SUPERINTENDENT’ S MESSAGE
Dear Franklin Regional Community: ranklin Regional FRANKLIN REGIONAL NEWS
Dr. Gennaro R. Piraino, Jr. Superintendent
Dr. Mary Catherine Reljac Assistant Superintendent
Marlena Lang Director of Human Resources
Jon C. Perry Director of Financial Services
Linda Miller Assistant to the Director of Financial Services
Brad Schrecengost Supervisor of Technology Services
James Heck Director of Facilities
Zachary Kessler Director of Athletics & Student Activities
Dr. Richard E. Regelski, Jr. Director of Special Education
Cara A. Zanella Director of Development & Communications
Donna Wolf School Board Secretary / Executive Assistant to the Superintendent
Ronald Suvak, Principal Senior High School
Andrew Leviski, Principal Middle School
Dr. Robert Buffone, Principal Heritage Elementary
Tina Gillen, Principal Newlonsburg Elementary
Jennifer DiFulvio, Principal Sloan Elementary
34 MURRYSVILLE
Engaging in regular reflection provides both individuals and organizations with an invaluable opportunity to celebrate our successes, identify areas for improvement, and recognize those who were instrumental in our progress. The process of reflection also assists one in strategically planning for the future. As I reflect on my five years as Superintendent of Schools, gratitude for the impressive efforts and dedication of our various stakeholders, pride in the accomplishments of our students and staff, and optimism for the future of the Franklin Regional School District dominate my thoughts. It is an honor and privilege to serve a community that truly values the importance of educational excellence.
Over the past five years, FR demonstrated improvement in local, regional, and state rankings. In the Pittsburgh Business Times’( PBT) 2018 School Guide, Franklin Regional School District jumped to 9th among local public school districts in the Honor Roll ranking. With regard to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the PBT ranked Franklin Regional 32nd out of 500 School Districts. For more information on the PBT rankings, visit https:// www. bizjournals. com / pittsburgh / news / 2018 / 04 / 28 / now-unlocked-2018-school-district-rankings. html.
Nationally, FR Senior High School( FRSH) made its debut in the 2018 US News & World Report’ s ranking of Best High Schools in the nation. FRSH earned Silver Medal distinction based upon ranking # 1980( out of 20,500 high schools) in the nation and # 74( out of 677 high schools) in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. To read more about the US News & World Report ranking, visit https:// www. usnews. com / education / best-high-schools / pennsylvania / districts / franklin-regional-sd / franklin-regional-senior-high-school-16974.
Based upon results of the PSAT, Franklin Regional Senior High had eight( 8) students recognized as 2018 National Merit ® Scholarship Program Finalists. As we enter the first stage of this process, ten( 10) students from the class of 2019 have been recognized as National Merit Semifinalists. I congratulate students from both of these classes for their impressive accomplishments.
Senior students attending Northern Area Career & Technical Center and Forbes Road Career & Technical Center achieved impressive results on the National Occupational, Career, & Technical Exam( NOCTE). The NOCTE measures student achievement toward the accomplishment of specific standards in career & technical programs. In 2018, FRSH achieved the highest aggregate NOCTE score in the history of the district. A welding student at Northern Area CTC also received the highest NOCTE welding score, and an FRSH student attending Forbes Road CTC received the highest computer NOCTE score.
Though we are proud of our success on standardized assessments and our various rankings, we define the quality of education by more than just scores on an exam. Each year, Franklin Regional students continue to impress me with their achievements in the classroom, performances on the stage, accomplishments on the field, and civic contributions to our community. Truly, these areas define the quality of education!
During the 2017-2018 school year, Franklin Regional students had a number of new and innovative learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom. For instance, during the 2017-2018 school year, Project Lead the Way( PLTW) courses and modules were launched at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Not only do students have the opportunity to learn engineering concepts through PLTW’ s real world and practical experiences, but high school students can also earn credits through the Rochester Institute of Technology( RIT). Due to their performance in the course and on the Final Exam, 98 students qualified to receive academic credits from RIT for the new Introduction to Engineering class in 2018. This year, students will also be able to take two additional PLTW courses at the high school: Principles of Engineering and Principles of Biomedical Science that will offer this same opportunity. New PLTW modules are also being added at the middle school and elementary schools. In addition, the District added AP Seminar in 2017-2018 for high school students. For 2018-2019, the Board of School Directors approved two new courses: AP Research and AP Statistics as well as an additional College in High School course through the University of Pittsburgh titled Cybersecurity and the Law.
As we move into the future, we will work to continuously improve and strive for excellence in academics, arts, athletics, and citizenship. Through our collective efforts, we shall continue to provide our students with world-class educational opportunities. The future is bright for FR, and the possibilities are endless.
Yours in education, Dr. Gennaro R. Piraino, Jr. Superintendent