School News Week of Jan. 24
Upper St. Clair
• An Upper St. Clair Parent Teacher Council open mic event is set for 7 p.m. Feb. 1. The virtual event will feature a presentation on the topic “Supporting a Healthy School Environment.”
Superintendent John Rozzo, along with other key staff members, will provide information on these specific focus areas:
Research related to what makes a healthy school environment
Health services. Representatives from the district’s nursing department will provide an overview of their roles and responsibilities and what they offer in terms of keeping students healthy, particularly during a pandemic.
Counseling, psychological and social services. The student support services department will share the available resources.
The physical environment. The facilities and operations department will review all protocols and resources that are in place to keep students and staff members safe and healthy.
Social-emotional climate. Various building and central office administrators will cover topics that support students’ social and emotional well-being. Sample topics include social media usage, student connectivity, and programs and resources that are in place for students.
The presentation is expected to last approximately 45 minutes, followed by 15 minutes for related questions.
Those planning to attend must register in advance at forms.gle/BD2xciNJqEB9YpPA9 and are welcome to submit questions onlineThis process, which has been used for the last several years, enables district administrators to more effectively adapt their presentation to meet the needs of the audience. The deadline to register is Jan. 27.
For more information about PTC open mics, contact Gina Swanson, PTC vice president and open mic committee chairperson, at uscptcvp@gmail.com.
• Eleven Upper St. Clair High School students have been selected to participate in the Health Professions Prep program for the 2021 spring season at the University of Pittsburgh.
Participants are senior Annika Chaves; junior Victoria Pete; and sophomores Jasmine Dietiker, Shree Diora, Maura Joyce, Shivani Kamineni, Mansi Lathia, Priyanka Palayekar, Srinidhi Rajaganapathy, Sophia Song and Neha Sriram.
The program is held virtually each Wednesday evening through April 7. Students will be introduced to Pitt’s various health-related schools, including health and rehabilitation, dental medicine, pharmacy, public health, nursing, and medicine.
Students will have opportunities to engage in a variety of interactions including career awareness and exploration, clinical experience, student mentoring, academic experience, reflection, observation and influential conversations, academic planning, and student success skills.
The program, which serves 40 participants, is open to students in ninth through 12th grades who have an overall grade point average of 2.5 or above. Candidates were required to submit an application including essay and letter of recommendation.
The program was previously known as the Health Science Career Exploration Institute and the Medical Explorers Program, which began in 1974. The mission of the Health Professions Prep program is to provide a place where scientific learning can occur for high school students who have a strong interest in science and medicine. The program encourages participation from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in the health sciences.
Scholarship opportunity
• The South West Communities Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Common Good Foundation, is offering a $1,000 scholarship to one exemplary high school senior.
The scholarship application deadline is Feb. 6, and all senior high school students with a grade-point-average of 3.2 or higher who attend Carlynton, Chartiers Valley, South Fayette Township or Upper Saint Clair school districts are welcome to apply. Students are required to submit one teacher recommendation and write a 450- to 600-word essay upon application.
The Common Good Foundation is the 501©(3) nonprofit arm of the South West Communities Chamber of Commerce, established in 2008 to enhance community outreach programs and when possible to award a scholarship to a high school senior in the school districts served by the chamber.