser Clydesdales was a muted success Monday when cold wet weather persuaded their handlers to keep them out of the elements.

Don't blink, you might

miss them!

So instead, a truck carrying the Budweiser Clydesdales went by with the doors open, and if you looked sharply, or were lucky enough to be near one of their stops, you could get a peek inside.

But the weather is the weather and rather than flood Sound Off with complaints about how things turned out, I hope people will understand that for the owners, these horses and the equipment that accompanies their visits, is worth hundreds and thousands of dollars and not to be risked lightly.

In other words, it rained and we should grow up and get over it.

Let's remember why we were there folks.

Yeah, and then I woke up.

Hello Sound-Off.

But if I might, would it not be better to consider what this day is truly meant to commemorate?

It's about remembering those who died in service to their country.  That's the thing to focus on here.

And let's face it, the fact that it was announced the Clydesdales would be in the parade was a big draw (and thanks to Chip Smale and Marcia Levengood for making it happen, even if it didn't happen as we all might have liked.)

Pottstown High School Marching Band

The Clydesdales brought people out in droves, perhaps reminding us that they should come out in such numbers every year, even for just an hour.

I would think that those who died in service to their country deserve at least that much consideration -- particularly from a crowd of people at a Memorial Day Parade.

And it is more than a parade. Ceremonies take place at cemeteries and war memorials all over the country on this day.

The ceremony at Memorial Park was, as always, solemn and respectful.

No idea what's

going on here ...

And honestly,  I think that if more people attended that ceremony, they might realize the fact that the Clydesdales could not be out in the open pulling their wagon is of less consequence than the reason they had come to Pottstown in the first place.

Llamas????

Also consider what the parade represents in terms of community; how many different groups come together to ensure that commemoration and memorial is worthy of the sacrifice we are all bidden to remember on this day.

The are veterans groups, school bands, a dizzying array of fire trucks, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, twirlers, even the strange and unexpected (not really sure why I saw llamas -- or alpacas -- in the parade but everyone's welcome).

When Pottstown stages a parade like this, it is literally putting itself on display, showing off just some of the many things happen here all the time -- usually while we're complaining in Sound Off -- that don't happen in other places.

Sanatoga Fire Company's Crooked Hill Ridge Runners, 

arguably, had  the best view of the parade.

These things happen because people, most often volunteers, are quietly giving of their time and expertise to try to make their community better, or safer, or more aware, rather than stomping their feet while sitting on their sofa complaining about why things can't be better.

We should respect and celebrate that and perhaps ask ourselves:  "Is there something I could be doing to help out? To make Pottstown a better place to live?"

Photo by Karen Maxfield

Take for example, the regalia worn by Ben Hayes,

director of the Pottsgrove Middle School Marching Band,

and, apparently, a fashion-forward patriot. He's all in.

I have come to love the parades here in town, if only for that reason, that it puts our best face forward; it's Pottstown in display.

And when it's for the Memorial Day Parade, that effort could not be undertaken for a better cause that I can think of.

Here are the Tweets from the parade.

Hill Students Take "Tell Me a Story' to New Level

Photo courtesy of The Hill School

Gene Chung, a sophomore from McLean Virginia, records his story for children battling cancer at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by The Hill School.

Children battling serious diseases face countless challenges in addition to the taxing treatments they must endure. Mentally, they must deal with fear, anxiety, and social isolation, among other concerns. 

Long waits at the hospital for treatment, often while confined to waiting areas, only add to their stress.

This spring, students of Mark Pearson, Ph.D., an instructor of English and Director of the Humphrey Family Writing Center at The Hill School (Pottstown, Pa.), participated in a service learning project they hope will bring healthy diversion and inspiration to children at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

Pearson, a graduate of The Hill School’s class of ’78 and a published author, asked two of his English classes to write “porquoi tales” for young children. 

Porquoi means “why” in French, and the stories typically answer a question such as “why is the sky blue?” or “how did the moon learn to ‘fly’?”

Furthermore, the classes collaborated with Hill’s Director of Electronic Media Andy Skitko, who facilitated recording sessions using the School’s media production studio, where students read their own stories. 

The end result will be production of a professional-quality CD with compilations of the original folktales. The CD will be given in May to children at CHOP for their listening enjoyment as they are waiting for treatment and recovering.

“Part of my students’ assignment was to learn about writing for a specific

Hill School teacher Mark Pearson

audience,” Pearson says. “We also spent some time studying Native American stories. Through this assignment, the students have a real audience for their own creative folktales.”

Pearson led a similar project when he taught previously at the Kinkaid School in Houston, Texas, for children at Texas Children’s Hospital. In that case, Pearson worked with a company called Reading For The Blind to create the recordings.

At The Hill, Pearson mentioned the story writing-and- recording idea to a friend, Linda Zitkus, a CHOP pediatric nurse and the mother of two current Hill students and a recent alumna. Zitkus then connected Pearson with Rebecca Rector, a certified child life specialist in CHOP’S oncology and bone marrow transplant division. 

Rector was thrilled to learn about the project and is eager to share the completed results with patients at the hospital.

“Our students are really excited about this project,” Pearson notes. “I know from my work with Texas Children’s Hospital that children really like listening to stories read by other ‘children.’ And our Hill students like the idea of doing something special for the children at CHOP, specifically.”

The completed CD will contain stories written and read by the 22 students who participated.

The students’ porquoi story topics range from why there are four seasons and why trees grow to be so tall, to why the turtle has a shell.

Sine Polcharoen, a student from Thailand and author of the pepper story, says she enjoyed the creative process of “animating inanimate objects” and knowing that the result may help to brighten a child’s day.

Madeline Kollar of Spring City, says she crafted her story about how trees came to bear fruit to include a moral about never giving up. Interesting, she adds, “I always wanted to work somehow with kids from CHOP, so knowing that I can have an impact, even an indirect one, makes me feel like I’m contributing to the ‘greater good.’”

In writing her folktale about the moon, Brittany Bardman of Oley, wanted to create a story about “inner beauty” and to convey that “outer beauty is not nearly as important as inner beauty.”

“I love knowing that my English project will be used in a wonderful cause,” says Madison Kershner, a student from Gilbertsville. “I hope the children love it!”

As for Dr. Pearson, he hopes to make the English class project an annual assignment and to continue this meaningful collaboration with CHOP.

A Great Environment for Middle School Learning

Pottstown Middle School's Environmental Club in the Poconos.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Foundation for Pottstown Education.

Through funding provided by the Foundation for Pottstown Education, the Pottstown Middle School Environmental Club attended the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) from May 17-19.

Students learned about stream ecology.

Twenty nine students along with teachers made the trip to Dingman's Ferry for three days of educational experiences and fun.

The students and chaperons camped in the Yurt village, which are domed tents on a platform. 

 They hiked over seven miles in two days, participated in team building activities and a confidence course.

 The students learned about stream ecology and the sustainable practices that PEEC has implemented.

They went canoeing and had a campfire complete with smores. Each student took a turn in the cafeteria setting the tables for the group, clearing everyone's plates, wiping the tables and sweeping the floor. 

The students were also required to journal about various experiences throughout their time at PEEC.

This is an annual trip for the club, however, this year’s trip was in jeopardy of being cancelled due to a loss in funding by a grant that no longer provided funding for trips such as this. 

Mrs. Angelo, Middle School Teacher and Club advisor approached the Foundation for Pottstown Education requesting assistance in paying for the trip. 

The Foundation provided $2,500 to support the Environmental Club in this effort. The Foundation received a donation from an anonymous donor providing funds for Environmental Programs and was able to support this Club.