The Mt. Lion Roar Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 7: October 28, 2018

Welcome to The Mt. Lion Roar where you can read about some of the things happening in the Altoona Area School District. With nearly 8,000 students, AASD is the area's top choice for Academics, Arts and Athletics.

#GoMtLions

Juniata Gap Students Work With Molecules

Ellen Roberts, worked with the sixth grade students at Juniata Gap, using Happy Atoms (a kit borrowed from the IU8 STEM Lending Library). The students were highly engaged as they learned about molecules .

Reading At Logan Elementary

Miss Walker is a teacher that LOVES Reading and LOVES teaching ELA. The evidence is simple, when you walk into her classroom the intonation in her voice connects directly with the text she is discussing with the students in front of her. The questions she poses are “THINKING” questions. She makes the students dig deep about the text they are studying to make connections, listen to each other for conversational purposes, and challenges her students to improve through one-on-one conferencing. It is a joy to walk into her class and see students reading, writing about reading, and talking about what they are reading.

Pleasant Valley Elementary

Student Council Makes Donation

The Pleasant Valley Student Council donated $269.00 in support of Chili’s campaign to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Each year, Chili’s restaurant chain works with the hospital to raise the much needed funds for children’s research. The council officers voted unanimously to support the worthy cause. As a thank you, Chili’s gifted a free children’s meal to every student in the entire school! Great Job Cougars!

Mr. Baranik’s students at Logan Elementary had a fun learning opportunity, while they worked in teams and tried to “breakout” of their Civil War Escape Room. The students were engaged while reading the clues, breaking the codes, and problem solved to unlock their secret message!

STEM Challenge

Logan Elementary students in grades K-2 were challenged to build the tallest free-standing structure with the materials that were provided to them at the event. The gymnasium was filled with kindergarten, first and second grade students and parents. The students worked in pairs to build a TALL free-standing tower. Each team was given an unlimited supply of candy corn and toothpicks. The students engage with the products and tried and retried until they were successful.

Tinker Expo Presentation

Representatives from the McAuliffe Heights Program at Irving Elementary school were invited to present at the Third Annual CAIU Tinker Expo on Tuesday, October 23, 2018.

Principal Brandy Agnew presented on the STEM Program at McAuliffe Heights

6th Grade teacher, Kelly Grassmyer shared a classroom STEM project on Catapults.

Attention Parents of the Class of 2019

Parents interested in helping with the Afterglo - there will be a meeting on Nov.7, 2018 at 7pm in Room A214 at AAHS (please enter via 13th street doors). Questions please contact Kim Shope at 946-8254

Erin Dodson Memorial Scholarship

The AAHS volleyball team raised $3,000 for the Erin Dodson Memorial Scholarship. Every year the team names a gray out game to honor Erin Dodson, a 2004 graduate of Altoona Area High School and All-State volleyball player who lost her battle to brain cancer in 2011.