Look on youtube.com for all the live streamed recordings of the music concerts for the High School, Middle School and the Elementary School. The recordings are available to watch on the Oley Valley School District YouTube channel at any time. We have some very talented students in Oley Valley!

Welcome to the first edition of "PAWS" for Applause, where we recognize an employee who makes the Oley Valley School District thrive. Join us in celebrating the talent, dedication and unique stories of our valued employees.

⭐INTRODUCING MRS. SUE HART⭐

What is your role in the Oley Valley School District and how long have you been working in the District?

I started working in 2006 at the Middle School as a paraprofessional and transferred to a Middle School secretary in 2019. In 2021 I was hired as the Buildings and Grounds / Business Office secretary and then in 2022 was promoted to Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent.

What three words define you?

Family, easy-going and caring

What is your favorite part of your job and why?

I really like all aspects of my job. I enjoy my interactions with my coworkers.

When not at work, what is your favorite thing to do?

Spend time with family, go to the beach, and attend or watch Phillies and Eagles games!

What is something most people don't know about you?

I have fraternal twins and I'm an avid Flintstone memorabilia collector.

What is your favorite memory of working in the Oley Valley School District?

My "OMA" (grandmother) shower here at work thrown by my coworkers.

📣WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING!📣

(click link for colleague video testimonials about our "PAWS" for Applause employee)

As February comes to an end, I look forward to spring’s arrival. While I do enjoy the snow and many winter activities, thoughts of warmer weather, no shoveling or breaking ice, and going outside without wearing layers of clothing bring a smile to my face. Also, returning to a consistent schedule and routine will be a welcome change from this stormy winter.

Thank you for the hard work and flexibility you utilized to navigate the interruptions brought on by the storms and frigid temperatures. While we still could have storms coming, it is so nice to see the sun return, and the days grow longer. For those of you that love winter activities, get out there and make the most of the wintry days we have left. Regardless of your favorite season, make sure you take time to unwind, relax, and recharge your batteries.

Keep up the great work!

Aaron Weston

Erin Anderson

David Daniels

Maribeth Hawkins

Heather Jagielski

Melissa Rothenberger

Aaron Weston

Matthew Broskey

Tara Rimby

Hannah Henne

Elijah Miller

Stormy Russell

Marissa Wilczynski

Rachel Burns

Amy Hatfield

Jenni Hoffman

Patricia Kehoe

Cathleen Sieck

Facebook: http://facebook.com/OleyValleyES/
Twitter: @ElemOley

The 5th Grade Vocal Ensemble performed at the Reading Royals on Wednesday, February 26th.

Students in third grade had the opportunity to attend a performance at the Santander Performing Arts Center on Thursday, February 27th. They enjoyed great musical selections including "The Polar Express", "The Wondrous World of Harry Potter", and "The Flight to Neverland". The Berks ballet also accompanied the orchestra on several pieces. It was a great concert!

Facebook: http://facebook.com/OleyValleyMS/
Twitter: @OleyMS

Congratulations to the National Junior Honor Society inductees pictured below (order of names do not match photo).

Reagan Andrews

Adam Becker

Lisbeth Bitler

Natalie Hess

Addison Hoffman

Lea Horne

Addilyn Howard

Juliet King

Addison Mast

Ryder Obst

Cora Palmiottie

Emily Palmiotti

Quinton Petino

Sophia Shober

Lexie Sterling

Ashlynn Stahl

Terry Stahl

Miranda Yohn

Rebecka Yohn

The Pennsylvania Invention Convention is a statewide competition designed to foster innovation, problem-solve, and STEM. The competition began in the Fall of 2024 where students across Pennsylvania completed the invention process and then entered their innovation into their local county competition. The BCIU alone had 200 projects submitted. Only 60 teams across the state were invited to compete at the state level (10 in the elementary division, 20 in the middle school division, and 20 in the high school division).

Of the twenty groups invited to compete in the middle school division (5th-8th grade), four of them were from OVMS! Ryley Andrews & Avery Hinrichs – inventors of “The Perfect Pencil Pocket,” Cali Peifer & Abby Mindzak – inventors of “Sleep Tight,” Ethan O’Brien & Mason Reitnouer – inventors of “Clean dat Locker,” and Kevin Conrad & Brooklyn Miller – inventors of Stopp ‘n’ Walk.

On February 12th they traveled to the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, PA with their teachers Mrs. Tara Rimby and Mrs. Dawn Roman. They presented their innovations to a panel of judges consisting of industry professionals and educators. Following this event a select group of top-performing inventors will be invited to move on to the Nation Invention Convention in Michigan this June, where they will compete against inventors from across the country. Stay tuned to see if that will include any from Oley!

On Saturday, February 22nd the Oley Valley Middle school hosted our annual “Jazz in the Valley” festival. There were 12 visiting jazz ensembles from across the county who performed and received feedback from our adjudicators. This festival brings together middle school and high school musicians for a full day of jazz performances. Many students earned soloists awards and various ensembles were recognized for their outstanding trumpet, trombone, saxophone and rhythm sections. Many thanks to the Oley Valley Community Education Foundation and the Oley Valley Music Association for their help in making this event successful from year to year.

On January 25th, Mrs. Powlus and Ms. Pennington of Oley Valley Middle School hosted the 6th Grade String and Band Fest! Over 200 6th grade musicians came to the valley from across Berks County. The students had the morning to work with guest conductors on their music selections. Events like these are so special for our young musicians because they get to meet other like minded children from the county and forge lasting bonds through their joy for music. The band guest conductor was Ken Kemmerer, who is a retired band director of 37 years. The orchestra guest conductor was Dr. Stephen Benham, who is Professor of Music Education and Chair of Performance at Duquesne University. The following schools had students attending the event: Antietam, Boyertown, Brandywine Heights, Conrad Weiser, Exeter, Fleetwood, Governor Mifflin, Hamburg, Muhlenberg, Oley Valley, Reading, Tulpehocken, Twin Valley, Wilson, Wyomissing. We would like to offer a special thanks to Oley Valley Music Association, Menchey Music and Berks Arts for helping to support this wonderful experience for our county and our students!

Facebook: http://facebook.com/oleyvalleyHS/
Twitter: @OleyValleyHS

On January 29th, Oley Valley FFA members competed in the Interview and Creed Leadership Development Event. In the Interview competition, Megan Schaeffer placed first overall! In this competition, Megan had to write a resume and cover letter in advance of the interview portion of the event, participate in a mock interview, answer a phone call to accept the job and discuss the process moving forward, and write a thank you letter to the interviewers. In the Creed competition, Kalina Rhoads placed 1st in the chapter and 6th overall, Lindsay Howard placed 2nd in the chapter, and Madisyn Yost placed 3rd in the chapter! In the Creed event, members had to memorize and recite the five paragraphs of the FFA Creed. The judges then asked questions about the creed to each student. This event is open to all first-year members. We are so proud of all the members who competed in these Leadership Development Events. Congratulations to everyone!!

The Oley Valley FFA had 11 members attend the first weekend of the ACEs Conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on February 1st and 2nd. We left the high school at nine o’clock in the morning and stopped for lunch before arriving at the Sheraton Hotel for the ACEs Conference. The Conference started with an opening ceremony before we were sent to our starting workshops. Throughout the day we attended five different workshops where we learned how to better our leadership, communication, teamwork, and future skills. Some of the member’s favorite parts were getting to know FFA members from other chapters, getting to experience all the different workshops, learning about the history of FFA official dress, and learning about all the different career development events FFA has to offer. We had an amazing dinner provided by the hotel and played some bingo before we were dismissed to go swimming and attend the dance that was held at the end of the night. The night was finished off with some reflections and inspirational stories before we headed to our rooms, excited for tomorrow. The next morning we had breakfast and had a short closing ceremony to reflect on what we learned before starting our trip back to Oley. We had such a great time at this year's ACEs Conference and can’t wait for next year!

Calling all Oley Valley Alumni! We're inviting you to join us at Bertie's Inn on Tuesday, March 25. It is free for alumni and just $10 for guests. For more details and to get your tickets, please visit https://givebutter.com/OVAlumniMixer.

An OVCEF Education Grant made it possible for Oley Valley High School students to access cutting edge technology with the Vet Tech Anatomage Table! This interactive 3D table allows students to explore animal anatomy in incredible detail, diagnose illnesses and injuries, and test their knowledge with a built-in quiz feature. With technology that even most colleges don't have, students are gaining hands-on experience that sets them up for success! We're proud to support innovative learning opportunities like this.

Registration is OPEN for our 14th Annual Zackon 5k, which will be held at the Oley Valley High School on Saturday, April 5, 2025. We welcome family and friends of all ages to join us & let's make this the most fun 5k yet!

https://www.oleyvalleycef.com/zackon-5k-run-and-walk

For families and students who may experience homelessness, information on the McKinney-Vento Act is available on the Oley Valley School District Website or see below.

OVSD Homeless Liaison and Unaccompanied Youth Contact:

Mia K. Pietsch, M.Ed

Director of Student Services

Oley Valley School District

17 Jefferson Street Oley, PA 19547

610. 987.4100 ext. 1187 or ext. 1188

mpietsch@ovsdpa.org

Please Visit the Sites below for information:

Jamie Freed, President

Dawn Zackon, Treasurer

Maria Bogdanova-Peifer, Member

Candice Corle, Member

Mike Fredd, Member

Mary Harris, Member

Andrew Kline, Member

Zachary Moore, Member

Christina Moyer, Member

Levin Legal Group, P.C., Board Solicitor

The Oley Valley School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator who fully and actively supports equal access for all people regardless of Race, Color, Religion, Gender, Age, National Origin, Veteran Status, Disability, Genetic Information or Testing, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression and prohibits Retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or practice in the investigation of any complaint, or otherwise oppose discrimination. Compliance issues/questions should be directed to the Office of the Superintendent.