Kindergarten Registration Has Begun!

Attention parents of all Wallenpaupack Area School District children who will be five years of age on or before August 31, 2023 and will be attending Kindergarten during the 2023-2024 school year: Please refer to this page for registration instructions and to download the registration forms or request a registration packet from the Central Registrar's office by calling (570) 226-4557 ext. 3036.

WAHS Students Participate in Poster Presentation at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

WAHS students participated in a Poster Presentation at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine on May 25th to share their research findings regarding major vaccines - Pneumococcal and Polio Vaccines.

Sophia Ems, WAHS Sophomore, attended the Biomedical Science Program at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Sophia shared the following thoughts about her participation in the research presentation:
"I was able to improve my presentation and research skills, think under pressure, and become involved in a professional research project. I liked working with the mentors in the program at the medical college, and I realized I want to pursue the field of Orthopedics, since a few of the workshops involved hands on projects for Orthopedics."

Addison Kilpatrick, WAHS Sophomore, reflected on her participation in the Biomedical Science Program and the research presentation:
"Being a part of the Biomedical program was a unique experience and one that I am very thankful to be a part of. Working with the mentors was so much fun, they treated us like we were equal, gave great advice, and gave us insight of what we can expect going into college. I really enjoyed how hands-on and informative the environment was. Learning how to do a poster presentation at a college level while still in high school was probably the most useful thing I learned. Most students at our ages don't get an opportunity like that and it will definitely be beneficial in the future. All though it was stressful at times, I am very excited to be a part of this program again next year!"

Members of the Class of 2024 Graduate from the Junior Leadership Northern Poconos Program

On Wednesday, May 24th, 2023, members of the WAHS Class of 2024 graduated from the Northern Poconos Junior Leadership program. Braedan Caputo, Tiffani Dixon, Hailey Koch, Alex Seretis and Kyla Story attended the graduation ceremony at Western Wayne High School. The ceremony was the culminating event of the year-long program hosted by The Chamber of the Northern Poconos.

In spring of 2022, students applied during their sophomore year. Along with Wallenpaupack Area High School, students from Forest City Regional, Wayne Highlands and Western Wayne have been busy increasing their awareness of Wayne County. Six, all-day sessions were held for the students throughout the year. Topics of the sessions included: History of region/local and county government, law enforcement and criminal justice, as well as health care. Each of the sessions were held in a different location in Wayne County ranging from the Wayne County Visitors Center to the Wayne County Emergency Management Center as well as Wayne Memorial Hospital.

In addition to learning more about Wayne County, students from all four schools worked on a collective community service project. Through their collaborative efforts, the students collected and donated over 500 items to the Wayne County Food Pantry. Congratulations to our WAHS Class of 2024 Junior Leadership Northern Poconos Graduates!!

WAHS Students Participate in Garden Project

On May 15, Mr. McCue and the Building Trades class installed the new and improved garden beds they built for Mrs. Baton's Life Skills class. These improvements were made possible by a grant from the Wayne County Community Foundation's Youth Advisory Committee (YAC).

The previous garden beds were in disrepair, and the design required students to bend over the sides to reach the soil, which some students were unable to do. So, earlier this school year Mrs. Baton's class researched garden bed designs with hinged tops that would allow students to easily reach the soil. They then wrote a grant proposal for garden repairs and maintenance to the YAC, and they won!

Using the grant money, they ordered building supplies, which Mr. McCue and his class used to make their chosen garden bed design a reality. In addition to two beds of vegetables and herbs, Mrs. Baton's class will be turning one bed into a native pollinator garden. Recently, they took a trip to Home Depot to purchase topsoil, seeds and garden tools and a trip to Lacawac Sanctuary to learn about native plants and pollinators. They have already started seedlings indoors and are excited to get planting!

WAHS Phys. Ed. Students Kayak as Part of Water Safety Lessons

The Physical Education classes of Ms. Heather Amon and Mr. Michael Phillips took advantage of a beautiful day on Lake Wallenpaupack to take out the kayaks as part of the Water Safety unit in their lessons. They excitedly gathered for this group photo prior to their return.

WAHS Students Visit Health Sciences Labs at King's College

WAHS students in the Health/Medical Science Pathway attended a campus visit to King's College in Wilkes Barre recently. Students were able to tour campus and participate in activities in the Exercise Science Lab, Athletic Training Program, Physician Assistant Program, and Cadaver Lab.

Junior Jordyn Fontano shared the following reflections about her experiences at the Health Sciences Labs at King's College:

"This trip gave my peers and I insight into the actual environment of a college and exposure to learning about some of the fields we are interested in. It was great to see some of the classrooms and talk to current students about their pathways at the school. Seeing King's programs up close gave me a clearer view of what programs would entail if I chose to pursue them. Overall, it was a great experience, and I really enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity."

WAHS Students Visit the Practical Nursing Program in Scranton

WAHS students visited the Practical Nursing Program at the Lackawanna County Career & Technology Center recently. Students toured the Simulation Labs for both adult and pediatric patients and were able to participate in hands on activities in both labs.

Logan LeMin, WAHS Sophomore and Allied Health CTE participant attended the visit to the Practical Nursing program and shared the following thoughts about the visit:

"I thought that the Practical Nursing Program at the CTC in Scranton was an overall great experience. I liked when we got to see and work with the human like child mannequin. It was able to talk to us and be diagnosed with illnesses that must be properly dealt with. Another part of the trip that I liked was when we had to look for what was wrong with the mannequin patients in the beds. We had to look at and find things that an everyday person wouldn't see (ex. cuts, scratches, bruises) all around the body. This was a great opportunity to be able to see and interact with faculty/simulation labs at a nursing program."

WAHS Students Attend Workshop at the STEM Lending Library at NEIU

WAHS Students from the Child Care CTE and Education Pathway attended an educational workshop at the STEM Lending Library at NEIU, in Archbald which was hosted by Stephanie Williams, IT Operations and STEM Support Specialist, and Alexandra Konsur-Grushinski, STEM Support Specialist. Students were able to "play" with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) materials and explore the concepts behind the games or equipment ranging from coding, circuitry, robotics or the environment.

Breanna Conklin, WAHS Sophomore, attended the workshop, and provided the following feedback:

"I think the STEM Lending Library was a great place to gather resources for our classroom and many other classrooms around us. It's a great opportunity for students and our teachers to be able to see/use different equipment that we don't yet have to better the learning environment for the children in our WOW program. I learned they tried to get us to use the perspective with our "teacher minds" while working with the equipment. Some of the activities they let us use I thought would be easy and boring, yet there were more concepts I thought could be applied--I just had to open my mind more! In general, it was a nice opportunity for us to be able to visit."

WAHS Students Visit PSU Scranton

WAHS students from the Health/Medical and Education Pathways visited Penn State Scranton recently to learn more about programs for Nursing and Human Development/Family Studies (HDFS). The campus visit included an information session with an Admissions Representative, a tour of campus with the Lions Ambassadors, and the opportunity to meet with faculty from the Nursing and HDFS Programs.

Kelly Ann Hotaling, WAHS Junior and Allied Health CTE participant, visited the Nursing Program and shared the following:

"On our trip to Penn State Scranton, we got to learn all about the different types of campuses and how they all work in conjunction with one another. Then they brought us to learn more about their nursing department. They are still currently building a new building that is estimated to be done by the fall of 2024. They brought us into their current sim lab and showed us their mannequin that is able to simulate a birth and a bunch of other medical situations. After that, they took us into another room where they set up a scenario where you walk into a patient's room and had to identify the unsafe hazards. They gave a prize to the people that identified the most hazards and Ciara Dennis and I won. They were very warm and welcoming to the campus and provided a great lunch!"

School Board Honors Three Seniors at May Meeting

The Wallenpaupack Area School Board continued one of its favorite traditions by recognizing three outstanding Seniors at the May 8th meeting.

Reilly Kai Puma-Stehlik has been a member of the National Honor Society, the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Leadership Team, placing 1st in the Regional Competition, and achieving a 3rd place in the State Competition, the Scholastic Team, the Chess Club, Student Council, the Technology Club, the Science Olympiad team, placing 2nd, 3rd and 4th at the Regional competitions, the Swim Team, the Golf Team, the Track Team, the Wrestling Team, and the E-Sports Team. He has also been a Gold Scholar Award Recipient, a Student Ambassador, and a Peer Tutor. After graduation, Reilly plans to attend Lehigh University to study Industrial Engineering.

Jake Schallowitz has been a three-year Gold Scholar Award Recipient, a member of the National Honor Society, as well as the E-Sports Team and Scholastic Club. Jake plans to pursue a degree in Environmental Sciences and Mathematics.

Francesca Toppi has served as Student Council Vice-President, and as a Student Ambassador. She received the Gold Scholar Award, and has been a member of FBLA, placing 2nd in the State Competition and twice being a National Finalist, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), the Prom Committee, and Our Kids Food Pantry. She has lettered in Soccer and Tennis, serving as Captain and placing 1st in the PIAA State Doubles Competition, and also competed in Unified Track and Field and Swimming. Francesca plans to attend Saint Joseph's University Honor College of Arts and Sciences for Biomedical Sciences to pursue a degree in the Healthcare profession with the goal of becoming a pediatrician.

The School Board, Administration, Faculty, and Staff of Wallenpaupack wish these outstanding Seniors continued success in their future endeavors.

WAHS Students Attend Psychology Fair at Marywood University

WAHS students attended the Psychology Fair at Marywood University recently. They were able to explore careers as a Clinical Psychologist, Social Worker, Art Therapist, Neuropsychologist, Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, Therapist, or School Psychologist, to name a few. The Psychology Fair was organized by the Psychology Club at Marywood, and students were on hand to discuss different pathways and majors in the Psychology Program, as well as the Honors Society.

Rachel Keane, WAHS Senior, shared the following thoughts about the program:

"I thought the Psychology Fair was very informative. I learned a lot of the different types of categories of Psychology you could go into. It was a good trip to see Marywood and for people who are interested in Psychology."

Katherine Pettinato & Makayla Calvo Triumph in The Hawk Family Foundation NEPA Entrepreneurship Competition

Press release provided by Brighter Financial Futures (dba PennCFL)

Dream-Learn-Pitch, a program administered through nonprofit Brighter Financial Futures (dba PennCFL) is proud to announce that Katherine Pettinato and Makayla Calvo from Wallenpaupack Area Middle School, under the leadership of educator Mrs. Argyro Paspalas, took 1st Place in NEPA for the Middle School division in our challenging competition. Their business is called Forest Fun. This program is generously sponsored by The Hawk Family Foundation.

Dream-Learn-Pitch provides high school and middle school students with a unique opportunity to innovate. Participants gain exposure to the world of entrepreneurship and small business through researching, writing, and presenting their business ideas via a video "pitch", also known as an elevator speech. Our curriculum jump-starts minds, and fosters the development of critical thinking, financial literacy, and risk management skills. Business plans are uploaded to our portal, where they are rigorously reviewed. Generous prizes are awarded to the victors.

Our mission is to provide K-12 students with economics, personal finance, and entrepreneurship skills that elevate their standard of living, quality of life, and professional success. We showcase exceptional talent from business, education, and government. Our nonprofit organization is passionate about teaching young people solid financial management and entrepreneurial skills. Many families in our area struggle to make ends meet. Our goal is to break that pattern by instilling a firm sense of financial competency and responsibility in the next generation.

Our goal is to be the leader in K-12 financial literacy and entrepreneurship education. For additional information, please contact Eric Attinger, Chief Communications Officer at [email protected] or Carolyn Shirk, Vice President [email protected], call 570-975-5149 or visit us at DreamLearnPitch.org or PennCFL.org.

WNIS Student Council Recognized at April Board Meeting

The Wallenpaupack North Intermediate School Fifth Grade Student Council was recognized at the April School Board meeting for their exemplary work within their school. They have been learning about leadership and participating in a variety of fundraising efforts that have benefited their school and community.

WASD Teams Bring Back Top Awards in 2023 NEIU Reading Tournament

Congratulations to the Reading Tournament teams coached by Mrs. Hess and Mrs. Ostrowski! Over the course of several months, the team members read 25 books and held weekly team discussions to prepare for their competition. The three WNIS teams and one WSES team then competed in a pool of 18 teams in the Elementary Division of the 2023 NEIU Reading Tournament, with two of the WNIS bringing back the 1st and 2nd place awards. Congratulations to all the Elementary and Middle School students who participated.

Junior Michael Soskil Job Shadows at JHA Companies

Michael Soskil, WAHS Junior, shadowed Martin Moucha, Project Engineer, at JHA Companies (a Civil Engineering Firm) in Moosic recently. Michael shared the following comments about his job shadowing experience:

"I spent the day with Mr. Moucha learning about different environmental conditions that effect engineering and construction, and how they use technology to map and analyze those conditions. We even took my house and mapped it out on the software they use, and we analyzed drainage patterns, stream flow, and topography. The civil engineering firm we visited was kind and friendly, and they were very hands-on in showing me what they do daily. It was a great first-hand experience, and I would absolutely recommend shadowing there to anyone who is considering civil engineering."

University of Pittsburgh Holds 'Meet and Greet' at WAHS

WAHS Students met with Admissions representatives from the University of Pittsburgh for a "Meet and Greet" recently. Four WAHS Seniors will be attending the University of Pittsburgh in the Fall including LilyAnna Mulberger, Megan Van Orden, Abigail Kirsten, and Haley McCue. Students discussed exciting opportunities they can explore when they arrive on campus. In addition, Leila Katz, WAHS Junior, attended the "Meet & Greet" session to find out more about programs of study she may be interested in.

WAHS Student Ambassadors Sponsor Donation Drive for Dessin Animal Shelter

WAHS Student Ambassadors are spearheading a community service project for Dessin Animal Shelter. The shelter is in desperate need of supplies to help them during "Kitten Season" and has requested the following items:

WAHS Hosts Mock Interviews

Wallenpaupack Area High School hosted Spring Mock Interviews on Thursday, April 27th. During the Mock Interviews, students were able to practice their interviewing skills, receive immediate constructive feedback on how they performed during their interview, discuss work or volunteer projects listed on their resume, and enhance their interpersonal skills. Community Partners participated in this event, so students could have this valuable experience.

American Scholastic Achievement League Challenge High Scorers

Each year students in Mrs. Argyro Paspalas' gifted classes participate in the American Scholastic Achievement League Challenge. It is a 100-question online contest where students demonstrate a variety of problem-solving skills and knowledge in the following academic areas: general knowledge, language, literature, geography, science, and mathematics. The students compete as individuals and as members of their school's team in a unique, interesting, and educational program.

This year approximately 4000 sixth grade students and 9500 seventh grade students in various school districts competed in the contest. Eight sixth-grade students and seven seventh-grade students participated from the Wallenpaupack Area Middle School. Our WAMS champions this year with the highest scores are Daniel Wanamaker from sixth grade and Jenna Petroski from seventh grade.

Dr. Watson's Neighborhood Goes on the Road

Eight Wallenpaupack athletes, coached by Dr. Mark Watson, traveled to Abington Heights for the 35th Annual Powerlifting Meet. The lifters performed very well, bringing home accolades for their efforts.

The competition was divided into weight classes ranging from 116 lbs to heavyweight. Some of the weight classes were very competitive and had a large number of lifters. The students competed in the following events:

Bench Press - bringing the bar down to their chest, waiting for a press call, then pressing it until their arms are locked.

Dead Lift - picking the bar off the ground, then straightening their back and legs.

Special recognition goes to Jaden Colwell for being the top Light Weightlifter of the meet.

The team's results are as follows:

Fine Arts Department Names Anja Schoepfer Student of the Month for May

Anja Schoepfer, of Hawley, is being recognized for her achievements in instrumental and vocal music. Anja has been a member of the Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble, Pit Orchestra, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, and the Scholastics Team. She has also performed with the Northeastern Youth Wind and String Ensembles, the Northeast Tri-County Band, the Marywood University Junior and Senior Wind Band Celebrations, the PMEA District 9 Band and Orchestra, and the PMEA Region IV Band and Orchestra. Anja has also served as a trombone section leader and drum major for the Marching Band, as well as being recognized as a WVIA "Artist of the Week". She plans to attend a 4-year college to major in music education.

Wayne County Historical Society Showcases Student Art

The Wayne County Historical Society (WCHS) received a grant from the Wayne County Community Foundation to host a seminar explaining the museum's artwork collection and invited interested high school art students to submit one original piece of art "in the style of" or "inspired by" the work of one of the museum's artists. Eight WAHS students, Madison Gentes, Leyla Gulumoglu, Josh Lake, Sophia Letki, Emma Phraner,  Eris Rhodes, Beryl Rupp, and Sydney Sura, participated. These students' art is part of the new gallery exhibition and will hang through January, 2025 in the Main Museum of WCHS.

WASD Students Tour Second Harvest Food Pantry

On April 26, 2023, Lucas Igel, Noah Ree, and 13 volunteers took a tour of the Second Harvest Food Pantry in the Lehigh Valley. Lucas is 9 years old and in the 4th grade at the North Intermediate school, and Noah is 8 years old and in 2nd grade at the North Primary School. The food pantry at the Church at Hemlock Farms serves well over 100 families each month.

Last month, Second Harvest delivered 46,000 lbs. of food to local food pantries in Pike County alone. This is up more than 10,000 lbs. from February's numbers. The Food pantry is open to all residents of Wayne & Pike Counties. The Hemlock food pantry is located inside Hemlock Farms at 98 Willow Drive Lords Valley, PA. The Church at Hemlock Farms welcomes all families in need of help. They are open the 3rd Monday of each month from 4 - 6:30 pm. They are also open for emergencies by appointment. The pantry can be reached at (570)775-6787.

North Primary Gets a Visit from Some Critters

All North Primary students were treated to the A.N.A. Critters "Conservation Through Education" Animal Ambassador Program. The program was sponsored by the WANES PTSA. All students had the opportunity to safely interact with insects, animals, and reptiles. Students and teachers learned lots about these animals and had lots of fun. Special thank you to Ana for providing our students with this opportunity! For more information please see the website: http://anacritters.com

District Acquires New Wheelchair Van

Great things are happening for Wallenpaupack Area students, thanks to the School Board of Directors, pictured above in front of the District's newly acquired wheelchair van. This resource now makes transportation to daytime events like field trips, job shadowing and more equally accessible to students in need of this specialized transportation. This addition was made possible by the attentive support of the School Board, as well as a grant from Jake's Pack (Mike and Carol Burkhardt) through the Wayne County Community Foundation. Jake's Pack is a foundation in remembrance of their son, Jake Burkhardt.

The School Board members pictured with the van are (left to right) Lisa Smith, Kelly Obermiller, Michael Spencer, John Kiesendahl, Paul Otway, Roy Finney, Jr., and John F. Spall. For more information about the great things happening at Wallenpaupack Area, visit the District and building websites at www.wallenpaupack.org. You can also follow school happenings on their Facebook pages: "Wallenpaupack Area High School", "Wallenpaupack Area Middle School", and "Wallenpaupack Elementary Schools NP NI SE".

Pictured above with the van in the second picture are Jake's brother Ben, Carol Burkhardt, Michael Burkhardt, and Wallenpaupack Multi-Handicap teacher Leonard Spoor. For more information about Jake's story and the efforts to preserve his memory, visit "Jake's Pack" on Facebook.

North Intermediate School Enjoys the Benefits of a Therapy Dog

The Wallenpaupack North Intermediate School is fortunate to have Coco serve as a therapy dog for students in the building. Coco is a 15 lb. miniature poodle, under the supervision of Mr. and Mrs. Ben and Deb Katz, our science teacher and school counselor. Pictured here are students taking a break from their work and enjoying some time with Coco.

CTE Students Take First Place at PAA Competition

In December, the Pennsylvania Automotive Association (PAA) held an on-line qualifying exam to determine eligibility for the hands-on competition to be held in Hershey. The Wallenpaupack Automotive Technology duo of Tristan Zink and Kervin Plua earned the right to compete in the hands-on competition against the top 10 teams in the state.

The team of Zink and Plua placed first overall in the PAA hands-on competition. The contest consisted of two parts of 90 minutes each. The WAHS team achieved a perfect score on the first part of the competition, which consisted of fixing a customer complaint and performing  pre-delivery inspection on a new Jeep Wrangler.  The second part of the contest consisted of 5 different automotive stations of 15 minutes duration each covering  vehicle suspension and alignment, electrical system testing, braking systems, electrical waveform diagnosis and precision measuring.

For their first-place effort each student earned a $10,000 Scholarship to the school of their choice, tools, automotive apparel and multiple gifts from the sponsoring industry representatives worth over $2,000.  They also received a first place trophy and medals for being the top team in the state.

Unfortunately, the National Competition is still not being held, but the PAA team from Wallenpaupack is still the reigning National Champion. Wallenpaupack won first place at the National Automotive Competition in 2019 and brought home over $200,000 for each competing student and multiple gifts for the automotive program. Wallenpaupack's Automotive Technology Program has been to the National competition 9 times, winning 3 National Titles. The PAA State Automotive Competition has been taking place for 21 years and Wallenpaupack Automotive Technology Students have placed first twelve times.

Special thanks go out to B&B Dodge for allowing Wallenpaupack to keep a 2023 Jeep at the school for the students to practice on. We would like to thank the Carmody family, who set everything up and gave our students the scan tool to communicate with the vehicles' computer systems. A special thank you goes to Frank Evans, technician at B&B Dodge, for coming to the school on multiple nights to show the students how to use the specialized tools needed to work on the Jeep. The cooperation with local dealerships is a big help in preparing our students at Wallenpaupack for entry into post-secondary education and the workforce.

WAHS Students Awarded Medals at HOSA State Competition

Congratulations go out to two Wallenpaupack High School students who earned medals at the Penn HOSA State Leadership Conference held March 29th - 31st at Valley Forge.

Senior Alexandra Sherman earned First Place and a HOSA Scholarship in the category of Sports Medicine, while Junior Caitlyn Mulcahy took Second Place in the category of Veterinary Science. Great job!!

HOSA State Leadership Conference

Ben Ostroski, HOSA President, shared his thoughts about being involved in HOSA: "HOSA has helped me become a more effective leader. Everyone I know that has experienced State Leadership Conference (SLC) has had nothing but great things to say. SLC is a great way for members to connect with health care professionals and build relationships with other members."

More Students Prepare for HOSA Competition

WAHS Junior Katie O'Brien is signed up for the Nutrition Competition. Katie provided the following information about her event: "For Nutrition, I am studying several sources, trying to learn everything I can about the science of nutrition, and how it affects our health and everyday life. I chose to compete in Nutrition because I find the topic very interesting and enjoy learning about it. Ever since COVID, I have learned a lot about nutrition as I try to practice good nutrition being a teenage athlete. After weeks of studying, along with my previous knowledge, I feel very equipped to compete, and I am very excited for the HOSA Competition."

Kelly Ann Hotaling and Ciara Dennis describe their project in the Public Health Category for HOSA: "Our HOSA project category is Public Health, and the topic is heart healthy for life. Our main goal was to show the difference between a healthy heart and an unhealthy heart and ways you can maintain your health. We mention certain foods you should be eating, types of exercises and resources you should know to stay healthy. It is also important to know the certain heart diseases you are susceptible to and how they can affect your overall wellbeing. HOSA says that Ischemic Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the recent years. So, we also highlighted Ischemic Heart disease and facts about it. In addition to the poster, we are making an interactive heart model that demonstrates a healthy heart pumping blood."

Senior Ray Babyak Job Shadows at Wayne County Ford

Ray Babyak, WAHS Senior, participated in an automotive Job Shadow at Wayne County Ford in Honesdale recently. The Job Shadow was coordinated by Roger Kowalski, Sales Manager at Wayne County Ford. Ray was able to shadow one of the Technicians in the service area, gain hands-on experience during some of the repairs, take a look at the technology used to service vehicles, and observe the routine maintenance provided by the Quick Lane.

Students Prepare for HOSA Competition

Senior Alexandra Sherman provided the following information about the Sports Medicine Event: "I have been a HOSA member for 2 years, where I have competed in sports medicine. The requirement for this competition is a written test based around nutrition and exercise science, as well as a skills portion where I must do one of four tape jobs (inversion ankle, Achilles tendon, wrist, and shoulder). I have to learn all four, and I won't know which one I have to do until I compete. Another section of the skills portion is learning different anatomy of the body, as well as joint action and maximum range of motion. Again, I won't know which I have to do until the event.

My two years of HOSA have been an amazing experience, not only from competing, but also seeing how many people are passionate about healthcare. I have learned so much that has helped me through my classes, as well as meeting people who have pushed me to continue my career goals. Last year I won 3rd in states and had the opportunity to attend the international competition in Nashville, TN. It was an amazing experience, meeting people from all over the world who shared the passion that I have."

Logan LeMin, WAHS Junior discussed his upcoming event, Creative Problem-Solving, at the HOSA Competition: "We are presented with a problem 30 minutes before we must present to the judges. We have to use our knowledge of what we learned about creative problem solving and come up with a solution to the problem. I feel being involved and learning about creative problem solving has helped me keep an open mind and be able to think differently in different ways. This also helped me learn about leadership and what it takes to be a good teammate."

Junior Jaylin Gaston also shared her thoughts about the upcoming competition: "I really appreciate getting the opportunity to be involved in the creative problem-solving part of HOSA. This will broaden my horizons and be an experience that I will remember for life. It is truly a gift because few high schools are a part of HOSA and get the opportunity to do half the things we do."

Fil Am Palma provided the following comments about the project: "Creative Thinking and Problem Solving requires students to think outside the box to take on the challenges that a health professional may encounter in their career."

Karleigh Weist, WAHS Junior shared the following information about the event she is preparing for at the HOSA Competition: "My competition is pathophysiology. Pathophysiology is the processes associated with disease or injury. This is teaching me all about the different conditions and how you might be able to treat them."

WNPS Class Receives Visit from Hercules, the Therapy Dog

Students in Ms. Megan McGinnis' class welcomed Hercules, a recently trained therapy dog to their classroom. Students enjoyed interacting with Hercules and learned about therapy dogs. Hercules is owned by Mrs. Kelly Obermiller, Wallenpaupack Area School Board member. Much fun was had by all!

Students enjoying Hercules' visit include: Jackson Dix, Chloeann Bundschuh-Corcoran, Mercy Rosencrance, Anthony Favale, WenSheng Smith, Dillon Beskovoyne, Madeline Pepe, Kamoni Cudjoe, and Jonathan Padilla.

Logan LeMin Named CTE Student of the Month for February

Sophomore Logan LeMin of Hawley has been selected as the February Student of the Month by the Career & Technical Education (CTE) Department. Logan is currently a Level I student in the Allied Health program, and a member of the Paupack Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) club. He is a conscientious student, always prepared, active in class discussions and groupwork, and exceeding expectations when completing projects.  He is also a member of the Football Team and a Weightlifting Club member.

This year Logan will be competing at the HOSA State Leadership Conference in Valley Forge, PA in Creative Problem Solving, along with two other teammates. He hopes to place high enough at the state level competition so he may then go on to compete at the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Texas.

Logan is considered a shining example of a future health professional who is going to make an impactful difference for the people in his care.

Culinary CTE Holds 'Chopped' MRE Challenge

In February, during Career and Technical Education month, the Senior Culinary Arts students participated in an MRE (Meals - Ready to Eat) Chopped Challenge!! Organized by SSG Kleppinger and SFC Riotta, the students were given a variety of MRE's used by soldiers in the field. The students worked in teams of 2 and had an hour total to prepare 3 plates each, consisting of an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.

The "Double Beef" team of Elizabeth Kilpatrick and Jessica Mara won First Place. Team "AA" of Angelina Fitzgerald and Antonio Vasquez Morena won second place. Congratulations to all who participated!

WAHS Sophomores Create PSA for HOSA Competition

Wallenpaupack Sophomores Giada Blume, Julia Mrowka, and Lauren Peterman are competing March 29th - 31st in Valley Forge for HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America). As part of their project, they were required to create a 30-second Public Service Announcement to promote a Mental Health Topic and Organization. They chose PTSD: School Shootings (Charlie Health). The name of the project is "I'm Fine" is Not the Answer and is presented below.

The girls shared the following information in terms of what they worked on and what they learned from the project:

"We got a better understanding of the trauma people experience from the school shootings. We wanted to spread awareness that people can go and reach out to Charlie Health. We got the full understanding that "I'm Fine" is not the answer."

WAHS Students Visit the University of Scranton

WAHS students visited the University of Scranton on March 8th and participated in the following activities: A tour of the campus with Student Ambassadors including residence halls and major academic buildings, a presentation with Admissions to learn about the programs of study offered and financial aid opportunities at the university, and lunch in the Dining Hall.

Senior Emily Kangal provided the following feedback about the trip to the University of Scranton: "I loved the visit so much. It gave me a really good idea of what my future career will look like and what it will take to get there. Dr. Kraus was an amazing person to talk to and he gave me so much insight into being an English professor. I'm very thankful for the opportunity to talk to someone who has the job I aspire to have."

Juliana Olver, Junior, also shared her thoughts about the visit: "Scranton has a very large and beautiful campus, and they have top tier academics. I could really see myself going there one day."

Arrival and Departure Procedures for the North Campus - 2022-23

Parents and Students:  Information Regarding Flexible Instruction Days

Please read this important letter from Superintendent Keith Gunuskey regarding Flexible Instruction Days.

Information Regarding Robo-Calls and Robo-Texts

As inclement weather approaches, Wallenpaupack will continue to utilize the SwiftK12 messaging system to notify families of school delays and cancellations. Please note that as parents/guardians, you can maintain the contact phone numbers used by the system by using the PowerSchool Parent Portal. These phone numbers are maintained separately from the student database by design and are not automatically updated when you inform the school of a changed phone number.  Information regarding setting up and configuring your account through the Parent Portal can be found in this document.

It is our intent to begin sending SMS text messages regarding delays and cancellations to families in addition to our normal communication avenues of TV, radio, website, Facebook, etc. We will not robo-call families in the morning except in unusual or unexpected circumstances.  We ask that you maintain accurate contact numbers in the SwiftK12 system to facilitate this.

If clicking on the SwiftReach SwiftK12 link causes a 'Log in.  Your session may have expired.' message, please follow these instructions.

Cafeteria Information - Updated for 2022-2023

For updated information about the Cafeteria for the 2022-2023 school year, including the online payment program, please read this document.

The USDA-funded free breakfast and lunch waivers that were in effect for the 2021-22 school year have expired as of June 30, 2022.  Therefore, parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to apply for the federally assisted Free and Reduced-Price Meal Program for the 2022-2023 school year.   This confidential information is used by both WASD and state agencies to determine funding for a variety of programs. Failure to apply for benefits could disqualify your student/family from additional benefits that may be available. Please view this video for further information.

Apply online at http://www.schoolcafe.com (free account creation required) or print and complete this form.

Notice Regarding Student Insurance - Revised for 2022-2023 School Year

Please be advised that it is the responsibility of the parents/guardians, in the event of a student accident, to provide for accidental injury expenses either through insurance or cash payment to health care providers. For this reason, the School District would like to make you aware of the availability of a low cost, standard school approved insurance policy.

The School District does not provide insurance coverage for students. If you do not have insurance or the financial ability to cover potential injury expenses, we encourage you to review this Student Accident Insurance document.

If you choose to purchase insurance through this program, please have your child return the completed insurance form with your payment to their school and it will be forwarded to the insurance company to process.

We hope this program can be a valuable service for you and your family.

On-line Learning Resources and Information for Students and Parents

• How-to Resources for On-Line Learning

Safe2Say Something (S2SS) Program Under Way

In 2018, the General Assembly passed Act 44 mandating the establishment and use of the "Safe2Say Something" (S2SS) anonymous reporting system by every Pennsylvania school entity by January 14, 2019.

S2SS is a life-saving and life-changing school safety program that teaches students, educators, and administrators how: (1) to recognize the signs and signals of individuals who may be at risk of hurting themselves or others, and (2) to anonymously report this information through the S2SS app, website, or 24/7 Crisis Center Hotline.

For further information, please refer to the following documents:

• Safe2Say Something Program Overview
  
  
• Safe2Say Something - Parent Brochure

Vaccination Requirements for 2018-2019 School Year Onward

In the 2018-2019 school year, there are requirements that students in 7th and 12th grade must adhere to. On the First Day of School in the fall of 2018, unless the child has a medical or religious/philosophical exemption, a child must have had the vaccinations as described in this pamphlet, or risk exclusion from school. Students at any grade, Kindergarten through 12th, including all public, private, parochial or nonpublic school in this Commonwealth of Pennsylvania must show proof of immunization before they can attend school. This pertains to vocational schools, alternative education programs, intermediate units, special education, home education programs, charter and cyber charter schools. For more information, please refer to this pamphlet.

Wallenpaupack Immunization / Exemption Form

The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission program that helps connect families and households struggling to afford internet service. This new benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.

Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail in application.

You can learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575.

Please note that the Wallenpaupack Area School District is providing this information as a courtesy, and is not involved in the operation of the Affordable Connectivity Program. Any and all questions should be directed to the contact information above, and NOT to the School District.

Highmark Insurance - Transparency in Coverage Compliance

The Transparency in Coverage Rule issued by the federal government requires health insurers and group health plans to provide detailed pricing data for all covered items and services to the public in the form of Machine Readable Files (MRFs).

Highmark Insurance has provided the following documents to explain and comply with this rule.

ACA Compliance Bulletin

Transparancy Mandates Presentation