IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Spring 2020 | Page 59

Brentwood Middle School Advisory Program Highlighted at PAMLE Regional Conference Each year, the PA Association for Middle Level Education (PAMLE) hosts a regional conference to highlight best practices and effective programs in middle schools throughout western Pennsylvania. This year’s conference was held South Fayette Middle School. Two Brentwood teachers, Lynne Golvash and Diana Kleinhampl, were selected to present a workshop on Brentwood Middle School’s Advisory Program at the 2020 PAMLE conference. Teachers and administrators from various school districts attended the workshop to learn more about how the Advisory Program has a positive impact on the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students at Brentwood. The Advisory Program has been a fixture at Brentwood Middle School for the past two decades. However, the program has continued to evolve over the years to best meet the needs of the students. The three primary elements of the Advisory program are character education, building positive connections between students and staff, and providing community service opportunities. Each of these elements are interwoven throughout the program. Mrs. Golvash and Mrs. Kleinhampl serve as the leaders of the Advisory Program at Brentwood Middle School and meet each summer to come up with new ideas for that school year. Fifteen middle school teachers serve as advisors for groups of 15-20 middle school students. Once a student is paired with an advisor, they remain together for all three years of middle school, providing each student with a mentor for their middle school experience. Students and teachers are paired based on common interests or other factors that foster positive relationships. Advisory is a program that Brentwood Middle School is very proud of and it was exciting to share the program with other educational professionals at the PAMLE conference! HIGH SCHOOL NEWS Interact Club Brentwood Interact students attended the World Affairs Institute for Student Leaders at the Senator John Heinz History Center. The students participated in discussion groups on what it will take to achieve a sustainable world for all. The students were sponsored by the Pleasant Hills Rotary. The students that attended included: Rachel Bohenek Makala Shy Bailey Wertz Alona Washington Courtney Keeling Rachel Salina-Garcia Pamela Ebo OPERATION REACH OUT BRENTWOOD-BALDWIN-WHITEHALL MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS ❘ SPRING 2020 57