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With the 2006 Pennsylvania Middle School Association State Conference right around the corner, preparations are well underway. We would like to showcase artwork created by middle level students during the conference. The artwork can include paintings, drawings, sculptures, pottery, jewelry, etc. All pieces should include the name of the student, the grade level of the student, the name of the school, the contact person who is bringing it to the conference, and the phone number of the school on the back of the artwork. The artwork should be brought directly to the conference and will be returned at the conclusion of the conference. We are also looking for student reflections to be completed by students from all over Pennsylvania. The student reflection form can be downloaded from the PMSA website @ www.pmsaweb.org. There is not a limit to the number of students from each school that may write a student reflection.
The Eastern Region Board last met in Hershey on January 12th, 2006. Items discussed at our last meeting included the development of new regions within the East and the PMSA conference as well as ways to increase membership. We plan to continue |
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to provide professional development opportunities to our members. A principal’s breakfast and an Eastern Region Conference are all events being discussed and planned for the year 2006.
We are continuing to look for interested members who currently work in the East; IU’s 14, 20, 21 & 29, the Northeast; IU’s 16, 17, 18, & 19, the South Central; IU’s 12, 13, & 15, and the Southeast; IU’s 22, 23, 24, 25, & 26, who may be willing to get more involved in PMSA. If you have an interest in helping us to develop those proposed regions, please contact Jessica Singleton, President, at j_singleton@easdpa.org. You can also get involved by attending our informational night at Lackawanna College on April 27th, 2006. If you have any ideas of how we can better serve our current members, as well as how we can increase membership, please let us know. Our next meeting will be held at the Milton Hershey School on Thursday, May 11th, 2006. All are welcome to attend this meeting to learn more about us.
Jessica Singleton, President
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On Monday, January 16, 2006, the Neshannock Township School District hosted The Pennsylvania Middle School Association’s Western Region Conference. This middle level educational conference was a first for Neshannock. Approximately 400 educators from across Western Pennsylvania traveled to Neshannock to gain valuable professional development on best practices for teaching middle level adolescents.
The day was highlighted by keynote speakers, Mr. Dennis Barger and Mr. Leonard Ference. Mr. Barger is a retired teacher from the Karns City Area School District. Mr. Barger spoke on teaching to the heart of our children. Mr. Ference is the executive director of the Pennsylvania Middle School Association and serves as middle school principal of the Mechanicsburg Middle School. Mr. Ference spoke about what makes great middle level schools. |
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Teachers had an opportunity to sit in on lectures delivered by dozens of educators from across the region. Topics ranged from No Child Left Behind and state assessments to content specific instructional strategies. Conference attendees were exposed to over 30 educational vendors who were here promoting the latest educational tools and books to enhance instructional delivery. Congratulations to James Prager, Pine Richland Middle School, Jeanne Pursel, Neshannock Junior High School, and Cathy Bryan, Neshannock Junior High School, for a job well done planning the conference.
The Western Region is always looking for people willing to make a difference in the lives of our adolescent population. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Pennsylvania Middle School Association please contact Nick Perry at 724-656-9562 or by e-mail at nperry@neshannock.k12.pa.us. |
