Science Fun in Miss Wetzler's Room!

Miss Wetzler's students are experimenting with a new science program that is a result of a recent impact grant through the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit Foundation. In this program, students are learning fundamental skills and concepts. The program provides excellent opportunities for students to be problem solvers and opportunities for them to work together as a team to accomplish weekly goals. 

Rainbow Day Love in Kindergarten

Heritage kindergarten celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a Rainbow Day Love theme!  Take a peek at some of the Rainbow Day Fun!

There is Just Something Special About Dads...and Donuts!

This week, PTO sponsored and hosted its annual Donuts with Dads event! As every year, this event is a real crowd pleaser...bringing two favorite things together: Dads and Donuts! dads and sons and dads and daughters piled into the Heritage cafeteria to enjoy tasty cream-filled and glazed treats in addition to some quality time with each other. Kids completed mini donut cut-outs describing what they love best about their dads. These heart-warming cut-outs are on display for all to see in the Heritage cafeteria.  A special thank you to our PTO for organizing and hosting this special morning for our school families!

    

 

 

Heritage Students Create 3D Key Chains

Fifth grade students recently explored Tinkercad, a 3D design application that enables them to design and print 3D 'monogram' key chains! The key chains were printed on a 3D printer at Heritage and have already been spotted attached to many fifth grade backpacks, keys, and personal items! Mrs. Tammy Gianvito (technology) and Ms. Kelly Bickmore (art) collaborated to plan and co-teach this technology/art integrated unit.

Heritage Students Participate in Computer Science Education Week: Hour of Code!

Heritage students participated in Computer Science Education week during their Computer Specials class. Students were introduced to computer programming terminology such as code, computer programmer, sequence, loops and debugging. Students in kindergarten and first grade programmed by using basic, pre-reader directional arrows to move a robot through a maze. Second and third grade students programmed using drag-and-drop blocks while fourth and fifth grade students practiced creating Google logos with Scratch programming. All of these activities are accessible through the Hour of Code website www.hourofcode.com.

Invention Convention Success for Heritage Students!

Heritage students participated in an Invention Convention at Yough Intermediate School last Friday. Students presented invention prototypes and marketing strategies to a panel of judges and were awarded points for originality, creativity, usefulness, and presentation.

In the second grade division, Taylor Buccicone earned a first place ribbon for her “Glow Bo” light-up trick-or-treat bag. Ava Rutkowski and Evelyn Makosey were awarded third place for their “Easy Change Compost Bin” and Madison Wilder earned an Honorable Mention for her soccer kicking aide called the “Shooting Shoe.” In the fifth grade division, Abby Marion earned an Honorable Mention for her invention to rid water of trash called the “Water Vacuum.” Additional participants included Jaineel Varshney, Tanisha Narayani, Chris Wu and Anika Jadia.

All students worked really hard on their projects and all of the entries have been forwarded to the state level.

Kindergarten Celebrates the Season with Gingerbread Day!

Last week, Heritage Kindergarten students participated in an annual tradition - Gingerbread Day! On this fun and festive day, parent volunteers visit classrooms to spread holiday cheer and help students enjoy and learn from a variety of gingerbread themed activities across all content areas including: Math, Literacy, Science, and Art. Students read several interpretations of gingerbread stories and wrote their own stories about gingerbread. The best part of Gingerbread Day...decorating and eating the gingerbread cookies! 

Heritage Raises $10,498.43 for Needy Families in Westmoreland County

WINNER WINNER TURKEY DINNER!!

Each year the Westmoreland County Food Bank invites schools to participate in a Turkey Cup Challenge which raises money to provide food for needy families in Westmoreland County.  For the 5th year in a row, Heritage Elementary has proudly shown just how generous its students, families, and staff are by once again capturing the Turkey Cup!  This year, Heritage raised an incredible $10,498.43! Since 2010, Heritage has raised a total of $77,336.75!

A warm thank you goes out to all the students, families, and staff of Heritage Elementary.  Also, a BIG thank you to the Heritage PTO for organizing, collecting, and counting all of our pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters, and dollars!

Heritage Rocks!

The Cancer Moonshot Ribbon Quilt

Recently, a very special 363’ long quilt was on display in Houston, Texas that included fabric squares contributed by many of our student artists at Heritage Elementary. Ultimately, the quilt will be displayed at NASA.

Last year, fourth grade students in visual arts class designed a fabric quilt square inspired by a space theme. We are thrilled that our quilt squares were selected to be incorporated into a one of a kind collaborative fiber arts project- the Cancer Moonshot Ribbon Quilt.

The Cancer Moonshot Ribbon Quilt is a national collaborative project that aims to raise awareness and funds for cancer research, with the ultimate goal of dramatically reducing the incidence and mortality of cancer. Fabric artist Robyn Pettingill designed the collaborative project, challenging fabric artists of all ages across the United States to ‘show what the power of individuals inspired by a community can achieve’.

The completed quilt will be 363ft long, the same as a Saturn 5 rocket (the rocket that was launched to the moon a generation ago).

To learn more about the project, visit: https://www.birdzeed.com/cancermoonshotribbonquilt

Turner Dairy Farm Visits Heritage Kindergarten

Ms. Becky from the Turner Dairy Farm visited Heritage Kindergarten to teach students how milk from cows gets from the farm to our kitchen tables. After the visit, students enjoyed a milkshake with Ms. Becky. Kindergarten students built upon what they learned about the farm during KidWriting where they wrote about favorite farm animals. It was a wonderful experience!