Seneca Valley School District

Students who are visually impaired at Seneca Valley High School engaged in various enrichment activities in recognition of White Cane Awareness Day (Oct. 15). The activities were supervised by Ms. Jessica Sloan, Midwestern Intermediate Unit (MIU) IV Teacher of the Visually Impaired. As part of the observance, junior Ciara Schneider practiced pedestrian crossing in a nearby neighborhood while senior Nick Berger crafted and distributed white chocolate-covered pretzels resembling white canes. White Cane Awareness Day, celebrated annually on Oct. 15, highlights the accomplishments of individuals who are blind or visually impaired and the significance of the white cane as a vital tool for safety and navigation. #whitecaneawarenessday #Whitecanesafetyday #BlindMonth #SVProud

Last week, Seneca Valley students united with a powerful purpose: to support their peers and make a meaningful difference through Hope Squad, a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program. The mission of Hope Squad is to reduce youth suicide though education, training and peer intervention. To kick off the year, Hope Squad members in grades 9-12 gathered for a retreat on a beautiful fall day at Glen Eden Barn. The retreat was filled with team building activities, training sessions and a heartwarming “positive pumpkin” activity where students painted positive phrases on pumpkins that were later displayed at school on Oct. 10 for World Mental Health Day. Students also enjoyed a delicious lunch, generously provided by Back Home BBQ. “There's a lot of aspects to Hope Squad, one of them is the value of coming together as an organization to build our sense of community and establish a trusting environment within the group,” said Kiera Kegges, Seneca Valley Senior High School learning support teacher and Hope Squad advisor. “Our retreat provided them the opportunity to get to know each other and plan for the upcoming year. It was an exciting, uplifting, and inspiring day for both the students and advisors!” We would like to thank David and Vicky English, owners of Glen Eden Barn and Seneca Valley alumni, for graciously donating their venue for the Hope Squad retreat. Read the full story at https://lnkd.in/evHyfdGn #SVProud #MentalHealthMatters #WorldMentalHealthDay #HopeSquad

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, recognized Sept. 15-Oct. 15, students throughout the Seneca Valley School District took part in activities that honored the rich heritage, history and achievements of Hispanic/Latino Americans. These events, games and projects helped students actively reflect on the unique cultures that shape our diverse society. #hispanicheritagemonth #SVProud #SV2425

Imagine bringing together over 70 people who all share the same passion…playing the clarinet. Two SV students had the chance to attend the Steel City Clarinet Day held at Shaler Area Middle School in late August. The event saw clarinet players of all ages, from middle schoolers to adult professionals. Dr. Amanda Morrison, Event Director and Professor of Clarinet at SRU, sponsors this event each year that welcomes guest artists, performers and local vendors, all in an effort to provide exciting learning opportunities for clarinet players. The event provided the opportunity to perform in a master class and one of the clarinet choirs. Seneca Valley instrumental students, Makenzie Tunstall and Ella King, performed with the Adult Clarinet Choir. In addition, Miss Tunstall played in the Master Class and had the opportunity to work with Guest Clinician Dr. Christopher Mothersole from the University of West Georgia. Seneca Valley Instrumental teacher Ms. Sara Snyder was also involved in the Clarinet Day as one of the directors for the Intermediate Clarinet Choir. In addition to conducting on the closing concert, Mrs. Snyder participated in a clinic with the younger students on fundamentals of clarinet playing that they could use as they begin the new school year. #SVProud #SV2425

Seneca Valley is launching an exciting outdoor education pilot program at Haine Elementary/Middle Schools (HES/HMS) where Ken Cahall, HMS sixth grade science teacher, hopes students will discover that the best lessons sometimes happen outdoors. “Outdoor education is not just science education,” explained Mr. Cahall. “All content areas can benefit from making connections to the outdoors. Beyond the tested content areas, use of the outdoors has shown to be beneficial for students dealing with ADHD and other learning challenges. Additionally, time in the outdoors is beneficial for physical and mental health.” The initiative calls for creating multiple outdoor learning spaces at Haine, inviting student engagement, curiosity and creativity across all content areas while supporting their social, behavioral, physical and mental well-being. The program is a collaboration between Haine teachers, local organizations, like Jennings Environmental Education Center (a state park in Slippery Rock), and the Haine Parent/Teacher Organization (PTO), with plans for family programming and grant funding. By building connections between school and community, on and offsite activities will provide opportunities for hands-on learning. “The outdoors is one of the first classrooms for children, said Mr. Cahall. “This is where they learn to explore, ask questions, take risks, and problem solve. With an increasing disconnect with nature and an increased dependency on technology and screens, children can miss out on many of the soft skill that make successful learners in all content areas.” Check out the Cranberry Eagle article here: https://lnkd.in/enbk2V8B #SVProud #SVRaiderPride #SV2425

Help SV win against hunger in the WPIAL Food and Fund drive challenge! For every $1 donated, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank can provide up to three meals for families, children and seniors. Donate today and make Seneca Valley the most giving district for the THIRD year in a row! Help take SV from seventh place to first! Visit https://lnkd.in/evbeqAjd to donate. #SVProud #SV2425 #SVTogetherWEThrive #Threepeat Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank

Students on the Cougar Team at Ryan Gloyer Middle School (RGMS) traveled to the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA thanks to funding provided by the Seneca Valley Foundation (SVF). This educational experience provided students with the opportunity to learn about the diverse group of strangers who showed leadership, heroism, selflessness and service above self on September 11, 2001. These same qualities were demonstrated by their school’s namesake, Ryan Gloyer, and what educators hope to instill in all RGMS students. Mr. Tom Donati, RGMS History teacher and Ms. Staci Hughes, RGMS English teacher collaborated to design an interdisciplinary unit centered on the aftermath of September 11th. The project culminated in students creating PowerPoint presentations to showcase their learning. Following the presentations, a select group of students were chosen to participate in a field trip to the Flight 93 Memorial. “Every student who attended was captivated by the memorial,” said Ms. Hughes. “They were engaged with the Park Ranger's storytelling and many commented that they could feel the significance and reality of the events of 9/11 through this trip. It truly impacted them and their understanding.” “I am very thankful for attending because the trip to the memorial gave me so much more background knowledge on Flight 93,” said seventh grader Micah Eiler. “I am very thankful that Ranger Gregory took the time to teach us about what really happened on that plane and why it is so important.” Seventh grader Luci Senft shared, “I am thankful for attending the field trip. It had a big impact on my life, and it really helped me to understand the stories on 9/11 and learn about the heroes.” #SVProud #SV2425

“That’s what we mean when we say all students. We’ll find a way to meet their needs — even if it means looking beyond the four walls of our schools.” Tracy Vitale, Ed.D Seneca Valley School District AASA, The School Superintendents Association Kidsburgh.org Remake Learning https://lnkd.in/eGhBNHkK

Our Seneca Valley Community Based Vocational Training (CBVT) students are embracing the autumn season by lending a helping hand at local greenhouses, libraries, fitness centers, restaurants and more. The CBVT program provides on-the-job training to help students gain skills for employment and their home community. Great job, everyone, for providing your services and helping out local businesses! 🍂 #SVProud #SV2425 #SVTogetherWEThrive

Mr. Tom Lavelle, SV Intermediate High School Science teacher was a presenter at this year’s Government eDNA Working Group conference hosted by the Columbus Zoo. The focus of his presentation was to highlight some of the dynamic student work being conducted in the SV Center for Biotechnology Research. Projects that were discussed ranged from single-species detection studies for hard-to-find animals like hellbender salamanders and queen snakes to metabarcoding studies were genetics is used to determine all fish species in local waterways. The conference was attended by over a hundred top government conservation geneticists from around the country. “Being invited to speak to a group comprised of so many top geneticists and field biologists from across the country was a terrific honor,” said Mr. Lavelle. “What was even more impressive was the amount of positive feedback and support that these scientists offered to the SV Center for Biotechnology Research. Because of these new professional relationships, the biotechnology laboratory research experiences will become even more streamlined with current practices.” Mr. Lavelle added, “It was fascinating to hear of the numerous research initiatives being conducted. These projects ranged from sequencing DNA gathered in the deeper regions of the oceans to determine what lives in these hard to access environments to using eDNA to track invasive reptile population movements in Florida as well as invasive fish in the Great Lakes. My time at the conference concluded with a tour of the Columbus Zoo’s Freshwater Mussel facility where researcher raise species of these imperiled mollusks so that they can be introduced into favorable ecosystems. The whole experience was outstanding!” #SVProud #SVRaiderPride