Thank You Ceremony
Avonworth Primary Center students and staff celebrated our veterans at their "Thank You" ceremony. Representative Vanket joined us as a guest speaker, expressing gratitude to our veterans before the parade began. Leading the way, our talented high school drummers set the pace for the procession, as students lined up waving American flags with pride.
This year, APC was thrilled to honor the service of 40 veterans in person at the "Thank You" ceremony. In addition, 60 more veterans who could not attend the ceremony in person received a star honoring their service to our country.
Throughout the week, APC students learned about veterans day and what it means to serve our country. Students, staff and families also donated a variety of much needed items to the Veterans Leadership Program of Pittsburgh to help support veterans in our community.
Thank you to everyone who made this event memorable and meaningful for our community. A very special thank you to all our veterans for your unwavering courage, dedication, and sacrifice. We are forever grateful for your service to our country.
Music Grant Will Benefit Students Of All Ages
Congratulations to Mr. Ronnie Ziccardi, Avonworth School District's K-12 Music Department Leader, on receiving the PARSS (Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools) Grant.
Mr. Ziccardi says it will be used to purchase an Apple MacBook Pro that will give him the tools to successfully create detailed band practice videos with both the video and musical software embedded in the device.
He says, "The goal is to bring families closer to their child's musical journeys on their instruments by connecting what they learned in class with their at-home practice routines. These videos are aimed to be family-friendly by encouraging parents and caregivers to sit down with their children and enjoy the process of learning an instrument together."
Ziccardi also says families who may have previously felt unsure of how to help will now have a tool that welcomes them into the music-making process.
Research shows that schools with strong family engagement are 10 times more likely to improve student learning outcomes and I believe this initiative will help to foster family engagement in the band classroom. The grant will benefit hundreds of students in the band program in the Avonworth School District.
Support Professional of the Year!
Becky Marszalek, a paraprofessional at Avonworth Elementary School, is the Pennsylvania State Education Association’s (PSEA) Dolores McCracken Education Support Professional of the Year for the 2024-25 school year.
Congratulations to Ms. Marszalek on this well deserved honor!
Children's Grief Awareness Day
Students at AES learned about Children's Grief Awareness, the Highmark Caring Place, and how to support grieving friends and family members.
Students decorated butterflies and had the opportunity to add a loved one or pet's name to the "Here for Each Other" mural.
Students wore blue on Children's Grief Awareness Day to raise awareness and show their support for those in their community who are grieving.
The 6th-grade Builders Club was a huge help in making this day of awareness happen at AES!
Traditional Feast Prepared for Students
The Avonworth High School/Middle School cafeteria staff prepared and served a traditional Thanksgiving meal including roasted turkey breast, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh baked rolls, fruits, vegetables and milk.
We are so thankful for our students!
Enlightening Opportunity
Prosecuting Attorney Mike Sullivan, Esq., visited the fall play cast and crew of Twelve Angry Jurors to discuss the finer points of jury trials and the role of the juror in criminal cases.
A lively exchange ensued about specific moments in the play that directly correlate to actual trial proceedings and deliberations.
Many thanks to attorney and Avonworth resident Susan Abramowich, Esq., for arranging this enlightening opportunity!
Learning Healthy Habits
Students in grades K-5 had the opportunity to learn about how their liver functions.
Speakers from NASH Knowledge came into both APC and AES Physical Education classes to explain how sugar affects the liver and ways to be careful not to eat too much sugar.
The students enjoyed meeting the Livvy the Liver mascot and seeing how much sugar each soda and sport drink contains.
Making a Difference with Music
Middle schoolers spent a morning learning about Dame Evelyn Glennie, a venerated Scottish percussionist.
Dame Glennie was born in Scotland in 1965 and learned to play the piano and clarinet as a young girl. At the age of 8, she began to lose her hearing and by age 12 she was profoundly deaf. As a result, she learned to play percussion instruments (including drums and keyboards) based on the vibrations she could feel without having to “hear” them and eventually was accepted to the Royal Academy of Music of London and is the world’s only professional solo percussionist.
The class read a book titled Listen about Dame Glennie’s life, then went to the band room where Mr. Neville had set up a huge array of percussion instruments to try out. Not only did everyone have a chance to try out marimbas, gongs, base drums and shakers, but we also talked about how the different instruments felt when we used them.
Grant Received for Roof Replacement
The Avonworth School District has been awarded a $1 million Public-School Facility Improvement Grant to support the roof replacement project at Avonworth Middle/High School.
This grant program is designed to provide funding to public school districts and local career and technical schools for qualifying facility improvement projects.
Winter Weather Plan 2024
With Thanksgiving approaching, we enter a time of year when weather could impact our school schedule. As we prepare for the possibility of weather-related delays and closings, we want to make sure families are as prepared as possible.
We will shift to remote instruction if we need to close our schools due to inclement weather. All students in grades K-12 will attend classes remotely. A remote learning day will run on a two-hour delay schedule for all students K-12. Remote instruction will begin for middle and high school students at 10:00 AM and primary and elementary students at 11:00 AM. The extra time in the morning will help teachers prepare for the remote learning day and give students any additional time they might need to complete work – or play in the snow!
If we call for a delay, all Avonworth schools will operate on a two-hour delay schedule. If your child takes the bus, their pick-up time will be two hours later than normal.
If we have to delay school or move to remote instruction due to inclement weather, the information will be shared in the following ways:
- The Avonworth School District website (www.avonworth.k12.pa.us)
- School Messenger (call and email)
- Facebook (www.facebook.com/AvonworthSD)
- Twitter (https://twitter.com/avonworthschool)
- Instagram (www.instagram.com/avonworthsd)
- Local news stations (WPXI, WTAE, KDKA)
Please review this Closing/Delay Frequently Asked Questions to help answer any additional questions you may have concerning school delays and closures.
Please use our website (www.avonworth.k12.pa.us) as your official source for information.
Thank you in advance for your patience and flexibility this winter!
Care Solace - Here For You This Holiday Season
December is National Stress-Free Holidays Month! While this season brings joy, it can also bring stress. Remember to take time for yourself. Here are a few tips to keep your holidays bright and manageable:
✨ Adjust traditions if they feel overwhelming
✨ Learn to say “no” to extra commitments
✨ Stay organized by planning ahead
✨ Talk about your feelings—don’t keep them bottled up
✨ Make time for self-care
If you or a loved one needs support, call #CareSolace 24/7/365 at 888-515-0595 for confidential help finding a mental health provider.
Visit: www.caresolace.com/avonworth to search for a provider or click “Book Appointment” for assistance via video chat, phone, or email.
CHAMPIONS!
Avonworth won the WPIAL Class 3A championship, defeating Central Valley 17-0 on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium!
It is the third WPIAL title in school history for the Antelopes (11-3) and their second under head coach Duke Johncour.
The battle tested 24-25 Avonworth Antelopes dealt with adversity early on in the season with critical injuries at multiple positions. They fought through tough non-conference games against highly ranked 4A teams and ended the regular season in a 3 -way-tie for the conference championship.
The Lopes were seeded #5 in the playoff bracket and had to play two of the best teams in 3A to make it to Acrisure Stadium for the third straight year. In the WPIAL championship, the Lopes were slated against conference rival Central Valley. The Avonworth defense showed up to play and pitched a shutout against a highly talented Central Valley offense.
As they say, "The third time is a charm." The Lopes will face Penn-Cambria in the state semi-finals on Friday Night November 29th at Norwin High School at 7:00 PM.
Soccer Success
The 2024 boys soccer team finished with a record of 19-4-2 after making it to the WPIAL final game and the state semi-final game.
They will have four members of the team playing in the WPIAL All-Star Game on November 30th at Pine Richland High School. Seniors Abdul Basit, Abdul Wahab, Rowan Carmichael, and Noah Quinn will be playing.
Also, congratulations to Abdul Wahab for making the Pennsylvania All-State Team.
Fiona Mahan-University of Alabama
During her time with Avonworth Girls Soccer, Fiona has earned All-Section, All-WPIAL, All-State, All-Region, and All-American honors. Along with her teammates, she is a section champion, a 3x WPIAL Champion, and a 2x State Runner-up. In her career, she has scored 71 goals and earned 52 assists, making her the all-time leading scorer, along with holding records for most assists and most points. Congratulations Fiona!
Jayla Jones-Allegheny College
Avonworth Softball player, Jayla Jones commits to further her education and continue to play softball at the collegiate level at Allegheny College. Jayla will return as a third year starter to the 2025 Lopes to help compete for another championship. During the 2024 season, Jayla was voted second team all-state as a designated player. In addition to her contributions at softball, Jayla was a standout player for the Avonworth Girl’s Volleyball Team.
Sydney Savatt-Rider University
Avonworth softball player, Sydney Savatt, commits to further her academic and athletic career at Division 1 Rider University. Sydney will return as a four year standout starter for the Lopes in 2025. She was voted to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette All Section Team as well as second team All-State at the short stop position. In addition to her softball contributions, Sydney is a key player for the Avonworth Girl’s Basketball Team. Congratulations, Sydney!
Mason Metz-Seton Hill University
During his time at Avonworth, Mason has been a 4-year letterman on the baseball team, named an all-section player, part of the 2023 WPIAL Championship team and part of the 2023 PIAA runner up team. Mason is also a 4-year lettermen on the football team and has been named all-section three years in a row and most recently, 1st team all-conference for offense, defense, punter, and the defensive MVP.
Mason has committed to play baseball at Seton Hill University where he will study finance. He will also be applying to the honors program at Seton Hill. Congratulations Mason!
Order Your Yearbook Now!
Our High School yearbook store is now live for those who would like to purchase a yearbook. Last year we sold out and some families were unable to secure a book after the window for purchasing closed, so the sooner you buy the better.
Click here to purchase a yearbook.
Our "job number" is 4285. The store will be live until the first week of April.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let me email sjames@avonworth.k12.pa.us.
Substitute Cafeteria Staff Needed
Looking for fast-paced and fulfilling work? Need a job that allows you to be at home with your school-aged children or grandchildren?
We have the perfect position for you!
Join our staff for a chance to earn money while your children are at school. Great hours -- shifts are between the hours of 9 am and 2 pm Monday-Friday with no evenings, weekends or holidays!
See the excitement in the students’ faces as you serve them their favorite meal!
Compensation: $10.25 / hour
Employment Type: Part-time/on-call
Contact Melissa Schad for additional info
