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William Penn
Elementary School

Penn Celebrates Earth Day

The students at William Penn celebrated Earth Day by participating in several Earth Day projects designed to help clean up the school grounds and plant grass and flowers.  It was a great way to do something nice and eco-friendly for our favorite school!

Please click here to see more pictures of the activities.

Gainar Scholarship to be Awarded to Kathryn Amrhein

Congratulations to Bethel Park High School senior Kathryn "Kat" Amrhein, who is the recipient of the 2008 Rosemary Gainar Memorial Scholarship, which is given each year to a BPHS senior and Penn alumni in memory of Penn Computer Paraprofessional Rosemary Gainar.  Kat plans to attend Miami University of Ohio in the fall.

Students Do the Bunny Hop on Fitness Day

One day each month during the 2007-2008 school year, everyone at William Penn celebrates Fitness Day, with a special physical activity selected for that particular month, followed by a healthy snack.  In March, students made paper rabbit ears and did the Bunny Hop throughout the school.  The Hop started in the gym and as it passed each classroom, students joined in the giant Bunny Hop Line until they danced around the school and back to their classrooms.  After the Hop, students enjoyed a healthy treat of--what else?--carrot sticks!

Please click here to see more of the hopping good fun!

Curious George Visits Penn!

Everybody's favorite monkey, Curious George, paid a visit to William Penn, thanks to the folks from Barnes and Noble.  He brought books with him to be read to the students and every student received a George's favorite treat--a banana!  The bananas were provided courtesy of Giant Eagle--thank you!

Everybody wanted their picture taken with Curious George.  Click here to see those photos.

Penn Students Parade as Their Favorite Book Characters

To celebrate Read Across America Week, William Penn students dressed up as their favorite book characters and paraded throughout the school.  The parade ended in the Multi-Purpose Room where Mr. Spalaris, dressed as the Cat in the Hat, talked to the students about the importance of reading.  The students were able to select a book of their choosing from a selection table on their way back to the classroom, and thanks to the William Penn PTO, every Penn student received a book from Scholastic.  Keep on reading!

Please click here to see pictures from the event.

Penn Welcomes Chinese Delegation!

William Penn was honored to welcome a visiting delegation of 16 administrators, teachers and students from the Xing Zhi High School, Bethel Park's sister school in Shanghai, China.  The delegation had an opportunity to see how an American elementary school works and our students and teachers had the opportunity to learn more about education and the culture of China.

Please click here to see more pictures from the delegation visit.

Fourth Graders Raise $600 for Cystic Fibrosis!

The students in Penn's two Fourth Grade Classes do an excellent job of coordinating the annual Anna's Trees campaign to benefit Cystic Fibrosis.  Penn staff and students have the opportunity to purchase paper "ornaments" shaped like gingerbread men, stars, trees, snowflakes and teddy bears for $1 to benefit CF.  The fourth graders color each of the ornaments and put the donors' names on their ornament.  Then the ornaments are affixed to three giant paper Christmas trees and seven paper wreaths in the school's hallway.  This year the project raised $600!  Thank you to everyone who contributed!

Please click here to see pictures of the trees and wreaths.

Penn First Graders Give Thanks!

First Graders in Mr. Foster's class had a pre-Thanksgiving celebration, where they dressed as either Pilgrims or  Indians and enjoyed a feast of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, corn and pumpkin pie!  It was delicious!

Please click here to see more pictures from our Feast!

William Penn Students Host Classroom Open House

Even though William Penn had an Open House in September, the students in Mrs. Nolan's classroom like to have their own Open House where they get to serve as the tour guides.  Visitors to the Open House were assigned a personal student tour guide who enthusiastically took their guest around the classroom to show all of the different learning areas as well as the projects they have been working on.  The tour ended with a visit to the student's desk and then a trip to the refreshment table.  It was great to see all of the exciting things Mrs. Nolan's students are learning this school year and how happy they are to be a part of her classroom.

Please click here to see more photos from the Open House!

Penn Support Orphans in Zimbabwe

All 9 homerooms at William Penn have stepped to the plate and have sponsored an orphan at the Nyadire Mission School in Zimbabwe, Africa.  Each homeroom purchased a back pack and filled the back pack with school supplies to be shipped to a student in the mission school. Additionally, each homeroom raised $50 to send to Zimbabwe to financially support their assigned student.  The money will cover the cost of a school uniform and administrative fees for an entire year.  The Penn students will also correspond with their new friend periodically throughout the school year.  We're in the process of inventorying all of the donated items, so please check back for updated information!  Thank you Penn students, teachers and PTO, for your enthusiastic support of students who are not as fortunate!

PRIDE Conducts Poster Contest During Red Ribbon Week

PRIDE of Bethel Park sponsored a poster contest in all Bethel Park Elementary Schools during Red Ribbon Week.  The contest was open to third and fourth graders and the posters had to portray a drug-free message.  Penn's winners were Mary Kate Lowery and Leah Fertal.  The winning posters were displayed at Bethel Park Stadium during the last home football game of the season an d the winners received a Wal-Mart gift card.  PRIDE is a group of high school students who are devoted to drug prevention and education among their peers and elementary students.  They promote a positive, healthy lifestyle through community service, outreach activities and educational performances.  For more information about PRIDE and its activities, go to www.prideofbp.org.

Mr. H Arrives on a Harley!

Vroom!  Vroom!  What is that noise?  Why, it's Mr. H arriving at William Penn on a Harley, driven by William Penn Friend Ray Cozza!  And on the back of the Harley is Mr. Spalaris wearing his Happy Hair!

Please click here to see more pictures!

Second Graders Participate in Butterfly Release

Students in Mrs. Petalino's and Mrs. Campbell's Second Grade Classes participated in an exciting butterfly release as part of their science unit of study on environments and habitats.  The teachers collected monarch butterfly eggs from local milkweed plants, and the students were able to observe the caterpillars hatching from the eggs, then transforming into a chrysalis and eventually emerging as a butterfly.  The students were happy to release their butterflies so they could begin their migration to Mexico, where they will live in a new environment.

Please click here to see more pictures from the release!

Professional Writer Visits Third Graders

William Penn Third Grade Students finished reading the story, "The Day Eddie Met the Author," and then they had the opportunity to meet a real-life author as well--Bethel Park School Director David Amaditz!  Mr. Amaditz talked to the students about his love of writing and his dealing with rejection from publishers and editors as he continues to hone his craft.  He read his story, "What Does This Wheelchair Do?" and helped the students work in small groups to write a story using their most recent spelling list.

Please click here to see more pictures from the day!

Brother/Sister Pitch in to Help a Neighbor

Penn Third Grader Ryan Pfab and his sister, Lindsay, a Penn First Grader wanted to help their neighbors, whose house suffered a fire over the summer.  So the two students wrote a letter about the fire and delivered it to the residents on the street to see if they would be interested in making a donation to help their neighbors in need.  The response was overwhelming, with the students able to raise $1,490.  Each neighbor who contributed received a thank you note from Ryan and Lindsay, which was personally hand-delivered.  Way to help someone in need, Ryan and Lindsay!  Thank you for coordinating the collection!

Students Draw Themselves for Open House

William Penn students had a little surprise for their parents on Open House.  They drew self-portraits and had them sitting at their desks, so when Mom and Dad came for Open House, they knew exactly where their child sits!

Click here to see more "desk head" photos!

Second Graders Design Clothes for Mr. Spalaris!

Mrs. Campbell's and Mrs. Petalino's Second Grade Students read the book, The Principal's New Clothes by Stephanie Calmenson and designed some snazzy outfits for their new principal, Mr. Spalaris. Besides designing the clothes, the students also had to write what their outfit was and why he should wear it.  The outfits are on display on two bulletin boards in the Penn hallway.

Please click here to see more photos and read what the second graders had to say about their new principal!