People – Dec. 25
Peters Township High School senior Olivia Vanistendael marched in the flag line of Macy’s Great American Marching Band during the 87th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
This marching band, formed in 2005, showcases outstanding high school marching band members from all 50 states. Vanistendael is the 2013-2014 band front captain of the Peters Township High School Mighty Indian Marching Band under the direction of Milt Barney and Leah Blasso and band front sponsor Jill Strangis.
The Mt. Lebanon School Board unanimously approved the appointment of Kenneth D. Cross as director of Special Education at the Dec. 9 school board meeting. Cross will join the school district on March 10.
Cross is currently the director of Student Services in the Beaver Area School District and prior to that, he served as the director of Special Education for the Burgettstown Area School District. He also is an adjunct professor at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches an undergraduate special education course entitled “Positive Behavior Strategies.”
Cross has his master’s degree in education specializing in special education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in education from Clarion University.
Christopher Claspy has been named vice president and manager of the Washington area in the communities district of the southwest region of Northwest Savings Bank.
In his new position, Claspy will be responsible for the oversight of business development and administration for six community banking offices in Canonsburg, Fredericktown, Marianna, McDonald, Trinity Point and Washington, serve as manager of the Trinity Point Office, and oversee the bank’s involvement in community activities.
Claspy began his career with Northwest in 2003 as a summer employee at the Meadville office while attending college. As a management trainee, he worked in the Meadville, Titusville and Franklin offices. He completed the management training program in 2008 and relocated to Pittsburgh as the assistant manager of the Upper St. Clair office.
A 2007 graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Claspy received his bachelor’s degree in finance. He attended the Pennsylvania School of Banking in 2009 and is currently in his second year of the Pennsylvania Advanced School of Banking.
Claspy lives in the Dormont area with his wife, Robin. He is actively involved in the Southwest Communities and Peters Township Chambers of Commerce. He also coaches the Mt. Lebanon High School varsity hockey team.