SCHOOL BUZZ
Ruckus Features Shaler Area High School Student Artwork
Shaler Area High School AP art students displayed their artwork in Ruckus Coffee Gallery & Café during the month of February . This is the third year Ruckus has invited SAHS students to showcase their artwork . Mr . Frank shares , “ I am so impressed with how creative their solutions are to the classroom assignments . One of the great rewards of teaching is to come up with an idea and see how it grows and develops from where you started the assignment .”
Rad Lessons in Learning
Students at Burchfield Primary School celebrated the 90th day of school with a day of 90s-themed outfits and activities . Fun never goes out of style at our primary schools !
BUZZ
Assemblies Explore Mental Health through Drama
Shaler Area Middle School brought important topics to light through a dynamic assembly . Saltworks Theater fosters discussion around the pressures teens and preteens face and the effect this can have on their mental health through the presentation When Panic Attacks .
The Heart of SASD Education : Meet Jeff Ward , Shaler Area High School Chemistry Teacher
Jeff Ward ’ s interest in science was ignited by his high school biology teacher , Mrs . Shah . Ward reflects , “ She was demanding , but would do anything she could to help her students . She was one reason why I liked science — she embodied the classic idea of ‘ making science come to life .’ She certainly did with a number of memorable experiments and demonstrations throughout the school year .” He earned his degree in chemical engineering and worked as an engineer in West Virginia . He recalls , “ About a year or so into the job , I picked up an evening job teaching mathematics at a local community college . I found that through this experience , I enjoyed teaching and wanted to follow that . So , I went back to school at the University of Pittsburgh and obtained my education degree in secondary science ( chemistry ).” He ’ s now been teaching for over two decades .
Mr . Ward is a dedicated educator who knows that joy is integral to learning . He shares , “ As a chemistry teacher , I enjoy seeing the students pick up what we are doing in class and the smile on their faces when they ‘ get it .’ I spend an awful lot of time laughing with the students .”
When he ’ s not in the classroom , you can find Mr . Ward lacing up his running shoes . “ Outside of school I enjoy running . Running outside gives me time to turn my brain off and enjoy nature . Other times , running allows me to turn the brain on and reflect on how the day went ,” says Ward . An avid runner , he has completed the incredible accomplishment of running a marathon in each of the 50 states . He shares , “ I finished running a marathon in all the states in June of 2014 — running the Kona Marathon in Hawaii . I have completed 115 marathons to date . Getting the opportunity to see the country this way was an amazing experience .”
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