GHS Students helping memory impaired citizens

The Hands Across the Years program based at Gateway Senior High School is seeking volunteers to interact with memory impaired residents at Sunrise Senior Living. The mission of the Hands Across the Years is to increase the quality of life for the residents of Sunrise Senior Living through intergenerational activities. In order to accomplish this mission, they continue to need dedicated and committed volunteers who will visit on a regular basis.

Sports Schedule Summary

I just found the best link I've seen so far for following the schedules for upcoming sports events. Click on http://www.highschoolsports.net, and select "Gateway Senior High School", and get a complete schedule for all of the High School's sports, AND also the for Gateway Middle School. I think this is the semi-official repository selected by Gateway to post all their sports schedules. Check it out !

A sampling of activities at GHS

I am often amazed at how much goes on at our schools that we may miss hearing about. Here is just a sampling of Friday's announcements at GHS:
- - Mardi Gras Dance is February 22nd at Stratigos on Route 30 in Irwin
- - The 3rd Blood Drive of the year will be held on Friday, January 25th
- - Don't forget to check out the "Help Wanted" binder in the Career Center
- - The Future Is Mine is a new group at Gateway that can help you further your career exploration. See Mrs. Weiss.
- - Join the Book Club in reading"A Spot of Bother" by Mark Haddon January 29th after school.
- - Chess Club meets on Tuesday's after school
- - The next Interact meeting will be on Wednesday
- - Community Service Center is open for business; Hours of operation are Monday thru Thursday from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Stop by to sign up for new service projects and ongoing volunteer opportunities
- - Upcoming Job Shadow days are scheduled for March, April and May
- - GHS announces the Junior Volunteer Program at West Penn Hospital for those interested in health careers.
- - Zoo Job Fair, Saturday, February 2, 2008
- - Applications for the NEED Scholarship are being taken in the Guidance Office
- - Senior Class Council needs pictures from 9th thru 12th grade
- - There is a Student Government Association meeting next Tuesday.

This is just a sampling taken from one day's morning announcements. When you think about how many things likely don't make it on the announcements, add that to the things I left off from this one day, and expand it to include an entire year's activities, you can see literally thousands of things for our students to do over the course of a year at Gateway.

Gateway announces "Brigadoon" as spring musical

The oft-awaited spring musical at Gateway High School this year will be 'Brigadoon'. A classic musical, also made into a movie with the legendary Gene Kelly, this work tells the tale of a legendary Scottish village which appears only one day every 100 years, whose magic is threatened by a visit by a couple of American Tourists.
This years musical will be directed by Larry Cervi, with Mr. Read returning as music director, and Mr. Lascek as Vocal Director. The performance schedule is:
7:30 p.m. Performances
April 25 & 26
May 2 & 3
2:00 p.m. Performances
April 27
May 3
Gateway High School Auditorium
Tickets Coming Soon!
$8.00 Adults
$5.00 Students and Senior Citizens
All seats are reserved

These musicals are always exciting. Turn out to support the cast and see a story you may never see again in 100 years !

GHS Student Chelsea Long Gets Own Art Exhibit at Gallery Space

Chelsea Long, a GHS junior, is the first student to be offered a one-person art exhibition at Gallery Space, located in Monroeville Public Library. She plans to study art and art education in college, and selected drawings and paintings by Ms. Long can be viewed during regular library hours.

Gateway Robot-Building Team Moves Forwards

Blazing into the 21st century, I see that students at Gateway High School have formed a team, named Quasics, to enter a national robotics competion. Under the supervision of faculty sponsors Matthew Kohler and Ed Spears, about 20 GHS students are working to build a robot to enter in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) competition. It seems that Quasics has to have their robot built before the end of February, and we wish them great success on this exciting project. Team cocaptains are reported to be Katia Paramonova and Becky Stabile.
Thank you Lori Stover, of the Times-Express, for bringing this information to light in your article. Lori's articles are consistently some of the best written Student Notebook pieces the Times-Express publishes.

Gateway Clubs Helping the Community

Many of the students at Gateway participate in school related clubs whose mission is to benefit our community. For example, the Culture Club's ESL Buddy program provides students to help English-as-Second-Language students master English. The Interact Club is sponsoring the Jamnesty Concert again this year (more information to follow on this good cause). A Third blood drive is underway at GHS for students 17 and over, where each blood donor can save three lives with a donation. More information about clubs at GHS is available at http://www.gatewayk12.org/default.aspx?id=23. Go Gateway Students !

Gateway Schools recipients of Keystone Achievement Awards from PA Secretary of Education for 2 Consecutive Years of Academic Achievement

HARRISBURG – Every elementary school in the Gateway School District has been honored with Keystone Achievement Awards for showing sustained academic progress, Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak announced today. This includes Evergreen Elementary, Mosside Elementary, University Park Elementary, Pitcairn Elementary and Ramsey Elementary Schools. Gateway Middle School was also a recipient of the KAA.
“These awards are testament to the tremendous efforts of the students, teachers and staff at each of these schools,” Zahorchak said.
The awards are being given to public schools that achieved adequate yearly progress (AYP) in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 school years. Progress is measured in part by a school’s performance on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, the standardized test given annually to students in grades 3-8 and 11.
Each school that earns a Keystone Achievement Award receives a large, keystone-shaped placard that can be displayed at the school.
“If there is one award that a school should proudly show off to visitors, it is the Keystone Achievement Award,” the secretary said. “It is proof to all who visit the school that they are at an institution that cares about ensuring every child succeeds.”
Since 2004, the Department of Education has partnered with the Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators to present the awards as a public recognition of the quality work and commitment shown by students and educators.
“We have set high expectations for our students and the response has been encouraging,” he said. “We must continue to build on these accomplishments so all of our children succeed. I look forward to the day when I can announce that every school in Pennsylvania has earned a Keystone Achievement Award.” (ed.note: released by Pa.Dept.of Educ. 11/29/07; I overlooked this earlier. Sorry! M.)

International Children's Theater to appear at Gateway High School

The Pittsburgh International Children's Theater presents "Max and Ruby" on January 13, 2008 in the new auditorium at Gateway SHS. The production is based on the Rosemary Wells' children's book characters, seen on Nickelodeon. For tickets call 412-321-5520.

Competition Yields Math Honors for Gateway SHS Students

At the East Suburban Special Program Association's CALCUSOLVE Competion, Third Place Honors were received by GSHS students Audrey Chiao, Katia Paramonova, Christine Yeh, Matt Lipnder and Vikram Rajkumar. The team won third place in the team competition, and Matt Lipner won third place overall in the individual competion. Congratulations Mathletes !

Gateway High School sends delegates to China World Affairs Institute Program

Faculty advisor James Pottinger took 10 Gateway Senior High School students as delegates to attend the 37th annual World Affairs Institute program, "China: What Does The Future Hold?" Students attending this program at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh included Amy Svoboda, Andrew Coulter, Lisa Sprowls, Lori Stover, Katia Paramonva, Audrey Chiao, Chris Chough, Aleksandra Pomiecko, Jerald Daniel and Christine Yea. The students also gave presentations to the Monroeville Rotary during a ceremony at the Edgewood Country Club.

Gateway Football Player to Play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl

Gateway’s Shayne Hale has been selected to play in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, the premier high school football game. Hale will join an elite group of student-athletes selected to play in the eighth annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. This classic East vs. West match-up will be televised live on NBC at 1:00 PM EST and will feature the nation’s top 84 high school football players.

Teen Leadership Banquet Honors 20 Local Teens

http://www.teenoasis4u.com
The first Teen Leadership Banquet, held at Monroeville Fire Hall #4, gathered 130 members of the community in honoring local teens for their achievements both inside and outside of the classroom. The Planning Committee will begin meeting again in December to start planning the 2008 Teen Leadership Banquet.
THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS WERE HONORED AT THE TEEN LEADERSHIP BANQUET:
Allegheny County Health Dept. Award: Matt Castagnero
CHI Signs and Designs Warhol Award: Mara Filosemi
Coalition for Human Dignity Positive Influence Award: Yagmur Muftuoglu
Councilwoman Debbie Hartwick Leadership Through Teamwork Award: Wumi Fapohunda
Chief George Polnar Young Law Enforcement Award: Matthew Bodnar
Gateway HS PTO Service Award: Nicole Cerro
Healthy Teens, Inc. Leadership Award: Joshua Friedland
Gateway HS Community Service Program Award: Kaycee Carl
Marshall Bond Award: Todd Slobodnyak
Mayor Stevick's Achievement Award: Madison Castagnero
Teen Oasis Peer Leader Award: Tim McDine
Mayor Lomeo's Outstanding Achievement Award: Chandler Farren
Monroeville Area Chamber Family Owned Business Legacy Award: Jordan Mele
Penn Hills Kiwanis Award: Elisa Falvo
Rep. Markosek Leadership Award: Natalie Lomeo
Ruthann Valentine Award: Damien Griffin
S'eclairer Award: Elliot Stewart
Senator Logan Excellence in Leadership Award: Lisa Marie
Student Assistance Program Award: Deanne Shirley
Kumite Classic Award: Shane Hale
Glenn & Joann Loveless Communications Excellence Award: Jalisa

Gateway Students Attend Pennsylvania Governor’s Schools

http://www.gatewayk12.org
Three students represented Gateway School District at the 2007 Pennsylvania Governor's Schools of Excellence this summer. The experience is a five-week summer residential program on college campuses for artistically or academically talented high school students.
Gateway High School students Adrian Fontes and Lisa Sprowls were accepted into the Governor's School for International Studies.
The International Studies program provides students with the opportunity to explore current world economic, political, environmental and social conditions and issues that have particular relevance to both the Commonwealth and the nation. Matthew Lipner was accepted to the Governor's School for Health Care. The program introduces students to the health care field, emphasizing delivery systems, primary care,
prevention, public health, healthy communities and career options.
Admission to the programs is highly competitive - 3,933 applicants vied for 752 positions this year. Students are selected on the meritorious basis of their artistic or academic talent.
"Gateway continues to shine in the regional spotlight because of its students," said Gateway Superintendent Dr. Cleveland Steward. "Our students can compete artistically or academically on any level and with students from across the Commonwealth. My congratulations go out to Adrian, Lisa and Matthew."
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Gateway Students Win Honors in International Children's Day Art Competition

http://www.gatewayk12.org
Two students from Gateway Middle School won awards in the International Children’s Day Art Competition. Both students were recognized on stage during the children’s Day celebration in April at the Carnegie Library Music Hall in Homestead.
The theme of this year’s competition was “Understanding Others and Appreciating Differences.”
Winners were Joy Pedrow, 8th grade student, who won first place for “Diversity Brings Us Together,” and Bria Williams, 7th grade student, who won third place for “Joining Together.”
“I am very proud of these girls — as well as the other participants — for electing to create a work of art that dealt with such an important topic,” said Greta Severson, Gateway Middle School art teacher. “Many middle school students think deeply about the world around them and they don't often have a chance to share their insights.”
Ms. Pedrow’s winning painting featured a puzzle of diverse young people.
“Everyone painted in the puzzle is someone I know,” she said. “It’s called ‘Diversity Brings Us Together’ because each puzzle piece separately doesn’t mean anything, but when you bring them all together it makes a whole. Separately, you just see one person, but without each different puzzle piece we wouldn’t be complete.”
Ms. Pedrow received $150 for winning first place in the contest.
Bria Williams’ winning pencil drawing features diverse people living together in the same community. “My artwork communicates the idea about joining together with foreign people from different countries,” she said. “My artwork expresses where they came from and what they experienced.”
Ms. Williams received $50 for her winning entry.
Gateway Middle School also received matching financial grants to support its student art programs. The competition was open to Western Pennsylvania children in grades 5-8 and sponsored by the Pittsburgh Dialogue Foundation.
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Gateway Students Earn Honors in National City Essay Contest

http://www.gatewayk12.org
Two Gateway School District elementary students have been named winners in National City Bank's 15th Annual African American History Essay Contest.
Students were asked to write about a local or national African American musician who has influenced society.
Kendall Alexander, a fourth grader at Ramsey Elementary School, won third place for her essay on singer, songwriter and record producer, Stevie Wonder. She received $100 for her entry and Ramsey Elementary also received a $100 grant for sponsoring the winning essay.
Lauren Wingert, a third grader at University Park Elementary School, earned third place for her essay on guitarist, singer and songwriter, Chuck Berry. She and her school both received $100.
Essays were judged on focus, content, style, grammar, spelling and creativity.
Open to students ages 6 through 18 throughout southwestern Pennsylvania, nearly 1,000 area students entered the competition competing for $8,000 in prizes.

Gateway Superintendent notes no tax increase for 07-08

www.gatewayk12.org
This year we were able to pass a no-millage-increase budget for the 2007-2008 school year. This is the third consecutive year that the District’s share of the property tax rate in Monroeville and Pitcairn will remain at 19.41 mills — one of the lowest millage rates in Allegheny County (the average millage rate in Allegheny County is over 22.00 mills).
I applaud the Board, administration and the various budget managers across all departments for their leadership in the planning and use of resources. Our wise and prudent use of tax dollars assures our continuing strength as we look to the future. We will continue to strive to meet the educational needs of all students while tempering those needs with the community’s desire to moderate costs.
While summer is a time for fun and relaxation for many Gateway families, it is also a very busy time for many of us here as we continually work to enhance our academic programming, improve student assessment and data analysis processes, implement new research-based student achievement initiatives and prepare our facilities for the first day of school, August 27. As we get set to begin the 2007-2008 school year, we reaffirm our commitment to the District’s mission of “providing quality educational opportunities for all students and promoting academic excellence in a safe and caring environment.”

Gateway Students Participate in Annual Safety Gator Poster Contest

http://www.gatewayk12.org
One hundred and twenty-five students in Gateway schools were recognized by the district’s safety committee last month in ceremonies marking Gateway Safety Awareness Week, October 15-19.
The students were honored for their winning entries in the 2007 Safety Gator Poster Contest.
Students were asked to design posters with the theme of keeping safe at school, on the bus, or at home. The committee received over 1,000 posters from all eight schools. Winners in each grade level received a Gateway Safety Gator knit cap. Winning artwork was also displayed in the district’s Board room during the month of October. "The Safety Gator Poster Contest is a creative way to remind all of our students and teachers about the importance of safe behaviors while at school, on the bus, or at home," said Sandy Rossi, committee member and coordinator of this year’s contest. "It’s always great to see our students reminding their peers about school bus safety, bullying, staying away from drugs and alcohol, and more!"
The Gateway Safety Committee, which has been in existence for over 15 years, is comprised of representatives from across the District and meets monthly. The committee is certified through Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Health and Safety Division. This is the 12th year that the committee has coordinated the district-wide poster contest.

Monroeville's Teen Oasis raising funds to buy a van

See their pamphlet: http://www.teenoasis4u.com/TeenVANgo.pdf

Ten Gateway High School students have been recognized by the prestigious National Merit Scholarship

http://www.gatewayk12.org
Ten Gateway High School students have been recognized by the prestigious National Merit Scholarship (NMSC) program for outstanding achievement on the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Three Gateway students were named Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for the 2008 program. The school’s National Merit Semifinalists are: Matthew Lipner, Vikram Rajkumar and Lisa Sprowls.
Gateway’s three Semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and are among the highest scoring entrants in Pennsylvania. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards, worth $34 million, that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must advance to the Finalist level of the competition by fulfilling several requirements. The Semifinalist and a school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s self descriptive essay and information about the Semifinalist’s participation and leadership in school and community activities.
Each fall, participating students may also receive letters of commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise. Commended Students placed among the top 5 percent of the more than 1.4 million students who entered the competition. Although Commended Students do not continue in the competition for Merit Scholarship awards, some of these students do become candidates for special scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses.
Gateway’s National Merit Commended students are: Megan DeWitt, Andrew Imblum, Erica List, Edward MacMurchy, Elizabeth Parker, Sarah Parker and Lori Stover. "These 10 students have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement by their strong performance in this highly competitive program," said Superintendent Dr. Cleveland Steward. "Their parents, families, and teachers should be proud of these students. I hope that this national recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and that they will continue to embrace scholastic excellence."

Monroeville fundraiser helping troops get balls

By Brian BowlingTRIBUNE-REVIEWThursday, December 27, 2007
A Jan. 12 battle of the bands competition is raising money to send thousands of golf balls to the CSM Jonathan Langford Memorial Driving Range at Camp Victory near Baghdad.
Debra Pedrow of Monroeville started sending boxes of golf balls to the troops in March after her husband saw a report on ESPN about a military chaplain starting a makeshift driving range to provide deployed soldiers with a recreational outlet.
"It's just a stress relief for these guys, whether they know how to hit the ball or not," Pedrow said
So far, the money has come from donation boxes Pedrow set up in local libraries and word-of-mouth donations. Pardus, who is also a DJ, came up with the idea of using a battle of the bands, she said.
Five local bands will compete for $100 worth of gift certificates from Guitar Center, and Chick-fil-A is donating coupons for a free sandwich to the first 300 people who buy tickets, she said.
All ticket sales will be used to ship golf balls to the troops. Refreshment sales will support Gateway High School's girls golf team, Pedrow said.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s_544596.html

ESPN recognizes Gateway's trick play

By The Tribune-ReviewSunday, December 2, 2007
Gateway's touchdown on the dramatic hook-and-lateral play that helped force overtime in the WPIAL Class AAAA championship game at Heinz Field has been named ESPN's play of the month for November, coach Terry Smith said.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s_540800.html

Gateway kids give kids a start in school

By Bill ZlatosTRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, December 6, 2007
Children from 10 local schools have collected nearly 1,400 sets of school supplies so that refugees in Iraq can go to school.
The 4,000 pounds of supplies are being loaded at Ten Thousand Villages, a nonprofit store in Squirrel Hill that sells goods made by artists from 30 developing countries.
The store has coordinated the collection and loading of supplies to be sent abroad for four years.
"We're a little store with a big heart," said Sue Schneider, special projects coordinator for Ten Thousand Villages.
Gathering the supplies were students from Carnegie Mellon University Children's School, The Children's Institute, The Ellis School, Montessori Children's Community, St. Edmund's Academy and Baldwin, Gateway, Oakland Catholic, Schenley and Woodland Hills high schools.
The kits will be distributed by the Mennonite Central Committee, a relief and peace agency of the North American Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches. Last year, the committee distributed nearly 120,000 kits in 13 countries.
http://http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s_541289.html

Kindergarten registration packets for 2008-09 available

Residents of Pitcairn or Monroeville who have children who will be age 5 before Sept. 1 should be aware that those children are eligible to enter kindergarten in Gate-way School District for 2008-09.
To request a kindergarten enrollment package, call Rica Cleary at 412-373-5705 or e-mail her at rcleary@gatewayk12.org. Parents will receive registration packets by mail.
To register a child for kindergarten, bring completed registration packet, child's birth certificate, two proofs of residency (one must be a current lease, deed or mortgage statement) and immunization records to the district administrative offices at 3000 Gateway Campus Blvd.
Kindergarten registrations will not be accepted at elementary schools.
If children are lacking immunizations, parents can submit updated immunizations later .
The deadline to register is April 30 for families who are residents of Gateway School District.
http://http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/kindergarten-registration-packets-2008-09-available

Writing -- still an education fundamental

December 26, 2007
Monroeville Times Express
Local school districts approach the lessons of proper penmanship in various ways. And specialists are weighing in on whether writing needs to have the same standards taught years ago -- learning the proper flow of the written word -- or if just getting to a level of legibility should be the only expectation.
There is a connection between writing fluency and a better ability to compose, says Joseph Petrella, assistant supervisor of elementary for Gateway School District. The brain-to-paper flow needs to be worked on like any other skill, for example, like learning to drive a car, he says.
Petrella says his handwriting is excellent thanks to the interest taken by his high school business teacher. It became apparent to him that he had just not taken the time to write correctly.
http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/writing-still-education-fundamental

Welcome to Gateway's Classrooms of the Future

Gateway High's 16 science classes part of pilot program to computerize teaching
Thursday, May 24, 2007
By Karamagi Rujumba, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
On a recent Thursday afternoon, Cheryl Teaters, a biology teacher at Monroeville's Gateway High School, started her ninth-grade honors class with a review quiz of the nervous system.
The first multiple-choice question she put on the board dealt with the identification of parts of a neuron. As the students selected their answers, a yellow line ticked across the top of the white SMART board that is mounted on the classroom's green chalkboard.
All 29 students in the class were equipped with black wireless laptop computers, and they used egg-shaped remote controls to answer the question. With a simple click of an icon on the SMART board, Ms. Teaters tabulated the fact that at least 80 percent of the class picked the right response.
She did the same thing for the next three questions, and when less than 80 percent of the class picked the right answer, she immediately stopped the quiz. She knew she needed a more thorough review of the nervous system because it was obvious that much of the class didn't fully understand the previous class' material.
Welcome to one of Gateway's 16 Classrooms of the Future, in which teachers and school officials say technology is quickly changing the pace of classroom activity, long-established methods of teaching, and enhancing the way students learn.
In Ms. Teaters' class the students and the teacher meet in a virtual world that allows them to sail through class material faster, while emphasizing the key points of a lesson.
The Promethean Activboard is, in effect, the equivalent of a computer desktop on an interactive platform. It interfaces with the teacher's computer, students' laptops, and a number of wireless controls used by the teacher and students.
For example, when Ms. Teaters wanted to review the structure of nodes in the nervous system, she pulled up a diagram and, using certain tools on the SMART board, she could move the diagram, magnify it and highlight certain parts for emphasis.
If she wanted to notate the diagram, she could. And if she wanted to store the notated diagram for the students, she could. With the stroke of an icon on the SMART board, she would save the document as a PDF file, and then upload it to the class's secure Web page.
It is this integration of technology into classrooms that is "really changing the classroom culture and helping us to become better educators," Cleveland Stewart, superintendent of the Gateway School District, told a group of district board members and elected officials last Friday.
On a tour of the first classrooms for the future in the Gateway School District, the group was shown how Gateway High School -- one of 103 pilot schools in Gov. Ed Rendell's three-year plan to furnish high schools with computerized classrooms -- is integrating the use of technology in classrooms.
The Gateway School District received a $407,573 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, which launched the program that was budgeted at $20 million in last year's state budget.
Gateway, which has started the program in all of its science classes, is applying for grants to extend the program into its remaining 37 classrooms.
In her class, Ms. Teaters explained that the addition of the SMART board, laptop computers, digital and video cameras has "broadened our horizons in how we go about teaching.
"Much of what we have incorporated into the classrooms is nothing new to many of our students. They already use much of what we're now just bringing into the classroom," Ms. Teaters said.
One elemental advantage of all the new gadgets is the convenience it affords both teachers and students, said Brian Stamford, who oversees Gateway's classrooms for the future program.
"Because of this, teachers can create a quick test or quiz to get immediate feedback on the material they are teaching, and they can even instantaneously track particular students' performance," Mr. Stamford explained.
He added that classrooms wired with such high-tech capabilities add to what teachers and students can do with course management systems like Moodle, which are increasingly commonplace in high school and college settings.
An open-source software package with which students and teachers can interact in online communities, Moodle, together with Inspiration Software -- a visual thinking and learning application tool -- have completely redefined the notion of homework and all but nullified almost all excuses for not finishing one's homework or assignment.
"All of these classroom improvements allow teachers to create assignments, which they can post online during class time," Mr. Stamford said.
"The students can then start working on their homework during class or before they leave school, and once they're done, the teacher can access the work immediately."
But Ms. Teaters was quick to caution that technology is not the panacea for contemporary teaching standards. "We have to be careful about how we incorporate it into the lesson plan," she said, adding, "I still use my chalkboard."
As the program's school level administrator, Mr. Stamford also noted that the teachers' comfort levels with the kind of technological jumps they have to make in their classrooms will determine the efficiency of all the new gadgets as teaching tools.
And so far, the introduction of the SMART board has been "easier for younger teachers, while some of the older teachers might have had some trouble maneuvering the equipment," Mr. Stamford said.
State Sen. Sean Logan, D-Monroeville, a Gateway High School alumnus whom school district officials credited for his role in securing funding for the program, said initiatives like Classrooms for the Future underline the importance of education funding in the state.
"It is because of programs like this that education was a line in the sand three years ago when we had that long budget debate in Harrisburg," said Mr. Logan. He was joined by state Rep. Joseph Markosek, D-Monroeville.
During a Friday morning period, the officials toured three science classes in which teachers were applying different aspects of the SMART board in their classes.
In one biology class, the students were using their Activote modules to answer questions on a brain and spinal cord quiz, while another class used an ActiveStudio application to review the fertilization process through the fallopian tube.
Next to the periodic table of elements in a 10th-grade chemistry class was a black and white poster of Albert Einstein, with a caption, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."
And as the students used their Inspiration Software application to link chemical concepts on their laptops, Bill Bailey, a retired Westinghouse engineer and mathematics professor at Community College of Allegheny County, remarked , "Poor Albert Einstein didn't have the benefit of all this."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07144/788463-56.stm