Taking a Closer Look at Science

Arkema Inc. senior chemist Anna Johnson, second from right, and Myra Forrest, director of the Foundtion for Pottstown Education, second from right, check out some of the microscopes donated by Arkema, along with students Logan Pennypacker, left, and Amiyah Hudson.

Blogger's Note: Yet more good news about the Pottstown School district, passed along by everyone's favorite "information connoisseur" John Armato.

 A donation of over $10,000 in scientific lab equipment by King of Prussia based ARKEMA Inc. will help make laboratory experiments at Pottstown High School more interesting and educational.

ARKEMA’s senior chemist Anna Johnson was on hand to present students and staff with an assortment of laboratory equipment including compound microscopes, safety glasses, stirring hotplates, scales, and a metal desicator box

Paul Castanzo, Pottstown High School Science Chairman, along with student representatives Logan Pennypacker, Ciera King, and Amiyah Hudson, accepted the equipment on behalf of the school.

Student Ciera King, second from left, joins Anna Johnson ,
Amiyah Hudson, Logan Pennypacker and
Myra Forrest in reviewing the donated equipment

“Laboratory experimentation is essential to learning the scientific method. It opens the doors to a wide range of educational opportunities,” noted Castanzo. “We are thrilled to be the recipients of this equipment and as you can see by the student reaction it will be used and appreciated on a daily basis.”

The donation comes by way of partnership with the Foundation for Pottstown Education. 

Executive Director, Dr. Myra Forrest, and Board member, John Armato, represented the Foundation. 

Forrest pointed out, “The Foundation is dedicated to the mission of acquiring much needed resources for the students and staff of the Pottstown schools. Pottstown has eager, talented students and a dedicated staff who will excel in all fields. We want to ensure that they have the supplies and opportunities to show and grow their talents. We are thankful for being able to develop a partnership with ARKEMA that allows us to be able to provide greater resources for our students. Without partnerships such as this, our students and staff would not be able to reach their fullest potentials.”

Along with being a senior chemist, Anna Johnson is a Pottstown resident and has played an active role in the efforts to support improving quality of life issues in our community. 

This past summer, she organized fellow chemists to sponsor a highly successful “Science in the Park” project which involved more than one hundred students taking part in science exploration. 

Anna is also a member of the Foundation for Pottstown Education Board. 

"I believe in playing an active role in my community. Young people are the most valuable resource of any community," she said. "We must make every effort to help them succeed. Learning the basic principles of science can open the door to a wide range of possibilities for our students.”

ARKEMA is a leading specialty chemicals and advanced materials company. 

 Created in 2004, ARKEMA presently has more than 14,000 employees in more than 40 countries, 10 research centers worldwide, and a total of 85 production plants in Europe, North America, and Asia.

The 'Wright' Stuff

Pottsgrove High School students once again won high honors in the most recent Word Wright Challenge, once known as "Word Masters."

During the December meet, senior Karly Moser earned a perfect score, placing her among the 19 highest-scoring seniors in the entire country.

Sophomores David Macartney, Austin Eaton and Austin Guyer all placed among the 51 highest-scoring 10th graders nationwide.

They earned this impressive score from among more than 58,000 students from 46 states and four foreign countries entering the meet.

The school's participation is overseen by Todd Kelly.

The idea behind the competition is to test students' skills in attentive reading and sensitivity to language.

Texts the students must analyze range from Shakespeare or E.B. White to Margaret Atwood or Eudora Welty.

The one common element in all is a skillful use of language and the ability to convey layers of meaning.

Text for the December meet were an essay by Peggy Orenstein (paired with a sonnet by William Wordsworth on a similar theme) for 9th and 10th graders.

For 11th and 12th graders, the analysis had to be done on an excerpt from "Little Dorrit" by Charles Dickens.

In the coming months, students will participate in two more meets, with final medals and certificates awarded in June to those who achieve and/or improve the most in the course of the year.

Check out the new elementary attendance maps

This is an overview of the Pottstown School District’s four new elementary school attendance zones that will be presented at tonight’s meeting.

POTTSTOWN — In advance of tonight’s school board meeting, at which the proposed four new elementary school attendance zones will be discussed, Superintendent Jeff Sparagana has agreed to The Mercury’s request to make them public for inspection.

The meeting will be held in the Pottstown High School cafeteria and begins at 7:30 p.m.

Sparagana said the information was released to give parents and residents an opportunity to look at and digest some of the information prior to tonight’s presentation.

Attached to this article, readers should find a map of the current five-school configuration, a map showing the borders of the four new attendance areas, as well as close-up maps of all four attendance areas.

This map shows the current attendance zones for the 

five elementary schools.

(The four attendance area maps are posted below as large as this format allows.)

The open circles on the maps show established crossing guard locations. The circles that are filled in with color show proposed new crossing guard locations.

The district also released four lists of addresses for each of the four new attendance areas.

We are unable to post those lists on our web site on short notice, however anyone who sends an e-mailed request to Reporter Evan Brandt at ebrandt@pottsmerc.com, will receive a return e-mail to which the attendance areas list requested will be attached.

The re-districting is part of the district’s overall elementary project, which also includes moving all fifth grade students to the middle school and expanding Franklin, Lincoln and Rupert elementary schools as well as renovating all three.

Barth Elementary School is currently under renovation, but is not being expanded.

The attendance areas had to be re-drawn as a result of the decision to close Edgewood Elementary School.

However the Edgewood building will be used in the coming school year because the renovations and expansion plans at Rupert are so extensive.

All three projects will begin this summer, but the work at Lincoln and Franklin will continue into the school year, as is now being done for the Barth project.

Follow Evan Brandt on Twitter @PottstownNews

The proposed new Franklin Elementary School attendance area

This is a close-up of the proposed new attendance area for Lincoln Elementary School that will be presented at tonight’s meeting.

This is a close-up of the proposed new attendance area for Rupert Elementary School that will be presented at tonight’s meeting.

This is a close-up of the proposed new attendance area for Barth Elementary School that will be presented at tonight’s meeting.

Spring Time is Curtain Tiime

The Hill School's winter musical this year was "Anything Goes"

Ahhhh spring.

The flowers are blooming, the birds are twittering, the bees are stirring, the students are performing.....

Yup, spring time is when most high schools put on their annual play or musical and, in the case of two local schools, its musicals all the way.

From Feb. 15 to 17, The Hill School performed "Anything Goes" and we've taken the liberty here of purloining a few photos from the school's Facebook page.

The cast list for the performance is: Jeffrey Armstrong ’16, Will Bell ‘16, Cassandra Borelly ’13, John Carson ’14, Cassy Windia’16, Courtney Castagna ’16, Renee Cherry ’13, Crystal Desai ’15, TJ Galamba ’14, Hunter Gofus ’13, Lily Haddad ’14, Khatiti Harper ’13, Charlotte Jamieson ’14, Catherine Kelly ’14, Autumn Lafferty ’15,Taylor Lange ’16,Annie Li ’16,Claudia Long ’15, Erica Lowry ’15, Peter Marsh ’15, Kate Meng ’16, Nkemka Obineche ’14, Jessica Park '13, Alexander Seeley ’16, Laura Snyder ’15, Sierra Stratton ’16, Angelika Sullivan ’15, Cynnie Teinowitz ’14, Margot Wegman ’16, Calvin Wentling ’14, Rebecca Williams ’16, Sloane Wilten ’16, Olivia Zitkus.
 ’16.

LEGALLY BLONDE

Elle (Junior Emily Weaver) mistakenly believes that her boyfriend Warner (Senior Ian Yanusko) is planning to propose in Pottgrove High School's "Legally Blonde: The Musical" to be performed March 14 through 16.

Across town, students at Pottsgrove High School are putting the finishing touches on "Legally Blonde: the Musical, which will be performed on March 14, 15, and 16 at 7:30 in the school’s Dr. Richard Radel Auditorium.

The musical version, which opened on Broadway in 2007, is based on the popular movie.

When Elle Woods (Emily Weaver) is dumped by her boyfriend Warner (Ian Yanusko), who wants someone more serious in his life, she concocts a crazy plan to win him back.  This involves following him all the way to Harvard Law School.  Supported by her best friends and sorority sisters (Rebecca Smith, Kendra Houck, and Hailee Tyson), she encounters the tyrannical Professor Callahan (Josh Crocetto) and the sympathetic teaching assistant Emmett (Trevor Noll).  At her darkest moment (when she contemplates going brunette), she is rescued by her confidante and stylist, Paulette (Brianna Petitti). 

Paulette (Junior Brianna Petitti) shares her dreams of Ireland
with Elle (Junior Emily Weaver)

While following the plot of the movie, the musical adds many memorable numbers, including the soulful “Ireland,” the jazzy “Whipped Into Shape,” the show-stopping “What You Want,” and the heart-breaking “Legally Blonde.”  And, of course, the sexy “Bend and Snap” gets its own song.

Other featured performers include Brianna Beitler, Jake Deska, Shayna Flint, Aaron Jaffe, Matthew Megraw, Kristi Shultz, Dan Weand, and Hannah Windrim.  The 39-member cast includes Alexis Adair, MJ Bird, Linda Bostwick, Danielle Buchanan, Molly Chiodo, Ashley Cole, Danielle Gambino, Justin Gomez, TJ Helms, Tristan Herfurth, Abby Hudock, Dana Landes, Mollie Marko, Tayler Nofer, Andrea Paganelli, Shelby Poston, Nicole Raimondi, Joseph Ricci, Kelsey Sprouse, Marcus Taylor, Katlyn Trapani, Allison Wentzel, and Nick Wolfe.

Many faculty members contribute to the production.  The musical is directed by Todd Kelly.  Cynthia Foust is the vocal director while Victor Holladay conducts the orchestra.  Holli Artim serves as assistant director.  Costuming is handled by Elizabeth Rodenbaugh and Cindy Wozniak with assistance from student Samantha Moyer.  Art direction is supervised by Cindy Scherer and Gwyneth Thomas.  David Moyer oversees the stage crew.

Tickets for the production are $10 for general admission and $8 for students or senior citizens. Tickets may be purchased in advance from cast members or by contacting the high school at 610-326-5105. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Edible Ideas (Hold the Mayo)

Grumpy's Co-owner Sheila Dugan, center, gives sandwich-making tips to practicing culinary students Derek Piechota and Ryan Krause at the high school's culinary arts kitchen. 

There are few more satisfying claims to fame than having a sandwich named after you.

Although, this is something that usually only comes after you are already famous.

But thanks to Grumpy's Hand-Carved Sandwiches, students in Pottstown High School's culinary arts program are being offered the opportunity to jump ahead to the naming part, famous or not.

Oh yeah, they may also win $100.

It's all part of a contest called "Chopped," which is being sponsored by the popular High Street sandwich shop to give the students a real life experience in business, a focus of Pottstown School District programs.

Dugan visits with advises Matt Taylor in the culinary arts kitchen.

The idea is that they will design and prepare their own brand new sandwich and the entries will be judged.

(Shameless Plug Alert!: Mercury Staffer Cheryl Thornburg, who writes The Mercury's Curtain Call theater review blog, is among the judges.)

The winners, who will work in teams, get $100 and the opportunity to name their sandwich and see it put onto the Grumpy's menu.

According to Grumpy's co-owner and PDIDA Director Sheila Dugan, students will be given one hour from start to finish, not including clean-up, to create their edible masterwork.

Grumpy will supply three ingredients in which the student MUST use 

The students will be given a choice of 3 breads from which to choose, hopefully choosing the one that will best suit their idea for their sandwich. 

Grumpy and the judges will be in the kitchen observing the cooks and being certain that all sanitation and such is followed.

Students Robbie McCoy and Matt Taylor hard at work.

The students will be judged on the following:

* Sanitation Safety

* Procedure (NO DEEP FRYING)

* Teamwork

* Cost (Grumpy will provide the starting cost of the ingredients -- sandwiches sell for $6.60 in the store -- and the students must keep the cost of their sandwich ingredients within the range of this cost in order to make it to the menu at the restaurant.

* Creativity / Style

* Presentation All students will be required to create a side dish to compliment their sandwich.

In addition to the $100 prize, and having their sandwich become part of the Grumpy's menu, winners will also receive a basket of culinary goods including tools of the trade and books donated by Sue Repko, author of the Positively Pottstown blog.

The competition takes place Monday at the Pottstown High School culinary kitchens and the results will "unveiled" at Grumpy's during a presentation not yet scheduled.

What School Will Your Child Attend?

Photo by Evan Brandt

According to this map, the red areas of town will send students to Barth, the blue to Lincoln, the green to Franklin and the purple to Rupert.

Perhaps those who don't send their children to Rupert or Edgewood elementary schools might think the decision to close Edgewood Elementary School does not affect them.

But if you have elementary school-age children in the Pottstown school system, just about everyone will be affected.

Because, as Robert Stevens, assistant to the superintendent, explained to the finance committee last week, when you go from five schools to four, all the attendance lines have to shift.

Stevens gave an overview of those changes during the Feb. 14 committee meeting, but emphasized nothing is set in stone -- at least not yet.

As a result of re-drawing the lines, done with what school officials called the invaluable help of Public Works Director Doug Yerger, each school will hold about 350 students, Stevens said.

Dr. Robert Stevens explains the proposed elementary re-districting

to the Pottstown School Board's finance committee Feb. 14.

Of course that won't be until the renovation and expansion projects at Barth, Lincoln, Franklin and Rupert are completed.

The Barth project is underway now, and the three remaining projects are set to bid shortly and work is set to begin as soon as school lets out.

Because the Rupert project is so much more extensive, school officials decided to move all students and staff from Rupert to Edgewood for the coming school year, to give the contractors more elbow room at Rupert.

All fifth graders will be moved to Pottstown Middle School as part of this plan.

In addition to balancing out school populations, another result of re-districting elementary attendance areas is "we cut our busing costs significantly," Stevens said.

However, in order for those costs to be cut, that means that students attending Rupert will have to cross High Street.

As a result, the district has applied to PennDOT to have High Street removed from PennDOT's list of hazardous streets.

That will allow walking students to cross, with the help of crossing guards, Stevens said.

The district also plans to adopt a policy of re-districting the elementary attendance areas every 10 years in order to keep the populations at each school balanced.

The proposal will be formally presented to the school board at this Thursday's school board meeting and Superintendent Jeff Sparagana said the district intends to put the maps up on the district web site subsequently so the public can become familiar with the proposal.

Riverside Exercise and Art

An artist's mock-up of how the area in question might be used. This was taken from Carroll's Powerpoint presentation.

Things seem to be moving along in the effort to extend the Schuylkill River Trail out of Pottstown's Riverfront Park and through the downtown.

This is the site design for the exercise and art park Carroll wants to create.

A crucial step in this effort was outlined during the Feb. 6 council meeting by Tom Carroll who, in addition to being the new chairman of the Pottstown Borough Authority, is also  heading up this effort as well.

Carroll outlined a proposal to use the triangle of property between College Drive and South Street and turn it into an art and exercise park, call the Pottstown Art and Fitness Trail.

In addition to featuring a system of simple exercise equipment by Energi, the park would also feature platform on which sculptures would be placed.

The estimated cost is about $150,000, none of which would come out of borough coffers, but rather would be funded by grants and donations, he said.

However, the borough would have to cover the site under its liability insurance, Carroll said.

This is how the intersection of South Street and College Drive

looked immediately after the road was closed off. The area Carroll

wants to develop is on the right.

"All the little pocket parks we have in Pottstown are dedicated to small children and families," Carroll told council.

The property is part of a growing "central hub" that includes the trail, the Schuylkill River Heritage Area Welcome Center and the west campus of Montgomery County Community College.

With more adults using these facilities, and not just families, Carroll said the idea is that the park, which also includes picnic tables, would be a place for college students to meet and study in the warmer months, for trail users to take a rest amid some art, for artists to give their work exposure, and for Pottstown residents to have a place to get fit that does not cost any money.

"It all kind of fits together," Carroll said.

Some improvements have already been made.

The only skepticism was offered by Councilman Travis Gery, who said "the concept is cool, but I have seen about 20 of these things around the country and, with the exception of the one outside the Pentagon, I've never seen anyone use these things."

Carroll replied that "our hope is that with a combination of a garden, sculpture and exercise equipment, it will work."

"This project would be phased, so that as we get funding, we can move forward with one phase," Carroll said.

All he asked of council was for council to officially adopt the Heritage Action Plan, which was released in July, 2011 and to approve the concept on the property, which belongs to PECO.

At the Feb. 11 council meeting, both those requests were supported by a 5-0 vote of council.