District News

Unionville-Chadds Ford School District landed in the top spot as the decade’s highest-scoring school district across the Commonwealth, according to a Pittsburgh Business Times analysis as part of its annual Guide to Southwestern Pennsylvania Schools.

The Business Times looked at data from the last 10 years of state standardized testing, from 2010 to 2019, to see which districts had the highest-scoring students over that span. Tests were not given during 2020 due the pandemic. This map shows which districts landed in which ranking groups, with the largest concentration of top-scoring districts in the suburbs of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Hover over any district to see the name and rank. Hover or click on group buttons in key to see just one or more group on the map at a time.

Unionville-Chadds Ford in Chester County had landed at No. 1 for the state in annual rankings from 2014 to 2020. No. 2 on the decade ranking was Delaware County's Radnor Township School District, which was No. 3 in the most recent annual ranking in 2020.

Annual rankings are based on three years of test scores (for 2020, scores from 2017, 2018 and 2019). Decade rankings look at all scores for the last 10 years of testing, from 2010 to 2019.

READ MORE HERE

The Unionville-Chadds Ford School District is honored to announce that Lauren Owsley, English Teacher at Charles F. Patton Middle School, has received the Citadel Heart of Learning Award. This is a very special award in any year, but especially meaningful and well-deserved after the challenges last year presented.

Students and UCF leadership only have positive things to say about Ms. Owsley. In her award nominations, one student wrote: “I always look forward to her class. I feel Mrs. Owsley cares about me.” Another student mentioned, “She has been the sweetest and most motivating teacher that I have ever had.”Another student nomination noted, “I nominated her because I really loved how she went above and beyond takes time to plan activities and zooms to get to know me personally and each other.”

Citadel Heart of Learning Award recipients are selected based on the following criteria: (1) consistent devotion of time and energy beyond the normal requirements of their teaching position (2) initiating, implementing, or administering a new or innovative idea that benefits their students and/or school and (3) providing exceptional assistance and/or support to school or student activities, projects, or programs.

Owsley is one of 15 winners selected out of more than 1,400 nominees submitted this year. All Citadel Heart of Learning Award finalists receive $500 to use in their classrooms and a glass award handcrafted at Glasslight Studios in St. Peter’s Village.

Watch the touching reveal of the award from Citadel & UCF leadership:

Congratulations to Unionville Elementary Health and PE teacher Mr. Chris D’Esposito who was selected as a recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award by the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union. Mr. D’Esposito is an outstanding educator who brings innovation and creativity to his lessons; always providing a fun and exciting learning experience for students.

Unionville Elementary and Mr. D’Esposito first learned about this exciting news last year right before the start of the pandemic - which caused FMFCU to postpone any celebrations.

We are excited to finally celebrate this wonderful achievement! Mr. D’Esposito will be honored at the virtual Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union’s Partners in Education Celebration on April 22, 2021.

Each year, the FMFCU Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes 20 outstanding and dedicated teachers in our area. Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union created this award in 2007 in partnership with Delaware County Intermediate Unit.

Recipients of this award receive $1,000 towards classroom expenses and a commemorative keepsake. The recipient’s school also receives a $1,000 award.

Unionville High School has been named a Best High School by U.S. News! U.S. News released their Best High Schools rankings for 2021 and Unionville High School is ranked 6th in Pennsylvania and ranked #317 in the National Rankings!

View Unionville High School's complete profile as well as ranking factors here!

Congratulations to the Class of 2021 on graduating earlier this month! We wish each graduate all the best on their next adventure!

Enjoy this final tribute for the Class of 2021 below! (Filmed & Produced by UHS student Allison Rikard)

Chadds Ford Elementary had six students participate in the 34th annual Chester County Science Research Competition (CCSRC) this year under the coordination of Gifted Support Teacher, Marisa Gehris. The CCSRC is dedicated to encouraging, supporting and developing scientific inquiry and discovery through individual and team science projects conducted by elementary, middle and high school students.

Chadds Ford Elementary students represented the District well through their virtual presentations and interviews with judges. Sixteen local elementary schools participated and 5 students from CFE were awarded for their projects.

• Akshant Kaveti placed 3rd in Computer Science for his project "Want to Build your own OS?"
• Liv Thomas placed 2nd in Botany for her project "Does Indoor Farming Without Soil Work?"
• Elias Miller placed 2nd in Medicine and Health for his project "Assessing Breathability of Masks for Athletic Use"
• Prisha Sircar placed 2nd in Physics and was also awarded the special prize of "Powerful Force in Physics" which included an Amazon Gift Card for her project "Change in Sound Level due to Changes in Liquids"
• Panash Kapoor placed 1st in Microbiology for his project "Be a Germ Buster, Wash Hands"
• Zayn Enver, 5th grader at CFE, also participated and presented his project, " Is it Safe to Water Plants with Greywater?" Zayn completed his research on location in Pakistan while on holiday break after seeing how expensive and scarce water was in the Middle East.

Chadds Ford Elementary staff are so proud of these students and their commitment to learning about science and problem solving for our future.

Take a look at the new mural outside of the Unionville High School auditorium which was designed by the newly graduated Kavya Bansal and carried out by many members of the National Art Honors Society! Excellent work by our student artists!

Earlier this month, 8th Graders started their walk from Patton to UHS led by Dr. Dissinger. They then were met by Dr. Jenkins halfway who finished leading the Future Longhorns to the UHS campus where they celebrated with music & games! Congratulations 8th Grade!

(Photos below by Sue Reno)

The Unionville Indoor Percussion Ensemble and Indoor Guard are overcoming the barriers of COVID-19 restrictions to deliver excellent performances.

The Unionville Percussion Ensemble (pictured) advanced to WGI Finals (Winter Guard International), competing with over nearly 80 other ensembles across the country in Scholastic A Groups to secure one of the 15 top spots. This is an unprecedented 4th year the ensemble has qualified for finals. Check out the Unionville Percussion Ensemble's show, "Longhorn Time" here!

The Unionville Indoor Guard qualified for WGI semi-finals for the third year in a row. Check out their show "Jukebox Boogie" here!

Last year, Patton Middle School teacher Ryan Ragland secured a $10,000 grant to create an American Chestnut orchard on the Patton Middle School grounds. With lots of help from outside experts they were able to get this project off the ground this school year.

With Patton's back playing fields being transformed into two athletic turf fields, the door opened for them to set aside a 100 square foot area to be excavated, leveled, and fenced in to begin growing blight-resistant American Chestnut trees, and be a part of a national effort to resurrect the American Chestnut tree, a valued aspect of American history.

On Friday, April 30, twenty Patton students accompanied by Dr. Dissinger and staff members set out to the field and planted 90 chestnut seeds! Thanks to all the students and staff members who participated! A special thanks to James Whitsel, Tom Struble, Bob Struble and John Wenderoth for their help with making this day happen!

This summer UCFSD will be offering Grab & Go Meals for pick up each Wednesday! These orders are for ALL Students pre-school through age 18.

Fill out the sign-up form on the Food Services website each week by Sunday at 9 PM to order your meal for that upcoming Wednesday! Please note that the next meal pickup date will be Wednesday, July 14th.

The Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board unanimously approved Mr. Timothy Hoffman as the next Assistant Superintendent of Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. Hoffman is currently the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the district. He will replace Mr. John Nolen, who is retiring at the end of the school year after serving 18 years with the district.

Hoffman joined the District in 2012 as Principal of Charles F. Patton Middle School. In 2017, he made the transition to the district office to take on the role of Director of Curriculum and Instruction, a position he has held for the last four years. Prior to joining UCFSD, Hoffman was an assistant principal in the Tredyffrin-Easttown School District. He also served as an assistant principal for the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, which is where he started his career as a teacher.

Hoffman’s qualifications made him the ideal choice for the position. He has served as a member of the Superintendent’s Central Cabinet for the last four years. He has worked directly with the principals to plan and coordinate the educational program from Kindergarten through Grade 12, working with head teachers, department chairs, and committees. He has planned and implemented several District-wide professional development opportunities. In his current seat, he is the chair of the UCFSD Equity Council and co-chair of the UCFSD Portrait of a Graduate Committee. Additionally, as chair of the UCFSD Secondary Scheduling Committee, he helped create and supervised the implementation of the high school lunch and learn schedule.

This past year, Hoffman was instrumental in creating the District’s health and safety plan in response to COVID-19. His leadership helped shape plans for a hybrid educational model at all grade levels. Subsequently, he played a large role in the transition to in-person learning, working closely with building principals, teachers and parents.

During the Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board meeting on June 21, 2021, Board Directors approved the appointment of Mr. Joseph Deady as Director of Finance. Deady will be replacing the current Director of Business and Operations, Mr. Bob Cochran, who is retiring in August.

Deady has spent the last 15 years working in public education. He is currently the Supervisor of Accounting for the District, a role he has held for the past seven years. Prior to joining UCFSD, Deady was an Assistant Business Administrator for both Souderton Area and Southeast Delco school districts and the District Accountant for Southeast Delco. As Supervisor of Accounting for UCFSD, Deady assists the Director of Business and Operations in preparing the annual budget, maintains all district financial records, and prepares all of the district’s financial reports. Additionally, he is responsible for coordinating local, state, and federal audits and oversees payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, tax collection, and purchasing.

This experience, coupled with his keen knowledge of the District made Deady the top candidate for the job during the interview process. He has negotiated a five-year contract with the Board effective July 19, 2021. Deady is a graduate of Penn State and received his Masters in Accounting from St. Joseph’s University.

During the Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board meeting on June 21, 2021, Board Directors approved the appointment of Mr. Mike Audevard as Director of Curriculum and Instruction. Audevard will be taking over for Mr. Tim Hoffman, who is transitioning to the role of Assistant Superintendent on July 1.

Audevard first joined UCFSD in 2008 as a fourth-grade teacher at Chadds Ford Elementary School. After spending seven years as a teacher in UCFSD, he took his first administrative post as Assistant Principal at Concord Elementary School in the Garnet Valley School District. After two years, Audevard returned to UCFSD as Principal of Hillendale Elementary School, a position he has held for the last four years.

During a month-long interview process, the interview committee met with an extremely talented candidate pool. Audevard successfully demonstrated his qualifications and excellent leadership skills during the interview process. In the end, the committee selected Audevard as the district’s next Director of Curriculum and Instruction.

During his time with UCFSD, Audevard has shown great leadership as a building administrator. Additionally, he has been involved in a number of District committees - offering valuable insight on district initiatives and processes. Audevard has contributed to curriculum planning and was an essential member of the pandemic task force. He will take on his new role in the District Office beginning July 1, 2021. Audevard graduated from Cornell University and received his Masters in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently enrolled in a Doctoral program at Drexel University.

Both the Director of Finance, formerly the Director of Business and Operations, and the Director of Curriculum and Instruction are part of the Superintendent’s Central Cabinet along with the Assistant Superintendent and Director of Pupil Services. Joining Deady and Audevard on the Central Cabinet will be three additional members of the administrative team. On Monday evening, the Board approved changes in titles of three existing UCFSD administrators. Mr. Jame Whitesel, current Supervisor of Facilities will be the Director of Facilities, Ms. Christa Fazio, current Communications Coordinator will be the Director of Communications and Community Relations, and Mr. Patrick Crater, current Supervisor of Athletics will be the Director of Student Activities effective July 1, 2021.

In his role as Director of Student Activities, Crater will oversee all athletics and student activities, including the music programs for Patton Middle School and Unionville High School, and will be the School Board liaison for student activities and policy. Whitesel and Fazio will continue to oversee their respective departments and serve as board liaisons for facilities and communications.

“We have an extremely talented administrative team at UCFSD,'' stated Sanville. “Adding Mr. Whitesel, Ms. Fazio, and Mr. Crater to our Central Cabinet not only recognizes the work that they are already doing for the district, but they each bring a level of expertise to the table that is invaluable.”

AGENDA | VIDEO

During the June School Board meeting, the Board approved the Final General Fund Budget for the 2021-2022 school year. The budget includes 90,920,061 in expenditures and tax increases of 3.0% in Chester County ( 29.96 mills) and 2.58% in Delaware County (15.4 mills).

The Unionville-Chadds Ford School District has been allocated $737,392 from the American Rescue Plan - Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief Fund (ARP-ESSER). The Board approved the District’s plan for these funds. The plan includes allocating funds for: Summer Academies, Support for the Mental and Behavioral Health Needs of Secondary Students, Special Education Transition Programming Support, and Buildings and Grounds Health and Safety Needs.

The contract with Brandywine Virtual Academy (BVA) was approved. In partnership with the CCIU and BVA, the Unionville Virtual Academy will be available for the 2021-2022 school year for students who wish to participate in virtual learning.

Additionally, 12 retirees were honored during the superintendent’s report with a video recognizing each retiree and their service to the District - WATCH VIDEO

AGENDA | VIDEO

During the Superintendent’s Report, Dr. Sanville invited representatives from Patton Middle School to present on the Chestnut Tree Project - CFPMS received a $10,000 grant to create an American Chestnut orchard on the Patton Middle School grounds. They planted 90 chestnut seeds.

Additionally, Unionville High School Speech and Debate students presented on their student-run public speaking club held at Pocopson Elementary School. More than 40 fourth and fifth grade students registered for the eight-week program.

The Board discussed the Proposed General Fund Budget.

Email: ucfsdcommunications@ucfsd.net
Website: https://www.ucfsd.org/
Location: 740 Unionville Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA
Phone: 610-347-0970
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Twitter: @UCFSD