SPARTANS IN THE NEWS
SPARTANS IN THE NEWS
THIRD GRADERS CONNECT THROUGH LETTERS BETWEEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Third graders from Elroy and Moore in Brentwood Borough School District connected in a special way this year – by becoming pen pals! Each student wrote a letter to a peer from another school and shared details about their favorite hobbies, books and school activities. The students will come together in the next school year at the new Brentwood Elementary School.
Mrs. Katie Casella and Mrs. Mindy Golvash, the English Language Arts teachers from Moore and Elroy, respectively, used inspiration from texts in their reading series. One story included a realistic fiction tale of cousins from different countries exchanging letters and another was a fantasy story of a little boy and a dragon who become pen pals. Writing letters gave the third graders a meaningful opportunity to practice their communication and literacy skills in a real-world context.
DR. BETLER SELECTED A PENGUINS MVP
As a culminating activity, students from Elroy and Moore met each other face-to-face for the first time at Brentwood High School. Students exchanged letters, constructed a craft project, and got to know each other better. This also was an excellent opportunity for the entire third-grade teaching team, including Mrs. Tracy Rittiger and Mrs. Rebecca Wilson, to collaborate prior to the 2026-27 school year.
Beyond academics, this pen pal exchange fostered a sense of community and belonging. As the two schools prepare to merge, students will already know familiar names and faces when they walk into their new classrooms this Fall. What began as a simple letter exchange today may lay the foundation for new friendships, smoother transitions and a stronger school culture built on connection, kindness, and empathy. rentwood Borough
SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
Congratulations to Moore Elementary School Principal Dr. Bonnie Betler, who was selected a 2026 Pittsburgh Penguins Most Valuable Principal( MVP) honoree!
In her 10th year as principal at Moore, Dr. Betler is among 15 principals who were selected for their outstanding leadership in advancing teaching and learning, commitment to excellence, and dedication to the success of all learners within their school communities.
The Penguins Most Valuable Principal( MVP) program is a collaborative effort by the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, Allegheny Intermediate Unit and The Grable Foundation. Each honoree will be recognized during a Pittsburgh Penguins game in March and receive a customized Pens jersey, along with a $ 1,000 donation to their school.
Congratulations Dr. Betler on this prestigious recognition and thank you for everything you do for our students, families and community every day!
ELROY AND MOORE STUDENTS COMPETE IN SPELLING BEE
Nearly 40 Elroy and Moore 4th and 5th grade students competed to see who the schools’ top spellers were as part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
For the second consecutive year, the Elroy winner was Zeke Bush. The runner-up was Cruz Charlton and Colton Herman placed third. Fourth grade student Brynn Brendel was the winner at Moore and the runner-up was Merina Bordjah.
Zeke and Brynn advanced to a regional competition that was held online in February. The Top 10 spellers from Elroy and the Top 10 from Moore will compete against each other on May 26. Great job by all our awesome spellers!
BRENTWOOD-BALDWIN-WHITEHALL ❘ SPRING 2026 17