Interim AD Starts at Gateway!

Harry Orbin started at Gateway on Monday as the Interim Athletic Director until a replacement for former AD, Terry Smith, can be hired.

Mr. Orbin holds a BS in Secondary Education in PE and Health from Alderson Broaddus College and an MS in Sports Medicine from the United States Sports Academy.

During his 33 years in education, he served Allegheny Valley School District as a Health and PE teacher, AD, Basketball Coach, Assistant Soccer Coach, Trainer, and Activities Director. He also served as full-time AD for Plum Borough and Kiski Area School Districts and Interim AD for Fox Chapel and New Kensington Arnold School Districts.

Mr. Orbin's qualifications include more than 20 years as an athletic administrator in the pubic school system including more than 10 years at AAAA schools. He is a member of the PA State Athletics Directors Association, is a Certified Athletic Administrator by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators' Association, and is a Registered Athletic Director in PA. He served on the WPIAL Basketball Commitee (District VII), is the Past President of the Quad A Football Conference, and is a member of the Westmoreland County Athletic Directors Association and the PA State Athletic Trainers Society.

 

Business Manager Earns Certificate from PASBO 

Gateway School District Business Manager, Paul Schott, earned a Certificate of Enhanced Qualifications (CEQ) in School and Community Relations from the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO).

In order to be granted a PASBO CEQ, a school business official must demonstrate a high level of competency in the profession by successfully completing a series of courses in a specialized area of school business leadership. Qualifying courses are offered through a partnership between PASBO and Wilkes University.

GHS Touts 2012 High School Counselor of the Year

Colleen Tortorella, Gateway High School Counselor and advisor for the Senior Class, has been named the 2012 Pennsylvania High School Counselor of the Year by the Pennsylvania School Counselors Association (PSCA). She was presented with her award November 30 at the 57^th Annual PSCA Conference in Lancaster, PA.

Mrs. Tortorella has served the students at Gateway High School for 19 years. During her tenure, Mrs. Tortorella has been a strong advocate for Career Development and has been instrumental in securing career portfolios for all secondary students as well as delivering classroom lessons, created successful grief awareness programs, spearheaded grief support groups, and coordinated life skills workshops for student athletes to help them understand the responsibilities student athletes have in choosing courses and exploring post secondary options as well as future careers. She is the Department Chairperson for the K-12 School Counseling Department, and, her most notable achievement for the District, is helping earn Gateway High School and Gateway Middle School the RAMP Distinction from the American School Counselors Association. (ASCA) RAMP distinction means that both counseling programs have gone through extensive reviews and now are recognized as model programs according to ASCA’s rigorous standards following the ASCA Model.

“We are elated that Mrs. Tortorella has been recognized by her peers for her efforts to help provide counseling services to the children in Monroeville and Pitcairn,” said William Short, Principal of Gateway High School. “Mrs. Tortorella understands her audience both students and parents, and embraces the strong diversity that comprises the Gateway community. She makes it her goal every year to learn not only the names of all of the students, but also their background and educational goals. She is a wonderful reflection on her profession, and she is a dynamic leader within the Gateway School District family.”

Mrs. Tortorella, during her speech at the “Counselors: Beacons of Light through Changes and Challenges” Conference, was humbled to be selected for this honor. She thanked her family, Gateway School District, her Principal and her colleagues for their support throughout the years.

“There is no greater honor than being recognized by your peers,” she offered. “We genuinely care about kids and their success at Gateway. We have strong academics, high achieving honors and AP participants, and excellent athletic programs here, and our PVAAS data demonstrates growth. The counseling department also strives to meet these high standards by delivering meaningful services to students as well. Gateway is really a great place to be.”

UP Teacher Named Milken Educator for Pennsylvania

Jennifer Hoffner, a 1^st grade teacher at University Park Elementary School, was surprised to be named a 2012 Milken Educator Award winner by the Milken Foundation and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Hoffner was presented with her award at a surprise school-wide assembly on November 27 where she received a $25,000 check from the Milken Foundation.

On hand at the assembly were Secretary of Education, Ron Tomalis, and Dr. Jane Foley, Vice President for Milken Education Awards for the Milken Family Foundation. They were joined by Gateway Administrators, Dr. Nina Zetty (incoming Superintendent), Bob Reger, Acting Superintendent, Dr. Nancy Hines, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Heather Bungard, Director of Special Education, Cara Zanella, Director of Communications, Brian Werner, and University Park Principal along with School Board Directors, Dave Magill, Steve O’Donnell, Dr. Oliver Drumheller, and Robert Elms.

Hoffner has taught for eight years, and during her tenure at Gateway served as a team leader, developed grade level remedial and advanced lessons in reading and math, and serves on the Pennsylvania LEADS core team, which focuses on increasing student academic achievement and educational growth.

The Milken Educator Award is one of the nation’s top teacher recognition programs that honor K-12 teachers, principals, and specialists across the country with a $25,000 individual, unrestricted award. Since the first award was granted in 1987, Milken has awarded more than $63 million to more than 2,500 educators across the United States.

· The selection process includes a recommendation by an independent committee within the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Criteria for the selection to the Milken Foundation includes:

· Exceptional education talent as evidenced by effective instructional practices and student learning results in the classroom and school;

· Exemplary educational accomplishment beyond the classroom that provide models of excellence for the profession;

· Individuals whose contributions to education are largely unheralded yet worthy of the spotlight;

· Early-to-mid-career educators who offer strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership; and

· Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community.

Milken Educator Award recipients are also inducted into the national Milken Educator Network, which is dedicated to reforming and strengthening K-12 education across the nation.

GATEWAY ANNOUNCES NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR GPA And ATHLETIC REQUIREMENTS FOR 2012-13

Monroeville, PA ~ The District has passed a new policy that requires all students who participate in Gateway School District athletics and/or extracurricular activities, to maintain a 2.0 grade point average or lose the ability to participate in their given activities.

“We (Gateway School District) are notifying parents that effective now through June 30, 2013, all Gateway students participating in athletics and extracurricular activities must maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average or above for the previous nine week grading period, or a 2.0 or above grade point average for a 4.5 week interim grading period,” said Dr. Theresa Piatek, Assistant Superintendent. “If students fail to make the grade, they will be deemed ineligible to participate in athletics, activities, or clubs.”

According to the new policy (No. 122.1-R), starting July 1, 2013, Gateway students participating in any sport and/or extra-curricular activities must maintain a 2.0 or above cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). Official cumulative GPA checks will be calculated by the District in January, June and August. Eligibility checks will be determined as follows:

• January checks will qualify students for the spring semester of the current year.
• June checks will qualify students for the fall semester of the next school year.
• Students who do not qualify in June will have a recheck conducted in August to include summer school participation with those grades averaged into the final GPA.
• After the single August recheck of grades is exhausted, eligibility will be determined by the January and June GPA verifications.

“Students must maintain a weekly 2.0 GPA during the current term to maintain eligibility to participate in athletic and/or extracurricular activities, in addition to any other weekly eligibility requirements established by the WPIAL or PIAA,” added Dr. Piatek. “Our hope is that students will place importance on academics so that they can continue to enjoy the sport, club, or activity of their choice.”

Gateway’s new policy raises the bar for students, pressing them to work harder in the classroom in order to retain their rights to be able to play sports or participate in clubs such as band, cheerleading, swimming, wrestling, robotics, etc.

The policy takes a year to go into effect, which affords students and parents time to prepare for the change.

“Grades count this year,” said William Short, Principal of Gateway High School. “The new policy will affect students in grades 6 -11. This year’s cumulative grade point average will impact whether a student is eligible to play or participate come fall of 2013. That’s why we are informing parents and students now so they have a chance to prepare themselves for the eligibility requirement changes.”

Mr. Short stresses that the new policy does not affect seniors who are graduating this year.

NEW SUPERINTENDENT NAMED

Gateway is pleased to announce that Dr. Nina Zetty has been named the new Superintendent of Gateway School District.

The Gateway Board of Directors hired Dr. Zetty at their Regular School Board Meeting on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 7 p.m. The Directors gave Dr. Zetty a unanimous 9-0 vote of confidence.

Prior to joining Gateway, Dr. Zetty was the Superintendent of Peters Township School District (PTSD) in Washington County, PA. She served as Superintendent of PTSD since 2008 and, prior to that, served the District as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment starting in 2006. She also served as Bentworth High School Principal in 1998 before being promoted four years later to Assistant to the Superintendent of Bentworth School District, also located in Washington County, PA. She was also the Instructional Principal at Keystone Oaks High School (Allegheny County, PA) and was a teacher for eight years at Jefferson-Morgan School District in Greene County, PA.

A life-long learner, Dr. Zetty earned her B.S. and M.Ed in Secondary Education and Computer Science from the California University of Pennsylvania, and her Ed.D from the West Virginia University. Her Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility is from Duquesne University.