| | | Save the Date
Thursday, July 19 – AR testing, 1-3 PM
Wednesday, August 1 – Early Childhood Playdate, 4-5:30 PM
Monday, August 13 – Grades 1 and 2 Ice Cream Social, 4-5:30 PM
Tuesday, August 14 – AR testing, 10 AM-12 Noon; Grades 3 and 4 Ice Cream Social, 4-5:30 PM
Wednesday, August 15 – Early Childhood Playdate Thursday, August 16 – AR testing, 1-3 PM
Saturday, August 18 – Grade 7 Ice Cream Social, 3 PM Sunday, August 19 – Grade 8 Back-to-School Picnic, 3-5 PM
Monday, August 27 – Grade 5 Ice Cream Social, Bear Creek Village, 2-4 PM; Grade 6 Ice Cream Social, 2-4 p.m.; Early Childhood Back to School Night (Parents only), 6 PM
Wednesday, August 29 – First Day of School for grades Pre-K-8
Thursday, August 30 – Primary Convocation, 9:20 AM; Grades 1 and 2 Back to School Night (Parents and students), 7 PM Tuesday, Sept. 4 – First Day of School for Toddlers and Preschool; Grades 3 and 4 Back to School Night (Parents and students), 7 PM Thursday, Sept. 6 – Middle School Parents Night, 7 PM
For more events, visit Sem's All-School Calendar...
| | | | Back to School! All new and returning students should have received an invitation to the parent portal with login info. If you did not receive it, or if you have questions, please contact Patty DeViva at pdeviva@wyomingseminary.org.
Stay connected: | | | | In this Issue:
Items of Interest Don't miss these Back-to-School grade-level events!
Join your classmates for Back-to-School gatherings in August: - Pre-k and K: During the playdate on August 15, 4-5:30 p.m., LS playground
- Grades 1 & 2: During the ice cream social on August 13, 4-5:30 p.m., Zimmerman Field
- Grades 3 & 4: During the ice cream social on August 14, 4-5:30 p.m., Zimmerman Field.
- Grade 5: During the picnic on August 27 from 2-4 p.m., Bear Creek Village.
- Grade 6: During the ice cream social on August 27 from 2-4 p.m., Zimmerman Field
- Grade 7: During the ice cream social on August 18, 3-5 p.m., Zimmerman Field.
- Grade 8: During the picnic on August 19, 3-5 p.m., Zimmerman Field.
Note: these grade-level events will take the place of the new student orientation originally scheduled for August 28.
Questions? Check Sem's online calendar...
Summertime ...
With the long hot days of midsummer, it may be hard to believe that school will once again be in session in about six weeks. Here at the Lower School preparations are underway for the first day of school on Wednesday, August 29. Visit the Web site’s Parents Page for a copy of the student-parent handbook and all the lists, forms and information you need to start getting ready for classes this fall. Be sure to take note of the playdates, ice cream socials, picnics and new student orientation program listed on the events calendar. Bartron named director of STEM program
 Dr. Kip P. Nygren has named Rachel Warriner Bartron the new Director of the Louis Maslow Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) School at Wyoming Seminary. Bartron will work to develop and implement a STEM curriculum at the Upper and Lower School campuses. In her new post, Bartron will be responsible for ensuring curricular quality of the Louis Maslow STEM School’s programs, along with the development of STEM related corporate and university-level partnerships that will enhance student learning and faculty development. Bartron joined Sem in 2008 as a math teacher and girls lacrosse coach at the Lower School and in 2009 she joined the Upper School as a science teacher, peer group coordinator and dorm parent.
Summer begins with Lower School camp activities
 More than 100 students took part in about 25 workshops taught by Sem teachers at the Lower School during the first two weeks of June. A wide variety of classes, such as Lego Stop-Motion, creative writing, scrapbook making, swimming, arts and crafts and many others kept the children in grades pre-K through eighth grade engaged and excited. Several Upper School students served as assistants in the classes and their energy and patience were much appreciated.
Accolades in Academics, Athletics and Activities Sem students win awards for French...
The National French Contest, sponsored by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French, concluded with 50 chapter and 29 national winners from a pool of 465 elementary to high school student entrants from public and private schools in the Wyoming Valley, Milford, Scranton, Pocono, and South Williamsport areas. Continuing a tradition that began in 1977, King’s College hosted a dinner for area national and chapter French contest winners and guests in the Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center. Wyoming Seminary Lower School winners who attended the awards dinner at King’s College are, seated from left: Kyle H., Jasmine H., Stefan O., Isabel H., Elena F., Molly L., and Gabriel P. Standing: Kira Z., Michael K., Dominique C., Tristram R., Duncan L., Naomi D., Dominic W., Meghna M., Maxim C., Leana P., and Dr. Margaret Corgan, chairperson of the department of foreign languages at King’s College.
... and in Spanish ...
 More than 1,200 regional students recently competed in the National Spanish Examinations, sponsored by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. The contest concluded with 47 chapter winners, ranging from elementary to high school students from public and private schools in the Wyoming Valley, Scranton, Poconos, Hazleton, and South Williamsport areas. King’s College hosted a dinner for area national and chapter Spanish contest winners and guests in the Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center. Wyoming Seminary Lower School winners who attended the Spanish awards dinner at King’s College are, seated from left: Olivia L., Elijah M., David N., and Mary Theresa L. Standing: Conner M., Megha S., Grace L., Reeya L., Julien S., and Alex Byczkowski, assistant professor of foreign languages and cultures at King’s College.
... And in Latin
Information and photos of students who received awards in Latin are posted in the News Archives section of the Web site. Musicians win Philharmonic piano competition
Sienna Tabron, a rising sophomore at Upper School, recently received first place in the annual Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic Piano Competition’s Junior Division, held at WVIA-FM-TV. Dominick D'Alessandro, a rising eighth grader at Lower School, took second place. The winners received monetary prizes and the opportunity to perform at Philharmonic events. Photo Gallery Publishing project tells family stories
The "Sem Storytellers" Project allowed the students to create stories about a family member and publish them in book form.
Pre-K, third grade learn about bees
Beekeeper Chris Kohl of Sweet Valley Hives visited the pre-kindergarten and third grade classrooms in May to describe how bees make honey, how beekeepers care for bees, and why bees are important members of the animal kingdom.
Nostalgia is fun for eighth grade  Eighth-grade students in Mr. Clark Switzer’s American history class wrapped up their studies for the year with a 50s, 60s, 70s Day celebration. The students dressed in period clothing, enjoyed snacks and played lots of games; hula-hooping might be making a comeback!
A lesson on sharks 
Mrs. Jill Carrick, science department chair, brought a small shark specimen to the first grade class and dissected it, showing the students both internal and external parts of the animal’s anatomy. This lesson was in conjunction with the students’ study of the ocean and its plants and animals.
A story for a new friend... 
First grade children enjoyed meeting and reading to several therapy dogs during their visit to the Sordoni Library in May. The dogs and their handlers are members of Therapy Dogs International, Inc., a network of caring individuals who share their special animals with others to bring happiness and cheer to young and old alike.
Making physics fun 
The sixth grade presented projects demonstrating some basic principles of physics as they designed, built and tested catapults. The students competed to see whose catapult could propel a ball the farthest. The project ended on Field Day when the blue team students took on the white team.
Trees and Technology 
Technology in the form of iPads came in handy when seventh-grade students partnered with their preschool friends to identify trees growing on the Lower School lawn. The students in Mrs. Jill Carrick’s science class had been studying urban forests and deforestation issues, and showed the preschool students how to use the iPad camera and apps to identify trees by their leaves. |
