with community partners which are benefiting students.
The Avonworth High School/ Middle School Library is being
transformed into a 21st Century Collaboration Center, through a
$170,000 grant from the Grable Foundation and consultation with
MAYA design.
The Avonworth Middle School continues to experiment with
instructional models and teacher Doug Haskins, was recently
named a Champion of Change by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit
(AIU) and Common Sense Media. Haskins is testing a variation of
the Flipped Classroom.
Avonworth High School’s Pittsburgh Galleries project will
culminate at this year’s District Art Show in fully curated spaces
on the Avonworth High School campus which will reflect the
characteristics and mediums of partnering museums including
the Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the
Mattress Factory, the Pittsburgh Glass Center and the Toonseum of
Pittsburgh. The project was made possible through a $10,000 grant
by Sprout’s Hive Fund for Connected Learning Advisory Committee.
The Avonworth Primary Center opens in the fall and will
be organized into “neighborhoods.” The core areas include a
gymnasium with a stage, offices, music room,computer lab, library,
art room, support services areas, a cafeteria and a faculty room.
The Avonworth High School offers the Avonworth Career
Academies. This enables students to have the option of selecting
from five career academies at the end of their ninth grade year.
Students can focus on their elective choices and have out-ofschool experiences such as job shadowing, internships and
apprenticeships.
Leadership Pittsburgh attendees included Susan Whitewood,
Global Head of Employee Engagement at BNY Mellon, Todd S.
Rosenfeld, Wealth Management Advisor at Northwestern Mutual,
Elizabeth Nash, Director, Contract Management at WESCO
Distribution, Inc., Brian Cohen, freelance photographer, David
Thor, Vice President of Corporate Services at Colliers International,
and Samantha Ellwood, Manager of Educational Programs at the
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. Ellwood also demonstrated the
Mobile MAKESHOP Partnership with the Avonworth School District
and explained how it can enhance learning.
Avonworth School District
Raises Over $22,000 for
Free Care Fund
The Avonworth School District presented over $22,300
to Children’s Hospital for the Free Care Fund in December
on KDKA-TV. The funds were the proceeds from the 26th
annual High School and Middle School Children’s Hospital
auction as well as the Elementary School Change Challenge.
The Student Council
for each respective
Avonworth building
took the initiative and
led the effort to plan
both auctions and the
Change Challenge.
The Middle School
and High School jointly raised $20,500 and the Avonworth
Elementary School’s Change Challenge raised $1,800. The
separate donations were presented at the 60th Annual KDKA/
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC Free Care Fund
Benefit Show.
Sewickley Area | Spring 2014 | icmags.com 47
AVON WOR TH SC HOOL DI STRI C T NE WS
The Avonworth School District hosted members
of Leadership Pittsburgh which included financial,
industrial and educational leaders. Leadership
Pittsburgh Inc. is an independent nonprofit
organization dedicated to developing a diverse
group of leaders to serve southwestern Pennsylvania.
The contingent visited Avonworth Elementary
School classrooms where they interacted with
kindergarten students for a firsthand look at the unique curriculum
offered at the school and its enrichment of the learning experience.
A discussion was also held which focused on defining creativity
and innovation in public education, the challenges and the
opportunities facing public education.
The Avonworth School District has several innovative programs
Sewickley Area
Leadership Pittsburgh
Finds Avonworth
Curriculum
Innovative