Planet Penn Manor

pennmanor: No school Sept 3 and 6. Enjoy the holiday weekend.

I wanted to thank all of you for all the extremely nice comments. I always say it takes an excellent to make a good teacher. We are off to a great start, keep it up and I know the rest of the year will be great.

Jessen Smith, number 50 on the Penn Manor squad, recounts what it was like preparing for the upcoming season.

When Coach Mealy made the 2009 football season’s motto “Building Tradition,” it was for a reason. I would know, I’m experiencing it.

Being a senior on the football team comes with a lot of pressure as well as responsibility. Coming from two back-to-back stellar seasons, expectations are high for us and we know it.  We’re aiming for tradition, alright, a tradition of winning.

As the 2010 school year was winding down, we began spring practice. For two-and-a-half weeks, three hours a day after school we learned the offense and defense. Coach Mealy expressed to us how fast the year would go and the need for us to savor every single practice, game and play. It’s amazing how much we progressed through the spring, entering the summer.

School ended abruptly on June 10, at that point football consumed my life. I personally didn’t go on a vacation all summer for this reason. Three days a week for three hours we lifted weights, and continued to learn about the game, and we conditioned ourselves. Did I mention conditioning? It was a brutal, hot summer and conditioning just added to the grocery list of stuff I had to do. It may not seem like much, but it became my life, and my main focus. This continued all summer until two-a-days begin.

The two-a-days season is the most crucial part of the year. Progression is key! It now becomes a football boot camp, 8 am to 6 pm every day. As I entered practice each  day, fatigued and drowsy from the day before, I still knew it will be worth it. Our team of 42, which is unusually small for high school division 4-AAAA football, made progress. At the same time, we weeded out those who were not fully committed to our goals, or as coach Mealy would say, “their hearts aren’t in it.” Our goals are to be better than we were the year before and at least win a section title, which we haven’t done ever in our history. For this to be accomplished, everyone must be on board and completely committed. As a senior, my job is to lead by example and make sure everyone is always focused and getting better.

During the two-a-day time period, we had two scrimmages. These are our “auditions” of sorts. These also are to get the kinks out before our first game, our first real test, Solanco. Everyone young and old gets a chance to prove who really wants it, and who should be starting at each position. I can’t ever be satisfied with how I perform, because I know I can always do better. Yet, I did pretty well and earned my starting spots at offensive tackle and defensive end.

The school bell rings for the first day of school on August 30, and our season begins. The first week of regular practice begins and we are also in class, which is part of our responsibility. One of our goals as football players is to not only be leaders on the field, but off the field as well. As a team rule, we must sit in the first three rows of our classes, and we have to maintain passing grades to continue to play. Having to do well in my classes as well as maintain focus on football is a real challenge.

As Friday night football approaches, the tension increases and so does the intensity. Everyone buckles down. We know we have a job to do, to win on Friday night. Every day goes by  like a flash as it gets closer and closer, and soon enough it will be Friday night, my senior and last year of Penn Manor football, what I have been waiting for my entire life.

by Jessen Smith

To learn more about the team, read this story: http://www.pennmanor.net/pennpoints/?p=5784

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My very amazing class has been wonderful this first, very hot week of school!  Even though temperatures are ranging in the mid-80′s in the classroom, the students continue to listen, work hard, and smile.  What a great start to the 2010-2011 school year!

STUDENT RESPONSE SHOULD START LIKE: My favorite thing about third grade was….

We have completed our first week of school.  The students have done a phenomenal job getting back into the routine.  Have a safe and happy long weekend!

For whatever reason, there was a mistake in the schedule that we were given…our departure time tomorrow for our match at Garden Spot is 2:30, with JV starting play at 4 and Varsity at 5.  Be at the central complex by 2:30!

We are finished our first week of school. I have gotten to know these wonderful children much better. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone even more. Please tell me what you think of fourth grade so far.

Please click here to listen to this morning’s announcements.

There is a bill being proposed in congress to change usage of the term “mental retardation” to “intellectual disability.”

Gears of War: Aspho Fields follows Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago, long time friends and squad mates. The story takes place on a planet similar to Earth called Sera. The book covers the events between the first Gears of War game and the second as well as providing flashbacks to the Pendulum Wars. The Pendulum Wars is the war that happened before Emergence Day between the Coalition of Ordered Governments and the Union of Independent Republics. The reason for the Pendulum Wars was the discovery of Imulsion. It was cheap to produce and many countries fought over it. In order to get the Imulsion, people had to drill into the ground. This is where the Locust, the aliens living underground, lived. This caused Emergence Day, the day when the Locust came to the surface, to happen. In the story, Marcus, Dom and their squad are made aware of a possible Locust attack and are sent to stop it. While this is going on, Dom continually asks Marcus and Bernie, the female sniper that they meet, questions about his brother’s death in the Pendulum Wars. Flashbacks happen and show Marcus, Dom, and his brother Carlos at a young age preparing to go into battle. The story follows them up until the point where Carlos dies and Dom is told the details about it in the present time.

The book really helps fill in the plot holes from the first game and is an excellent lead up to the second game. I would recommend this book only to fans of the series as they will enjoy this book. Anybody else should consider playing the game first before hand or else they’ll be very confused.

Traviss, Karen. Gears of War: Aspho Fields. New York: Del Rey-Ballantine Book, 2008. Print. Gears of War: Aspho Fields follows Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago, long time friends and squad mates. The story takes place on a planet similar to Earth called Sera. The book covers the events between the first Gears of War game and the second as well as providing flashbacks to the Pendulum Wars. The Pendulum Wars is the war that happened before Emergence Day between the Coalition of Ordered Governments and the Union of Independent Republics. The reason for the Pendulum Wars was the discovery of Imulsion. It was cheap to produce and many countries fought over it. In order to get the Imulsion, people had to drill into the ground. This is where the Locust, the aliens living underground, lived. This caused Emergence Day, the day when the Locust came to the surface, to happen. In the story, Marcus, Dom and their squad are made aware of a possible Locust attack and are sent to stop it. While this is going on, Dom continually asks Marcus and Bernie, the female sniper that they meet, questions about his brother's death in the Pendulum Wars. Flashbacks happen and show Marcus, Dom, and his brother Carlos at a young age preparing to go into battle. The story follows them up until the point where Carlos dies and Dom is told the details about it in the present time. The book really helps fill in the plot holes from the first game and is an excellent lead up to the second game. I would recommend this book only to fans of the series as they will enjoy this book. Anybody else should consider playing the game first before hand or else they'll be very confused.

Instead of Walking Tacos for B LUNCH during the last week of September, we will be serving Ham and Cheese Sandwiches.

Soft Pretzels are available for daily purchase (60 cents each)

Successful First Week!

It’s been great getting to know our dynamic class of 19 first graders!  It is obvious that they learned many strong basic skills in Kindergarten last year and are ready to begin a new journey for learning.  So far, we’ve covered lots of rules and routines, but by next week we will begin working in our reading and math series as well as all other content areas.  Hold on, kids, the ride is about to get much busier and a lot more exciting in the weeks to come!

1. Remember to have your child read every book in their home folder for homework. Sign and date the sticky notes (or back covers on homemade books). Sticky notes are placed inside the back cover so they don’t fall off when the children place them in their folders. Please sign your name so I can read it. That way if a student drops a book I can quickly figure out who it belongs to. Children generally have their books 2 to 3 nights. This is to promote fluency. Encourage crisp pointing (unless I tell you otherwise). ALL BOOKS ARE RETURNED TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY!

2. If your child brings home a paper with my name on it, it is for them to keep. I give out my samples to the students.

3. To the parents that offered to help from home – I will send things home as I get them ready. I would like them back in a week if possible. If I ever send work home for you and you are too busy, do not worry. Just send it back the net day. I really appreciate all the help. I know what it’s like to be a busy parent!

4. To the parents that have offered to help in school – I will send each of you a note when I hear back about your schedule.

5. Thanks for returning all the forms so promptly.

6. Freezepop donations would be much appreciated to help us get through this hot weather.

Dear Parents,

Because it is a rare event that I assign homework in Discover  I wanted to let you know that students WILL be given homework the first day of class. It will be due on or before their second class.

The first lesson in our study of the “Chemistry of Bubbles” will have students experiment with various objects to determine which objects are bubble-makers and which are not. Students will record information, draw conclusions, and use this information to create a diagram of a  bubble maker designed for a specialized use. The homework assignment is described below as well as the rubric used to evaluate student work.

Homework Challenge:  Design a Bubble-Maker for a Specialized Use

Directions: Using the information you just gathered about bubble making tools, use that information to create a practical application of science. Create an imaginative drawing of a bubble-maker for a specialized use.  For example, a bubble-maker that creates foam; doesn’t need to be dipped into a soap solution; or makes large, detachable bubbles.

Bubble-Maker Rubric

Criteria	3 Points	2 Point	1 Points
Purpose	Purpose of bubble-maker is clearly stated and includes 2 or more details telling how bubble-maker works.	Purpose of bubble-maker is stated and includes at least 1 detail telling how bubble-maker works.	Purpose of bubble maker is stated or at least 1 detail telling how bubble-maker works but not both.
Diagram	Diagram is drawn neatly, all parts are labeled, and information is included telling how to use bubble-maker.	At least two of the following are present: Diagram is drawn neatly, all parts are labeled, and information is included telling how to use bubble-maker.	At least one of the following are present: Diagram is drawn neatly, all parts are labeled, and information is included telling how to use bubble-maker.
Title	Bubble-maker has a creative title. A title that tells more than what’s pictured.	Bubble-maker has a creative title.	Bubble-maker has a title.
Overall Appearance	Bubble-maker description is written neatly, has correct spelling, and drawing is neat and shows effort.	At least two of the following are present: Bubble-maker description is written neatly, has correct spelling, and drawing is neat and shows effort.	At least one of the following is present: Bubble-maker description is written neatly, has correct spelling, and drawing is neat and shows effort.

I encourage students to be creative and above all, have fun creating a new idea!

Mrs. Orihuel

From freshmen to varsity. Must be nice.

Well, nice for some of this year’s sophomores – seven to be exact – who are moving from freshmen level football last year right into varsity to fill 24 empty roster spots.

Those 24 spots used to belong to last year’s seniors.

That’s right, only 40 percent of Penn Manor’s football team is returning from last year’s record-breaking season. While coach Todd Mealy has some inexperience to worry about, he also has something to look forward to.

“This sophomore class may be the most successful class around,” Mealy pointed out.

One guy in particular in that sophomore class is 5’10″ – 160 lb. Adam Sahd, brother of former player Austin Sahd who graduated last year. The younger Sahd will be replacing P.J. Rehm, a three-year varsity starter who also graduated a year ago.

Sahd has experienced the Friday night lights before, when a helmet-to-helmet hit detoured Rehm to an unfamiliar place – the sidelines.

Wanting to be careful with his starting quarterback before last year’s playoffs, the choice was easy for Coach Mealy. While Rehm got stuck at a red light, all Sahd saw was green – the green, green grass of Chryst Field at Biemesderfer Stadium

Sahd led the team to a 36-35 victory that day against Cedar Crest which gave  the Penn Manor team home-field advantage for their first district playoff game.

There’s surely going to be some tension and some nerves in the air while Sahd and the team’s seven other sophomores take the varsity stage on Friday night at Solanco.

“There’s a lot of butterflies,” Mealy said. He added that they will have to “play with confidence” and “limit mistakes.”

Mealy recalled an inspiring instance that relates to Penn Manor’s challenges this year.  It’s the story about starting running back in 2007, Carl Christmas.

It was Christmas’ first game starting at varsity and on that night it was obvious that he had his own butterflies fluttering around in his stomach.  He fumbled not once or twice, not three, but four times in that game.

Christmas took that bad game and strove to get better and better as the season went on and prove to the head coach that he was worth the starting position.

He went above and beyond – literally.  He ran all the way to the top spot in rushing for section one that year.

Mealy uses stories like Christmas’ to keep an optimistic approach to the season. There will be a couple fumbles, maybe some interceptions and dropped passes, but maybe there’s another Christmas coming around other than the 25th of December this year.

It’s possible that he’ll be one of the seven sophomores making the leap to the varsity level this upcoming season.

Penn Manor’s first test is against Solanco at their home field this Friday night. While they are no pushover, Mealy didn’t have them on his list of teams Penn Manor may have to worry about.

Wilson and Manheim Township were on his list, along with his sleeper team, McCaskey.

Mealy, a former coach in the city school district, said that McCaskey will be the “best group of athletes” they will face this season.

Coming off their second straight school record-breaking season of 10-3 (previous school record was 9-3 in ’08) and a visit to the first round of states, Mealy is expecting his young guys to step up and his varsity veterans to stay consistent.

Penn Manor’s “seasoned,” as Mealy called them,  linebacking core of Garret Young, Ande Olson, and Teon Lee are all returning from last year. Also, if Mealy chose one guy to be in the spotlight, someone who he says is the “best wide receiver around,” would be three-year starter, Demetrius Dixon, who will be a nice big target for the sophomore quarterback at 6’2.”

Amateurs and veterans alike will be showing off their stuff this 2010 season which could go either way considering all the seniors who departed for college.

To check out Penn Manor football, go to their recently created website, http://www.pennmanorcometsfootball.com/index.php. From roster to schedule to apparel, you can find it all there.

And for a first-person account of “training camp” check out this story:

http://www.pennmanor.net/pennpoints/?p=5838

By Alex Geli

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One behavior management tool that we use in 1-S is the “Sunshine Club.”  Students remain in the sunshine club by following the class rules.  At the end of each month, the students who remain in the Sunshine Club have a special lunch with the teacher.  Today the ENTIRE class enjoyed eating lunch in our newly landscaped courtyard.  All students remained in the Sunshine Club for August.  I hope we can have this many students join me for September!

All surveys and parent forms are due tomorrow!

Please click here to listen to this morning’s announcements.

Our school year is off to a great start!  The students are getting settled into our routine and life in our cottages at Manor Middle School.  Our cottages are quite nice and with all of the heat this week, we were especially appreciative of the air conditioning! 

The students should be showing you their “Friday folder” over the weekend and asking you to sign it.  It will have a copy of the “Weidman Weekly” in it with info. from the past week & the week ahead.  However, keep checking my blog throughout the week for any other “up to date” news, reminders, and homework assignments.  It’s a good idea to bookmark it in your “favorites” for easy reference.

Don’t forget: No school Friday, Sept. 3rd or Monday Sept. 6th.  We’ll see each other again on Sept. 7th!  Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

The Androids Are Coming, is a book composed of seven science fiction stories. The authors of this book are Isaac Asimov, Alfred Bester, Avram Davidson, Philip K. Dick, J.T.McIntosh, Clifford D. Simak, E.C. Tubb. These authors share the creativity in creating a book composed of robots, computers, golems, clones, and nearly perfect human beings, or androids. Throughout the entire book, through all the stories it poses the same question. Could all of this become reality someday? Could the world be taken over by these creatures? And, if so, what is the creator of the beings supposed to do should they turn against society? These stories, while making you think about the future, also make the reader wonder if these complex beings have feelings. The genre of the book is considered science fiction, but some may argue that this collection could also be under the realistic fiction genre. The authors leave it up to the reader to decide for themselves whether or not this could actually happen. But, in reality the first story in the collection (The Androids Are Coming), deals with these beings living in space, so it takes the question away of whether or not this could happen on Earth, because in the collection, the story doesn’t take place on Earth. The short stories written in this book are enjoyable for the science fiction/ futuristic fan. If the reader finds themselves enjoying being taken away to a different world, and society this is a great read. It’s also a good read if the reader enjoys reading about suspense and horror because in the story about evil computers, it paints a suspenseful picture of how our technology could someday turn against us. As much fiction the collection contains, there are parts of it that can be scary to the reader as far as knowing what the future holds as far as technology, and the collection centers around the question of will technology change for better or worse?

The Androids Are Coming, is a book composed of seven science fiction stories. The authors of this book are Isaac Asimov, Alfred Bester, Avram Davidson, Philip K. Dick, J.T.McIntosh, Clifford D. Simak, E.C. Tubb. These authors share the creativity in creating a book composed of robots, computers, golems, clones, and nearly perfect human beings, or androids. Throughout the entire book, through all the stories it poses the same question. Could all of this become reality someday? Could the world be taken over by these creatures? And, if so, what is the creator of the beings supposed to do should they turn against society? These stories, while making you think about the future, also make the reader wonder if these complex beings have feelings. The genre of the book is considered science fiction, but some may argue that this collection could also be under the realistic fiction genre. The authors leave it up to the reader to decide for themselves whether or not this could actually happen. But, in reality the first story in the collection (The Androids Are Coming), deals with these beings living in space, so it takes the question away of whether or not this could happen on Earth, because in the collection, the story doesn't take place on Earth. The short stories written in this book are enjoyable for the science fiction/ futuristic fan. If the reader finds themselves enjoying being taken away to a different world, and society this is a great read. It's also a good read if the reader enjoys reading about suspense and horror because in the story about evil computers, it paints a suspenseful picture of how our technology could someday turn against us. As much fiction the collection contains, there are parts of it that can be scary to the reader as far as knowing what the future holds as far as technology, and the collection centers around the question of will technology change for better or worse?

Hi Green 8 Friends!  Don’t forget to bring in your Green 8 slips to English class by Thursday.  Homeroom & Period 1 students, don’t forget to bring in your Emergency Verification Forms and Internet Policies to HR by Thursday.  All forms need a parent or guardian signature.  Thank you:)

Today, day 2, the children were able to select their first library book of the year. These can come back to school anytime during the cycle. I will show the class where to put them when they are done with them. If you want them at home just remember to send them back in the following day 2. The menu has the cycle days listed in case you lose track.

The children have phys. ed. on day 3 (tomorrow) and day 6. They need to be wearing sneakers to participate. Thanks for your help with this. If your child needs to bring sneakers in to change before phys. ed., that is fine with me. They can change shoes right after lunch recess.

Please feel free to send in a water bottle with your child. We do have a water fountain in our room, but the convenience of a personal bottle helps us to keep working. Be sure it has a lid. It is very hot in our classroom and I want the children to stay hydrated.

It has come to my attention that not everyone received a welcome letter. My apologies. I am not sure what happened. Students will need a binder, two folders and a five subject notebook. Please call with any questions.

My apologies to the parents that commented on my post.  As a novice I deleted them by accident. As I said before, please be patient with me.

Please take a look at the new homework page. Tell me what you think.

The Sept. newsletter that came home today explains the procedure for book orders. The Sept. orders are due by Friday, Sept. 10.

Well we have made it through the fist two days of school and are well on our way to a successful and fun filled school year.  The students are slowly but surely getting back into the groove of the school day and are learning the rule and expectations of the classroom.  This blog will be updated on a daily basis to keep you the parent and student informed of homework assignments, upcoming events and dates, and serve as a study tool for the students.

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and I look forward to having a collaborative relationship with you and your child as the year moves on.  Please take some time to explore our classroom blog and see all that it has to offer you and your child.

WELCOME BACK 4th GRADERS!!!  Both classes have been on the go since our first day of school.  We are excited to start the year off and we hope you are too.  Don’t forget to read and return the papers that were sent home yesterday.

We look forward to meeting you soon!

It is official. School is definitely in full swing. We are getting so much accomplished. On top of learning new rules and expectations, we have already done our first writing prompt in our journals, completed our first math timing, and successfully used the mimio for lunch sign ups. My kiddos catch on really fast! This is going to be a really fun year! Stay tuned for pictures of our first week.

We had a fantastic  first day back to school at Martic!  It was wonderful to see all the smiling faces entering the building yesterday morning.  When asking students about the first day, all I heard was positive comments and lots of laughter.  Thank you to everyone who made the first day back to school a successful one.  We are looking forward to many, many exciting days to come!

SEPTEMBER 2010

Don’t forget to turn in your Summer Reading Challenge papers. They can be put in our blue paper box in the morning.

Click here to listen to our morning announcements.

According to a recent national survey it is estimated that people who have lost their jobs are 4 times more likely to have a severe mental illness such as major depression.

Source: Monitor on Psychology. APA. June 2010, V 41, No. 6 pg 22-23.

The results are in and the data shows that both seniors and ninth graders can collaborate quickly and effectively when posed a challenge. It was wonderful to watch these bright young minds quickly begin the problem-solving process. In order to be successful in the 21st Century, individuals must learn how to communicate and work together to solve common problems. Three years ago, I shifted my academic focus to incorporate a new instructional/assessment strategy, Gold Seal Lessons. The approach is based on the Rigor/Relevance/Relationship Framework of the International Center for Leadership in Education. At the start of each learning unit, the students are given a real-world problem to solve. The daily lessons provide the standards-based skills and knowledge for the student to solve the problem. In the end, the students collaboratively solve the problem applying what they have learned in the class. This application of learning creates an environment where students better retain information.  Congratulations to all the teams that were involved in this challenge.

(Seniors)Block Two Winner: Group #1 with a height of 20″

(Seniors)Block Three Winner: Group #5 with a height of 37.75″

(Freshmen)Block Four Winner: Group #3 with a height of 24.5″

Logsted-Bartz, Lauren. “Angel’s Choice.” Chicago. 2006. 20 May 2010.

Logsted-Bartz, Lauren. "Angel's Choice." Chicago. 2006. 20 May 2010. This book is about a girl named Angel Hansen. She was a good girl that got good grades and had a lot of friends. One night she goes to a party  and sees the guy she likes flirting with the most popular girl in school. It makes her mad because she has always liked him, but he doesn't like her that way. Later that night she goes off with this guy who keeps talking to her. They leave the party and end up at a park. One thing leads to another and the two are having sex. Later the next day she realizes what she has just done and is very upset. Days go by and she starts to feel a change to her body. She starts feeling nausea and lost of appetite. She then realizes that she could possibly be pregnant. After taking numerous test to see if its just a false alarm she comes to the conclusion that she really is pregnant. Now she has to tell her family and her friends will start to notice. She wants to go and get an abortion and keep it from her parents at all possible. She tells the boy that night what happens and at first he wants her to get rid of it. He tells her that he would have to tell his dad so that he could give the money for it to be done. She goes to the abortion clinic to go on with the procedure. After getting all prepped and ready to go she backs out at the last minute. She has to tell the baby's dad what she has done so when she does he says that his dad wanted a receipt and if he didn't give him one he would tell her parents. So one night when angel fell asleep she was reading the book "What to do when you're expecting," and lets it on her chest. When she wakes up her mom is standing over her wondering why she has this book. Now that her mom knows Angel gets in a lot of trouble. Her parents want her to have it and put it up for adoption because she cannot raise a baby while she is still in school. In short she ends up having the baby and keeping it. She learns that she should have waited and that being a teenager and being pregnant is not easy! I loved this book. I thought it keep you guessing the whole time and you never knew what was happening. It is a good book for any girl who gets pregnant at a young age. It teaches them how hard it is and how waiting till your financially and physically ready to raise a baby. It goes through all the options a teenage girl will have to go through to decide what is the right choice for her to do with the baby. The book makes you feel like you are there and it helps you understand it very well. At times the book is sad and it shows the emotions that Angel had to go through.

We had a great first day. Everyone worked hard and I know that will continue.

Tomorrow I will be sending home the first spelling list. The first test will be on Thursday September, 8. This is the same day we will be tye dying tee shirts.

What a wonderful first day at school (minus the very hot weather)! We completed two book projects, The Bus Book and My Bunny. The students should point and read to an adult. Then sign and date the back cover next to the number one. These books MUST be returned to school in your child’s green home folder. There are also papers that were sent home for parents/guardians to go through. Any that need returned should come back in the home folder. Remember to write me a note or send me an email for anything I should know about your child, especially transportation information. Looking forward to another fun day tomorrow.

Don’t forget: No school this Friday, Sept. 3 and next Mon., Sept. 6. It’ll be a nice long weekend. Have fun!

This was a grrrrrreat first day of school in 1-S.  Students found the room easily, learned a little bit about one another, and had lots of fun!  Among other things, we learned cafeteria procedures, took a tour of the building, had two recess periods, and went to Book Exchange in the library with Mrs. Duff!  Parents may feel overwhelmed with all of the paperwork that came home in today’s folder.  Please take special note of the work on the left pocket, labeled: “Return to School.”  These are the most important papers to look at immediately.   Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions at all.  I’m looking forward to a fabulous year!
~Miss Szentesy

Wow!  We made it through the first day of school!  First days are sometimes tough for the students, but this year my class did a great job paying attention and following directions.  They are a fine group, and I know that we are going to have a good year.

Picture forms for underclassmen were distributed today.  Picture day is September 24, 2010.

All students attended a class meeting today.  Students were challenged to take advantage of the courses offered at the high school and to the services available through the counseling department.  There was a review of the cell phone and electronic devices policy, as well as a review of the dress code which is stated on page 17 of the student handbook.  The administrative team communicated the expectations that are held for all students. It is our desire to create a professional environment that mirrors the dress of most places of employment and is free of distractions.  Many pictures of unacceptable clothing was presented though a slide that is available (Class Meetings Aug 2010).  Finally, students were reminded of the importance of regular attendance and the consequences that follow the state guidelines for mandatory school attendance.

We all made it through our first day back at school as fifth graders!  I enjoyed learning more about each child, and look forward to learning even more.  The kids are loaded down with a folder full of papers you should look through.  Some need to be returned to school by the end of the week.

Please make sure your child is getting something for breakfast.  Tomorrow we will start right in with some academics and breakfast can help the students be more focused.

Ask your child what a “me-bubble” is, and for a few items they put on theirs.

Thursday, September 2, 2010
at Comet Field

Proceeds collected go to the Coaches’ Association scholarships

awarded at the end of the year.

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Food served 5 PM-6:30 PM

Meal includes 1/2 chicken, potato, applesauce, roll, and drink for $8.00.

Get your tickets from any fall Varsity or JV athlete.  Some walk in meals may be available.

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Band will play at 6: 30 PM

Introduction of the fall sports teams and band begins at 6:45 PM.

Art is located everywhere you look, shops are open later, people mill around the art galleries and the numerous shops. This happens every first Friday in Lancaster City.

Known over the last couple years as First Friday, art is showcased in stores, galleries and even cafes where people can sit and enjoy a nice cup of coffee while looking at the art work.

It is also common place to see students enjoying the culture.  Many teens from Penn Manor look forward to the first Friday of every month when they can toss their backpacks and sports equipment for a taste of the arts downtown.

Sophomore Karla Mylin said, “ I go (to first Friday) because I like seeing all the art work and hanging out with my friends.”

It’s certainly more educational than going to the movies, or partying on the weekends.

The artwork is always different and there are usually themes for the Friday night. There is often music and impromptu theatrical performances and other things going on around the city.

The first time Mylin went she said she thought it was fun but also a little crazy because of all the different kinds of artwork.

Although the art can always be seen in the many art galleries located in Lancaster city not just during First Friday but during regular business hours, patrons say the crowded streets and festive atmosphere make First Friday more fun than regular shopping.

The next First Friday event is scheduled for September 3.  Take a girlfriend, boyfriend, family member or even go solo and enjoy a beautiful night in a beautiful city that we call home.

By Sam Valentin

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Break it up, cut open the bag, dump into a bowl and add water then put into the microwave for a couple minutes. Any college student who has run out of mom’s home cookin’ knows what this is about. Ramen Noodles.

College students love Ramen noodles because they’re quick and easy to make. Ramen noodles are more than just food though, there’s many things one can do with a pack of Ramen noodles.

There are websites out there proclaiming many original uses for Ramen noodles.

Although one, http://blisstree.com/live/50-things-to-do-with-ramen-noodles/ deals mostly with recipes, there are many more that have crazy innovations for the crunch starch. And Penn Manor students have their own crazy suggestions.

Want to build a house, looking to remodel your room? You can surely do that with Ramen noodles. Break up the noodles and use them to decorate a class project. You could even add food coloring to the noodles to make them look more presentable. Stand the Ramen noodles up like dominoes and watch them fall to the ground.

There’s even a better idea.. HOW ABOUT A RAMEN NOODLE FIGHT? Sound a little painful doesn’t it? Imagine the pain of getting some noodle in your eyeball. Sounds like a blast to me.

“I would have a Ramen Noodle fight inside a house because they’ll stick to the walls like spaghetti,”  said sophomore Michael Schneider.

Surely there’s more interesting things one can do with Ramen Noodles, kids at Penn Manor sure do have a very crazy imagination. A couple of the students thought up some good ideas.

“I would make a wig with the noodles, guitar strings, a jump rope, use the noodles as floss, throw them on the ground and wait for someone to slip on them, use the broth to make broth popsicles and you could even make a noodle monster!” Proclaimed Justin Herr a Junior at Penn Manor.

“You could use the noodles as a bungie cord, you could make sillybands, best friend bracelets, lassos,party streamers and possibly a raft made out of uncooked Ramen noodles, that would be awesome!” Exclaimed Josh Herr.

“I would make a shirt of out them,” said Bobby Lawrence.

The average person wouldn’t think of half of these ideas, are Penn Manor students going mad?

You can eat em, you can create with em, you can do anything with them. Ramen Noodles.

By Gabby Myers

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The tech and art programs at Penn Manor were well represented again at the Pennsylvania State Computer Fair.

Ryan Krause and Faith Walauskas, two juniors from Penn Manor high school, both competed at the PA State Computer Fair.

Krause was entered in computer animation, while Walauskas was entered in graphic design.

Both Krause and Walauskas went to the regional computer fair and placed first place in their respective competitions.

“At the regional computer fair, I had immediately noticed that the competition was not as thick as I had hoped. In other words, I figured i’d walk away with something right off the bat. But I never expected first,” said Walauskas.

In other words, Penn Manor has two extremely talented graphic designers, that have a more than bright future ahead.

While Krause was entered in the animation portion of the competition, he is an aspiring graphic designer and plans to attend college for this.

Krause did not place in animation, but he was one of five that was chosen for a scholarship to a Harrisburg university.

The Krause family is no stranger to the competition though, Ryan’s brother, Aaron Krause, placed fourth in the state competition when he attended Penn Manor.

“Now I know what I need to do for states next year to possibly place,” said Krause.

Walauskas was a strong catalyst in bringing the AP Studio Art class back to Penn Manor. Walauskas is the one who created the Facebook group that many of the Penn Manor student body joined.

Here is an article previously written about the AP art issue:

Some Sketchy News Hits the Art Department

“Actually, I do (representing the art department). Graphic design’s a tough and very competitive industry, or so I hear, and with this whole AP Art predicament, it makes Penn Manor look pretty bad art-wise. I feel what i’ve brought back to the school should make some sort of stand for the art department,” said Walauskas.

Faith ended up placing third for her grungy-feeling poster design; a design in which she got inspiration from her friend.

“The inspiration for the grungy feel of the piece was from my love of the Vietnam war and the 70′s in general. As well as one of my closets friends, Sidney Miller; the two divided faces in the piece are of hers and mine, representing the similar mindset we both share as friends. As for the term ‘Apple,’ that is an inside joke stating that she and I would one day form a band called Apple, and it would be the biggest thing. Many laughs,” said Walauskas.

Overall, the competition was a success for both the tech and art departments at Penn Manor, and also shined light on two very talented looking prospects in the graphic design field.

“I feel pretty good, I suppose. At first thought I didn’t even want to compete in the computer fair; ironically I had figured my stuff wasn’t good enough. All of this had snuck up on me.

By Zane Sensenig

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The branches between your family tree might be tighter than you think.

Let’s admit it. We distance ourselves from everything that has to do with our parents from the way they dress, to the way they talk and even their interests in pop culture.

However, we’re mirroring our older generation in more ways than one without realizing it.

Some students reluctantly admitted to similarly acting like their parents.

“Some of the things I do or say really remind me of the things that my parents do,” said student Kelly Herr, “I think that I do kinda act like my mom when she was growing up.”

“[I'm] kinda [like my parents],” said student Meghan Miller.

But some students refused to agree.

“I would hope that I’m not [like my parents],” said student Halle Mosser.

Students like Mosser may find the proof shocking.

The Fads of Fashion

Your parents’ closets used to be filled with bell bottoms and polyester. We laugh now, but have you looked into your collection of the latest trends?

Flannel is the new tie dye. Almost every other student can be seen walking down the hallways wearing it during the Winter.

Take a second glance at your parent’s platform shoes – you might have a similar pair under your bed.

However, students complain about being nagged by their parents about what they have on before leaving the house.

“My dad yells at me when I wear jeans with holes,” said Miller.

“My mom hates the way a lot of girls dress now,” said Herr.

But when it comes down to it, we’re in the same position as the adults before us.

“[My parents] thought skirts were too short [as well]. They thought whatever trend was popular wasn’t going to last,” said Holly Astheimer.

Many of us scoff at the idea of mood rings being a trend for our parents, but what will our kids think when they find out the similar trend affecting us, or wearing animals as bracelets around our wrists, also known as Sillybandz.

So while the trends may look different, the type of styles show that we might not be as unique as we had once thought.

The Lights, The Music, The Gaga

If you turn on the radio, nine times out of ten, a Lady Gaga song will come on and everyone in the room starts to sing along of how they ‘want a bad romance’ or how you ‘can’t see their poker face.’

“Lady Gaga is one of today’s most fascinating singers because she’s different,” said student Shannon Nitroy.

Lady Gaga is always altering sounds, looks and fashion,  and is inspiring others along the way but she’s not the first superstar to have an ever-changing career.

Our older generation had its own Lady Gaga – the one and only, Madonna, who also had a huge impact on music in the ’80′s and 90′s.

“Madonna adopted a new persona for every album,” said Thea Andrews, a former correspondent of music for Entertainment Tonight, “Gaga does it for every song, every big performance.”

Madonna and Lady Gaga are arguably the biggest pop stars of the former and the current generation respectively.

Many adults saw Madonna’s songs – such as ‘Like a Virgin’ or ‘Papa Don’t Preach’ as provocative and controversial.

Lady Gaga is no stranger to controversy as well, but it may prove that a little bit of controversy makes for a lot of success.

But today, the same ones who were followers of Madonna are now anti-Gaga.

“My dad thinks [today's music like Lady Gaga] is crap,” said Miller.

But just like how some of us have sneaked ‘Like a Prayer’ onto our iPods, some of our parents have their guilty pleasures as well.

“My mom listens to Lady Gaga,” said Herr, “She sings the wrong words, but she listens.”

More Surprising Similarities

Long hair was cool in the ’70′s and has had it’s fair share of time in the spotlight during our lives.

Our parents lived through a strongly opposed Vietnam War, and now, we our currently watching a similar War in Iraq.

Both generations have had their share of natural disasters – In 1970, an earthquake in Peru left 700,000 people homeless, while the 2010 earthquake in Haiti left about 1.5 million people homeless.

The older generation worked hard to land onto the Moon – now we watch as our astronauts attempt to explore Mars – and further.

One of the greatest hurricanes ever, Hurricane Agnes, occurred in 1972, which has been challenged by the 2005 Hurricane Katrina as one of the most costly hurricanes ever.

Different But The Same

Yes, we are our parents.

We have their DNA, their chromosomes and the same genetics, but until we’re about 30, we will probably do anything we can to distance ourselves from them.

Still, our fashion trends, our music and the events that we witness prove one small thing.

We’re more alike than we know, or at least, want to admit.

By Mike Nitroy

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What a joy it is to see all of the smiling faces returning to school.   Kids are happy to see old friends and learn about their new teachers.   I feel so honored to work with such an incredible team of educators and supportive families.    Just look at some of our smiling faces.  Welcome back Pequea families.  We have missed you!

Dear Discover Families,

Today was an exciting morning both at school and home. My daughter was so excited to start third grade that she  woke up before her alarm clock went off (which was a good thing since it was set for 7:30 PM!). I look forward to hearing about her first day of school and sharing about mine.

I started my day at Martic Elementary and was excited to see so many familiar faces. The first day of school is like no other. Students walk in with smiles and jitters and the hallways are quiet.  Students and teachers spend the day getting to know each other.

Discover classes will begin cycle day 3 to allow students time to adjust to their new classrooms,  schedules and routines. Please see the tab titled “2010-2011 Class Schedule” to find the cycle day and time your child will have class.  Check below to see the date of their first class. Start dates are as follows:

Eshleman Day 3:  September 1

Eshleman Day 4:  September 2

Martic Day 1: September 9

Hambright Day 2: September 10

Students will spend the first half of the year  studying the chemistry of bubbles and the second half of the year studying poetry. It is my goal once again this year to keep families informed of Discover class as well as noteworthy articles, speakers and conferences related to gifted by updating my blog. I will do my best. Please contact me via email at lori.orihuel@pennmanor.net with any questions, comments, or concerns (or just to check in).

Sincerely,

Mrs. Orihuel

THERE WILL BE NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD & MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH IN HONOR OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND.  HAVE FUN & BE SAFE!

As a result of the construction currently taking place at Central Manor Elementary School, 5th and 6th grade students will be housed during the 2010-2011 school year in cottages located on the campus of Manor Middle School. On the first day of school, 175 students got their first look at their new classrooms. There was a lot of excitement and a little confusion as the students found their teachers, friends and classrooms. The construction at Central Manor Elementary School is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2011-2012 school year.

Our first day got off to a great start!  It was so nice to meet you.

I’m looking forward to a fantastic year:)

Boredom is a common complaint of students yet there has been very little research on it until recently.  Although we tend to think of boredom as just a typical teenage complaint, research has found that it is related to smoking and alcohol consumption, drug use, gambling, delinquency, depression, and health problems.   Boredom is being defined as an emotional state comprised of unpleasant feelings, lack of stimulation, and low physiological arousal.  It is accompanied by the sense that time is standing still along with tendencies to escape or disengage from the situation.  A recent study on boredom found that it had negative effects on academic performance and grades among college level students even when prior achievement was controlled.   That is, boredom can have negative academic effects for students in a specific situation regardless of how they typically achieve.  Boredom was also found to relate with attention problems, effort, motivation, and use of ineffective strategies within the school settings.  Boredom was seen to be activated when an activity is perceived to be uninteresting, lacking in personal value, and not having control over the activity or underestimating their ability to succeed.

Source: Reinhard Pekrun, Thomas Goetz, Lisa Daniels, Robert Stupnisky, & Raymond Perry. Journal of Educational Psychology, 2010, Vol 102. No. 3, 531-549.

Canfield, Jack. Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Hearts and Rekindle the Spirits

Canfield, Jack. Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Hearts and Rekindle the Spirits of Women. Deerfield Beach, Fla.: Health Communications, 1996. Print. Throughout the book, there were many different types of short stories and not one of them were similar to each other. The short stories may have been under the same genre but this does not mean that they were the same type of story. For example, Mama's Soup Pot and More Than a Scholarship were under the genre On Love but the stories both describe different ways love is seen and the ways love is felt from other people. Some of the short stories would use dialogue, which really helped the reader get a better understanding of what the character is like. An example of dialogue in the short stories would be, "I don't have to"(Lippman 7), the reader can tell that the character is a little stubborn and the reader can tell that the character just assumes things are already known but really they are not known. It seemed that throughout the book there were no limitation on how long the short stories would be. For example, "Are you God?" was only a half a page while "The Electric Candlesticks" was almost four pages long. Even if the stories were short, the author was always able to state their purpose and it was always very descriptive. I thought that all the stories written were very understandable and interesting, except for a few of them. The author presented very descriptive stories, which some created a great image in my head, a great use of dialogue to help describe the characters. I thought that the author stated his sources correctly, for example, some of the short stories have quotes before the reader begins reading the story and the author places the person who stated the quote right after the quote finishes. The vocabulary throughout the book was not that difficult to understand and I feel that the vocabulary that was used really helped me understand what the author meant and how they were describing it. I feel that this book is a helpful source because it shows me that even the littliest sayings/stories can have a great impact on a reader. I also feel that you don't have to make you story extremely long and filled with detail to show your reader your point that you are trying to tell. This book has changed my thought about writing short stories. I now know that you can write about nearly anything as long as you can get your readers attention and describe your short story very well.

Monday, August 30, 2010 marked the beginning of another school year at Penn Manor. Over 5300 students are enrolled in grades kindergarten to 12th grade. Students will be have a four-day weekend to start the school year. School is closed Friday, September 3 and Monday, September 6 for the Labor Day holiday. On Thursday evening, September 2, the fall high school sports teams, cheerleaders and marching band will be introduced at Comet Field during the Kick-Off Classic which begins at 5 PM.

Good Luck on the first day of school!

Remember you are a student-athlete!  The student comes first!!

Sorry. Having a little glitch with posting the newsletter on Moodle. I am working on the problem and hope to have it solved real soon. Thanks for your patience.