The Weekly Update #4

As we move through an exciting start to the school year, I am proud to share this fall edition of The Tigers' Pride, highlighting the many ways our students, staff, and families make MNSD such a special place. From welcoming our new teachers and celebrating community traditions to honoring service, supporting one another, and recognizing student achievement, these stories reflect the spirit of learning, connection, and Tiger Pride across our District. Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to create meaningful opportunities for every student each day.

Sincerely,

Tina M. Kane, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

This August, the Marple Newtown School District welcomed its newest educators during New Teacher Orientation and Induction week, which included activities and professional learning at Marple Newtown High School. School Board President, Mr. Matt Bilker, and Superintendent, Dr. Tina Kane, welcomed our new teachers and shared their excitement for the year ahead. Throughout the week, new educators connected with colleagues and participated in presentations and sessions led by departments across the district, including Pupil Services, Human Resources, Technology, and Teaching and Learning. Dr. Kane was also a tour guide for a bus ride around the Marple Newtown School District community. The orientation was designed to provide our new teachers with the knowledge, resources, and support they need to feel prepared and confident as they begin their journey with the Marple Newtown School District. Welcome to MNSD!

Culbertson Elementary School: Mrs. Nicole Paul (2nd Grade), and Ms. Andrea Watkins (3rd Grade)

Loomis Elementary School: Ms. Avery Abbonizio (5th grade), Ms. Susan Crouse (Speech), and

Ms. Taylor Nelson (LTS)

Russell Elementary School: Ms. Concetta Gilligan (5th grade)

Worrall Elementary School: Ms. Daryl Freedman (Music)

Paxon Hollow Middle School: Mr. Panagiotis Tsiakiris (7th grade ELA), and

Ms. Sarah Gingery (Autistic Support)

Marple Newtown High School: Ms. Isabella Dahms (English), Ms. Zoey Demetriades (English), James Blaser (Math), Jennifer Crilly (Math), Ashlee Laubach (Math), Jessica Langlois (LTS SSC Counselor), and Amy Burkart (LTS Culinary).

Marple Newtown School District held a solemn 25th Anniversary September 11 Remembrance Ceremony at the Marple Newtown High School. Principal John Beltrante opened the ceremony by welcoming members of the Marple Newtown community’s “Hometown Heroes,” including veterans, police officers, firefighters, and other distinguished guests.

The event began with the fire service tradition known as “Striking the Four Fives,” a ceremonial bell signal dating back to the 1860s that is used to honor firefighters who die in the line of duty. Fire companies from Marple and Newtown Townships performed the tribute as attendees stood in remembrance. Veterans then participated in the Posting of the Colors, followed by the National Anthem performed by the Marple Newtown High School Band. During the anthem, the American flag was raised and then lowered to half-staff.

Superintendent Dr. Tina Kane delivered the keynote address., reflecting on the events of September 11, 2001. “When the smoke cleared and the fires were extinguished, 2,977 innocent men, women, and children had lost their lives,” Kane said. “Every flag placed on our front lawn represents a life lost on that mournful day.” “For our students especially, this day is an important reminder that history is not only something we read about; it is something we learn from,” Kane said.

Kane also recognized the lasting impact of the day on first responders, service members, survivors and families, and urged students to remember the values of courage, sacrifice, service and unity. The program concluded with a moment of silence, a three-volley salute, “Taps,” and the retirement of the colors, marking the day as a solemn remembrance that will not be forgotten.

The Culbertson Elementary Sweet Treat Festival was truly a sweet success! Sponsored by the wonderful PTO, this special event brought families together to connect, celebrate the start of a new school year, and enjoy some delicious treats. Vendor's, Tyler's Water Ice, Scoops 'N' Smiles, and Fiesta Churros helped make the event so much fun for everyone who attended.

We are grateful to our PTO, vendors, and families for making this such a memorable celebration and a joyful way to kick off the school year.

The Loomis community welcomed the new school year with a fun filled Back-to-School Bash. Families, students, and staff gathered on the school grounds for a festive block party.

The PTO helped make the evening special by organizing coffee and dessert trucks and offering Loomis merchandise for families to purchase. Kids Sweet Repeat also joined the celebration with festive Loomis ribbons and bows.

Students enjoyed a variety of activities, including music and games with the DJ, colored hair spray, a scavenger hunt, temporary tattoos, a moon bounce, and time on the playground. The event was filled with smiles and laughter as families connected, strengthened friendships, and got to know one another.

Thank you to the Loomis PTO and everyone who helped make this wonderful community celebration possible.

Loomis students in Grades 1-5 had their first character education assembly of the school year to learn about their TIGER traits. Throughout the year, students will focus on the character traits that spell out TIGERS: T – Trust, I – Integrity, G – Grit & Gratitude, E – Empathy, R – Respect & Responsibility, and S – Safety.

For each trait, a school-wide character education assembly is held to introduce the trait and talk about what it looks like in students’ daily lives. The first character trait to be explored this year is Trust. Students learned what it means to be trustworthy, who they can trust and why, and what trustworthy behavior looks like at school, on the bus, and in the community.

Students can also earn Tiger Tickets from any staff member when they are “caught” going above and beyond to demonstrate one of our TIGERS traits. Every Friday, at least one name from each grade level is drawn for a prize.

In addition, each month every homeroom teacher selects one student who has gone above and beyond in demonstrating the current character trait. During October, teachers will be looking for students who consistently show Trust. Those students will be recognized at the November assembly with a Paw Pride Certificate, a TIGERS T-shirt, and a homework pass.

Through these assemblies and celebrations, Loomis Elementary is helping students grow in character, responsibility, and school pride all year long.

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Anthony Froio, new principal of Russell Elementary School, to the Marple Newtown School District! We are so excited to have him join our school community and look forward to the leadership, energy, and care he will bring to Russell Elementary School.

Russell families enjoyed a wonderful evening together at Movie Night on the field, hosted by the Russell PTO. It was a picturesque fall evening, as families gathered under the stars to watch a movie, spend time with friends, and make special memories together. Thank you to the Russell PTO for organizing such a fun event for the Russell community.

National Principals Month, observed every October, is a time to recognize and celebrate the hard work and dedication of school principals. We are proud to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the principals of the Marple Newtown School District. Each day, you inspire excellence by guiding staff, supporting families, and fostering a strong sense of community in our schools. Thank you for the countless ways you make a difference in the lives of our students and for the passion you bring to education.

The Marple Newtown School District celebrated the groundbreaking for a major construction project at Worrall Elementary School. Board members and District Administrators gathered for the event to mark the beginning of improvements that will expand, modernize, and strengthen the school for years to come.

The project includes the addition of approximately 16 classrooms, an expanded cafeteria with new kitchen, renovated common areas, including large-group instructional spaces, and an upgraded gymnasium. It also includes all new electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems, as well as new bathrooms and fire alarm systems. John S. McManus, Inc. is serving as the general contractor, Bonnett Medica Associates Inc. is the architect, and Jake Gallagher, Director of Operations for the Marple Newtown School District, is overseeing the project.

District leaders are enthusiastic about the impact the project will have on the Worrall community. These improvements will create new opportunities for students and staff to grow, learn, and thrive in a safe, revitalized environment designed to support the future of education.

Fall sports season is officially underway at Paxon Hollow Middle School! Student athletes have been working hard, learning new skills, competing, and, most importantly, having fun. We are proud of the dedication, teamwork, and sportsmanship our student athletes demonstrate both on and off the field. We look forward to cheering them on throughout the season and celebrating all they accomplish along the way.

Marple Newtown High School has announced that eight seniors have been named Commended Students in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program. The students recognized proudly pictured above with Principal, Mr. John Beltrane, left to right: Jack Hardy, Elliot Homel, Carlo Nicolis, Ella Clunis, Britney Huynh, Morgan Walker, Kevin Callahan Jr, and, Riley Carmichael.

Commended Students are recognized for exceptional academic promise based on their performance on the 2025 PSAT/NMSQT. Nationwide, approximately 34,000 students earned this honor, placing them among the top 50,000 participants in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship competition.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, students receiving this recognition have shown strong potential for academic success and represent an important resource for the future of education and leadership. The Marple Newtown School District is proud of the students’ hard work, dedication, and academic achievement.

The Marple Newtown High School Best Buddies are off to a fun and busy start this year. So far, the group has met several times and enjoyed a variety of activities, including games, making giant bubbles, a scavenger hunt, and Best Buddies Night at the MNHS/Strath Haven football game. The Buddies also hosted a barbecue and took part in the coin toss at the game. Looking ahead, members are excited for upcoming events such as crafts, a pumpkin decorating contest, and making lunches for the homeless. It is shaping up to be a wonderful year of friendship, fun, and service for everyone involved.

Marple Newtown High School was recently hand selected for a special opportunity to visit Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital and experience firsthand the impact of our Mini-THON efforts. Our Mini-THON student committee heads (Marleigh Lauletta, Lilliana Cook, Zoey Poulides, and Clair Maholick), accompanied by three advisors (Dana Chirco, Jen Cipollone, and Nicole McCarthy), participated in a specialized tour of the facility and met with hospital stakeholders who shared how the generosity of donors and the efforts of students directly impact children and families.

During the visit, our students learned how funds raised through Mini-THON help support critical childhood cancer research, provide resources and support to families, and help offset some of the financial challenges families experience during a child’s treatment. The students were able to see how their work translates into meaningful support for families navigating incredibly difficult circumstances.

A particularly special part of the visit was seeing Marple Newtown High School recognized on the hospital’s donor wall, serving as a lasting reminder of the generosity and commitment of our school community.

We are incredibly proud of our Mini-THON student leaders for their compassion, dedication, and leadership. Thank you to all our donors. Our Mini-THON event, this year is scheduled for Friday, March 5th.

Marple Newtown students celebrated music, teamwork, and school spirit at the 56th Annual Marple Newtown Bandarama on October 3. The musical showcase began with the Paxon Hollow 8th Grade Band performing the National Anthem, followed by performances from visiting bands and the Marple Newtown High School Marching Band.

This year’s Marple Newtown show, “The Game Show,” entertained the crowd with music inspired by Jeopardy, The Price Is Right, and Wheel of Fortune! Widener University also thrilled the audience with a special exhibition performance.

A special thank you goes to all of our student and parent volunteers whose time and energy helped make this beloved tradition a success. We are so proud of every student who participated and grateful to everyone who helped make this year’s Bandarama a memorable celebration of music and community.

Missed the Marple Newtown High School Marching Band’s performance? You will have more chances to see “The Game Show” at halftime during every remaining varsity football home game this season. Come out and cheer on our band!

MN Drama, an award-winning extracurricular theatre program at Marple Newtown High School, is excited to announce its fall production of A Christmas Carol. Each year, MN Drama hosts two productions on the main stage and provides students in grades 9–12 with opportunities to get involved both onstage and behind the scenes. Students are welcome to audition for productions, join one of the technical crews, or participate in the live pit orchestra. MN Drama takes pride in offering experiences that help students grow not only as performers, but as people.

This fall, MN Drama will bring Charles Dickens’ timeless holiday classic to life in Patrick Barlow’s lively stage adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Audiences will follow Ebenezer Scrooge on an unforgettable Christmas Eve journey as he encounters the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Filled with humor, heart, memorable characters, and the spirit of the season.

arple Newtown High School’s MN Drama will perform A Christmas Carol on November 19, 20, and 21 at 7:00 PM each evening. This festive production is sure to be a wonderful way for the community to celebrate the holiday season together. Tickets will be available in late October and can be purchased by visiting: https://www.mndrama.org/tickets.

Looking ahead, MN Drama is also excited to share that its spring production will be Once Upon a Mattress, continuing another strong season of theatre and student creativity on the main stage.

The boys’ team is led by Julian Bothma, a state qualifier last year. His performances at PTXC (2nd place), Briarwood Invitational (8th place) and Whippets Invitational (10th place) have put him well on his way to get back to the state championship meet! Seniors Cayden Wark and Owen Cowley have found huge new bests as they inch closer to 18s! Newcomers PJ Lee, Tommy Patton, and Ej McGee are setting the boys up for a strong future. Last year, 12 seniors moved on to college and this year we started out with only 1 runner under 19. With runners like Garret Hager, Jason Kelly, Lael Abiy, and Gabe Boyle we are beginning to create a new set of strong runners to represent Marple Newtown HS. We currently have 9 runners under 20, and look to continue building as we tune up for Delco Champs, CAL Champs, and District Champs!

The girls are having a historic season as they drive towards the finish line. State medalist Sloan Smith continued where she left off last year, leading the team with 2nd place at PTXC, meet champion at Briarwood, 4th place at Ben Bloser, and a 2nd place at Whippets invite! However, she is not on her own, as Avery DeCecco, Jess DeMaio, Brooke Davis, Julia Lee, Daisy Edelman, and Allison Bocian have put together a season to be remembered. The girls won numerous individual meets and took home the team champs at PTXC, 2nd at Briarwood Invite, 4th at Ben Bloser, team champ at Whippets Invitational, and are 11-0 in the Central League. Winning the first ever Central League Championship in school history, the team looks to continue their success at Delco Champs, CAL Champs, and District Champs. Currently, the girls are ranked top 10 in the state and top 5 in the District!! We have a wonderful mixture of youth with runners like Lily Bocian, Alessia Amoroso, Livie Wang, and Maddie Ziegler, mixed with veteran runners like Kassidy Smith, Jewel Byju, Riley Carmichael, and Ayla Gundogdu.

The girls and boys will be competing at District Champs later this month! The girls are pressing to be the first ever Marple XC team to make states as a team. Last year, Sloane Smith took home a 4th place medal at the state meet. This year we hope to add the entire top 7 and bring home more hardware!

Congratulations to Jordan Corner and Cora Fehrenbach for competing and advancing in the CAL tennis tourney! Jordan finished 7th overall! Great work, Tiger Pride!

We are pleased to share that the 2027-2028 Academic Calendar was officially approved by the Board of School Directors. Click the calendar image to view. You can also find it on our District’s website by clicking this link and scrolling below the 2026-2027 calendar.