Fifth- and sixth-graders from Southern and Friendship elementary schools were among the York County students who performed in the 2013 York County Elementary Honors Choir Festival at Dallastown Middle School. Hosted by the York County Junior Honors Choir, students were chosen by recommendation of their choir teachers.

Read More

Students from Friendship, Southern and Shrewsbury elementary schools performed in the Pennsylvania Music Educators District 7 Elementary Song Fest. More than 150 singers from 42 elementary schools throughout York and surrounding counties were chosen by audition to perform in the festival.

Read More

Friendship Elementary School students who were named to honor rolls for the second marking period of the 2012-2013 school year are:

HONOR ROLL

Grade 6:

Jedidiah Brummett, Stephanie Burchett, Brianna Chavis, Kate Cramer, Amelia Eyster, Alexandra Fabie,

Abigail Gallegos, Madison Geiple, Kaitlyn Gross, Joshua Hartsock, Ethan Horn, Hannah Myers,

Martin Schroeder, Rachel Scott, Gillian Smyth, Lindsey Snyder, Julian Stewart, Lily Stockbridge, Alaina Stromgren, Gabrialle Turner, Emma Watson and Grace Wetzel.

Grade 5:

Jacob Barnhart, Tiffany Burnham, Jessica Cook, Savannah Davenport, Ashleigh Dell, Kristin Gantz, Hayden McGarvey, Saige McKenzie, Lucy Mettee, Alex Miller, Carl Munch, Jordan Pflieger,

Emma Robert, Donald Rohrbaugh, Colby Romjue, Kayla Ross, Mackenzie Sauter, James Ryan Scott, Emma Sieling, Matthew Sisler, Derek Smith, Rachel Sparks, Matthew Speir and Dorian Terrell.

Grade 4:

Connor Barrett, Madison Bateman, Nikita Beck, John Brummett, Gabrielle Cartier, Leah Cook, Haileigh Copp, Lana Cotton, Megan Cramer,

Alexa Decker, Jacob Derkosh, Zachery Druck, Virginia Good, Julia Holt, Luke Immel, Brayden Lewis, Gabrielle Lynch, Elizabeth Morris,

Rachel Oestrike, Emily Polanowski, Allison Scharff, Lauren Schefter, Michael Staub, Rece Thoman and Cole VanHoy.

Read More

Students in grades four, five, and six at Friendship, Southern, and Shrewsbury elementary schools recently participated in the National Geographic Society’s National Geography Bee.

Read More

By TERRI REUTER
Publications/public information coordinator,
Southern York County School District

Glen Rock, Pa – This year, a third-grade student from Southern Elementary School won first place in Southern York County School District’s 2012 Safety Tip Poster and Video Contest. Parker Dean, from Karen Ruth’s class, submitted the winning poster in the annual contest.

As part of America’s Safe Schools Week (Oct. 21-27), the district’s safety committee sponsored the contest. Students at every grade level, along with staff, could share a safety tip that displayed the responsibility they should have for “safety” in the schools and on school buses.

Ricky Ferguson, another Southern Elementary third-grader from Karen Ruth’s class, was awarded second place. Third place went to Maddie Bateman, a Friendship Elementary fourth-grade student from Karen Miller’s class.

Honorable mentions were awarded to:

Brooke Marsiglia, Grade 3, Southern Elementary.
Arianna Davis, Grade 3, Southern Elementary.
Brayden Lewis, Grade 4, Friendship Elementary.
Ashton Murray, Grade 3, Southern Elementary.
Hailee Young, Grade 3, Southern Elementary.
Jennifer Wagner, Grade 3, Southern Elementary.
Payton Jackson, Grade 4, Friendship Elementary.

Class participation awards were presented to the Friendship Elementary fourth-grade classes of Karen Miller, Jan Ruman and Tom Baughman. At Southern Elementary, class participation awards were presented to Jennifer Trout’s and Karen Ruth’s third-grade classes, along with Angela Buckler’s second-grade class.

The winners were chosen by this year’s safety committee, which meets once a month to discuss district-wide safety issues. The committee also conducts safety inspections, staff training, and assists in developing new ideas to keep staff and students safe.

Read More

By TERRI REUTER
Publications/public information coordinator,
Southern York County School District

Glen Rock, Pa – Friendship Elementary School students have new research materials available to them in the library thanks to a $1,000 grant through the Wal-Mart Foundation’s Local Community Contribution Grant Program.

Friendship Librarian Anne Bozievich learned of the grant opportunity and submitted an application last spring. In the application, she indicated her desire to use the grant money to purchase new country books for the library.

“Each spring, sixth-graders complete a country research project,” Bozievich said. “Students select a country and gather facts about it using books during library class and using databases and websites during computer class.”

Bozievich used the grant money to purchase 38 new country titles. “It’s important for our students to have relevant, up-to-date nonfiction titles so they can learn how to locate facts in books and learn how to rewrite those facts in their own words,” she said. “It’s also important to have titles that spark students’ interests and motivate them to want to learn more about cultures that are different from their own.”

The countries highlighted in the books span the globe and include New Zealand, Brazil, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Fiji, and England. “Students put a great deal of time and effort into the research, and they deserve to have access to accurate, timely materials,” she said.

Read More

By TERRI REUTER
Publications/public information coordinator,
Southern York County School District

Glen Rock, Pa – Science came to life recently as Friendship Elementary School students helped build the school’s first pond. Kindergarten through sixth grade students spent a day digging holes, clearing rocks, planting a variety of aquatic plants, and grading soil. They also gathered gravel for the stream and assisted with the waterfall assembly.

The pond, which was built in the school’s new courtyard, is just outside of the future green house. It is 11 feet by 11 feet in size and it includes two waterfalls and a small stream.

“The students have taken part in every aspect,” Friendship Elementary Principal Beth Koontz said.

Read More

Southern York County School District students from Friendship, Southern, and Shrewsbury elementary schools performed in the Pennsylvania Music Educators District 7 Elementary Song Fest on March 31 at Cocalico Middle School in Denver, Pa. Students were chosen by recommendation of their choir teachers to perform in the festival, which includes singers from 42 different elementary and middle schools in York and the surrounding counties.

Read More

By TERRI REUTER
Publications/public information coordinator,
Southern York County School District

Glen Rock, Pa. – Students in grades 4, 5 and 6 at Friendship, Southern, and Shrewsbury Elementary Schools participated in this year’s National Geography Bee.

Following a qualifying test, the students from each class then proceeded to the preliminary round competition, where they answered questions on U.S. geography, state geography, American cities, continents, world capital cities and cultural geography.

The top 10 students proceeded to the final round of competition to determine the school winners. The National Geography Bee is an educational program of the National Geographic Society.

From Southern Elementary, winners are Michael Torbert, who came in first place; Katie Heiser, who placed second; and Josh Alwine, who finished third.

At Shrewsbury Elementary, the winners included Connor Woods, in first; Kyle Orndorff, who placed second; and Alec Kramer, in third.

The winners from Friendship Elementary included Ryan Pugaczewski, who placed first; Nick Standiford, in second place; and Steven Burchett, who finished third.

Submit your own kid-friendly news and kid creations to the Junior Dispatch by e-mailing stories and photos to juniordispatch@yorkdispatch.com. Please see our Submission Information page for ideas on what you and your kids can offer to Junior Dispatch.

Read More

By TERRI REUTER
Publications/public information coordinator,
Southern York County School District

Glen Rock, Pa – When the Southern York County School District completes its additions and alterations at Friendship Elementary School next year, the 53 year-old school will contain components that will be used to enhance the science curriculum.

The Southern York County School Board recently approved enhancing the science program to reflect the learning components of the environmentally friendly building. The building will meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which consists of a group of rating systems for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. According to Friendship Principal Beth Koontz, the project is being designed to obtain LEED Silver certification, and is intended to serve as an example within the School District as well as for the community.

The architect and administrators at Friendship collaborated so that the “green” design features may be used in the science curriculum. Students will learn important “green” scientific concepts through hands on learning stations that are part of the building.

“The building will be used as a learning tool,” Koontz said.

Students in each grade will study specific science units, using features throughout the “green” building. They include a butterfly garden, gymnasium solar wall, geothermal heating system, and also opportunities for students to learn about the school’s recycling program.

Read More