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Alpha Mu Chapter topic: Women as school administrators
AMSTERDAM -- The Alpha Mu Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma teachers society met Oct. 14 at the Amsterdam United Methodist Church for a salad luncheon and business meeting. There were 34 attending.
Joyce Ferguson presided in the absence of Barbara Pritts, who was attending a state DKG meeting. Janice Pyles and Holly Dodds of the Carrollton schools were welcomed as guests.
Reports were given by Carole Thorne, Gina Judy, Mary Barnes, Dani Carroll, Julie Blanton, Jane Brower, Ann Wiley, Linda Anderson, Darlene Smith, Rose Seck and Linda Nocera.
Jan Primack, Joyce Ferguson and Barb Losey gave inspirational and/or humorous readings. Club booklets for the year were distributed with mention made that the Dec. 9 meeting would be held at the Riverview United Methodist Church in Toronto and feature the club's annual Make-It-Take-It Auction.
Winners of the basket drawing from the flowers and special concerns committee were Norma Smith and Mary Lou Custer.
Retirees Kathy Pavlik, Mary Barnes and Karen Meyer were recognized and given gifts. Barnes taught almost 35 years in the Steubenville Schools as a learning disabilities teacher. Meyer had taught since 1970 in three states, beginning her career as a kindergarten teacher. She has taught all grade levels and retired from the Edison Local School District.
Ann Wiley introduced guest speaker Maureen Taggart of the communications and finance committee, who spoke about the ever-changing position of women as school administrators.
Taggart, who has served as superintendent of Toronto City Schools since July, is graduate of Toronto High School who received her bachelor's degree in elementary education and her master's degree from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2001. She held various positions since 1992, including teacher-technology coordinator, elementary, middle and high-school principals and director of special programs.
Taggart said the No Child Left Behind law, followed by the Every Student Succeeds Act, influenced her career. She shared her observations that the individual needs of students used to be considered in whether or not to require students to take certain courses, such as business-oriented, career-oriented or college-oriented. Now, she said, when all students are required to take advanced courses, it lowers the expectations of the whole course when not all students can perform in them.
She also has observed that requirements to ready students for all of the testing have hurt important education in the arts and that there are many more student medical issues to monitor.
Taggart noted that funding through Title I has added flexibility for nursing supplementation and that five agencies provide daily therapy-services and are necessary for social-emotional learning. She mentioned the pros and cons of technology and noted that educators are the "everyday heroes."
Taggart was presented with a fall gourd arrangement provided by Bunni Lucci.
Pamela Fithen recipient of
chapter's 'Silver Sister' award
STEUBENVILLE -- The Ohio Beta Alpha Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa teaching sorority held its monthly meeting Nov. 14 at Malara Hall in Steubenville.
Vice President Peggy Pyle presided, welcomed members and conducted the business meeting.
Several thank-you notes were read by Secretary Joyce Cammilletti.
Toys were collected for the Wintersville United Methodist Church. Members donated money for the Urban Mission Ministries Thanksgiving dinner and for the Hills School Food Fund.
Pamela Fithen received the "Silver Sister" award.
Members recorded their activities done for ADK Month. They also listed their volunteer hours for the month.
Linda Lenzi, fraternity education director, distributed the "Magic Square" game for the members to complete.
Hostesses for the evening were Lenzi, Pyle and Megan Evans.
The next meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Scaffidi's Restaurant and Tavern in Steubenville. Members are asked to bring a $10.00 gift.
New Cumberland library
seeks decorated tree displays
NEW CUMBERLAND -- The Swaney Library in New Cumberland is again asking any local organizations or church groups to consider decorating a tree for display at the library during the month of December.
As was the case last year, the trees will be located throughout the library, and residents are asked to stop by and vote for their favorite tree. Each vote costs $1, and the tree with the most votes by the end of the month will win.
The proceeds from the event will be divided 50/50, with half of the money going to the library and half of the money going to the organization or group that entered the winning tree.
All trees must be up and decorated by Nov. 30, and they must be taken down by Jan. 5.
"The library is hoping for several more participants this year and looks forward to just as much fun and success as the contest generated last year," a spokesperson noted.
For information or to register to enter a tree in the event, call the library at (304) 564-3471 or stop by the library and speak with Director Kirsten Pierce.
Tri-State Community Band
sets Christmas performance
STEUBENVILLE -- A Christmas performance by the Tri-State Community Band will be held Dec. 3 at the Prime time Senior Center, 300 Lovers Lane.
It will begin at 3 p.m.